Parker & Hulme: A Lesbian View

by Julie Glamuzina, Alison J. Laurie

Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker were teenagers in New Zealand, ages 15 and 16, when in June 1954 they killed Pauline's mother. The murder resulted in a sensational court case, extensive local and international media coverage, and a public association of lesbianism with "evil," "insanity," and extreme violence. In 1991, two New Zealanders published Parker & Hulme: A Lesbian View. By zeroing in on the circumstances and significance of the case beyond the "mad" or "bad" sound bites bandied about almost 40 years earlier, the authors exposed the issues of sexuality and social control - classism, homophobia, racism - within which the headlines were mired. After the release of Heavenly Creatures - the successful movie based on the murder case - Juliet Hulme was "outed" as the well-known mystery writer Ann Perry, alive and well and living in Scotland. A second furor erupted, as the now 56-year-old Hulme/Perry disclaimed any memory of a lesbian involvement with her cohort.

Genres: True Crime, LGBT, History, Nonfiction

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently watched Heavenly Creatures for the first time in years and remembered how much I loved it and what a huge impact it had on me as a teenager. I went searching for information on the true story behind the film and it appears that this book is all that's out there.

At first I was disappointed that the only book available seemed to be focused on a narrow part of the story, namely, the girls (potential) lesbianism, but the title is a little misleading because this book does an excellent job of examining the crime, it's aftermath, and potential interpretations in depth and from many angles.

After reading the book, there are questions I have that are unanswered. It's not that these questions aren't addressed in the book, but rather, the authors raise those questions (such as, who was Honora Parker really?), and point out that many facts surrounding the case have been lost because the press at the time chose to focus on the sensational aspects of the drama as opposed to the potentially more human ones.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the information I had ever gleaned about this case has been highly sensational, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book from the library. Whilst this book is not long the authors manage to present an incredibly comprehensive and sensible view of the case in a way that is clear and easy to follow. I learned a lot about Aotearoa history, particularly in terms of society in the 50s and also, the ways in which our lesbian liberation differed from other countries. I thought the survey of lesbians at the end and the way the case affected their perception of self, and the behaviours of others around them to be particularly important (in terms of it's affect on attitudes towards female homosexuality in a specifically NZ context). Although Juliet Hulme (now author Anne Perry) has in recent years stated that they were not lesbians, it is undeniable that this case had a profound affect on societal attitudes and lesbians (or potential lesbians) of the time because of how their relationship was framed. Most informative and enjoyable(?) read of 2019 so far.

[Mai Vy Dang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordpress Is Justice Served review: https://isjusticeserved.wordpress.com...

[Aletha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been following this case since before the film, Heavenly Creatures came out. Such a great read.

I sarcastically love how all the feminist literature that I have read wants to make Parker and Hulme out to be lesbians. Give it a rest. This book actually follows through with their argument. Seriously. Good. Read.

[Deb Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently watched the movie ...Heavenly Creatures so I wanted to read the book about the actual true story.WOW! What a hard read! It was so full of details it was difficult to keep it all straight! But I Am glad I read this book.

[Freyja Vanadis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account of two (probably lesbian) teenage girls in 1950s New Zealand, who killed one of the girls' mother and went to prison for a few years.