The Search for Anne Perry

June 9, 2014
Perry’s authorized biography would be a great deal duller had a secret from her youth in New Zealand not been exposed with the release of Peter Jackson’s 1994 film Heavenly Creatures and the ensuing publicity it aroused. While the bestselling mystery writer is undoubtedly a skilled author, readers will be more interested in Drayton’s handling of the revelation that, as a teenager in 1954, Perry (then using her birth name, Juliet Hulme) and her friend Pauline Parker murdered Pauline’s mother (the matricide on which Jackson’s film is based). The discovery of that dark secret makes for a dramatic opening, as Perry’s longtime agent and friend, Meg Davis, is contacted by a reporter claiming that Perry and Hulme are the same person. Instead of flashing back to Perry’s upbringing and the circumstances that led her to violence, Drayton (Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime) instead turns the focus on Perry’s development as a writer. That choice allows her to build sympathy for her subject before returning to 1954 and Perry’s awful crime. Drayton is no apologist, and Perry herself has not contested her guilt. While Drayton effectively shows how Perry’s experiences as a defendant and prisoner can be seen in her books, she dwells too much on publishing industry matters of advances and book deals. 18 color, 29 b&w photos. Agent: Meg Davis, Ki Agency (U.K.).

June 1, 2014
Literary biographer Drayton (Design/Unitec Institute of Technology; Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime, 2008, etc.) turns her attention to novelist Anne Perry (b. 1938) and the past she couldn't keep hidden.The author begins at a pivotal moment in Perry's life: the phone call from a journalist to her agent offering the theory-about to be printed-that Perry was actually Juliet Hulme, perpetrator of a famous New Zealand murder. When that theory turned out to be fact, the lives of Perry and all those connected to her were turned upside down. Perry, her agents and her publicist have always argued that the murder is in the past, and Perry, who committed the crime as a teenager, and her family should be allowed to leave it there. While it is difficult not to feel for Perry, it is equally difficult to ignore the fact that the argument holds sway over this biography as well. Drayton creates a conundrum in which she has made Perry's unveiling as Hulme the center of the book but also believes it deserves less attention than it's been given. However, the author ably plumbs the Hulme story for how it has shaped Perry's crime fiction and provides other insights into Perry's writing style and process. The author includes detailed background on Perry's unpublished attempts, as well as the origins and development of many of her best-selling books. Though they interrupt the narrative flow, descriptions of each of Perry's novels will trigger interest for those unfamiliar with her work. Drayton tells a beguiling story of an author's climb to the best-seller lists and how a secret she would rather keep hidden was publicly made known.Occasionally uneven but a pleasure for Perry's loyal fans and a book that is likely to win her some new ones as well.

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August 1, 2014

Drayton (design, Unitec Inst. of Technology, New Zealand; Ngaio Marsh) has written a sympathetic and compelling literary biography of crime writer Anne Perry. The book begins in 1994 with the frantic moments that sparked the revelation that Perry was Juliet Hulme, convicted in 1954, along with her friend Pauline Parker, for the murder of Parker's mother. The crime was the subject of Peter Jackson's 1994 film Heavenly Creatures. Drayton expertly weaves the events of Perry's childhood throughout the book while narrating the adult life of Perry as she struggles to find success as a writer. The author shows Perry to be a deeply religious, thoughtful, and caring individual who can never forget what she did when she was 15. Drayton briefly discusses each of Perry's novels, touching on how the themes and ethical dilemmas in the books reflect issues and concerns in Perry's personal life. A tendency to skim over details, as well as a lack of critical assessment leave the work feeling one sided at times. Nonetheless, an enjoyable read. VERDICT Perry fans are sure to love this authorized biography of the author. Well written and quickly paced, it reads like an absorbing story.--Stefanie Hollmichel, Univ. of St. Thomas Law Lib., Minneapolis

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