Anne Perry and the Murder of the CenturyOn June 22, 1954, teenage friends Juliet Hulme—better known as bestselling mystery writer Anne Perry—and Pauline Parker went for a walk in a New Zealand park with Pauline’s mother, Honora. Half an hour later, the girls returned alone, claiming that Pauline’s mother had had an accident. But when Honora Parker was found in a pool of blood with the brick used to bludgeon her to death close at hand, Juliet and Pauline were quickly arrested, and later confessed to the killing. Their motive? A plan to escape to the United States to become writers, and Honora’s determination to keep them apart. Their incredible story made shocking headlines around the world and would provide the subject for Peter Jackson’s Academy Award–nominated film, Heavenly Creatures. A sensational trial followed, with speculations about the nature of the girls’ relationship and possible insanity playing a key role. Among other things, Parker and Hulme were suspected of lesbianism, which was widely considered to be a mental illness at the time. This mesmerizing book offers a brilliant account of the crime and ensuing trial and shares dramatic revelations about the fates of the young women after their release from prison. With penetrating insight, this thorough analysis applies modern psychology to analyze the shocking murder that remains one of the most interesting cases of all time. |
Contents
Authors note | 1 |
A Walk in the Park | 5 |
State of Shock | 11 |
e Investigation | 19 |
Taking the Blame | 29 |
A Suitable man | 39 |
Strains of War | 47 |
Cathedral City | 55 |
A rare form of Insanity | 185 |
e ing Called Bliss | 191 |
Sleeping with Saints | 203 |
I See nothing Insane | 213 |
e Jury retires | 221 |
Her majestys Pleasure | 227 |
e Presence of evil | 233 |
Life in Prison | 243 |
A new residence | 63 |
Sapienta et Veritas | 71 |
family Secrets | 77 |
Indissoluble Bond | 89 |
Two Beautiful Daughters | 95 |
Charles and Lance | 105 |
Angelic Behaviour | 117 |
e Temple in the Garden | 123 |
Serious Trouble | 133 |
A Lovely remark | 139 |
Hectic nights | 147 |
To Be Together forever | 151 |
no ordinary Crime | 159 |
e only Possible Defence | 167 |
A Crime in a million | 171 |
Dirtyminded Girls | 177 |
A Difficult Year | 251 |
A fresh Start | 257 |
Blighted Lives | 267 |
A Secret Past | 271 |
A Lesbian View | 277 |
Stripped naked | 283 |
A Piece of fiction | 295 |
e other Girl | 301 |
What the Heck Was It? | 309 |
Separate Lives | 317 |
epilogue | 319 |
326 | |
Acknowledgements | 329 |
331 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Alan Brown Anne Perry Arohata asked aer aernoon aerwards beautiful believed Bert rieper Bill Perry Brian mcClelland Canterbury University College Christchurch court crime daughter death Deborah defence delusion Dr Hulme england father film folie à deux Gina girls Heavenly Creatures Henry and Hilda Henry Hulme Hilary nathan Hilda Hulme homosexual Hulme’s Ilam insanity interview James mason Juliet and Pauline Juliet Hulme jury Justice Adams killed knew later lesbian lived look māori mental murder nancy Sutherland never nicholas night omar khayyám oen paranoia parents Parker and Hulme Parker and Juliet Pauline and Juliet Pauline Parker Pauline wrote Pauline’s mother Perry’s person police Port Levy prison psychiatrist rieper ritchie ruritania Saints seemed sexual talk Tate Terence Gresson thing thought told trial Victoria Park walked wanted Wendy wife woman wrong young Zealand