So, it turns out that the author of some socially conscious crime fiction, who spent five years behind bars for murder as a teen, has kicked the bucket. That’s right, Anne Perry has passed away at the age of 84 in Los Angeles. She had been hospitalized after having a heart attack back in December, according to her agent, Meg Davis.

But let’s not dwell on the sad stuff, shall we? Before her rather unpleasant past came to light, Ms. Perry was already a pretty successful author. I mean, if you give her a juicy murder and a social issue to tackle, she can whip up a Victorian mystery that would make even Charles Dickens’ eyes bulge. That’s according to the review of her book “Highgate Rise” (1991) by Marilyn Stasio in The New York Times.

In fact, Ms. Perry’s books, including her historical mystery series starring Thomas Pitt and William Monk, have sold over 26 million copies! Not too shabby, if you ask me. And get this, when The Times of London made a list of the 100 Masters of Crime of the past century back in 1998, she was right there with the likes of Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett, and Arthur Conan Doyle. That’s some serious company!

So, while Anne Perry definitely had a checkered past, she also made quite a name for herself in the literary world. Rest in peace, Ms. Perry, and may your crime-solving characters continue to dazzle readers for years to come.