Author and Heavenly Creatures killer Anne Perry dies

Anne Perry, a British crime writer with a murderous past that was highlighted in Peter Jackson's 1994 film Heavenly Creatures, has died at the age of 84.

Perry, who was known for her Pitt and Monk detective novel series, alongside her dark past died on Monday in Los Angeles.

"Anne was a loyal and loving friend, and her writing was driven by her fierce commitment to raising awareness around social injustice," a statement from Ki Agency said.

"Her characters inspired much love among her fans, and comforted many readers who were going through tough times themselves."

In 1954 at the age of 15, Perry, who was born Juliet Hulme, was convicted along with her friend Pauline Parker of murder.

The pair bludgeoned Parker's mother to death with a brick in a stocking in Christchurch, New Zealand - becoming two of the country's most notorious killers.

The events would later be the inspiration behind Jackson's 1994 psychological drama, starring Kate Winslet in a breakout role and Melanie Lynskey, which received an Academy Award nomination for screenplay writing.

As Perry and Parker were under 18 at the time of the killing, neither could be sentenced to death and they were instead subject to "detention during Her Majesty's pleasure", according to the NZ government website.

After serving a five-year prison sentence, Perry was released and changed her name, returning to the UK and later beginning her writing career with the publishing of The Cater Street Hangman in 1979.

Prior to her death, she had been working on more titles in both the Pitt and Monk series and her works have regularly appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.

Australian Associated Press