Hilary Bonner Best Selling Crime Writer – The critically acclaimed and sensational Dead Lies is coming to Blackpool Grand in May. We can’t wait for this fast-paced, thrill-packed English thriller to arrive at our theatre and the writer behind it all is Hilary Bonner.

Hilary Bonner made her name writing hard-hitting crime novels but has turned her attention to the stage with great success as Dead Lies is proving as it tours the UK. Let’s look more closely at her life before delving a little deeper into Dead Lives.

Just announced! Hilary Bonner’s Dead Lives at Blackpool Grand Theatre will star Hollyoaks and Holby City favorite Jeremy Edwards as Party Leader Peter George, alongside stage and screen stars Alicia Charles, Portia Booroff and Claire Dyson with further casting to be revealed.

Hilary Bonner Biography

Hilary Bonner was born in 1949 and raised in Bideford, not far from the North Devon coast. This location is used in many of her novels and is considered one of her main inspirations. Bonner’s mother ran a tea shop while her father worked as a butcher. Bonner went to the local private school, Edgehill College, before leaving school at 17.

When asked what book first gave her the reading bug and attracted her to writing in an interview, she said, “Black Beauty. As a horse-loving child, I cried all the way through. Then, as a showbusiness journalist 30 years later, re-reading it on the set of a new Black Beauty film, I cried again. I still only have to think about Ginger and I’m off.” Her love for literature and writing started early but she headed off for a career in journalism before turning to novel writing.

After finishing school, Bonner was accepted onto the Daily Mirror Training Scheme. Many graduates of this scheme went on to become award-winning journalists and Bonner too forged a successful career on Fleet Street. Her first Fleet Street job came to her aged just 20 and she continued to rise up the ranks at many national tabloid newspapers. Her career peaked with roles as show business editor of The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, and Daily Mirror, she was also assistant editor of one of the papers. Her Fleet Street career took her around the world, spending several weeks every season in Hollywood amongst the world’s most famous faces. Her interview list includes some amazing names from Clint Eastwood to John Travolta and Liza Minnelli to Michael Douglas. She also had the chance to get up close and personal with many big TV names from the UK scene, including Victoria Wood, Joanna Lumley and David Jason. In 1993, she took the brave step of leaving her successful journalism career and turning to novel writing full-time. By 1995 her first novel was published, with her ghost-writing work beginning much sooner with works published as early as 1989.

Her published works have been critically acclaimed, achieving number one positions in many of the sales charts. Her full bibliography includes ten novels, two ghost-written autobiographies, one ghost-written biography, five non-fiction books, two television programme companions and many short stories. That’s in addition to all her journalism. Her ghostwriting work included a biography of Benny Hill and autobiographies of the actress Amanda Barrie and ‘Allo Allo Star Gordon Kaye.

Bonner is married to television actress Amanda Barrie. Barrie is known for her work in the Carry On films as well as playing Alma Halliwell in Coronation Street for 20 years, with some gaps in her schedule. She is also known for playing Beverley Tull in the ITV prison drama, Bad Girls. They had been in a long-term relationship for many years before their marriage in September 2014. Barrie and Bonner worked together on Barrie’s Autobiography, It’s Not a Rehearsal, and used it as an opportunity for Barrie to come out as bisexual. They have homes in London and in the Blackdown Hills in Somerset.

Chair of the Crime Writers Association

Hilary Bonner was chair of the Crime Writers’ Association UK for a number of years, and her works are fine examples of English crime fiction. The Crime Writers’ Association is a specialist author’s organisation that is known for its popular Dagger Awards. These awards celebrate the best crime writing of the year with the accolade of the Diamond Dagger handed out to an author achieving a lifetime achievement award. The Association is member-based and has over 800-members to date, with Bonner acting as chair for several years, supporting other writers in her field and championing the genre.

The Crime Writers’ Association also promotes and celebrates National Crime Reading Month each June and it has grown significantly since its foundation. The association was founded by renowned crime novelist John Creasy in 1953 and it continues to be a powerful voice for writers in the genre. Members enjoy special events, the support of their peers and access to a range of social events. The role of chair of this association is highly regarded and is a sign of the respect Bonner holds amongst her contemporaries.

Bonner’s Written Works

Bonner’s life experiences have played a crucial role in the direction her fictional work has taken. Her first novel, The Cruelty of Morning, focuses on a successful young newspaper reporter looking into some horrific murders. Journalists feature heavily in her work as she manages to offer nail-biting crime fiction hits that also has a journalistic twist that many readers can’t get enough of.

Another of her novels, When The Dead Cry Out was published in 2003 and drew upon yet more true events in Bonner’s life, this time a lot grizzlier. The novel pulls on real-life experiences the novelist went through while living next door to a murderer. Considered a friend, Bonner used to live next door to the murderer John Allen in the 1980s. Allen was found guilty of the murder of his wife and two sons in 2003, with the murder said to have happened in May 1975.

Not afraid of controversy and attracting media attention, Bonner’s novel No Reason to Die was published in 2004. Once again with a journalist in the narrator’s seat, this novel looks disparagingly at the series of unexplained deaths at Deepcut Barracks and in other locations under British Army management. Determined to create believable fiction, Bonner worked closely with the families of several of the dead soldiers. This led her novel to include a complex and thorough conspiracy theory which is of course sold as fiction, but many people believe it may have close ties to the truth.

Always covering current issues as you’d expect from an experienced journalist, The Cruellest Game published in 2013, is set on the atmospheric Dartmoor National Park. The protagonist has the perfect life on the surface but soon realises it’s all built upon a bed of lies and from this realisation, everything goes wrong.

Her latest novel was released in 2020. Cry Darkness is another novel steeped in conspiracy. An intercontinental crime novel combining academic suspense and the ultimate in page-turning action, we follow experienced scientists turned amateur sleuths. The plot is tense, shady characters are plentiful and it is understandable why Bonner’s readers keep coming back for more.

Moving on from her novels, Dead Lies is Bonner’s first time taking to writing for stage and it’s a great debut.

Spotlight on Dead Lies

The exciting thing about Dead Lies is Bonner’s finger on the pulse ensures that the show could not be more cutting edge if it tried, as she said recently on Twitter:

“Set to be the most topical bit of theatre out there. My thriller Dead Lies will be bang up to date on Partygate and more.

I shall be re-writing every time there’s another Westminster bombshell. Boris beware”

Dead Lies is an exciting and fast-moving political thriller that shows Bonner’s flair for stage writing as well as crime fiction. The story of the show follows Peter George, a politician who promises the country a brand-new look for politics, with no more sleaze or spin. The British public herald their new hero like the messiah himself and they have real belief in his ability to restore the broken political system. Then, things begin to go wrong. A shocking secret is hiding in the closet of the country’s new hero. Soon the media are doing what they do best, and we’re left wondering how far Peter, and those around him, will go to save his career? Exciting and unlike anything before it, Dead Lies comes to life on stage and Bonner’s intelligent and suspenseful writing is given an entirely new character. Dead Lies is packed with intrigue, thrills and twists until the very last moment.

The show’s director Joe Harmston, known for his work with the Agatha Christie Theatre Company described Bonner’s writing aptly: “…like Agatha Christie, she puts psychology first, making Dead Lies the best sort of whydunit”. Harmston’s directing and Bonner’s writing are further enhanced by excellent production from Red Entertainment. Red Entertainment are led by producer Matt Brinkler and his talented production team, bringing exciting commercial theatre projects to local cinemas like ours. The show is brought to life with the set and costume direction of Sean Cavanagh. His influence and imagination has seen him involved in over 400 productions around the world, with everything from The Roy Orbison Story to The Tempest benefitting from his exceptional work.

The star of Dead Lies is Holby City actor Jeremy Edwards. In the starring role of Britain’s new saviour, Edwards brings the character of Peter George to life. The show is said to be inspired by the Jeremy Thorpe scandal of the 1970s but set against a modern backdrop of current-day Westminster. This scene is perfect for Bonner to stick to her commitment to keeping her show topical and making slight tweaks and changes to suit the current political climate, and right now, that means Partygate is bound to get a mention or two.

Don’t miss Dead Lies, at Blackpool Grand

Dead Lies is arriving at The Grand 17 to 21 May. The show is not recommended for anyone under sixteen due to adult themes including drugs, sex, and murder. The show doesn’t feature any strobe lighting but there are loud noises and flashes to be aware of. We can’t wait for the show to start and hope you’ll be along to enjoy this hard-hitting political thriller guaranteed to keep you pinned to your seat from beginning to end.

Book your tickets or find out more about the show. 

(Main image Dead Lies Production – Red Entertainment)