British crime author Mandasue Heller, whose 20-plus novels sold more than one million copies worldwide, died September 30, the Bookseller reported. She was 66. Heller published books with Hodder & Stoughton, Pan Macmillan, and, most recently, Orion, which will release her latest novel, The Child, in paperback in January.
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She began her career as a professional singer, touring with country and western band Missouri Sunshine before moving into television, appearing in programs including Coronation Street, Brookside, and Boys from the Blackstuff. The Bookseller noted that after moving to Manchester in the early 1980s, she became involved in the city's underground music scene, but illness "forced her to temporarily stop singing in the late 1990s, prompting her to turn to crime fiction."
Her debut novel, The Front, was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2002. Other works include Afraid, The Family, and Forget Me Not.
"Readers devoured Mandasue's thrilling and genuinely gripping books, which explored dark themes, but always through a very human lens," said Anna Valentine, managing director of Orion. "When Mandasue joined Orion, she spoke of always seeking out the 'glimmers of hope' for her characters, even in the darkest of times.... I'm sure that this is one of the reasons why she was such a joy to work with and will be sorely missed by everyone at Orion, particularly those who were lucky enough to be part of her publishing team."
Sheila Crowley, her literary agent at Curtis Brown, added: "I first met Mandasue over 25 years ago, when I was sales director at Hodder. Her gritty storytelling with women at the core of every story, launched her long career. Later on, I became her literary agent. I will miss her beautiful spirit but know she will live on through her many stories."