Tue 17 Jul 2012
INQUIRY: Mark Hebden, author of the Inspector Pel series.
Posted by Steve under Authors , Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Inquiries[14] Comments
Hi Steve,
If possible, can you put out this inquiry.
Being a fan of the Inspector Pel books by Mark Hebden (i.e., John Harris ), I was a little surprised to see in the Curtis Brown archive at Columbia University that a Barry Fox was also mentioned as writing as Hebden. The archive was unable to help with further information.
I have never thought of it before but three of the Hebden books were published after the death of Harris. So it seems possible that another hand was involved in writing those last books. Then there are the Juliet Hebden books about Pel, supposedly by Harris’ daughter.
I asked Allen Hubin and the others, but no one had heard of a Barry Fox in relation to the Hebden books. But then I discovered that there is an American ghost-writer by that name. His website is at http://taylor-fox.com/
I doubt that he will reveal anything because of confidentiality agreements, but I wonder if anyone else knows anything ?
I would be grateful if you can add this to your inquiries.
Many thanks
John Herrington
The Inspector Clovis Pel series, by Mark Hebden —
Death Set to Music (n.) H. Hamilton 1979 [Theatre; France]
Pel and the Faceless Corpse (n.) H. Hamilton 1979 [France]
Pel Under Pressure (n.) H. Hamilton 1980 [France]
Pel Is Puzzled (n.) H. Hamilton 1981 [France]
Pel and the Bombers (n.) H. Hamilton 1982 [France]
Pel and the Staghound (n.) H. Hamilton 1982 [France]
Pel and the Pirates (n.) H. Hamilton 1984 [France]
Pel and the Predators (n.) H. Hamilton 1984 [France]
Pel and the Prowler (n.) H. Hamilton 1985 [France]
Pel and the Paris Mob (n.) H. Hamilton 1986 [France]
Pel Among the Pueblos (n.) Constable 1987 [Mexico]
Pel and the Touch of Pitch (n.) Constable 1987 [France]
Pel and the Picture of Innocence (n.) Constable 1988 [France]
Pel and the Party Spirit (n.) Constable 1989 [France]
Pel and the Missing Persons (n.) Constable 1990 [France]
Pel and the Promised Land (n.) Constable 1991 [France]
Pel and the Sepulchre Job (n.) Constable 1992 [France]
The Inspector Clovis Pel series, continued by Juliet Hebden —
Pel Picks Up the Pieces (n.) Constable 1993 [France]
Pel and the Perfect Partner (n.) Constable 1994 [France]
Pel the Patriarch (n.) Constable 1996 [France]
Pel and the Precious Parcel (n.) Constable 1997 [France]
Pel Is Provoked (n.) Constable 1999 [France]
Pel and the Death of the Detective (n.) Constable 2000 [France]
Pel and the Butchers’ Blades (2001)
Pel and the Nickname Game (2002)
July 17th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
I’ve never read any of the Pel books, I’m sorry to say. I wonder how many father-daughter mystery-writing combinations there have been.
Assuming that she actually wrote them, of course. The Barry Fox you found online as a professional ghost-writer does not mention anything about his firm writing fiction, but there really can’t be all that many Barry Fox’s in the world who are ghost-writers.
It would be a strange coincidence if there were more than one. Hopefully someone will read this and be able to tell us more.
March 10th, 2013 at 4:46 pm
John Harris/ Mark Hebden was my Mum’s uncle. Her mother was Dorothy Harris. I was told that Juliet wrote some books as Julie Hebden but I have never heard of Fox. John’s son lives in America last I heard and Julie lives in France. I will ask my Mum if she knows anymore and post on here if I find anything.
March 10th, 2013 at 6:56 pm
Thanks, Caroline. I’ve passed your reply on to John, who may get in touch with you directly. If not, but you do learn more, please feel welcome to post it here.
— Steve
September 17th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Why are only three of Juliet Hebden’s Pel books available for Kindle or other readers? The others seem to be only obtainable second hand at high prices or as new hardback.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:32 pm
The last Pel novel by Mark Hebden was finished by Fox, he took the unfinished manuscript and ended the story as best he could, which was good for the Pel series. I picked up the series with Pel Picks Up The Pieces and started writing my own Pel stories…. until American detective/police took over the British market place and I was told by my agent/publisher that the pages of my manuscript should be dripping with blood … it was also suggested that I should base my next Pel novel on the Dutroux case in Belgium. I had children the same ages as his victims …I couldn’t do it. An author has to research his subject, I couldn’t even get started before the first nightmares interrrupted my nights …so I stopped.
Hope this answers your questions.
Love to all our readers,
Juliet Hebden.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:35 pm
PS: It would have been my father’s birthday today, he would have been 99 years old. A great man and a great writer, look for his other books under the name of John Harris….
The Sea Shall Not Have Them, Covenant with Death, etc.
September 14th, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Dear Juliet Hebden
Just a note to say how much I enjoyed the Pel series of books both those written by your father and those that followed written by you.What a pity you were not encouraged to write more .Perhaps tv might be interested.
January 24th, 2018 at 10:45 pm
Very sorry to read the reason for Juliet Hebden’s not writing any further Pel stories. There is far too much gore and torture in many modern mystery novels; I have returned many books to my library only half-read, and my television’s mute button is getting worn out. I have recently been re-reading the Pel series and enjoying the experience for the third time around. Juliet picked up Mark’s characters and style and did a brilliant job, adding some flavour of her own to the mix. I would hope that one of the less sensational publishers might want to print Juliet’s style of book. I would be happy to buy them.
January 24th, 2018 at 10:59 pm
Speaking for myself, Karen, I couldn’t agree more.
May 6th, 2018 at 5:19 pm
I loved the Pel mysteries.. at 34 they are one of my fondest memories and I would escape to Pels world especially as I had never left the UK and never been on any kind of holiday as a child. Many thanks and blessings to the family for giving us a great gift.
September 21st, 2019 at 11:36 am
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The final Pel novel which John Harris (writing as Mark Hebden) was working on was “Pel And The Sepulchre Job.”
A “Publisher’s Note” on the copyright page of the First U.S. Edition (St. Martin’s Press, December 1993) of that book states that:
“Mark Hebden died in March 1991, leaving the script of Pel And The Sepulchre Job unfinished. The task of completing the book has been undertaken by Anthony Masters.”
I presume “Anthony Masters” was British author Anthony Richard Masters (1940-2003).
So both Anthony Masters and the ghost-writer Barry Fox worked on the unfinished “Pel And The Sepulchre Job”?
September 21st, 2019 at 6:13 pm
Mike
Thanks for the information about Anthony Masters. As for Brian Fox, in a recent email exchange with Juliet Hebden, she now agrees that “you are right in saying it was Anthony Masters who finished Pel and the Sepulchre Job,” and that Fox had nothing to do with it.
I apologize for not posting this here before. I meant to, but I’m sure I simply got busy, and never did.
May 19th, 2021 at 5:52 pm
Love the Pel books, and wish Juliet would find a publisher and write more, Pel is a Great character. But Juliet, you should never have killed off Darcey, it broke my heart.
May 19th, 2021 at 5:56 pm
One more thought, the books by M C Beaton are terrific too. There is a new Genre called “Cozy Mysteries” which are not the blood and guts type. Perhaps Juliet could find a publisher who goes in for those and write more pel books.