In Memoriam - Lauren Milne Henderson

 In Memoriam

Lauren Milne Henderson (aka Rebecca Chance)

30th September 1966 - March 2026

It is with deep sadness that the crime writing community have learned of the recent death of the award-winning crime writer Lauren Milne Henderson. As well as being an author Lauren worked as a journalist for a number of well-known newspapers and magazines.

Under the name of Lauren Milne Henderson, she was the author of the Sam Jones series featuring sculptor turned sleuth Sam Jones. The first book in the series is Dead White Female was published in 1995 and it was followed by six more books.  Too Many Blondes (1996), The Black Rubber Dress (1997) Freeze My Margarita (1998) The Strawberry Tattoo (1999), Chained (2001) and Pretty Boy (2002)

 

Following on from her Sam Jones series she also wrote the Young Adult Kiss/Scarlett series starting with Kiss Me Kill Me in 2008 which featured 16-year-old Scarlett Wakefield who must clear her name after the last boy she kisses dies in her arms and she is accused of his death. There were 3 more books in this series published. Kisses and Lies (2009), Kisses in the Dark (2010) and Kisses of Death (2011). Kiss Me Kill Me was nominated for an Anthony Award in 2009.

For a long period, she was a regular attendee at a number of crime writing festivals especially Bouchercon during the 1990s and 2000s.

Under the name Rebecca Chance she was also the author of 10 glamourous thrillers and what was known as ‘Bonkbusters’.  Whilst all standalones previous characters could be found in other books.  The first book in the series was Divas (2009) and the last book Killer Affair (2017). Killer Heels (2012), Bad Angels (2012) Killer Queens (2013) and Bad Brides (2014) all made the Sunday Times Best seller list.

In 2002 together with Stella Duffy, Lauren edited Tart Noir an anthology of women-behaving-badly crime stories.

Lauren also wrote 3 romantic comedies between 2003 and 2005.

As a non-fiction author she wrote the Jane Austen’s Guide to Dating (2005). Alongside over 100 well-known crime writers she contributed to the Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Award wining Books to Die For where she wrote two personal essays under the names Lauren Henderson on Agatha Christie’s Endless Night and as Rebecca Chance on Have His Carcass by Dorothy L Sayers.

 Lauren was also one of the contributors to Barry Forshaw’s 2 volume British Crime Writing: An Encyclopaedia. She wrote the essay on Peter O’Donnell and Modesty Blaise. She was also featured in the Encyclopaedia as an author in her own right.

In 2014 under the name of Rebecca Chance and along with crime writer Laura Lippman a travel article was published in The New York Times entitled ‘Murder, They Wrote’ about a trip that they took on the Orient Express.

In 2020 Lauren Henderson short story #MeTwo won the CWA Short Story Dagger. It was published in the anthology Invisible Blood which was edited by Maxim Jakubowski and brought together various short stories focusing on themes of contemporary crime and social issues.

In 2024 Lauren attended the CWA Daggers that took place in London.  Rather sadly and with

much regret it was the last time we saw each other.   I have incredibly fond memories of hanging out with her especially when we managed to find ourselves attending the same Bouchercon. I specifically remember closing the bar with her in Baltimore. It was the first one I attended and it was a joy to see her as at the time I knew very few people.

Lauren’s death is a great loss to the crime writing community and she will be sorely missed by not only fellow crime writers but all her fans. Our condolences to all of her family and friends.