Anna Lee
Created by Liza Cody

Back in the early eighties, while everyone was huffing and puffing Stateside about Sharon, Kinsey and V.I., across the pond British writer Liza Cody was writing an amazing story arc about a young female P.I.'s journey from innocence to a hard-fought world-weariness.

A great British PI and one of the very best of the female investigators, Liza Cody's ANNA LEE is a former cop turned operative for a small detective agency, Brierly Security, in London. Anna's a pretty shrewd investigator, thoroughly dedicated, quietly thorough, who seems to live for her job. She prides herself on her pragmatism and competence, and seems to have a deep-rooted wish to fix things, be they people's shattered lives or a leaky faucet in her neighbour's flat. She has a sense of humour, but it's so dry it's almost air. Mind you, with the cast of people that surround her, Anna needs whatever sense of humour works for her. She lives upstairs from the a constantly-bickering couple, the ever-sensible Bea, and the ne'er-do-well sometime poet/Andy Capp clone Selwyn. The big cheese at work, Commander Brierly himself, is a straight-laced, tight-ass who doesn't particularly think Anna's all that suitable for the job. Sitting on the Commander's side, as though he was God Almighty, is Beryl, office manager/Nazi, who has even less use for Anna, and delights in putting her in a bad light.

Anna Lee's debut, Dupe, won the John Creasey Award in 1980 for Best First Novel.

Liza Cody has started a second series, about lady wrestler, Eva Wylie, who made her debut in "Bucketnut", a novel in which Anna makes a cameo.

A series of British made-for-television movies (at least six were made) tries to give Anna Lee a slightly breezy, saucy approach. Actress Imogen Stubbs looks the part, but her take on the character is completely different from the way I picture her. And that's the least of the changes. Bernie is a slightly goofy older op, hardly the experienced seen-it-all pro who takes Anna Lee under his wing. And Bea is gone, leaving only Selwyn, who a former professional wrestler intent on making a comeback. And Quex is now a poet, and while he's still a big guy, he's hardly the physically-imposing giant he is in the books. The claptrap Renault has been replaced by a classic Sunbeam Alpine Mk III, albeit only semi-restored. And a bit of American-style lady shamus cliche pops up-Anna jogging! And she has a cat! And do we really need yet another P.I. flick starting with our hero waking up fumbling for a Marlboro (Headcase). Get back to the chip shop, Anna, and all will be forgiven.

RUMOUR: Supposedly Liza Cody stopped writing Anna Lee mysteries because of the television movies. The rights had already been purchased for any future novels. Unsatisfied with how previous books had been adapted, she said she wouldn't supply any more and decided to focus on other projects.

NOVELS

  • Dupe (1980)
  • Bad Company (1983)
  • Stalker (1984)
  • Headcase (1985)
  • Under Contract (1986)
  • Backhand (1992)

TELEVISION

  • ANNA LEE: HEADCASE (Pilot)
    (1993, LWT Productions/ITV)
    Later aired on "A&E Mystery Movie" October 4, 1994
    Teleplay: Andrew Davies
    Directed: Colin Bucksey
    Producer: Sue Birtwhistle
    Based on the novel by Liza Cody
    A Granada/London Weekend Television Production

    Starring Imogen Stubbs as ANNA LEE
    Also starring Michael Bryant as Commander Brierly
    Ken Stott as Bernie Schiller
    Barbara Leigh-Hunt as Beryl Doyle
    Edin McCarthy as Quex
    and Brian Glover as Selwyn
    Also featuring
    Alan Howard, Kate Beckinsale, Shirley Anne Field

  • ANNA LEE (Series)
    5 120-minutes episodes
    A Carnival Films Production in association with LWT for ITV
    Later aired on A&E in the U.S.
    Writers: Andrew Davies, Douglas Watkinson, Anthony Horowitz
    Directors:
    Colin Bucksey, Peter Barber-Fleming, Christopher King
    Producer:
    Brian Eastman
    Executive producer: Sarah Wilson
    Based on the characters created by Liza Cody
    Starring Imogen Stubbs as Anna Lee
    Brian Glover as Selwyn Price
    John Rowe as Commander Brierly
    Peter Wight as Bernie Schiller
    Wilbert Johnson as Stevie Johnson
    Sonia Graham as Beryl Doyle
    Guest Starring
    Anthony Newley, Peter Firth, John Bird, Jesse Birdsell, Adrian Edmondson.
  • "Anna Lee: Dupe"
  • "Anna Lee: Stalker"
  • "Anna Lee: Diversion"
  • "Anna Lee: Requiem"
  • "Anna Lee: The Cook's Tale"

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.


| Home | Detectives A-L M-Z | Film | Radio | Television | Web Comics | Comics | FAQs |
|
Trivia | Authors | Hall of Fame | Mystery Links | Bibliography | Glossary | Search |
|
This Just In... | Word on the Street | Non-Fiction
| Fiction | Staff | The P.I. Poll |

Drop a dime. Your comments, suggestions, corrections and contributions are always welcome.
"...and I'll tell you right out that I'm a man who likes talking to a man that likes to talk."