Joan O'Hagan (1926−2014) was an Australian crime writer.
Early life and education
O'Hagan was born in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and was raised in
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
. She took classes in Classics (Latin and Greek), as well as ancient history, at
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand.
The university is well know ...
, New Zealand.
O'Hagan later moved to
New Caledonia
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, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
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. There she helped in translating into English French book ''John Grant's Journal: A Convict's Story 1803−11'' on behalf of the
South Pacific Commission
The Pacific Community (PC), formerly the South Pacific Commission (SPC), is an international development organisation governed by 27 members, including 22 Pacific island countries and territories. The organisation's headquarters are in Nouméa, ...
,
Noumea. She lived in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in the early fifties, and then moved to
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
with her husband, where she worked in the Australian
Department of Immigration
The Department of Immigration was an Australian government department that existed between July 1945 and June 1974.
Scope
Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administ ...
. Rome remained her home for the next thirty years, during which time she began writing fiction, initially as a mystery writer.
O'Hagan returned to Australia in 1997 when her first grandchild was born. O'Hagan published five books; her first book was ''Incline and Fall: The Death of Geoffrey Stretton.''
As she lay dying, her grandson, Dominic West, a student at
Marist College
Marist College is a private university in Poughkeepsie, New York. Founded in 1905, Marist was formed by the Marist Brothers, a Catholic religious institute, to prepare brothers for their vocations as educators. In 2003, it became a secular in ...
, painted a portrait of her that won the $1,000 the Brian Jordan Award at the annual Religious Art competition.
O'Hagan finished her final book, ''Jerome & His Women,'' just days before her death, writing its preface on her death bed.
The book, a work of historical fiction set in Rome during the fourth century, was praised by Mario Baghos, of Sydney’s
St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College
St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College is an Eastern Orthodox Christian seminary and theological college located in Redfern, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The college is a member institution of the Sydney College of Di ...
, as "meticulously researched and well informed."
Books
''Incline and Fall: The Death of Geoffrey Stretton'' (Angus & Robertson 1976)
''Death and a Madonna'' (Macmillan 1986)ref name="Medianet"/>
''Against the Grain'' (Macmillan 1987)''A Roman Death'' (Macmillan 1988, first edition)ref name="Medianet"/>
''A Roman Death'' (Black Quill Press 2017, second edition)ref name="Medianet"/>
''Jerome & His Women'' (Black Quill Press 2015)
References
External links
Official websiteGood Reads referenceSunday Spotlight referenceRosanne Fitzgibbon Editorial Award shortlist for Jerome & His WomenJerome & his Women review by Joanna Urquhart, Historical Novel SocietyA Roman Death review by Richard Blake, historical novelist, 2017Featured works of Joan O’Hagan - Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore
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Australian fiction writers
1926 births
2014 deaths
Women crime writers
Australian women writers