Helen Bailey: the ‘happy ending’ that never was
By Kris Jepson
Northumbrian author Helen Bailey believed Ian Stewart was her “happy ending”. He was anything but, as he brutally ended her life.
Helen Bailey was killed by her lover Ian Stewart and he then buried her in a cesspit under the couple’s £1.5m home in Hertfordshire last April.
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Helen’s life had been more refined prior to her death. She was brought up in Northumberland and attended Ponteland High School. She then moved down south to complete a degree in physiology at Thames Polytechnic, before moving into a career in the media.
It was here she first became aware of the power of characters in stories. She worked on licensing and marketing campaigns for characters like Garfield, the Rugrats and for Nintendo feature film and cartoon characters.
Successes
Helen wrote 22 books in all for children of varying ages. She achieved particular success with her character Electra Brown which focused on “teenage angst” in a five book series entitled the “Crazy world of Electra Brown”. In 2010 she was nominated for a “Queen of Teen” award.
Her work took pride and place in the Seven Stories Museum in Newcastle.
Tragedy
Tragedy struck for Helen in February 2011 when her husband of 15 years, John Sinfield drowned whilst the couple were on holiday in Barbados.
They had been together for 22 years and his untimely death broke her heart. It was this loss which inspired her to write her first book for adults; a compelling novel which reached into the depths of darkness that only grief and loss can engender.
The Guardian noted it was “a painful and companionable account of coming to terms with life without her husband”.
When Bad Things Happen in Good Bikinis, published in 2015, was based originally on her Planet Grief blog. Chillingly she wrote a footnote in that book to the man who became her murderer, Ian Stewart, saying 'to my Gorgeous Grey Haired Widower, Ian Stewart: BB, I love you. You are my happy ending.'
A happy ending he was not.
‘Happy ending’
The “grey-haired widower” turned out to be a callous murderer motivated by the fortunes he could secure from Helen’s death. Helen and Ian Stewart got together in October 2011. He reported her missing in April last year and was subsequently arrested and charged with her murder three months later.
He left her friends and family with only fond memories of Helen and it is those very memories that will keep the happy days of Helen’s life burning brightly as will her books for the legions of teens and grieving adults who have had a steady companion in her writings about life and death.