Career
As J. M. Spender she wrote crime fiction. Percy Spender later became a politician and diplomat and was made Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Queen's Counsel. The couple had two sons. One son, John Spender, was also a politician and diplomat.
The other, Peter Spender, wrote and produced several documentary films.
Jean Spender wrote racy and successful crime thrillers, most of which are set in Sydney with a lightly disguised Percy Spender as the hero. Spender was an aunt of Dale Spender, feminist scholar, teacher and writer
Jean Spender died on 25 March 1970 at Sydney.
