the 1950s and 1960s, and made many radio broadcasts, particularly on Woman's Hour and My Word!. She later appeared as a panellist on BBC TV's record review programme Juke Box Jury and the panel game What's My Line?. Her column-writing caused the Daily Express to be sued successfully for libel - twice - by Evelyn Waugh. As well as Spain's books of memoirs, including Why I'm Not a Millionaire (1956), she wrote a biography of her great aunt, Isabella Beeton (original author of the encyclopaedic Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management), and a series of detective novels. Rose Collis wrote a posthumous biography of the broadcaster and journalist in 1997. Private life Often in the news and tempted to marry to seem respectable - Spain's name was linked with that of Gilbert Harding - she lived openly with the editor of She, Joan Werner Laurie (Jonny), and was a friend of the famous, including Noël Coward and Marlene Dietrich. She and Laurie were regulars at the Gateways club in Chelsea, London, and were widely known to be lesbians. Spain and Laurie lived in an extended household with the rally driver Sheila van Damm, and their sons Nicholas (born 1946) and Thomas (born in 1952). Nicholas was Laurie's son; Thomas was also described as Laurie's youngest son, but may have been Spain's son after an affair with Philip Youngman Carter, husband of Margery Allingham. Spain died, with Laurie and three others, on 21 March 1964. They were flying in a Piper Apache aeroplane which crashed near Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, killing all on board. The aircraft (G-ASHC) had taken off from Luton Airport and was on approach to land at the racecourse. Spain was travelling there to cover the 1964 Grand National, which was taking place that day. She was cremated with Laurie at Golders Green Crematorium, London, and her ashes were put in the family grave in Horsley, Northumberland. Coward summed up in his diary: "It is cruel that all that gaiety, intelligence and vitality should be snuffed out when so many bores and horrors are left living." She is also the inspiration of the famous song 'Nancy Spain' written by Barney Rushe and made famous by, among others, Christy Moore. Bibliography Novels Death Before Wicket (1946) Poison in Play (1945) Murder, Bless It (1948) Death Goes on Skis (1949) Poison for Teacher (1949) Cinderella Goes to the Morgue (Minutes