REVIEW: Babes in the Wood by Graham Bartlett with Peter James

Babes in the Wood by Graham Bartlett with Peter James

Genre: True crime

Read: 20th April 2025

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Published: 24th February 2020

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Babes in the Wood by Graham Bartlett with Peter James takes us to the heart of a murder case that shocked the nation. Both gripping police procedural and an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, it is a unique account of what became a thirty-two year fight for justice.

On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a small clearing in a local park. This devastating crime rocked their close-knit community and the whole country.

Following the investigation moment by moment, drawing on exclusive interviews with officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the murder hunt and the arrest of local man Russell Bishop. The trial that followed was one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing – a shock result sees Bishop walk free. ‘Not guilty.’

Three years later, Graham is working as a junior detective in Brighton CID. A seven year old girl is kidnapped and found wandering naked on the freezing South Downs. When Bishop’s name comes up as a suspect, it’s clear history had come close to repeating itself. With the law and science against them, the police are frustrated that, still, he would escape justice for the double murder.

Decades later detectives are handed a surprise second chance. Can Bishop finally be made to answer for his horrendous crimes?

MY THOUGHTS:

Two girls murdered...a guilty man walks free...can the police get justice...?

I was just 14 at the time when nine year old Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were cruelly taken from their lives and their families. I was also on the other side of the world and international crimes rarely made headlines in the 1980s as they do now. It was the age before the internet, mobile phones and social media. A time when children played on the street and their curfew were the streetlights coming on. A time of innocence. 

Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway

I knew nothing of the Babes in the Wood murders at the time and even now, only recently heard of it when I came across a copy of this book. I like true crime and have read a couple of Peter James' Roy Grace novels (as well as watched the TV series) so the fact that he collaborated on this book piqued my interest.

I liked the fact that this book is written by someone who actually knows what they are talking about. He's a retired police officer himself, having headed up Brighton Major Crimes and was a Detective Superintendent, but at the time of the girls' murders he was just another young police officer on the periphery working his beat at Gatwick while the others did the hard yards. But having made the transfer to Brighton prior to the 1990 attack, Bartlett gained a deep understanding of the facts of not only the case he worked but that of the one their suspect was also suspected of but had since been aquitted. 

Bartlett's account from start to finish is empathetic to the victims and their families and yet shrouded in the depth of his knowledge of both cases and that which lead them all the way from Lewes Crown Court to the Old Bailey some three decades later, make him a solid authority of all involved and all that these cases entailed. The justice system is by no means always fair and yet it is the only one we have so therefore we must respect it and Bartlett did so in his respect of the barristers, solicitors and the sitting judges overseeing each trial.

What this story is is incredibly sad. I cannot for one minute imagine the depth of heartache these families felt at the loss of their daughters and the subsquent failure of the system. While it is primarily an account of the behind-the-scenes look at the investigation process, the gathering and the elimination of evidence, the statements, the arrests, the trials and the long long process it all took to finally get justice for these two innocent little girls.

It's the story of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway. Two nine year girls from Brighton's Mouselcomb council estate who were best friends. They stayed out longer than they were allowed on this tragic night and had they returned when the lights came on, they may well have still been here today. But they were children. They were innocents. They were just out playing and having fun, eating chips and crossing into the forbidden Wild Park. Despite disobeying their parents' instructions none of that was their fault. What ensued beyond the time they left the chip shop, walked through the railway underpass at Mouselcomb station and up into Wild Park was all down to their depraved killer. A man who, for all intents and purposes, purported assistance in the search for the missing girls before the gruesome discovery. A man who, for three decades, continued to claim his innocence despite evidence to the contrary. A man who showed no remorse or guilt for his actions, thinking only of himself when cross-examined.

Russell Bishop in 1986 and in 2018

I mist admit I found this hard going. Not just because of the crime but the procedural aspect as I felt bogged down by all the facts and the entire process that I was finding myself getting befuddled and had to re-read various excerpts because I found it hard to take in. Bartlett is a retired police officer so his account is written as such, which I did struggle to digest at times. That is not to say that it isn't well-written - it is. Very much so. I found the account almost endless so I cannot imagine how the police and the families felt at the entire drawn-out process for justice. That is not the fault of the author but rather the system, as it were. And the killer who lead authorities on a merry chase until they were finally able to corner him with irrefutable proof and evidence that he indeed was the killer of those girls. And even then, bowed out of proceedings like a coward. I was speechless.

I was moved throughout the entire account but none moreso than reading Nicola's father Barrie Fellows' cross-examination in court at the retrial. The harrowing allegations made of him was relentless and insensitive and I admit to shedding tears. As Bartlett said in the documentary (which I watched a couple of days ago), no one present could be unmoved by his evidence. I wasn't there and I was moved.

Barrie Fellows with Michelle Johnson, formerly Hadaway (left) and Susan Eismann, formerly Fellows (right)

As difficult a read as this book is, I highly recommend it as it highlights the failures of the system as well as the changes made since the 1980s to a more technological and scientific age where investigators have far more tools at their disposal to prosecute such crimes. At the time of Niola and Karen's murders, DNA was in its infancy and not used in criminal cases and forensics was limited to fingerprinting and blood-typing. We have come a long way since then and sadly it took three decades to finally get justice for two girls who would be in their forties and have families of their own now, had they still been alive.

Banner displayed on entrance to Mouselcomb after Bishop was found guilty in 2018, ending a three decade pursuit for justice

MEET THE AUTHORS:

Graham Bartlett was a Sussex police officer for thirty years. In 1989 he was posted to Brighton and Hove, becoming a detective the following year. Quite uniquely he served the city through every rank, rising to become a homicide senior investigating officer and Detective Superintendent for Public Protection as well as a strategic firearms and public order commander. He then achieved his life's ambition, as Chief Superintendent, to become the city's Police Commander – or, as Peter James jokingly called him – the 'Sheriff of Brighton', a job he held and loved for four years. He pioneered Operation Reduction, the enduring approach to slashing drugs deaths and reducing crime as well as cutting disorder at protests by adopting methods developed by one of the world's foremost crowd psychologists. 

His debut non-fiction, Death Comes Knocking, written with Peter James, was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, and Peter and Graham followed this up with the critically acclaimed Babes in the Wood. Since then, Graham has had three solo crime novels published; Bad for Good (Sunday Times Top Ten Best Seller, Winner of Crime Fiction Lover Editors’ Choice Award 2022 and Nominated for Specsavers Debut of the Year 2022), Force of Hate, and City on Fire.

As a police procedure and crime advisor, Graham works with over 150 authors and TV writers (including Peter James, Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Ware, Mark Billingham and the BBC), helping them inject authenticity into their work. He runs live and online crime writing courses and is a regular speaker at crime writing festivals.

Graham lives in Sussex.

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Peter James (born 22 August 1948) is a British writer of crime. He was born in Brighton, the son of Cornelia James, the former glovemaker to Queen Elizabeth II.

Peter James is an international best-selling crime thriller novelist who has had his books published in 36 languages. His series featuring Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace has sold 17 million copies worldwide and has given him eight consecutive UK Sunday Times number ones.

Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger.

During his childhood Peter attended Charterhouse School and then, in later years went on to study at Ravensbourne Film School. As a result of his training there, he travelled to North America, and spent several years as a screenwriter and film producer. It was in 1994 however, that Peter’s name became known worldwide due to the controversial publication by Penguin of his novel, Host, officially “the world’s first electronic novel” on two floppy discs (a far cry from a Kindle!). Peter has since become a media spokesperson for electronic publishing. When he’s not writing his international bestselling stories of Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, Peter has many hobbies, one of which means that Peter holds an international racing licence and often competes in the Britcar Racing Series! 

Peter currently divides his time between his Sussex home, a Victorian Rectory, and his apartment in Notting Hill.

Social Media links:

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REVIEW: Death Row at Truro by Geoff Plunkett

Death Row at Truro by Geoff Plunkett

Genre: True crime

Read: 12th April 2025

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Published: 3rd August 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars 

DESCRIPTION:

Innocent young women, a sadistic serial killing duo and … the true story as revealed by the lead detective.

Australia’s most prolific serial sexual killers met in prison. They were a complete Christopher Worrell, the charismatic psychopathic youngster; and James Miller, the older and socially awkward loner. For Miller, it was love at first sight. They developed an ominous sexual bond – proving that opposites can attract – and then kill.

Once free, the inseparable tag team slayed as many people as notorious Australian serial killer Ivan Milat. Whereas Milat took a year to murder seven victims, the duo achieved the same in seven short weeks… the last four killed in only six days. 

The frenzied carnage only stopped when Worrell died in a car accident. So ended the life of Australia’s own BTK. Like America’s Dennis Radar, Worrell bound, tortured and killed – because he could.

Revealed for the first time is the full account of the victims, the serial killers and the lead detective, a relentless investigator who broke the silence of the surviving murderer, the only person who knew the full truth... But was Miller's truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

MY THOUGHTS:

Seven women murdered...two depraved men...seven short weeks...

I had not even heard about the deaths at Truro until channel 7 aired their Crime Investigation Australia episode "The Killing Fields of Truro"...and suddenly, my eyes were opened to one of our worst serial killing sprees in our nation's history.

I'll not lie, Christopher Worrell was good-looking, appealing and very easy on the eye for day - mid-70s. I am not surprised he was able to attract and lure seven innocent teenagers to climb into a car with him and James Miller, and to their respective fates. Look at Ted Bundy, one of the most famous serial killers the world has ever seen. He was just like Worrell. He had charm, charisma and he was good-looking and appealing. He was a chameleon. That is what makes psychopaths so dangerous - their ability to assimilate and blend in, seemingly harmless and charismatic.

I've read quite a few true crime books and I like how this one presents the facts as they were told at the time and then addresses the facts as the previous statements made by Miller were debunked. He begins with an introduction to the killings in a brief summary of facts before leading into the untimely death of Worrell, thus ending the killing rampage. By this stage, no one even knows there had been any killings. And Miller,as the lone survivor, certainly wasn't saying anything.

Plunkett then moves onto the discovery of the bodies in the order in which they were found. The findings were shocking and lead detectives to uncover a murderous killing spree that only ended with the death of one of the duo. He then examines Worrell then Miller respectively before moving onto the seven week spree in which the murders occurred. But the presentation was based on Miller's respresentation, as he was the only surviving informant. After Worrell's death, Miller's downward spiral is evident - which was in direct contrast to the statements he had given police. But again, he was the only survivor. They could only take him at his word. Or could they?

The author the introduces the police into the mix before the murders and leading up to and ultimately the discovery which then put Truro on the map. One Detective Sergeant's doggedness, psychology and empathetic determination lead them to a conviction that was too little too late but better than nothing.

Plunkett then retells the killings of each of the girls through facts determined through clever detective work and the elimination of false facts, thus debunking what the police had initially been told and the public been lead to believe.

And yet despite the discovery of his depraved killing spree, Worrell was still being remembered by some as "a gentle and sensitive soul". Even his gravestone bears the epitaph "untold love and joy he brought to all". I think his victims would disagree with those two statements. The location of his final resting place is published on FindAGrave.com with people even now, as recent as a week ago, leaving RIP messages. It beggars belief. And yet, Plunkett delves further into what makes a psychopath a psychopath. He even goes as far as to say that he wasn't a monster, as those monikers do nothing to help understanding why people like Worrell or Bundy do what they do. They were simply human beings that were either wired wrong and the product of their environments. To truly understand why they do what they do, one really has to study human psychology...though it is far more difficult for most people to even comprehend. However, it really says something if the mother of one of the murdered girls stands up and says that she forgives him.

This is a detailed account of one of Australia's worst cases in history and yet it is done so with empathy and sensitivity. I actually read this in a day and is one of the best accounts without all the faff and padding. It presents the facts (Miller's account versus what really happened), the lives of the girls and who they were and the outcome. All without the dramatisation.

It goes without saying that Worrell would have continued killing had he himself not been killed that night. But Miller was not the innocent party he claimed to be. Plunkett shows that through facts and transcripts and catches Miller out in his lies.

If you're a true crime fan, then you won't want to pass this one up. It's shocking but empathetic.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Geoff Plunkett is a researcher and historian at the Department of Defence, Australia. An expert in chemical warfare, he has written multiple official histories, including Death by Gas, a devastating expose of military deceit. Recent books include Let the Bums Burn which recounts Australia's deadliest building fire in 1966 of Melbourne's William Booth Memorial Home for destitute and alcoholic men, and The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre, an examination of the cold case 1973 nightclub fire which was based on exclusive access to the original murder investigative files. 

'Death Row at Truro' has been shortlisted for Australia's 2023 Ned Kelly best true crime award (Australian Crime Writers Association).

His work has featured in all major newspapers, on radio and TV.

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REVIEW: The Vanishing Triangle by Claire McGowan

The Vanishing Triangle by Claire McGowan

Genre: True Crime

Read: 21st December 2024

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Published: 1st May 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

From the bestselling author of What You Did comes a true-crime investigation that cast a dark shadow over the Ireland of her childhood.

Ireland in the 1990s seemed a safe place for women. With the news dominated by the Troubles, it was easy to ignore non-political murders and sexual violence, to trust that you weren’t going to be dragged into the shadows and killed. But beneath the surface, a far darker reality had taken hold.

Through questioning the society and circumstances that allowed eight young women to vanish without a trace―no conclusion or conviction, no resolution for their loved ones―bestselling crime novelist Claire McGowan delivers a candid investigation into the culture of secrecy, victim-blaming and shame that left these women’s bodies unfound, their fates unknown, their assailants unpunished.

McGowan reveals an Ireland not of leprechauns and craic but of outdated social and sexual mores, where women and their bodies were of secondary importance to perceived propriety and misguided politics—a place of well-buttoned lips and stony silence, inadequate police and paramilitary threat.

Was an unknown serial killer at large or was there something even more insidious at work? In this insightful, sensitively drawn account, McGowan exposes a system that failed these eight women—and continues to fail women to this day.

MY THOUGHTS:

The frustrating thing about reading these kinds of books is there is no real ending, no closure. Because while it is based on evidence at the time, it ends with no real facts or answers as to what really happened. The "investigation", such as it was by the author, is merely supposition. Theories on what she supposes "might have" have happened to these women, therefore ending in no real evidentiary fact.

It was an interesting look into a time in Ireland's history that largely seemed to be ignored or swept under the carpet, as it were, as the powers that be seemed to do on a regular basis with many issues that did not bare facing. Society today might look at Ireland and this sad piece of history (and those that were largely prevalent at the time) and think how archaic the country was, how steeped in antiquated laws they were. But as Ms McGowan tells it, that's what Ireland was like. Some of it until only recently.

Religion and politics aside, though that does play a huge part in Ireland's history, this read is compelling though also disturbing that these women went missing in a time when someone somewhere should have noticed something. CCTV, ANPR and forensics were in their infancy in the early 90s though by the end of the decade they were much more widespread. But sadly, not in Ireland it seems. For these women to have vanished without a trace is both sad and disturbing. Can a killer still be out there? Has he gotten away with murder for more than three decades?

How can 8 young women have disappeared without anyone noticing anything? Without a trace? The lack of thorough investigation at the time of their disappearance is equally disturbing.

I'm not even going to touch the religious or political aspect that was prevalent at the time with the social upheavel of unrest against abortion, divorce, homosexuals, contraception and the Catholic church. While that painted a bleak backdrop for the disappearance of these women, it also took the focus away from them.

Ms McGowan analyses the similarities and differences between the disappearances and other crimes and murders which were buried beneath the social unrest in the country at the time. She speculated and gave us her thoughts and while it was cleverly done, it still left me feeling frustrated at having no real answers. These women deserve answers. They deserve closure. Their families certainly do.

I would like to thank #ClaireMcGowan, #Netgalley and #AmazonPublishing for an ARC of #TheVanishingTriangle in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Claire McGowan was born in Northern Ireland in 1981. She grew up in a village where the most exciting thing that ever happened was a herd of cows getting loose in the road. She now lives in slightly more exciting London.

Her first novel, The Fall, was published by Headline in 2012.  She has also written a series of novels about the forensic psychologist Paual Maguire, which currently consists of The Lost (2013), The Dead Ground (2014), The Silent Dead (2015) and the novella Controlled Explosions (2015). There are three more novels to follow in the series. This crime series has been optioned by BBC Drama.

Claire has been described as ‘a knock-out new talent’ (Lee Child) and ‘Ireland’s answer to Ruth Rendell’ (Ken Bruen). Her short story ‘Archaeology’ was broadcast on Radio 4 in 2015 and her story ‘Rosie Grant’s Finger’ appeared in the anthology Belfast Noir, as well as ‘The Last Resort’ in the CWA anthology Deadly Pleasures. She is now also writing romance as Eva Woods, and The Thirty List was published in 2015 and The Ex Factor in 2016. Her first stageplay, Backseat Drivers, was produced in London in 2015.

For two years Claire ran the Crime Writers’ Association, and is now a Senior Lecturer in Crime Writing at City University London. She also enjoys teaching workshops for other festivals and organisations. Her journalism has appeared in Glamour, You magazine, Stylist, and other publications. 

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REVIEW: Inside Job by Dr Rebecca Myers

Inside Job by Dr Rebecca Myers

Genre: Biography & Memoirs, Non Fiction, True Crime, True Stories

Read: 18th August 2022

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Published: 18th August 2022

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

And here I am. Totally alone in a cell with a convicted sex offender who is free to do what he wants. There is no officer. No handcuffs. No radio. Only the man across the desk and me. He looks more petrified than I do.

HMP Graymoor. One of the UK’s most notorious prisons. Home to nearly 800 murderers, rapists and child molesters.

Reporting for her first shift inside is Rebecca: twenty-two, newly graduated – and about to sit down with some of the country’s most dangerous criminals.

In this gripping, hard-hitting memoir, forensic psychologist Dr Rebecca Myers revisits her time in the ‘Hot Seat’ with Graymoor’s infamous inmates – who might not be as different to us as we think.

This is as close as we can get to knowing what really goes on inside the damaged minds behinds bars.

MY THOUGHTS:

EXTRACT: "Society does not want or welcome sexual violence and child abuse, and rightly so. Incarcerated men who have committed sexual offences, especially against children, are seen as the scum of society. My experience has taught me that underneath it all they are not so different from the rest of us.

However, I wouldn't want my compassionate view of the men as being (whatever is) normal, worthwhile and deserving of a second chance to be misinterpreted as sympathy or condoning their actions. It certainly is not. Yet if we can try and treat men who committed sexual offences this way, then we stand a much better chance of success. And so do they. We know that vilifying, stigmatising and ostracising these men does not help. If we shun and isolate them, deny them jobs and a sense of purpose, then the paradox is that they are MORE likely to reoffend...

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of men convicted of sexual offences desist (stop) naturally.

Your new neighbour might be someone who was neglected, sexually abused, mercilessly beaten and made to watch his mother being raped while he was tied to a radiator. And all before the age of ten years old, while his impressionable brain was still growing. I have absolutely no doubt you have rescued him from such a cruel horror as a young child if you could. Damaged children grow up. Now that child is an adult, can you find it in yourself to lay a role in helping him live safely in our society? It is a question we ALL need to be asking ourselves, and with the bigger picture in mind: the prevention of sexual violence."

Just wow! This has to be one of the most powerful books I have ever read. And non-fiction is usually my genre as I tend to fall asleep at the drone of factual text, but INSIDE JOB is presented in such a way we as the reader are drawn in from the start. We are made to feel a part of the programme in which these men are a part. It is eye-opening, raw and traumatic on many levels. These men are the scum of society and yet they are human too. This book takes us inside the Sexual Offenders Treatment Programme that was run throughout the UK prison system with Dr Rebecca Myers facilitating and then training further facilitators. We get to see first-hand how taxing it is for those who run the programme and how it changes their perception of the world around them too.

INSIDE JOB is honest, insightful and even disturbing at times but also challenges the reader in any pre-conceived perceptions they may have. Myers' account of her experience is astute and honest as she freely admits to the mistakes she made, both personally and professionally, in her early years as a prison psychologist at the Category A HMP Graymoor, one of the UK's most notorious prisons. She worked solely with sex offenders and murderers, running the Core-SOTP and Extended SOTP, a CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) rehabilitation programme designed for offenders to recognise their behaviours and those that lead to their offending. The accounts of each of the men in the SOTP groups are harrowing, disturbing but incredibly raw. No one is left untouched by the disturbing darkness that descends of the horrors that then change the way that they see the world outside of the prison walls.

It is interesting to note the struggle that Myers herself was faced with, finding the crimes abhorrent whilst still conducting her job with an unbiased perspective. And that despite their heinous crimes, they are still human beings. Focusing on the SOTP brought these men to the forefront and through Myers' account she was able to humanise most of them as they went through the arduous and often harrowing treatment programme. We then begin to see beyond their offences, as abhorrent as they are, to the men and before that to the children they had once been...not as an excuse but often recognising them as the defining moments in the life of an impressionably aged young child. It definitely pulls at the heartstrings in places though none of what took place before excuses their offences...however, it does lead to an explanation of certain behaviours which are learnt at those impressionable young ages.

As a societal taboo, it is also widely perceived and accepted that these offenders cannot be rehabilitated but the truth is that in many cases they can be. Through SOTP they are given a sense of understanding of their behaviours which lead to their offences and why. Of course, not all offenders can be rehabilitated as they aren't open to the treatment being offered them. In actual fact, some treat it as a joke. Kyle is one point in case. Some make little progress while others come on leaps and bounds. I especially like how Myers focused on a particular group of men that we follow throughout the course of the book and as the reader we watch them unravel the puzzle, draw their life maps and gain an understanding as to their behaviour and the effects it had on their victims. Again, it is raw and insightful.

Throughout the book, Myers shows compassion and humanity and understanding as she develops something akin to a relationship with these men, as well as her wisdom in perceiving the parallels with her own life and how in many ways she saw herself as being like those men she was treating. Her own behavioural patterns were not so far from theirs and she found that both eye-opening and humbling.

Myers concludes her account with reports of the problems the SOTP faced along with its changes and modifications. To cease all types of treatment programmes would be redundant because the overall idea behind prison is for addressing offending behaviour and rehabilitation as well as punishment. To just punish would serve no purpose. INSIDE JOB is an eye opening and insightful read about the often dangerous offenders behind bars and the efforts in trying to change their behaviour and reduce sexual offending.

INSIDE JOB is a fascinating and engrossing read that just blew me away. It is not an easy read by any means, given the subject matter, but it is insightful and informative with achingly honest, raw and reflective. I liked how she ended with the outcome of some of those she encountered at that time, though it is a shame we never learnt the outcome of them all. I would have been interested to see how well, or not, some of those truly fared.

Overall, I highly recommend INSIDE JOB but it not for the faint hearted. Be prepared that this is not a glossed over account. It is in depth, raw and disturbing in places as it is not for everybody. I highlight the fact that it most definitely comes with trigger warnings such as descriptions of rape, murder and child abuse as well as psychopathy, sexual crimes and misogyny.

I would like to thank #DrRebeccaMyers, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #InsideJob in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Dr Rebeccca Myers is a forensic psychologist. Possessing only an undergraduate degree in psychology, she went straight into working in a male maximum-security prison, providing intensive therapy to rapists, child molesters and murderers. She has since spent 25 years assessing, treating and researching high-risk men who have committed violent and sexual crimes and, as such, has a rare insight into their mindset. She also trains and supervises staff/trainee psychologists and has disseminated and published her research at a national and international level.

REVIEW: I Catch Killers by Gary Jubelin

I Catch Killers by Gary Jubelin

Genre: Biography, True Crime

Read: 19th May 2022

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Published: 1st August 2020

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

THE #1 TRUE CRIME BESTSELLER. Serial killings, child abductions, organised crime hits and domestic murders. This is the memoir of a homicide detective.

WINNER OF 2021 DANGER PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION

Here I am: tall and broad, shaved head, had my nose broken three times fighting. Black suit, white shirt, the big city homicide detective. I've led investigations into serial killings, child abductions, organised crime hits and domestic murders. But beneath the suit, I've got an Om symbol in the shape of a Buddha tattooed on my right bicep. It balances the tattoo on my left ribs: Better to die on your feet than live on your knees. That's how I choose to live my life.

As a cop, I got paid to catch killers and I learned what doing it can cost you. It cost me marriages and friendships. It cost me my reputation. They tell you not to let a case get personal, but I think it has to. Each one has taken a piece out of me and added a piece, until there's only pieces.

I catch killers - it's what I do. It's who I am.

Gary Jubelin was one of Australia's most celebrated detectives, leading investigations into the disappearance of preschooler William Tyrrell, the serial killing of three Aboriginal children in Bowraville and the brutal gangland murder of Terry Falconer. During his 34-year career, Detective Chief Inspector Jubelin also ran the crime scene following the Lindt Cafe siege, investigated the death of Caroline Byrne and recovered the body of Matthew Leveson. Jubelin retired from the force in 2019. This is his story.

MY THOUGHTS:

"I catch Killers — it’s what I do. It’s who I am."

I have always admired Gary Jubelin and his dogged determination to uncover the truth and seek justice for victims and their families. When he was called out and charged over "illegal recordings" of a suspect in the William Tyrrell investigation, I was both shocked and appalled. Not by his actions but by those of the NSW Police Force who should have protected one of their own instead of backing him into a corner and essentially silencing him. 

If it wasn't for Gary Jubelin, many cases may not have been solved. If it wasn't for Gary Jubelin, Matthew Levenson's body may never have been recovered and thus giving his parents closure and to be able to bring their son home. If it wasn't for Gary Jubelin, the families of the Bowraville murders would have been ignored for three decades with no one fighting in their corner. He may not have solved the Bowraville murders nor uncovered the truth behind William Tyrrell's disappearance...but Gary Jubelin made a difference. He was there for the victims' families and stood beside them when no one else would. He was a voice for the victims. And I wish he was still able to be...because if anyone could get to the bottom of William Tyrrell's disappearance and bring the culprit to justice...it would be Gary Jubelin.

Leading us through his early years as constable through to detective, Jubelin identifies the change that came to the NSW Police Force after the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption. How many big names of those once looked up to became criminals themselves. Still idealistic, when asked by a lawyer if Roger Rogerson (corrupt copper from the 80s now serving a sentence for murder) was his hero, Jubelin states simply..."Look, I know who Roger Rogerson is. I haven't worked with him. As for a hero, I don't think so." Jubelin is honest and dogged. He works for the victims and their families, for truth and justice. Nothing more, nothing less.

I CATCH KILLERS may not be a perfectly styled story. It may be uneven in its pace. It may not have the depth of a fictionalised tale or the grammar of a seasoned writer. But what it does have is a completely raw and honest look at the life of a homicide detective beginning as naive constable fresh out of the academy peppered with tales from his youth. It is not a sensationalised story or glamourised in any way. Gary Jubelin is not a writer. He was a detective...and a bloody good one. And yes, he made a difference.

I loved reading Gary's story from his childhood to his surfing to his marriage to his joining the police force. His young naive idealism is probably the same for almost every copper that steps out of the academy and into real life as a probationary constable. They want to make a difference. But those early years are spent learning on the job and slowly but surely making his way through the ranks from general duties into the Armed Hold Up Squad, the Tactical Response Group and various others until he landed his dream job in homicide. For almost two decades Gary Jubelin was there for a victims' family's darkest days. He was taught not to get involved with the families as it would make investigating the cases harder...but he learnt that you HAD to become involved with them. Because they needed to know that someone was on their side fighting for their loved one in bringing them justice. And in becoming involved with the families made him fight that little bit harder. It became personal. And that made him a good copper. A great detective. And the best man for the job. 

Which is why the police force turning their backs on him during one of those most famous and sensationalised investigations, rankles. If it rankles with me, I cannot imagine what it did to him. I doubt the families of the Bowraville victims will get justice for their murdered children now because Gary Jubelin was the only one willing to fight for them...really fight for them. And I find it unlikely we'll ever know what happened to William Tyrrell because Gary Jubelin knew that case better than anyone. To oust him on the basis of illegal recordings without listening or taking into account why, is appalling. 

Gary Jubelin is one of those detectives who you would have been lucky to have to fight in your corner. He pulls no punches; he tells it how it is; but he would go above and beyond the call of duty to get you justice...even to the detriment of his own personal life. He is not perfect and I doubt I could have suffered being married to him. Yes, he can come across as arrogant and single-minded but he is someone I would trust to fight in my corner, had I needed him. The end result for Jubelin is both shocking and appalling. On one side I can see the legality but on the other I can also see why. It was a fine line he walked...and sadly he did not come unscathed. And even more shocking is the way he was treated and basically ignored by "the powers that be" who thought only of statistics and results instead of truth and justice.

Jubelin's story is at times heartbreaking but his resilience shines through. Despite all that was thrown at him, he still stands...and he has moved on. But one thing is for sure...

Gary Jubelin made a difference. It's what he set out to do...and it's what he did.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Legendary homicide detective Gary Jubelin has been credited with solving some of the nation’s most horrific crimes.

He retired in 2019 with the rank of Detective Chief Inspector after a 34-year career with the NSW Police Force.

During a career which earned him high commendations for policing, he performed duties from covering generalist detective duties to major crime.

These included experience in the Armed Hold-Up Squad, Organised Crime Squad, Gangs Squad, Unsolved Homicide and Homicide Squad. He specialised in the field of homicide investigation for 25 years up until his retirement.

As a homicide detective, Gary Jubelin led some of the largest, most complex, high-profile investigations in New South Wales.

The direction of the investigations, operational decisions, community safety, the arrest and conviction offenders were his mainstream responsibilities.

These included gang land killings, serial murderers, sexually motivated murders, domestic murders, child killers, revenge murders, murderers who tortured their victims, random murders, police shootings, abductions and serial rapists.

Gary Jubelin has been a key figure in solving major crimes for the past three decades gathering a mountain of information based on the methodical and successful processes he employed as a crime investigator.

Gary's greatest regret on leaving the NSW Police Force is those cases where he has been unable to tell grieving families what happened to their loved ones.

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REVIEW: The Girl at my Door by Rebecca Griffiths

The Girl at my Door by Rebecca Griffiths

Genre: Historical fiction, Crime thriller, Crime fiction, True Crime

Read: 25th September 2021

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Published: 23rd September 2021

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

London, 1949. On the dark streets of Soho, a killer is waiting in the shadows. Inspired by the true crime story of the Rillington Place murders comes a chilling re-telling of one of Britain’s most infamous serial killers.

Queenie Osbourne is the talk of London. Rising to fame as a singer after the Second World War, she is about to head to New York to make her fortune.

On the surface John Reginald Christie is an ordinary man. By day he wonders the bustling city streets. By night he is entertained by Queenie and her band. He is always searching for prey. Soon a young waitress named Joy catches his eye and his dangerous obsession begins.

Joy is preparing to wed Charles Gilchrist, one of the city’s most eligible bachelors. But Queenie has always held a flame for him and the spark between them is obvious.

When Queenie commits the ultimate betrayal against Joy, she knows her bright future is at risk. With nowhere else to turn, there is only one man who can help her. But Queenie has no idea of the dark secrets which lie behind the door of 10 Rillington Place. As Christie watches her approaching, will he risk everything for his highest-profile victim yet?

Blending the real life story of notorious serial killer John Reginald Christie with a fictionalised cast of characters, this thrilling mystery is perfect for fans of Gregg Olsen, Louise Douglas and Jess Lourey.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Rebecca Griffiths' exciting historical crime thriller THE GIRL AT MY DOOR.

As soon as I read the premise for this book I knew I had to read it. My fascination with historical serial killers deemed it so. THE GIRL AT MY DOOR is an historical crime thriller with a difference though...featuring the infamous serial killer of the 1940s and 50s, John Reginald Christie of the equally infamous 10 Rillington Place...London's original house of horrors situated in the now affluent area of Notting Hill. While this is not a true crime story, it is an historical crime thriller interwoven with the factual aspect of Christie making this an interesting as well as a dark and somewhat creepy read - particularly the chapters in which Christie features as he lurks unseen in the shadows.

London, 1949: On the dark streets of Soho, a killer lurks in the shadows...watching, waiting and biding his time. Unbeknownst to them, best friends Queenie and Joy are trying to make the best of life in post-war London while their every move is being watched. 

Queenie is as gregarious and vivacious as she is beautiful. She is an up-and-coming singer in a London nightclub called the Mockin' Bird where she has gained the eye of an American scout who has offered her a part on Broadway in New York. All she wants to do is perform for an audience wearing the stunning dresses she fashions for herself. But as confident as she is, Queenie is also selfish and vain, often chastising Joy for her own clumsy attempts at such things as applying make-up.

Joy is the complete opposite. She is shy, self-conscious and lacking in confidence. She admires Queenie for being all the things she isn't although she herself couldn't imagine having the same confidence as her friend. Quiet and gentle, Joy loves nothing more than to immerse herself in a world of books...her favourite being Thomas Hardy. She works at the British Museum by day until Queenie gets her a job waitressing at the Mockin' a couple of nights a week. And there, Joy meets one of London's most eligible bachelors, Charles Gilchrist, whilst simultaneously batting away the attentions of the band's drunken drummer, Buster.

When Joy and Charles become engaged, Queenie finds herself suddenly out of sorts. This is a man who is used to the finer things in life, a man who needs a wife to shine on his arm at events, a man who needs someone more like her than quiet mousy Joy. But who is she to begrudge her best friend this happiness? But are they really? And can Joy really give him all that he needs? With a touch of the green-eyed monster glowing from within, Queenie considers that she would be a better fit for Charles and suddenly finds herself increasingly attracted to him. She begins to flirt with him even under the oblivious eyes of Joy and sets her cap at beguiling him. But at what cost?

Queenie's friend Terrence is a banker by day and a pianist at the Mockin' Bird by night. He becomes her confidante when Joy cannot. But he also has a secret - he is a closet homosexual, a proclivity that was illegal and punishable by imprisonment, and that which finds him at the mercy of a very clever and very dangerous man.

And then there is John Reginald Christie, a seemingly ordinary unassuming man who no one seems to notice. When one day his attention is drawn to Joy as he watches her in the park and stealthily follows her home, he becomes obsessed with her and fantasies about luring her into his web where he longs to have his wicked way with her. His dark mind is disturbing and his twisted thoughts are chilling that one can't help but feel threatened by him, despite his small and unassuming stature. You could almost sense his eyes following your every move just as they mentally undress the objects of his obsession. In this case, Joy.

When an act of betrayal comes between Queenie and Joy, their lives are shattered and their friendship broken. And as a result Queenie finds herself at the door of 10 Rillington Place to rid herself of the trouble in which she now finds herself. But when Terrence discovers just how dangerous the man behind that door is, time is running out for him to reach Queenie before she becomes Christie's next victim of his rope chair.

THE GIRL AT MY DOOR is a well-written blend of a real life crime story with fiction creating an atmospheric tale set in the shadow of gaslights amidst pea souper fogs with a sinister sense of foreboding. It is completely engrossing from start to finish with its deliciously dark and suspenseful prose. Looking through the eyes of Christie is especially chilling and so authentic that it made my skin crawl.

Told from the third person perspectives of Queenie, Joy, Terrence and Christie himself, THE GIRL AT MY DOOR is an addictive thriller with a difference. And although we think we know the outcome being based on the actual crimes of Christie, there are some surprising and shocking twists to come.

A perfect combination of fact with fiction, THE GIRL AT MY DOOR is an engrossing read that is quick and enjoyable and perfect for fans of historical crime fiction as well as those with an interest in true crime.

I would like to thank #RebeccaGriffiths, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlAtMyDoor in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Griffiths grew up in mid-Wales and went on to gain a first class honours degree in English Literature. After a successful business career in London, Dublin and Scotland she returned to rural mid-Wales where she lives with her husband, a prolific artist, their dog, four black rescue cats, two pet sheep the size of sofas and writes full time. 

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REVIEW: Who Was Jack the Ripper? by H Division Crime Club (ARC)

Who Was Jack the Ripper/ by H Division Crime Club

Genre: True Crime

Read: 24th August 2019

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Purchase: Pen & Sword (Hardback)

(release date: 31st August 2019)

★★★ 2-3 stars

For true crime lovers, particularly those with some knowledge and an interest in the infamous Victorian murderer, WHO WAS JACK THE RIPPER? is a detailed account of what was then known as the Whitechapel murders in 1888. 

Written by the members of H Division Crime Club, a group of experts who have researched and studied every aspect on the subject for decades, provide us with as many facts as possible to support what is essentially circumstantial evidence at best on each of the potential suspects.

Focusing on the victims and 11 possible suspects, we are taken on an intricate journey for a closer look at the each of the persons of interest and how they (possibly) relate to the murders. Each chapter is written by a different member on each occasion, presenting us with a history of each suspect, possible connections to one or more of the victims or to the area itself along with reference to written accounts, statements or files from the time. Each person gives us a fresh perspective, some even debunking others arguments included in the book, in an effort to shine a different yet distinct light to the evidence already presented. I thought this was cleverly done, as each gave us their thoughts and the facts as they see them, to support their theories.

And let's face it. This book is full of what is essentially theories and hypotheses based on tireless and extensive research over many many years. After 130 years there is no way anyone can prove without a shadow of a doubt just who Jack the Ripper really was. It will certainly go down in history as one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time.

The arguments - albeit, theories - put forward by each person were incredibly informative and interesting. But on the whole, I found the book to be long, probably because I read it practically in one sitting, and this is a book that really cannot be read in such time. The reader needs to take their time with each theory and absorb each chapter rather than try and take it all in because to do so would be a struggle. There is a lot of information to absorb that it will just all become enmeshed together if you try to read it all at once.

Although I admit to being confused by a couple of the chapters - regarding Kaminski/Kosminski/Cohen - my head was swimming as I tried to get a grip on what the author was stating. Even now, I can't understand the link to these "persons of interest" and the Ripper.

So WHO was Jack the Ripper? That is the million dollar - or million pound - question!

WHO WAS JACK THE RIPPER? is incredibly well-researched, and while it is not for everyone, it is a must read for ripperology fans.

I would like to thank #HDivsionCrimeClub, #NetGalley and #PenAndSword for an ARC of #WhoWasJackTheRipper in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Lambs to the Slaughter by Debi Marshall

Lambs to the Slaughter by Debi Marshall

Genre: True Crime

Read: 18th April, 2016

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Purchase: Amazon

★★★★★ 5 stars!

I started this book, couldn't put it down and read it in four days.
Although I've heard about these murders, reading about each victims carefree life before their horrible deaths and that of their families before and after their deaths humanises them more than them just being another statistic labelled as "the Wanda Beach murders" or "the abduction and murder in Warneet the day man landed on the moon" or "the Beaumont children". Seeing how each crime can and may be connected to Percy is interesting, whether or not he was responsible. One thing is for sure - he was a sick depraved individual who lacked the emotional connection from an early age from an absent father and a domineering mother. 

I find Percy's childhood somewhat sad. Do I feel sorry for him?For the adult Percy, no; but for the child Percy? Somewhat, yes. He very acutely displays signs of abuse somewhere in his childhood. Something so significant to rewrite his destiny in sick fantasies he craved, wrote in diaries and sought a private gratification from. Whatever lead Percy down this depraved emotionless path stemmed from somewhere subconsciously deep in his childhood that prevented him from making the transition from child to adolescent to adult. His sick and twisted fantasies were a monstrous albatross that prevented him from leaving curiosity behind and transitioning into adulthood. Instead he played on them, dwelled on them, lived and breathed them until he acted on them. In a time when mental health was not even an understood concept, the warning signs Percy very probably displayed would have either been laughed off or ignored. Had he received treatment for his "urges", how many crimes would have been prevented? We will never know. Derek Percy took those secrets, his secrets, to his grave on 23rd July 2013.

REVIEW: Ted and Ann by Rebecca Morris

Ted and Ann: the Mystery of a Missing Child and her Neighbor Ted Bundy by Rebecca Morris

Genre: True Crime

Read: 26th November 2014

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Purchase: Amazon

★★★★★ 5 stars

DID HE OR DIDN'T HE?

I've read a number of books on Ted Bundy, and this one is definitely an eye opener and interesting look into the younger Ted.

But let is not forget about why this book was written. 53 years ago, a trusting and somewhat flirty 8 year old girl disappeared from her home and vanished without a trace - never to be seen again. Her parents went to their graves never knowing what became of their eldest daughter, and that in itself has to be heartbreaking, if not devastating.

So did Ted Bundy kill Ann Marie Burr in 1961 at the tender age of 14? I know what I believe, but I'll let you be the judge.