Books written about murdered people-by their parents/relatives-recommendations?

[Patienceisntvirtuous]

Any you've read that you love?

I've read;

My Sister Millie by Gemma Dowler-excellent, I couldn't put it down. I've read it more than once, it seems it hits different depending on where one is in life.

'Our April' about April Jones' murder Bit clumsily written in comparison but worth a read

'Sarah Payne: a Mother's story-again astonishingly good. I admire Sara so much for her pioneering work since Sarah was murdered.

'I let him go' by Denis Fergus-again an addictive read.

'My James' by Ralph Bulger-I felt it was required after reading Denise's book. Very good.

'The Murder of Rachel' by her Mother Wanda-I can't remember much about this book if I am honest.

'Beyond Evil' about Tracie Andrews by her victim's Mum. Another one I couldn't put down-so so awful.

Of course, all of them are upsetting and compelling

I feel I've read every one of this category that there is now, but I am sure I can't have done! Can anyone recommend any, or have any opinions on any of them?

I've just ordered the book written by Laci Peterson's (US case) mum.

‘Mummydaddy’ by Jeremy Howe about the murder of his wife and him picking up the pieces with his daughters afterwards. A really interesting read.

Deborah Spungen thinks he killed her, but she egged him to do it. I think he was too off his head to kill her-he'd taken enough drugs to sink a warship. I think she was murdered by a drug dealer.

The last Thursday in July about the murder of Rachel Nickell.

Thank you all-I'm really rekindling my love of reading at the moment.

I always get Rachel Nickell confused with Tayna Nickell who was murdered by Steve Wright? I think who killed prostituted women. I don't think anyone has written anything about any of his victims. Forgotten souls I suppose :(

About a Son by David Whitehouse.

A book written by a relative of a perpetrator is My Brother The Killer by Alix Sharkey
He is the brother of Stuart Campbell who killed Danielle Jones in 2001.

I usually quite enjoy, which isn't the right word...am intrigued by these sort of books. Though I don't often read ones by the family members as somehow it feels it makes it too real, whereas an author has a third party view. (This might only make sense in my head)

However Des, the book that Denis Nilson helped write is the only book I have never finished it was so so upsetting to read the vile things he had done. I'd bought it after watching the series with David Tennant and a few documentaries but just couldn't stomach the book at all

The Payne's were much more dysfunctional than we were led to believe.

Not remotely abusive but not ideal.

I'm absolutely convinced Stone is innocent of the Russel murders.

It was Bellfield.

‘A Silenced Voice: The Life of Journalist Kim Wall’ by Ingrid and Joachim Wall, translated by Kathy Saranpa. Kim Wall was murdered by Peter Madsen when she went to interview him on his homemade submarine. Her story is told tenderly by her parents.

@Alloftheboys I downloaded the sample of that and I am not sure I can cope with reading about the child abuse they both went through-is it very sinister?

@bottleofbeer I agree. And I am not saying any serial killer is not a horrendous individual of course, but I do think Bellfield is in a league of his own. I feel so much fear and hatred if I think of him. He is the reason I've reported suspicious activity when things have happened to me however, twice in the last few years. I feel one reason he got away with things because people didn't report suspicious doings from him. He won't be the only one of course.

Would you mind elaborating on this, just because I am interested?

I find with books, I very much follow a narrative that the author puts to me. After reading the book by Deborah Spugnen about Nancy, I read some reviews. One of them said she didn't understand why Deborah admitted in one chapter that Nancy was 'spanked' as a child, but then later when a therapist revealed that Nancy had mentioned such, Deborah states she 'didn't know where this had come from because her and Nancy's Father didn't believe in physical punishment.

Now I did think this myself.

And, I dismissed it-I sometimes ignore my real thoughts if you will? Not JUST with books either-I pick up on things in real life, about people, places and dismiss them. Just something I've been thinking about, working on :)

Remembered forever - luke Hart.
About his sister and mother who were killed by his father.

*The Payne's were much more dysfunctional than we were led to believe.
*
What relevance has this ??

Relevant in the sense it has already been mentioned.

I think the family had deep rooted issues. Irrelevant to the murder of Sarah, but they were functioning alcoholics.

I'm not sure "interesting" is a good word

And? What's your point exactly?? Sounds like you're suggesting they brought it on themselves or deserved it it some way. What an odd thing to comment

Of course they didn’t bring it on themselves.

But it is relevant in the sense that Sarah’s disappearance and subsequent murder was absolutely huge news. I think it is possible some posters don’t realise that children vanishing and even being abducted is rare but not that rare, particularly pre-2000. The ones that generated huge media interest tended to be the girls from white,
middle class backgrounds.

And the blame game is one that is played out in the press and usually it there is any hint of dysfunction the press lose interest. What’s interesting is that didn’t happen with Sarah. I suspect it was probably because her mother worked with the press and the story took on a campaign which of course sold.

This is funny because I had thought this too-when I watched that documentary (the 'main' one?) and Sara said 'we stopped for a half' it flagged up for me-not so much that she said they'd stopped for a half, I mean, I don't think anything is so bothersome about that-having a couple of drinks on a holiday is fine IMO kids or not. It was the way she said it. And how her eyes looked a bit sunken, in a 'frown' position. I think there's scope for being wrong here. But It's also made me think about how I don't trust my own thought processes with media-as I dismissed it.

After Evil, by Neil Jackson (written by Carol Anne Lee) is a good, but heartbreaking read. It's the story of Neil's mother, Emily Jackson who was murdered by Peter Sutcliffe.

There's Somebody's Mother, Somebody's Daughter, also by Carol Anne Lee, again about the victims of Sutcliffe

Sun On The Water by Jean MacColl written about Kirsty's life and death..... Very sad but an excellent read...
I bought Sara Payne's book about Sarah when I was on my way to a conference in Birmingham... I had to stop reading it on the train as I was crying so much and people were looking at me!

I don't blame them one little bit for what happened to her. It was an observation.

@Patienceisntvirtuous

I’ll be honest, I read it over a year ago and I don’t remember much of it.

There was a musical written about the reaction of local residents to the Ipswich murders and their attitudes to the victims. Sounds weird but it was not the happy peppy type of musical and was very sympathetic to the victims, confronting attitudes to sex workers. It's called "London Road". Not often performed but DD's drama school did it as one of their final year shows and it was fantastic. Deliberately avoided giving too much attention to the killer and focused instead on those affected by his crimes. DD organised a collection for women's charities after the performances and they raised thousands.