One of my often used phrases is “I love a book that gets me reaching for Google” and this is one of those books.
In fact it made me realise just how much I didn’t know about the Myra Hindley and Ian Brady murder spree that took place in the early 1960’s.
Maybe it was because the murders took place when I was two or three years old, maybe I thought I knew more about them because they have been in and out of the news ever since.
Rebecca Griffiths has taken those murders and woven a great story around them.
Ronald is a farmer, on Saddleworth Moor. He’s reclusive and keeps himself to himself.
It’s a solitary life and that’s what he wants. So when a couple start to appear on his land, he notices them straight away. When he starts to hear news reports about missing children he quickly realises what the mystery couple are up to.
But what can he do about it.
Go to the police, no way. Ronald has his own reasons for not wanting the Police snooping around his land.
Ronald is a great character, conflicted, would be the best way to describe him. But his story is tough and at times emotional.
Hindley and Brady, there victims, and the families of the victims are written about tactfully but grittily. In fact at times it’s a bit of a tough read when you realise that part of the story is factual
Books which weave fact and fiction can go both ways, really good, or really bad, this one is definitely in the really good category.
Rebecca Griffiths has used just the right mixture of fact and fiction, in fact it’s that good a mixture that I wouldn’t have been surprised if I hadn’t got to the end and found that I’d been reading a book bringing new evidence, and revealing new crimes. There have been rumours for years that there are more victims of Hindley and Brady, and that maybe there was another accomplice.
This book doesn’t open the door of another accomplice but it does open the door on other murders, and that’s where the fiction kicks in.
This is a great read. Weather you remember the Moors Murders, or as was my case, thought you knew a bit about them, I can guarantee that by the end of this book you will have used whatever research engines you have available to you, and learnt a lot more.
The story is great, the jump between what is present and what is past, within the story is sometimes a bit blurred and I got confused once or twice, but that may have been because I was reading it none stop. It hooked me from the start.
Print length: 361 pages. Audio book length: 10 hours 47 minutes. Publisher : Bookouture
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