BOOK REVIEW - Philip Norman - The Reluctant Beatle

 

This book should have been titled ‘While My Guitar Gentle Weeps’. Not because this is an epic monolith of rock biographies, about the quiet Beatle, George Harrison, but because it made me cry like an out-of-tune Rickenbacker. Let's be clear on one thing: this book is awful. The notoriously ‘quiet Beatle’ was anything but a talent lost in the songwriting shadows of genius tunesmiths: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Post-Beatle breakup, George Harrison was the most successful solo Beatles, outselling John and Paul until Lennon's untimely death. 

For a biography about George Harrison, you have to wade through 190 pages of well-written and well-worn Beatles lore before learning anything about the book's subject. Aside from Lennon and McCartney, George was best friends with Slowhands guitar genius, Eric Clapton, whose rather racy hands saw him have an affair with his best pals wife, Pattie Boyd. Aside from the genius of Something by The Beatles and Layla by Derek and the Dominoes, this book almost feels like a short biography of Eric Clapton as well. I never knew as much about Clapton until reading this biography of... you get my point. 

The subject matter is poorly researched, mistakenly authoritative and offers no further information on George that I couldn't have read elsewhere. The prologue, by the author, is also a back-handed apology for writing a 3000-word article about George, which slaughtered his songwriting skills, solo career, and reputation. Had I read that bit first, I would have avoided this book. 

Several years ago I read ‘SHOUT’ by the same author, and I’d forgotten that was awful too - lesson learnt! 

To quote the late George Harrison ‘ All Things Must Pass’... and so should this book, because it was rubbish.

I scored this book 2/5 on my GOODREADS feed. 

the book is available to buy here 

www.ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com 

Titanic: 'Iceberg Ahead' by James W Bancroft

                                                  

The historical facts of the RMS Titanic's infamous sinking have been a morbid maritime currency, in non-fiction books, films, and television documentaries, for well over 100 years. With countless articles written and books published, many stories have been told and retold about the 'unsinkable' ship and have been historically re-written on several occasions.

The most famous that spring to mind 'A Night to Remember' by Walter Lord, and James Cameron's 1997 cinematic masterpiece 'Titanic', which are probably the best of both cinematic and non-fiction retellings. Assuming you've read plenty of Titanic's history (like I have) you'd think 'TITANIC - ICEBERG AHEAD' by James W Bancroft is superfluous in this well-stocked subject matter? Well, yes and no.

The beginning of the book recounts all of the usual Titanic information; when she was launched, where she was from, how big, and unsinkable, her maiden voyage, etc. However, by the second half of the book, the author delves deep into the passengers' lives. Unlike those well-versed accounts of the ship's first-class millionaires on board, this book tells the life stories of passengers, survivors and victims, of the Titanic, from second and third class. 

The social history is fascinating and tragic in equilibrium and is told with impressively researched detail.  Foreboding narrative aside, it's a great book for those not familiar with the tragedy of the Titanic or the lives of those who sailed in her. 

A very recommended read for history buffs and true crime fans, alike! 

www.ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com

The Road To Jonestown Jim Jones And The Peoples Temple - Jeff Gunn

                                               

The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana, established by the Peoples Temple, a San Francisco-based cult under the leadership of demagogue god-like narcissist (and Temple Leader) Jim Jones. On November 18th 1978 Jim Jones instructed his 900+ followers to kill themselves and commit ‘revolutionary suicide’ as a direct response to the Guyanese and American Government investigations into his cult-like Peoples Temple. What followed was the biggest act of mass-murder suicide in American History (before 9/11) that cemented Jim Jones and his cult into true-crime history books, alongside Waco leader David Koresh, and to a lesser extent, Charles Manson.

The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple by Jeff Guinn, is a definitive and exploratory look into the world of Jim Jones. How did this poverty-stricken kid from Indiana become a faith leader, political activist, and ultimately a mass murderer? I won't give the game away but this is a very well-written book, that gives a fascinating insight into The Peoples Temple - from its humble beginnings to the mass suicide/murder that made international headlines. In the years that followed this atrocious act, Jim Jones was compared to murderous demagogues such as Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson.These comparisons completely and historically misrepresent the initial appeal of Jim Jones to members of the Peoples Temple.

The Peoples Temple - Jonestown

Jones was a cult leader and a man who professed messages of love as a brotherhood. He had a convincing socialist idealism that appealed to his followers, but it was one that ultimately killed them all when his plan seemingly failed. If you’re unfamiliar with The Peoples Temple, this book is a good start. Having read it, I'd be interested in learning more about cults and how they came to be.

Jeff Guinn is a former journalist who has won national, regional and state awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, and literary criticism.

Guinn is also the bestselling author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction including, but not limited to: Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (which was a finalist for an Edgar Award in 2010); The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral - and How It Changed the West; Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson; and The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple.

Buy The Book HERE

Learn more about The Peoples Temple 

Murder on the Dark Web: True tales from the dark side of the internet by Eileen Ormsby

 

The term 'dark web' needs little introduction in 2022 yet still poses many questions; is it all encrypted? It is as sinister as we imagine, and what will we find there? I've never ventured into the dark web myself, but I'm not new to TOR nor TAILS which are both needed to access this 'unseen' and criminal enclave of the internet. Imagine a heinous insidious version of eBay where you can buy or sell drugs, guns, and gangsters, even murder-for-hire. Often exaggerated with folklore, the prime real example would be the website SILK ROAD, which I heard about on a True Crime podcast.  

This second book in Eileen Ormsby's dark web series, Murder on the Dark Web tells two true crime stories, both of which are intrinsically linked by this very modern phenomenon. The three-part format remains a great introduction describing what the dark web is. This sets the tone, giving insight, should it be needed. Both stories are intriguing, well-known, and wonderfully told. The narrative remains objective, and the facts are dished out, with newspaper reports, interviews, phone call transcripts and masses of research in the storytelling. An absolute joy to read we can't wait to delve into the next book in this series. 

Buy The Book

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Serpentine - The True Story of a Serial Killer's Reign of Terror by Thomas Thompson

 True Crime seems to be captivating TV audiences these days, and like never before. The latest offering from the UK has been the BBC crime drama The Serpent. I binged it in one week and was captivated by this exotic far-flung tale of a 1970s serial killer, his murder spree, drugging, gem trafficking and poisonous reign of terror. 

Serpentine by Thomas Thompson tells the story of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, the notorious ‘Serpent’ or ‘bikini killer’ who preyed on Western tourists throughout the hippie trail of Southeast Asia during the 1970s. Joined by his band of ‘followers’ you could almost say that this murderer had a cult following, however, unlike Charles Manson, Charles Sobhraj was hands-on when it came to killing. 

The book is a biography of Charles’ life from birth in 1944 up to his eventual capture and jailing in 1976. Over several months in late 1975 and early 1976, the French serial killer (although of Asian and Indian descent) murdered tourists on the ‘hippie trail’. During this period, bodies have been found slain, their corpses strangled and stabbed and burned and drowned, from the paradise beaches of Thailand, through to slopes of the Himalayas and beside the river Ganges. Sobhraj used a variety of aliases, usually from stolen passports, posing as a gem dealer to first extract money, but which (for reasons unknown) quickly escalated into murder. Maybe to cover his tracks or to keep the police from his trail, Charles had a femme fatale in tow (one of many) in French / Canadian Marie-Andree Leclerc, who acted as his wife, and an eventual accomplice (although she feigned innocence through trial). The book is a fascinating delve into The Serpent's crimes, and his heady band of followers, and analytically deconstructs his subsequent trial.

This book is the perfect accompaniment to the smash-hit BBC true crime drama and paints a portrait of a master manipulator psychopath who still resides in jail to this day. 

About the Author; Thomas Thompson was an American journalist and author. He worked for Life magazine from 1961 and died in 1982.

Watch The Serpent on BBCiPlayer

Serpentine by Thomas Thompson is published by Open Road and is available on Amazon Kindle

The Murders at White House Farm: Jeremy Bamber and the killing of his family. The definitive investigation

                                                    

In the 1980s in middle-class rural England, Nevill and June Bamber were wealthy, landed gentry (almost) with farmland, farmhouses, and property in central London and were cash-rich- often described as ‘The Archers’ (Link) of Essex. There are some things that money can’t buy though, and unable to have children, the couple adopted a daughter, Sheila, and a son, Jeremy. 

June Bamber was a religious zealot with mental health problems, Sheila was a wannabe glamour model with mental health problems, and son Jeremy was a bright and intelligent ‘yuppie’ of his time, interested in cash only, and the trappings of inherited wealth. During the night of 6-7 August 1985, Nevill and June Bamber were shot and killed inside the farmhouse, alongside Sheila, and her six-year-old twin sons. There was no sign of a break-in, 25 expelled gun cartridges, and a ‘missing’ silencer. The police assumed that schizophrenic Sheila had committed murder/suicide, but this was only the beginning of the story. The prime suspect was son, Jeremy Bamber who was eventually charged with five murders and jailed for life in October of 1986. 

Although Jeremy Bamber still professes innocence, he remains in jail. 

I knew nothing of this case until ITV dramatised the crime in White House Farm which aired in the UK in 2020. Following the incredible TV dramatisation I thought the book would be the perfect companion piece, and wow was I correct! Carol Ann Lee’s book is the definitive crime biography on the case and rightly so. With an undoubtedly exhaustive investigation and equally thorough research, the story is well-balanced, doesn’t push opinion and is a thoroughly enjoyable crime book. The case itself is horrendous, so I would tread very carefully if you are triggered easily, however. 

Even for a true crime fan, the murder of children is incredibly insidious. 

If you’re unfamiliar with this case watch ‘White House Farm’ on the ITV HUB

BUY THE BOOK

Facing The Yorkshire Ripper - by Mo Lea

 On the 20th of October 1980 (a few days before her 21st Birthday) art student Mo Lea spends a night out with friends in Leed’s university student area. The air of a city under siege is clear to the local student population. A serial killer is on the loose and on the attack. In his fifth (and final) year, the Yorkshire Ripper's modus operandi has shifted from prostitutes to random young women and students in and around the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the heart of urban England. Even in this insidious atmosphere, Mo Lea takes the risk of taking a short dimly lit walk home. What follows is a life-threatening attack, a stoic and emotional recovery, yet one that causes reflection on what it means to be a survivor and how far you would have to go to recover from such a crime.  A gifted artist, Mo Lea plays on her strengths art itself is the leitmotif that runs throughout this true-crime biography. The creative process begins with exhibitions of dark imagery, and portfolios full of macabre drawings and paintings. The artistic and emotional torture is conveyed in excruciating detail. 

As the years go by, Mo Lea takes us on a journey through the United States, Leeds, and Bedfordshire, and even a life-affirming meeting with a woman that changes the artist’s life, and sexuality, in one swift move. Like brush strokes on a blank canvas, Mo paints her prose well and delivers a harrowing yet engaging account. Although the book is a bit dry on the more titillating details of Sutcliffe’s crimes (maybe not one for all true crime fans) it is, however, an inspiring story of recovery, reinvention, and the ability to overcome. By the time the book concludes, those early macabre drawings of dark insidious creations are visually inspired by seahorses, photography, and working with Victim Support charities. 

Mo also delves deep into her emotionally fraught and tiresome dealings with the gross incompetence of West Yorkshire Police and their notorious mismanagement of the Yorkshire Ripper case. 

For some, it would leave a sour taste but Mo’s story is one of positive recovery and enlightenment. 

Facing The Yorkshire Ripper - The Art Of Survival by Mo Lea was published on the 6th of October 2020 by Pen & Sword Books 

View Mo Lea's artwork here 

www.ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com

Killing for Company - The Case of Dennis Nilsen - by Brian Masters

 

ITV television's latest Crime & Punishment series DES had a profound effect on me. An utterly captivating performance by David Tennant, the story of serial killer Dennis Nilsen (aka 'DES) wasn't one I was familiar with, I knew very little about this Scottish killer until examining this three-part (highly rated) drama. Author Brian Masters is an accomplished crime writer and personally knew Nilsen, befriending him just after his arrest in February 1983. Master's became his biographer and prison visitor for the following decade.

Within days of being arrested, serial loner, council official, one-time policeman and chef, Scotsman DennisNilsen confessed to fifteen gruesome murders over four years. His victims, mostly young gay men at a time when society cared little for them, had never been missed. Nilsen was undoubtedly a psychopath, and through his wanton narcissism (he confessed to all murders in a series of notes and drawings) we get a real glimpse into the mind of a mass murderer and what/who/when made him so.

Brian Masters is an award-winning crime writer, this book being a testament to his talents. Killing for Company is essential reading for any true crime aficionado or criminal psychology buff. This book is one to read before or after the TV series, and either way, we recommend it!

Killing for Company won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction in 1985 and has been republished in the decades since. 

BUY THE BOOK 

WATCH THE SERIES 

www.ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com 

 

The Killer Across The Table by John E Douglas & Mark Olshaker

 

Nearly all serial killers believe their crimes are justified or at least explainable, a case of extreme narcissism at its cause' explains FBI profiler/best-selling author John E. Douglas in his latest work 'The Killer Across The Table' 

Douglas delves deep into the lives and crimes of four of the most disturbing and complex predatory killers he’s encountered, offering never-before-revealed details about his profiling process and divulging the strategies used to crack some of these most challenging cases. It's a fascinating insight into the criminal profiler's illustrious career interviewing (from across a table in various US criminal institutions) some of America's most nefarious and narcissistic criminal masterminds. 

Over the past few years, true crime has really come to the fore and is probably more popular than ever, and you could be forgiven for wondering why that is? From the incredible Mindhunter series to Netflix's worldwide smash hits Making a Murderer and Tiger King, to podcasts, magazines, and books, the appetite (a lot like these serial killers) is truly ravenous. 

In this latest book, John E Douglas takes us through several cases of child killers, serial killers, single murders, and medical murders using his first-hand knowledge of USA serial killers to examine in-depth, how the minds of these depraved individuals work, and what society can learn from them. 

Douglas takes a mild-mannered and at times sympathetic approach in interviews to sway the killer's psyche into opening up, giving them control and utilising reverse psychology to gain an understanding of the murderous modus operandi and behavioural traits.

Is it nature v nurture or are people 'born to kill'? We don't get a definitive answer from this book (or any true crime book for that matter) so I think that is where the fascination with true crime most certainly lies (like a dead body, for example)...

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