FAO ANNA:
Thanks Holly,
I cant quite get to grips with the JB story, so if you think it is worth it, I will buy the book. I think there is more than one though.
Hi Anna re your post above. 6 authors have written exclusively about WHF:
Colin Caffell
Scott Lomax
Claire Powell
Roger Wilkes
With two newcomers: Paul Harrison and Carol Ann Lee both published this month.
Those listed above were written in the late 80's/early 90's with the exception of Lomax who wrote his book in the noughties. Each had something to offer until recently. I now feel CP's book has been superseded by CAL's. CP gave some insight into SC's life in London with interviews by friends, meeting her birth mother but this has now been covered off by CAL. Other aspects of CP's book were not so good. CC's book gives a first-hand account of the family dynamics in the Bamber family. Lomax is good for the beginner; it sets out the prosecution case in easy to understand chapters for each aspect of the case. Wilkes provides an excellent highly technical explanation of the silencer and blood evidence with diagrams to aid the readers understanding and in this regard his book trumps others incl CAL's. All just my opinion of course!
CAL's starts from the beginning and provides a lot of very interesting background info re family members going back 2/3 generations. She attempts to provide accurate portrayals of the characters and their relationship with each other. She also builds in the social history of the time and how this shaped the various individuals. She then covers off all aspects of the case: soc, police investigation, trial etc. It is all properly researched and referenced. I guess for me this was somewhat boring as it is a repeat of what I have read numerous times not only in the other books but witness statements and court documents etc. For those who are new to the case I am sure they will find it riveting and imo it is an accurate account of events and CAL can be relied upon in terms of honesty. Also she doesn't show any author bias.
I am probably not the best person to ask about PH's book as I simply do not like the man and would not trust him as far as I could throw him. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact we don't share the same views about JB. I really don't care how others view JB. PH launched on the so-called Blue forum bigging himself up as an author of 30 odd published books, involved with tv etc, etc, ex police and high court judges clerk. He said he was writing a book about WHF and wanted to join in debate. He never joined in debate using his username Mason Doyle and when others, such as Andrea, asked reasonable questions about titles of his previous book he became defensive bordering on rude. This was a red flag for me. Another poster, Reader, pulled him up about his use of the words "deliberate lies" pointing out that all lies are by definition deliberate! He makes repeated reference to "deliberate lies" in his book so much so even DI Miller who he claims to have interviewed also uses the term "deliberate lies"
Another poster, Neil, (not NGB) said he wouldn't want to be PH's proof reader! He was then banned from the Blue forum having already been banned from this forum. He then claimed he received an anonymous letter sent to his home address containing a death threat due to the fact he was writing a book about JB that was going to be unsupportive of JB's claim he's the victim of a MoJ. Instead of reporting the matter to the police, as surely most would do, he went to the editor of a tabloid. Imo there was no death threat or anonymous letter it was simply an attempt to gain some publicity for his book.
The book itself is appalling and the contrast with CAL's could not be greater. He rants all the way through using derogatory terms about JB and anyone who believes he might be the victim of a MoJ. It contains a lot of irrelevant waffle eg about how the Krays asked PH to pen their biography...yeah right...It is fatally flawed in that PH contradicts himself throughout the book eg several times he makes ref to the police investigation and exhibits all being of an acceptable standard, no wrongdoing etc. Then he contradicts himself by saying the police were incompetent and exhibits did not meet the criteria for acceptance into a court of law. There are many factual errors eg re JB's schooling and qualifications. This example is not really important in the grand scheme of things but it shows that much of the book is very poorly researched. Of the few that he claims contributed all are either deceased or wished to remain anonymous or no one has ever heard of. My guess is in reality no one contributed. Whether he asked and they declined or he didn't even bother asking I wouldn't like to say. Then to cap it all we have yet another anonymous letter sent to his home address. In this letter he claims an ex con wrote to him telling him JB confessed to being involved in the murders but his sister, SC, was his accomplice. This is clearly a complete work of fiction.
Another book penned by PH is a sort of auto-biography and this imo is another complete work of fiction.
