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Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire RipperSnagging.org In association with Amazon.co.ukOnline Shop | Property Guides | Kitchen & Home | Garden Tools | Power Tools | Consumer Electronics Get the Snagging Checklist Here!  List Price: £8.99 Amazon.co.uk's Price: £6.99 You Save: £2.00 (22%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 364 EAN: 9780007169634 Edition: New edition ISBN: 0007169639 Label: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 640 Publication Date: August 04, 2003 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Studio: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Related Items:
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - A masterpiece - the only Ripper book worth readingThis book is incredible; it's extremely long but don't let that put you off - it just means you can enjoy it for longer. Bilton tells the story of the investigation from the eyes of those who experienced it - the officers, the victims, the media and others. He manages to do it without glorifying the sadistic and evil murderer that Sutcliffe is. In fact, one of the things I most appreciated about the book was the respect he shows to the Ripper's victims and their families by not devoting an ounce of time to Sutcliffe's opinions. Sutclife has, after all, been proved to be a pathalogical liar. No, in this book Bilton focuses on the really interesting story: that of how, despite the devotion and commitment of the officers on the Ripper squad, the investigation imploded on itself and failed those who were most desperate for it to succeed. We learn about the devastating impact of the Ripper on the victims, their families and the police officers, many of whose health and lives were destroyed by the relentless demands of the five-year investigation. Bilton manages to tell the story without being judgemental - he almost adopts a 'wide lens' approach to ensure that you, the reader, miss nothing which could enable you to form your own opinions, notwithstanding the benefit of hindsight. The challenges of the investigation are expertly set in context and the engaging narrative of this book will take you back to those days in the seventies - even if you didn't experience them as an adult the first time around - so you can fully understand the impact of the Ripper on the north of England and, eventually, on the whole country. 'Wicked Beyond Belief' is essential reading for those with any interest in the history of policing as it puts into context the enormous changes which inevitably and necessarily followed the Ripper investigation. The revelations at the end of the story will stay with you and the author has been brave in making them. The officers who opened up to tell their stories for this book should be thanked and Michael Bilton should be applauded for committing them to paper in such style. Rating: - Excellent study of this caseMichael Bilton has, in my view, produced the best book yet on the Yorkshire Ripper. Bilton takes you through the entire case and each murder individually, highlighting the evidence and events without sensationalising them at all. He does not just accept the recorded version of events but examines thoroughly any errors or discrepancies he sees before coming to a conclusion about the reality of events. For example, he looks into the possibility that one of the Ripper's victims in Manchester may in fact not have been killed by him at all, and comes up with some pretty convincing arguments. He backs all of this up with detail of Yorkshire life and policing, and portraits of the officers involved in the case to provide a thorough study of how events unfolded. The book could have been improved by some interview with the Ripper himself. I can understand why Bilton did not want to do this, but I cannot concur that the Ripper could not tell him anything about the crime of use. It is essential that we try to understand these people and their motivations. Unfortunatly this means given them the attention some of them crave, but it is a worthwhile sacrifice if it assists our understanding of such evil people. Bilton focuses also on the victims and their lives, rather than glossing over them and focusing on the criminal alone as many books of this genre too. He provides a good insight into how the lives of the families and the police officers involved were affected. Whilst undoubtedly the police made mistakes, they are too often turned into the enemy, with little understanding as to the pressure they were under. Bilton looks closely at methods of investigation at the time and the problems this caused in such a massive investigation. A small criticism is that he does tend to be slightly biased towards the police and give them a bit too much benefit of the doubt over their mistakes, which really were far too many whatever the pressure of the investigation. The book is a very thorough study of the case but one aspect I would have liked a bit more of an examination into is the Wearside Jack issue - who the hoaxer might have been and his motivations. This was a crucial part of the investigation and I felt a bit more detail on this would have been useful to put the hoaxer issue into context. However, overall this really is an excellent and important book and well worth a read for anyone with an interest in true crime. Rating: - Gripping StuffThis is an excellent book. It tells the story of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, aka Peter Sutcliffe, in a gripping, objective and very real way. With hindsight the ripper should have been caught several years before he was, and the book highlights in great detail the flaws in the investigation, the various blind alleys that were followed to no avail and most of all how back in the 1970's the lack of the scientific and technologocial processes (DNA and Computers) we take for granted, made this extraordianry manhunt such an onerous endeavour. That being said, some of the decisions made by detectives and the powers that be were woeful and the fact that peter Sutcliffe was actually interviewed 9 times! over the course of his 6 year reign of terror, but nothing was done, beggars belief and highlights the communication flaws and general narrow mindedness/clutching at straws mentality that plagued the investigation. Although I knew what the outcome was, the book raced through at an exciting pace and left me feeling excited, frightened, appalled, angry and stupified simultaneously. Not for the faint hearted, but a terrific read all the same. Rating:  - police mistake and cover upPolice were aware that there were two killers involved in the Ripper investigation, the Ripper of course and a copy cat killer. Peter Sutcliffe was that copy cat killer who tried to emulate the Ripper. Because he was O blood group he was eliminated 12 times. The Ripper's semen and bite marks on some victims revealed him to possess the rare B blood group. Michael Bilton wrote what is by his admission the story of Detective Superintendant Dick Holland. Holland is infamous for his stitching up of the innocent Stefan Kiszko for murder. He had procured a confession from the terrified man and proceeded to prosecute him notwithstanding that his blood chemistry proved his innocence. Holland was instrumental in eliminating Sutcliffe prior to his arrest in Sheffield and on his arrest, because of media pressure and police error he offered copycat killer Sutcliffe a lenient deal of no trial and 10 years in a luxury mental hospital in return for his confessions to his own 4 murders along with all the Ripper's murders. Sutcliffe bought the deal. Sutcliffe was also responsible for a string of assaults most of which were not in the Ripper frame at the time of his arrest. These corrupt police changed all the goal posts to point at Sutcliffe and Biltons book in an exercise in this and ignores the real hard evidence gained before Sutcliffe's confessions cleaned the slate. The real Ripper who had diverted the hunt on to his copy cat by his letters and tape recorded message to George Oldfield achieved his objective because he alone knew how corrupt people like Holland were and how they were simply interested in getting a conviction at all costs. He remains free and lives in the UK today while the public believe that the Ripper is in jail rather than a disturbed copycat killer who was actually driven to commit murder in order to prove to the police that he was the Ripper. Bizarre but true. Rating:  - Bad EggExcellent book on the subject - clearly excellently researched. Bilton knows the story well. It makes fascinating reading and not only is it a document on the ripper investigation, it is also full of historical information on the history of Yorkshire policing. It is also very sad and depressing. Lots of dreadfull accounts of the killings and the destruction of many families' happiness. There were premature deaths and failing health amongst those in the victims' families also and amongst the officers themselves - the head of the investigation for most of it, George Oldfield suffered a heart attack during it and died 5 years later at 61, while Dennis Hoban died suddenly in 1978 of diabetic problems at 51. Just a few minor things: Bilton says he wasn't remotely interested in Sutcliffe himself and that he could tell him nothing except that he was a sick and perverted murderer, but unfortunately and as disgusting as it sounds, you do have to look at sick perverted murderers themselves and interview them to look at their crimes objectively - that's what police have to do and Bilton was trying to look at things from a police perspective. He almost canonises the policemen as well. I know Dick Holland was a good policeman in many ways and worked hard, but no judgement was passed on him by the author for being ignorant and boorish towards a junior DC for trying to alert him to his suspicions of Sutcliffe a few years before he was apprehended - it's just another missed chance to get Sutcliffe. He was also a dirty cop at times - Bilton gives the impression he just cut a few corners here and there, but got results in the end. One small aside - what he failed to mention (and presumably he knew this very well) was that it was this same Dick Holland who arrested, helped intimidate a confession out of and stitch up Stefan Kiszco for the murder of 11-year-old Leslie Moleseed in the 1970's. Vital evidence that would have established Kiszko's innocence during the trial was also withheld by the police. Kiszco served 16 years before being cleared and his premature death in his early 40's from a heart attack a year later was, no doubt, caused by this as well. Holland faced criminal charges for this, but is still portrayed as a decent, honest bloke. He says about how heroic the police were getting Sutcliffe to confess - Sutcliffe volunteered his confession after just a few questions. There was little encouragement and no clever manipulation by the police. That said though, it was a difficult and nearly impossible job. They did try and problems and paperwork did snowball, which has to be taken into account. They are ALL portrayed as honest and decent men and in fairness, many were. This is despite what's mentioned above, several mess ups (most understandable, many not), the fact that orders were given to destroy evidence and that they tried to cover some things up afterwards. Also, he flogs that 'killing kit' thing to death at the end of the book. OK - it is a strange and bizarre revelation, BUT the lack of mentioning it at the trial isn't the sole reason that Sutcliffe got away with going to Broadmoor. He says this proved premeditation - there was no need to prove this because he admitted premeditation himself - he said himself he drove around looking for victims. He also says that it proves a sexual motive throughout, dispelling the madness plea, but Sutcliffe admitted himself that he was aroused and had sex with Helen Rytka while she was lying there dying of head wounds and before he finished the job off by stabbing her. The judge and 10 of the jury certainly and some of the cops probably knew he was bad rather than mad anyway and rejected his story of hearing voices telling him to do it at the time. Also, was it not the cops' mess up that he wasn't questioned about this killing kit after it was discovered? Or that it wasn't included in evidence? Or that wheoever overheard him telling his wife he would plead insanity wasn't called? Some of the transcripts in the appendix are dated after the discovery of this killing kit and it isn't mentioned in there at all. Also, in his initial interview, he talks about the people he's attacked as women at one point, rather than prostitutes, so it was inconsistent anyway. Despite these few faults it is a fascinating and gripping book and I recommend it highly. ESSENTIAL reading for anyone interested in the case, in criminal investigation and true crime. Good value too - it's a big book of over 700 pages packed with information. For what it's worth I do believe he is right in saying Sutcliffe is bad and should be in jail rather than Broadmoor. Very sad business and dreadfull that one man could cause so much havoc for so many people in terms of life lost, health ruined and wasted time, money, effort and resources.  Try searching the Internet for "Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper" or Ebay for "Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper". You might also be interested in the following great products:
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