Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper (Hardcover)

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.

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.

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.