Customer Reviews

The Boy in the River: A shocking true story of ritual murder and sacrifice in the heart of London

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dr Hoskins time spent in Africa was both heart warming but also tragic. How he continued to live his life afterwards is unimaginable but he did. He was drawn into Adam's case and others after that are so harrowing it's hard to believe people can be so evil. Dr Hoskins never loses his humanity and tells of the impact these cases had on him and his family. I am glad there are still people in this world like Dr Hoskins and the police officers who took such time and care to discover Adam's story. Read this book and remember it is not a reflection of the people of Africa but of those who hide their own psychopathy behind kindoki. May Adam Ikpomwosa rest in peace

Richard Hoskins has managed to draw the reader into the world of ritual killings in a compelling read...I loved it and couldn't bear to put it down ..as westerners the thought process of child sacrifice is an anathema, but Richard manages to portray that horrific as it is, this in confined to a small 'fringe religious sect' and there is real sympathy for the majority of the Congolese people who certainly do not condone this...
His evocative description of living in Kinshala drew me in, and I could almost smell and feel the heat and living conditions..
An extraordinary story that deserved to be told..RIP Adam
Highly recommended

I'm always slightly dubious about crime-fiction, or even novels that are 'based on true accounts', The Boy in The River however has led me to seriously reconsider my choice in reading. I saw Dr Hoskins on various news channels and was intrigued by his commitment. The story consists of two seemingly distinct strands- The Congo in the late 80s, and London in 2000. Yet it soon becomes clear that Richard's personal story and work with the police are intricately bound together. His life in Africa gave him the cultural experience that enabled him to assist the police on one of the most harrowing cases of the decade. The story itself is beautifully written; think Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Kingsolver's The Posionwood Bible and you are there. Hoskins' character depictions are so true to life, humorous even. If ever literature could be deemed vicarious, it is found in The Boy in the River. What becomes clear in the narrative is that ritualistic killings are happening and are not as distanced from our Western lifestyle as we may like to imagine. Hoskins has since worked on other cases; namely the Kristi Bamu trial in which a conviction was drawn. The fact that Adam's killer remains unfound does not hinder this account in any way, rather it makes it all the more poignant, gripping and personal. A fantastic read.

I was gripped by this book right from the beginning and I had to keep reminding myself that this was non-fiction.

The story of Adam has been well-publicised so I need only mention the discovery of a torso in the Thames for most people to have some context. However, what we have here, for the first time, is evidence of the pain-staking lengths Hoskins and the police and the forensics teams went to try to uncover the truth of WHO this boy was and what had happened to him. Of course I'm not going to ruin any of that for you - I'm simply going to encourage you to buy this book so that you see the truth of what happened during this case.

What really sets this apart though and gives it such meaning, in my humble opinion, is Hoskins' own story. We travel with an idealistic and green young man to the Congo in the 1980s and we live his life with him while he finds his feet, while he falls in love with the place and the people. I laughed and I cried at his memories. The descriptions were so vivid, so real, that I was there with him. I began to understand the bond that he formed with the land and the lives of many. Again, no spoilers here - you just have to read it! But I have to thank Richard for sharing such personal stories with us...and applaude the man that grew out of those experiences.

What happened to Adam and, horrifyingly, what continues to happen (witnessed firsthand by Richard) is almost inexplicable and too ugly to consider. The implications for our society is massive and Hoskins refuses to ignore this. He challenges complacency and whilst acknowledging and understanding the fear that many of us have he still will not allow us to walk away unaffected. This is a book that everyone needs to read. And quite frankly I am thankful - for the children he has helped and for those he's trying to save right now as I type this. We could honestly do with a few more Dr Hoskins banging on doors and asking those challenging questions.

Buy the book - you will not regret it.

Having read the book ( I too could not put it down), as a nurse married to a doctor and involved in health care including child protection I found this such an important book to read. I have made it available to my colleagues. Everyone who works in the field should be aware of the potential for such harm to children coming from families with such extreme belief systems.
Although the subject matter is deeply distressing, it is sensitively and honestly communicated, without gratuity in my view,and I was left with nothing but absolute respect for Dr Hoskins. I am glad to have shared in his journey and also to have wept for Adam, a child who should never have suffered as he did.

This is a truly gripping, heart-wrenching book.

I will not add to the excellent overview in the product description, except to add that the book is well-written, very personal and refreshingly honest. Dr Hoskins expresses outrage, yet does not force the reader into drawing conclusions (indeed I wonder to what extent he has been able to reach a cogent conclusion for himself).

Having read the book, I'm not sure I want to keep it. Part of that is that I want to pass it on to others - others that come from the cultures represented in the book or work in fields that its subject matter covers - but more than that I am troubled by the experiences that have been part of Dr Hoskins' journey and which must remain unfinished within the scope of this work.

Selecting a five-star rating brings up the phrase "I love it". I wouldn't, couldn't put it in those terms, but that is the only rating appropriate. Highly recommended.

Dr Hoskins draws you in to an unfamiliar world in a way that is completely engrossing and tells the tale of his personal pain and suffering along side the thames torso case in tragic harmony. I would recommend this book highly, you will certainly not regret this buy.

This thought-provoking account of a series of events draws the reader in from the very beginning. Dr. Hoskins writes in such a way that you cannot bear to put the book down. Not only does it give readers a compelling insight into the events of Adam's case, 'The Boy in the River' also draws the reader into Dr. Hoskins' time in Africa, in a way that can only be admired. A fantastic book written with such talent and personality. Highly Recommended.

The Boy in the River: A shocking true story of ritual murder and sacrifice in the heart of London

A wonderful safari through Africa in the 80s and 90s which gives real meaning and context to the well publicised findings of a torso in the Thames in the 00s. Richard opens himself up with graphic descriptions of the good times as well as the bad ones of his times in the Congo. I did keep wondering whether this book was fiction or non-fiction.

Knowing the outcome of the trial does not detract from the process by which we got there. A wonderful read, you wont regret it.

Havent quite finished reading it yet but cant put it down. Really Shocking but interesting read i recomend it in the highest!