Beyond Bad: Library Edition

by Sandra Lee, Kate Hood (Read by)

Here is the shocking, true story of Australia's most horrific crime. Cruel and evil, Katherine Knight showed no mercy when she butchered her lover in a crime that put her behind bars in an Australian prison for a record life sentence.

Swinging from a meat-hook, John Price's entire skin was in one piece, including his hair, face, ears, nose, mouth, and genitals. Slashes and stab holes tore through the human pelt, a testimony to the wounds he suffered before dying.

Knight, a 44-year-old abattoir worker, had stabbed father-of-three John Price 37 times, skinned his body, cooked his head, and served him up as a meal for his children. Drawing on first-hand accounts, Beyond Bad tells what motivated Knight to commit such a heinous act and how it rocked the small town where she lived. This is a horrifying story of love, lust, revenge, and murder that is all the more shocking because it really happened.

©2002 Sandra Lee; (P)2003 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Australia

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Sandra Lee is an Australian journalist and author with more than two decades experience in the daily newspaper and magazine publishing industry in Australia and the United States.

She has also worked in radio. Sandra is a former Assistant Editor, Opinion page editor, foreign correspondent and columnist for The Daily Telegraph, and more recently was the back-page columnist of The Sunday Telegraph and special features writer for Sunday magazine. Before that, she spent three years as editor-at-large at Australia’s biggest selling and best read fashion monthly, marie claire

In the United States, Sandra’s work has appeared in the New York Post and USA Today Weekend, TV Guide and People magazines.

She is now freelancing while working a new book projects, and her work appears in various magazines and newspapers including marie claire and Vogue among others.

Sandra is the author of four non-fiction books: the best-selling Saving Private Sarbi, The True Story of Australia’s Canine War Hero (Allen and Unwin, 2011), and 18 Hours, The True Story of an SAS War Hero, (HarperCollins, 2006) Beyond Bad; The Life And Crimes Of Katherine Knight, Australia’s Hannibal and The Promise, An Iraqi Mother’s Desperate Flight to Freedom, both of which were published by Random House in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Her books also have been published in the United Kingdom and Europe where they have been translated into foreign languages.

Sandra is a regular guest on radio and television programs discussing current events and pop culture issues. She is available for public speaking and literary events.

She is married and lives in Sydney with her husband and a black rescue mutt.

Reviews

[Jalissa]

Okay. for you people that have said don't buy this book, i haven't read the book but i live in the TOWN where the murder was committed . and it is a terrible story to listen and talk about and it must have been hard to right this book so give the author some credit due to the hard work and dedication of writing this brutal story.

[Julie scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW This novel is a must read for lovers of true crime but it is extremely shocking and gruesome & definetly not for the faint hearted. I got this novel on audio from my library & cringed many times listening to the horrific details of the savage murder of John Price known to everyone as Pricey by his lover Katherine Knight who was the most calculating evil woman I have ever read about. I also live in Newcastle where this shocking murder occurred. Katherine Knight stabbed her partner 37 times after making love to him she was very experienced with cutting as she previously worked at the abattoir she then skinned her partner, decapitated his head that she cooked as a meal for his children and left him hanging on a meat hook. Katherine Knight is now serving a life sentence in a Sydney prison. Pure Evil!!!

[Baz MW · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good factual recount of the events that took place in Aberdeen, NSW. A bit more detail of the evidence, investigation and events of the night would have definitely pushed this up to 4 stars for me. It is well structured and well written and has excellent character portrayal of those involved. It was a little too focused on the latter for my liking though, but that's just my personal taste. I would recommend for those interested in true crime in Australia.

[Delcene Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A disturbing, well researched report of an horrific murder by Katherine Knight in rural New South Wales.

Extreme Domestic Violence by a woman again a man.

Unfortunately, at some stages in the book it felt like I was reading from police reports or court reports but otherwise it was a compelling story.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew, just like the bugs and lizards it looks like the killers downunder are incredibly more threatening than outside the island continent

[Ming · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a gripping story, to be sure, but really needed some judicious trimming. Goes into far too much unnecessary detail, which can get tedious, and is rather repetitive.

[Becka Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched but painfully slow and repetitive in places.
The first hand accounts are interesting but restrained (considering the brevity of the crime).
I don't know what I was expecting but Kathy Knight sounds like the most boring villain in history.

Abbatoir worker.
One of twins.
Doting mum.
Dissociative disorder (allegedly).
Macabre taste.
Sex addict.
Volatile...
Blergh.

She sounds like my ex's mum truth be told.
Psychopath -highly manipulative to the core.

A large portion of the book reads like a tribute to 'Pricey' (her victim).
I reckon I would've preferred to read a biography about him to be honest.
He was like the ultimate unassuming hard working Aussie.

I guess I was hoping light would be shed on the triggers to Knight murdering Pricey but everything points to her being the perpetrator the whole relationship.

[Tien · Rating 3 out of 5]

The crime was horrific. In fact, it was very very disturbing and not at all a wonder how the detective is still going to counselling and very sad that one of the forensic officers has not gone back to work! And I only listened to this. I can't imagine what they went through.

Even though the perpetrator was deemed sane in the psychological assessment, there's definitely something not right if she could do anything like this. This was like psychological thriller come to life! It would be a terrifying read through her perspective (and No, I will not be reading that book ever).

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing left something to be desired but the details of the crime and everything before and after despite the gruesome nature were well researched.

Initially it was hard to get into the style of this writer but with patience and a desire to read about the crime it ended up being insightful at the end and very very detailed

I DO NOT RECOMMEND to those with sensitive natures who do not understand the depravity of such a intense and violent crime.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shocked yet intrigued me. I particularly enjoyed the one-to-one interviews with the friends and family of the deceased and the prisoner; I think this gave the book a very real essence of the horror and emotions these actual people went through- hitting home to the reader that sometimes fact is stranger than fiction. A great true crime thriller, if you ask me.

[Kain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite this book being a true story and the writer setting out the facts rather well I struggled to read this book at times due to how deep into the characters lives and past it travels. The horrific crime Katherine committed will be stay with me forever though I am sure I will probably never read a true story again as it wasn't to my liking as I prefer surreal.

[Mari Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still scratching that true crime itch. This was a horrifying crime set in Australia, which made it novel for me. This book could have benefited from some serious editing. It was much too wordy and repetitive and seemed to meander around at times. Must surprising though was the reference to Ann Rule and Ted Bundy at the end of the book.

[Tatum Damman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as my father worked with Katherine Knight many years ago. An interesting read and horrific to think this sort of person once lived amongst us.

[Morgan Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This women was a true psycho I just hope she never got sentence lowered because this women should never been released

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

Given to me as an interesting and different read and that's definitely what i got!

The story details, Katherine Knight the first Australian woman to be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole after killing her de facto partner Pricey. The story is thrilling and beyond gory. What she is capable of is indescribable to me and the trauma that Pricey's family and the police involved is so upsetting. The capability of a person like that and the geographical closeness of where this murder took place made this book such a page turner despite the very uncomfortable details of her very detailed murder.

A good read and one ill remember forever.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Beyond Bad' delves into the shocking true story of Australia's most horrific crime. The central figure, Katherine Knight, showed no mercy when she brutally murdered her lover, John Price. Knight's heinous act involved stabbing Price 37 times, skinning his body, and even serving him up as a meal for HIS children. Lee's exhaustive research and chilling recall provide a horrifying yet captivating account of love, lust, revenge, and murder. This is all the more shocking because it truly happened.
Trigger Warning: Very graphic and dark

[Payton Tag · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent enough account of the events, albeit extremely repetitive at times. Although disturbing, credit to the author for the depth taken in recounting the atrocities and it was equally fascinating as it was macabre to delve into the world of Katherine Knight prior to the murder. Extremely hard to fathom and imagine how such a thing unfolded but this book is as close as you’ll get. Definitely worth a read for Aussie crime buffs

[Sharon Macdougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - how someone could do that - beyond me!!!

[Michelle Rodger · Rating 5 out of 5]

great true story

I recommend this book to people who like true stories and can handle the gruesome details. You never think a human being could do something so cold and gruesome

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a sick, vile, evil, fucked up woman.

[Rachel Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was horrific! I'd not heard of this, probably since it happened in Australia, but holy cow what a horrific crime.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a bizarre tale. Sure happy she received the sentence that she did.

[Maureen Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is definitely bad, not mad. A gruesome read and also an insight into abnormal people's behaviour.

[Cassandra Doon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book.
Highly recommend

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in true crime novels than you should give this one a read or listen. Be warned, you need a very strong stomach to hear about this murder.

[Karrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

For a true crime it was poorly written, very flat and dry. It was hard to finish the book. I've read articles that held my interest more on this case.

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rubbish

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read! My only criticism was that some parts were repeated or out of order, but fairly interesting and very well researched.