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Ian Brady: The Untold Story of the Moors Murders
Since May 1966, when Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were sentenced to life imprisonment at Chester Assizes, the British public has been absorbed and horrified by the Moors Murders. Ian Brady has often been aptly described as "the most evil man alive" or "the Daddy of the Devils," while Myra Hindley, Britain's first female serial killer, became the most hated woman in Britain. Here is the definitive account, drawing on exclusive, never-before-seen material. It changes forever our understanding of the Moors couple and their heinous crimes. Why did they do it? What actually happened? Unlikely as it may appear to those detectives, psychiatrists, authors, criminologists, journalists, and the victims' families, who have all sought in their own ways for decades to discover it, this book i s possibly as near as we shall ever get to understanding how the victims died. It proves beyond question that the parents of the victims were right all along in their claims about Hindley's part in the murders. Did Brady give an account to anyone of his life, Myra Hindley, and their crimes before he died? Yes, he did—here it is.
448 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2017
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February 2, 2022
IAN BRADY: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MOORS MURDERS completely surprised me (in a very good way). I had purchased the book to uncover background information about this horrific, notorious series of serial killings. My expectation was that it would be one of those “true crime” non-fiction works, filled with facts in something of a “you are there with the investigative team” format. However, it was so much more. This book took me into the mind of the killer.
The writer, Alan Keightley, taught religious studies courses at a British university. One of the elective courses sought to explore the concept of Evil through notable crimes. Guest speakers were often in attendance, and the popular course led to extensive interactive discussions. One resource suggested that the writer might try contacting the imprisoned Ian Brady who, with Myra Hindley, murdered children and buried them on the moors. Brady was frequently non-communicative, especially with anyone who he felt was only interested in the sensationalist aspects or who might want to exploit him. So, Keightley was surprised when Brady accepted a request for an initial visit.
He found Brady to be very smart, perceptive, and capable of violent outbursts. The murderer considered himself to be an atheistic existentialist, and was extremely well-read in novels by Dostoyevsky and the philosophical writings of Friedrich Nietzsche among many others. Keightley found that he needed to prepare himself mentally for each visit … not only being in Brady’s disturbing presence, but also because Brady would be dismissive if he felt that he was being patronized by someone who had a limited intellectual foundation.
The result was a book that not only explored the backgrounds of Brady and Hindley, and the ghastly murders, but also delved into philosophical and religious questions. Brady’s assertion that there is no meaning to life segues into a consideration of the definitions of Evil, Insanity, and people who are both. The Reader learns about Brady’s obsessiveness with Trust and Loyalty, and how the breaking of either is ample reason for vengeance. (Otherwise, there is Nothingness.) There are so many other considerations, and I found almost all of them to be fascinating.
Ultimately, the writer makes a case for the existence of “Spiritual or Philosophical Schizophrenia” in a person, and the devastating consequences of such a condition. Through all of this, Keightley seldom rises to such in-depth philosophical discussions that would likely appeal only to students of the academic discipline. (There is a chapter near the end that does this, but it is of short length, and the writer even suggests that the Reader skip it if there is limited or no interest in the subject.
When I finished the book, I realized that I had never read one quite like it. I found myself with a “There but for the Grace of God” feeling along with a deep sense of discomfort. Although the writer presents many aspects of Brady (and many of them are intriguing), he was not writing an apology or seeking undue empathy for his actions. But, like a character out of Dostoyevsky, I was intimately engaged with a person who lost his moral compass … and that was terribly unnerving.
The writer, Alan Keightley, taught religious studies courses at a British university. One of the elective courses sought to explore the concept of Evil through notable crimes. Guest speakers were often in attendance, and the popular course led to extensive interactive discussions. One resource suggested that the writer might try contacting the imprisoned Ian Brady who, with Myra Hindley, murdered children and buried them on the moors. Brady was frequently non-communicative, especially with anyone who he felt was only interested in the sensationalist aspects or who might want to exploit him. So, Keightley was surprised when Brady accepted a request for an initial visit.
He found Brady to be very smart, perceptive, and capable of violent outbursts. The murderer considered himself to be an atheistic existentialist, and was extremely well-read in novels by Dostoyevsky and the philosophical writings of Friedrich Nietzsche among many others. Keightley found that he needed to prepare himself mentally for each visit … not only being in Brady’s disturbing presence, but also because Brady would be dismissive if he felt that he was being patronized by someone who had a limited intellectual foundation.
The result was a book that not only explored the backgrounds of Brady and Hindley, and the ghastly murders, but also delved into philosophical and religious questions. Brady’s assertion that there is no meaning to life segues into a consideration of the definitions of Evil, Insanity, and people who are both. The Reader learns about Brady’s obsessiveness with Trust and Loyalty, and how the breaking of either is ample reason for vengeance. (Otherwise, there is Nothingness.) There are so many other considerations, and I found almost all of them to be fascinating.
Ultimately, the writer makes a case for the existence of “Spiritual or Philosophical Schizophrenia” in a person, and the devastating consequences of such a condition. Through all of this, Keightley seldom rises to such in-depth philosophical discussions that would likely appeal only to students of the academic discipline. (There is a chapter near the end that does this, but it is of short length, and the writer even suggests that the Reader skip it if there is limited or no interest in the subject.
When I finished the book, I realized that I had never read one quite like it. I found myself with a “There but for the Grace of God” feeling along with a deep sense of discomfort. Although the writer presents many aspects of Brady (and many of them are intriguing), he was not writing an apology or seeking undue empathy for his actions. But, like a character out of Dostoyevsky, I was intimately engaged with a person who lost his moral compass … and that was terribly unnerving.
July 18, 2024
balanced and unbiased.
This is hard to review without taking personal feelings into account.
Compelling, and believably honest.
This is hard to review without taking personal feelings into account.
Compelling, and believably honest.
August 14, 2018
An incredible book. Brady strikes one as a very interesting case indeed. His references to literature, while apart of his own self-mythology, reveals a dark but potent mind unique, perhaps, in crime.
January 25, 2021
Somewhat of an unconventional biography of serial killer Ian Brady who in the 60s killed children with the help from his girlfriend Myra Hindley. I say "somewhat" because as they say "there is nothing new under the sun." The book is all over the place. Not specifically in the context of narrative, but in genre. The only thing off putting about this book is the religious author who inserts his own religious bias into the narrative. I totally disagree with the author on every religious opinion and makes the same insane and idiotic arguments I've heard again and again and again. "scientism" "science is a pseudo religion" or some insane sentiment like that. Science is not a religion, there are no dogmas, there are no sacred cows. He bashes scientist like Richard Dawkins [who I admire, although I haven't been into Dawkins for a long while. I use to watch him all the time.] and implies that Dawkins thinks he has "all the answers" so to speak, that he is the self proclaimed arbitrary of truth, dogmatic, and is never wrong. The exact opposite is true. In fact Dawkins like my self pride them selves on admitting they were wrong. Science it's self prides it's self on being wrong. Just look up Karl Popper and the black swan analogy. This is why I reject the notion of absolutes, but only in terms of knowledge. Popper is the one who came up with concept of what is science and what is pseudo science and therefor what is justified to accept. He came up with the concept of "falsifiable" and "non falsifiable"
As google states "In the philosophy of science, falsifiability or refutability is the capacity for a statement, theory or hypothesis to be contradicted by evidence. For example, the statement "All swans are white" is falsifiable because one can observe that black swans exist."
If "scientism" was a religion or dogmatic or what ever....why would it be based on "falsifiable" and "nonfalsifiable"??? Also, please tell me what religion even accepts those notions?
Dictionary definition of dogma: a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
I can only think of buddhism because Buddha basically told his followers "if it's stupid then it's stupid no matter who says it including my self."
Buddah: Do not go by reports (repeated hearing), by legends, by traditions, by rumours, by scriptures, by surmise, conjecture and axioms.
This is partly why I will debate people on the existence of leprechauns. Do I believe leprechauns exist? Of course not. There is zero evidence and I will say "of course leprechauns don't exist." "yeah, they don't exist" I don't even bother to entertain the notion that they exist, but do I know for 100% fact that they don't exist? Of course not and how could I know?! I don't entertain ideas like solipism or gods or leprechauns because there is no evidence. "you have 'faith' in the sun coming up every morning." No I don't! I have reasonable expectation based on evidence and lack of evidence. When did the sun not come up every morning and if it did we would of been frozen to death. Is it possible that solipism is in fact true? My entire view can be summed up as the criminologist in the movie The rocky horror picture show "There are those who say that life is an illusion and that reality is but a figment of the imagination. If this is so, then Brad and Janet are quite safe." and I don't see any of these solipsis taking that risk.
"without god everything is permittable." WRONG. With god everything is permittable.
Ever heard of CULTS?! That's how you get 9/11. That's how you get the crusades. That's how you get cults like the family, the branch davidians, FLDS, and Dignidad. All of those groups believed and accepted child rape as being not only acceptable but ordained "by god" and therefor not just acceptable but moral. Morally right, morally good. This is also how they could believe child brides and child rape was moral and correct but homosexuality was immoral and wrong.
Branch davidian follower on David Koresh raping little girls: He believed - this is what I accepted. What I've 'come to buy into'' as you might say. He believed god told him to do this.
The family former follower amazed at how easy it was for the cult believers to fall for it: What I haven't come to understanding is how such a large group of people, of diverse backgrounds could so readily turn to whole sale pedophilia.
I reject the notion of "because god said so" for moral reasons. In fact I rejected christianity and the majority of religion for moral reasons and I still do.
Journalist interviewing family in North Korea about North korea and the "dear leader": Can the dear leader do anything wrong? Or what he always says is...magical? [translator is confused and asks her what she means] I think he genuinely didnt understand my question. It seemed there wasn't even vocabulary to question the dear leader.
And there dear dealers are or were literal living breathing gods. Kim Jong Un is a living breathing god. They literally worship him as a god and he's a self proclaimed god just like his father and grandfather and if god says "you've committed crimes" and sends you to a concentration camp where you'll be starved to death, literally butchered and raped by guards, shot and killed for no reason what so ever, etc then that is his justice, his OBJECTIVE law. Not subjective. EVERYTHING is permittable with god.
We live in a reality where a god does not exist [that is what the evidence says] and probably all realities and yet is everything permissble? No. We have laws, we have consequences. We have what is called the social contract that all of society signed. I'll quote from a movie about a mother who shot a man after he got off the hook for raping and almost killing her daughter.
"Justification. The crime committed against Mrs.Sanders daughter is the kind of thing that stirs up vengeful emotions. It makes us want to get up and set things right...but we can't work that way. We have laws. We have police. We have courts. When we feel justified in enforcing the law our selves. Well, chaos is right around the corner. For ALL of us."
Selfishness isn't always a bad thing, it certainly isn't when your talking about mutual co-existence. "I won't start a war if you don't." That is how the social contract functions. It's based on sympathy, compassion, selfishness, and the human need to live. That is why I get so angry at all these anti mask covid 19 deniers. They are literally fighting for "the right" to drive drunk. Your not just endangering your self, but your putting EVERYONE else on the same road at risk.
We get a good sense of Brady, his philosophy which is completely identical to mine only the "it doesn't mean anything" is something I totally reject. I am not a relativist in any form. In fact I despise relativism because I think it's destroying American society. This 'feels over reals" this "facts don't matter. All that matters are my conspiracy theories and what I choose to believe." etc and a lot of that is right wing religion. I also like how Brady includes self destruction into his quote about existentialism, the purposeless of existence and life because I absolutely agree and it reminds me of a quote by Richard Rimarez who ripped it off from Leyton who wrote the book "Hunting humans".
"They are imprisoned in a web of responsibilities, commitments, and belief systems that would render murder an absurd gamble or ridiculous self destruction." Which would explain why Rimarez also admitted in other interviews "I don't care about my self. I don't care about what happens to me. I never did really." and I totally see that with Ian Brady and how he dealt with his prison sentence and Myra Hindley trying to deny her sentence. Brady basically told her "deal with it" you did it and this was the price. You KNEW this was the price. Accept it, deal with it, and move on.
Like in the show Dexter who killed a philosopher and his last words were "Never jump the fence if you're not willing to face what's on the other side." Which makes me think of the rapper Ice T talking about misinterpretation of the song "high roller" That Ice T was glamorizing being a high roller. In that video he's living in a mansion with tons of sexy women, he's wearing expensive jewelry and clothes, has expensive high class cars, etc.
"That video was about 'DON'T BE A HIGH ROLLER" at the end of the video I ended up dead. So theres two sides of everything."
Yeah, you might be making a ton of money, have a ton of women, etc...but the fact is that most of these "high rollers" end up dead or in prison. As Ice T said "this is what you do, this is how you gonna end up." and all of his friends who lived that stayed in that life style were either dead or in prison for life.
"Out there getting that long money, you know what I'm sayin'
But that fast money leads to a fast life and a quick death"
"Now radio stations probably won't play
This record because of the things I say
They'll say I'm glamorizing the hustlin' hood
And a record like this can do no good
But I'm not here to tell ya right or wrong
I don't know which side of the law you belong
Yes, the game has flash but sometimes hurts
Behind any mistake, hard times lurks
And jail's not your only problem, though it may seem
You just may die by a barrage from a M-16"
I bring this up because I have to ask the question "how do you convince a narcissistic psychopath?" Something I've often asked for a long while and I've come to the conclusion that you really can't. Many serial killers were deeply religious and did that stop them from killing? Of course not. Of course there are obvious implications in terms of the death penalty being a deterrent.
Later on the author quotes Aldous Huxley a fellow nihilist and hedonist in which he points out the absurdity of this self destruction. Calling it stupid.
Clearly I think about such things in terms of morality and the construction of laws and society. My entire view on morality and so forth is identical to Sam Harris. "don't drink battery acid" we have many reasons as to why you shouldn't drink battery acid.
As my favorite youtuber said in a video refuting a new age pseudo science believer parroting creationist talking points "The reason science can create technological wonders is because it can understand various properties of things and how they relate to one another. Good luck trying to make a functional air plane without an understanding of aeronautical science."
"for those smart phones and smart pads to work. A lot of scientific knowledge has to be true because if it wasn't true then it wouldn't work. Hot air balloons fly because the hot air inside the balloon is less dense than the colder air outside the balloon. If that weren't a true fact about reality then hot air balloons would not fly"
As Richard Dawkins said "You don't believe the world is round only because your an astronaut. You don't believe Napoleaon existed only because your a historian. You believe [and accept] these things because there are facts, proved by evidence." "Relativism, the quaint notion that there are many truths, even if they are contradictory is rift today." "it's a pretentious cop out." "science works. Planes fly. Magic carpets and broom sticks don't."
The book gives a very good insight into Brady as a person through out the years and details his childhood and background and as with the case of Clark, Alcala, Kraft, and how serial killers who were not abused as children and actually had a good childhood I kept wondering "what made him a killer?" Other then the motive of "I did it for kicks because life is boring otherwise." Obviously the answer has to do with sociopathy and the lack of emotional sympathy. Of course Brady had cognitive sympathy along with sympathy for animals. Which is not rare among serial killers. Yes, some serial killers actually loved animals, but had zero empathy for their fellow human beings. Ian Brady would fit into this category.
We learn a lot about Brady, his daily existence down to even what he commonly ate for breakfast [although it's only mentioned once but the author says it was his regular breakfast], his many travels and why he did it, what he was thinking before and after he did it and how and when he came across the Moors and the relationship with Myra Hindley.
Seems Myra was the one with the cruel mean streak while Brady was the mellow cold blooded one. Not letting his cruel desires outway pragmatism. I find it ironic and funny that Brady after the first murder got mad at Myra for taking personal items from the victim. Yet he was planning on taking photographs and later audio recorded one victim along with photos. That sure as hell negates his rule of destroying any connecting thread and in fact, how damning are photos and audio compared to a ring or a necklace? He later admitted this him self.
After the first murder, it's murder, murder, murder.
The first murder however is very detailed. The rest of the murders, not as detailed, at least with everything that was said during the murders and the process of covering it up. After 3 murders it seems the Moors killers got bored like most serial killers. Which explains the photo shoot and tape recording and the axe. After the murders, childhood experiences, and road trips it details Brady's life in prison with some Myra Hindley thrown in.
As I read about Myra Hindley I couldn't help but think that this was in the early 1960s and I kept thinking about the book responsible for the feminist movement of the 1960s. The Feminine Mystique.
Wiki "The phrase "feminine mystique" was created by Friedan to show the assumptions that women would be fulfilled from their housework, marriage, sexual lives, and children. It was said that women, who were actually feminine, should not have wanted to work, get an education, or have political opinions. Friedan wanted to prove that women were unsatisfied but could not voice their feelings."
Ian Brady rejected that and told her she can choose what she wants and not give into society's perception of what they want her to be. Actually a pro feminist perspective from Ian Brady to Myra Hindley. So I guess you could argue that society's sexist views on women was partly responsible for Myra's discontent with how things were for her as a women living in 1960's UK. The murders at least for Myra were a rejection of that. Myra didn't want to end up like every other women she saw. She wanted more. Maybe if society was more free for women, she might of not felt so compelled to commit murder with Brady. Not to precipitate the first murder by calling him out on his "all talk, no action" which she obviously implied.
The book details Brady's depressing existence in prison as the years go by and the author's relationship with Brady.
My only real flaw with the book is how long the book is, the bias, and we never get any sense of fantasy in the relation to the murders.
As google states "In the philosophy of science, falsifiability or refutability is the capacity for a statement, theory or hypothesis to be contradicted by evidence. For example, the statement "All swans are white" is falsifiable because one can observe that black swans exist."
If "scientism" was a religion or dogmatic or what ever....why would it be based on "falsifiable" and "nonfalsifiable"??? Also, please tell me what religion even accepts those notions?
Dictionary definition of dogma: a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
I can only think of buddhism because Buddha basically told his followers "if it's stupid then it's stupid no matter who says it including my self."
Buddah: Do not go by reports (repeated hearing), by legends, by traditions, by rumours, by scriptures, by surmise, conjecture and axioms.
This is partly why I will debate people on the existence of leprechauns. Do I believe leprechauns exist? Of course not. There is zero evidence and I will say "of course leprechauns don't exist." "yeah, they don't exist" I don't even bother to entertain the notion that they exist, but do I know for 100% fact that they don't exist? Of course not and how could I know?! I don't entertain ideas like solipism or gods or leprechauns because there is no evidence. "you have 'faith' in the sun coming up every morning." No I don't! I have reasonable expectation based on evidence and lack of evidence. When did the sun not come up every morning and if it did we would of been frozen to death. Is it possible that solipism is in fact true? My entire view can be summed up as the criminologist in the movie The rocky horror picture show "There are those who say that life is an illusion and that reality is but a figment of the imagination. If this is so, then Brad and Janet are quite safe." and I don't see any of these solipsis taking that risk.
"without god everything is permittable." WRONG. With god everything is permittable.
Ever heard of CULTS?! That's how you get 9/11. That's how you get the crusades. That's how you get cults like the family, the branch davidians, FLDS, and Dignidad. All of those groups believed and accepted child rape as being not only acceptable but ordained "by god" and therefor not just acceptable but moral. Morally right, morally good. This is also how they could believe child brides and child rape was moral and correct but homosexuality was immoral and wrong.
Branch davidian follower on David Koresh raping little girls: He believed - this is what I accepted. What I've 'come to buy into'' as you might say. He believed god told him to do this.
The family former follower amazed at how easy it was for the cult believers to fall for it: What I haven't come to understanding is how such a large group of people, of diverse backgrounds could so readily turn to whole sale pedophilia.
I reject the notion of "because god said so" for moral reasons. In fact I rejected christianity and the majority of religion for moral reasons and I still do.
Journalist interviewing family in North Korea about North korea and the "dear leader": Can the dear leader do anything wrong? Or what he always says is...magical? [translator is confused and asks her what she means] I think he genuinely didnt understand my question. It seemed there wasn't even vocabulary to question the dear leader.
And there dear dealers are or were literal living breathing gods. Kim Jong Un is a living breathing god. They literally worship him as a god and he's a self proclaimed god just like his father and grandfather and if god says "you've committed crimes" and sends you to a concentration camp where you'll be starved to death, literally butchered and raped by guards, shot and killed for no reason what so ever, etc then that is his justice, his OBJECTIVE law. Not subjective. EVERYTHING is permittable with god.
We live in a reality where a god does not exist [that is what the evidence says] and probably all realities and yet is everything permissble? No. We have laws, we have consequences. We have what is called the social contract that all of society signed. I'll quote from a movie about a mother who shot a man after he got off the hook for raping and almost killing her daughter.
"Justification. The crime committed against Mrs.Sanders daughter is the kind of thing that stirs up vengeful emotions. It makes us want to get up and set things right...but we can't work that way. We have laws. We have police. We have courts. When we feel justified in enforcing the law our selves. Well, chaos is right around the corner. For ALL of us."
Selfishness isn't always a bad thing, it certainly isn't when your talking about mutual co-existence. "I won't start a war if you don't." That is how the social contract functions. It's based on sympathy, compassion, selfishness, and the human need to live. That is why I get so angry at all these anti mask covid 19 deniers. They are literally fighting for "the right" to drive drunk. Your not just endangering your self, but your putting EVERYONE else on the same road at risk.
We get a good sense of Brady, his philosophy which is completely identical to mine only the "it doesn't mean anything" is something I totally reject. I am not a relativist in any form. In fact I despise relativism because I think it's destroying American society. This 'feels over reals" this "facts don't matter. All that matters are my conspiracy theories and what I choose to believe." etc and a lot of that is right wing religion. I also like how Brady includes self destruction into his quote about existentialism, the purposeless of existence and life because I absolutely agree and it reminds me of a quote by Richard Rimarez who ripped it off from Leyton who wrote the book "Hunting humans".
"They are imprisoned in a web of responsibilities, commitments, and belief systems that would render murder an absurd gamble or ridiculous self destruction." Which would explain why Rimarez also admitted in other interviews "I don't care about my self. I don't care about what happens to me. I never did really." and I totally see that with Ian Brady and how he dealt with his prison sentence and Myra Hindley trying to deny her sentence. Brady basically told her "deal with it" you did it and this was the price. You KNEW this was the price. Accept it, deal with it, and move on.
Like in the show Dexter who killed a philosopher and his last words were "Never jump the fence if you're not willing to face what's on the other side." Which makes me think of the rapper Ice T talking about misinterpretation of the song "high roller" That Ice T was glamorizing being a high roller. In that video he's living in a mansion with tons of sexy women, he's wearing expensive jewelry and clothes, has expensive high class cars, etc.
"That video was about 'DON'T BE A HIGH ROLLER" at the end of the video I ended up dead. So theres two sides of everything."
Yeah, you might be making a ton of money, have a ton of women, etc...but the fact is that most of these "high rollers" end up dead or in prison. As Ice T said "this is what you do, this is how you gonna end up." and all of his friends who lived that stayed in that life style were either dead or in prison for life.
"Out there getting that long money, you know what I'm sayin'
But that fast money leads to a fast life and a quick death"
"Now radio stations probably won't play
This record because of the things I say
They'll say I'm glamorizing the hustlin' hood
And a record like this can do no good
But I'm not here to tell ya right or wrong
I don't know which side of the law you belong
Yes, the game has flash but sometimes hurts
Behind any mistake, hard times lurks
And jail's not your only problem, though it may seem
You just may die by a barrage from a M-16"
I bring this up because I have to ask the question "how do you convince a narcissistic psychopath?" Something I've often asked for a long while and I've come to the conclusion that you really can't. Many serial killers were deeply religious and did that stop them from killing? Of course not. Of course there are obvious implications in terms of the death penalty being a deterrent.
Later on the author quotes Aldous Huxley a fellow nihilist and hedonist in which he points out the absurdity of this self destruction. Calling it stupid.
Clearly I think about such things in terms of morality and the construction of laws and society. My entire view on morality and so forth is identical to Sam Harris. "don't drink battery acid" we have many reasons as to why you shouldn't drink battery acid.
As my favorite youtuber said in a video refuting a new age pseudo science believer parroting creationist talking points "The reason science can create technological wonders is because it can understand various properties of things and how they relate to one another. Good luck trying to make a functional air plane without an understanding of aeronautical science."
"for those smart phones and smart pads to work. A lot of scientific knowledge has to be true because if it wasn't true then it wouldn't work. Hot air balloons fly because the hot air inside the balloon is less dense than the colder air outside the balloon. If that weren't a true fact about reality then hot air balloons would not fly"
As Richard Dawkins said "You don't believe the world is round only because your an astronaut. You don't believe Napoleaon existed only because your a historian. You believe [and accept] these things because there are facts, proved by evidence." "Relativism, the quaint notion that there are many truths, even if they are contradictory is rift today." "it's a pretentious cop out." "science works. Planes fly. Magic carpets and broom sticks don't."
The book gives a very good insight into Brady as a person through out the years and details his childhood and background and as with the case of Clark, Alcala, Kraft, and how serial killers who were not abused as children and actually had a good childhood I kept wondering "what made him a killer?" Other then the motive of "I did it for kicks because life is boring otherwise." Obviously the answer has to do with sociopathy and the lack of emotional sympathy. Of course Brady had cognitive sympathy along with sympathy for animals. Which is not rare among serial killers. Yes, some serial killers actually loved animals, but had zero empathy for their fellow human beings. Ian Brady would fit into this category.
We learn a lot about Brady, his daily existence down to even what he commonly ate for breakfast [although it's only mentioned once but the author says it was his regular breakfast], his many travels and why he did it, what he was thinking before and after he did it and how and when he came across the Moors and the relationship with Myra Hindley.
Seems Myra was the one with the cruel mean streak while Brady was the mellow cold blooded one. Not letting his cruel desires outway pragmatism. I find it ironic and funny that Brady after the first murder got mad at Myra for taking personal items from the victim. Yet he was planning on taking photographs and later audio recorded one victim along with photos. That sure as hell negates his rule of destroying any connecting thread and in fact, how damning are photos and audio compared to a ring or a necklace? He later admitted this him self.
After the first murder, it's murder, murder, murder.
The first murder however is very detailed. The rest of the murders, not as detailed, at least with everything that was said during the murders and the process of covering it up. After 3 murders it seems the Moors killers got bored like most serial killers. Which explains the photo shoot and tape recording and the axe. After the murders, childhood experiences, and road trips it details Brady's life in prison with some Myra Hindley thrown in.
As I read about Myra Hindley I couldn't help but think that this was in the early 1960s and I kept thinking about the book responsible for the feminist movement of the 1960s. The Feminine Mystique.
Wiki "The phrase "feminine mystique" was created by Friedan to show the assumptions that women would be fulfilled from their housework, marriage, sexual lives, and children. It was said that women, who were actually feminine, should not have wanted to work, get an education, or have political opinions. Friedan wanted to prove that women were unsatisfied but could not voice their feelings."
Ian Brady rejected that and told her she can choose what she wants and not give into society's perception of what they want her to be. Actually a pro feminist perspective from Ian Brady to Myra Hindley. So I guess you could argue that society's sexist views on women was partly responsible for Myra's discontent with how things were for her as a women living in 1960's UK. The murders at least for Myra were a rejection of that. Myra didn't want to end up like every other women she saw. She wanted more. Maybe if society was more free for women, she might of not felt so compelled to commit murder with Brady. Not to precipitate the first murder by calling him out on his "all talk, no action" which she obviously implied.
The book details Brady's depressing existence in prison as the years go by and the author's relationship with Brady.
My only real flaw with the book is how long the book is, the bias, and we never get any sense of fantasy in the relation to the murders.
September 10, 2017
What an arrogant piece of work Brady was! All the rubbish of an abused childhood,, load of old tosh! He came from a loving family yes he was put in care, for a short time, but still saw his mother, and once she had found a suitable place to live, Brady went. but still visited his "foster parents"
He He was though I hate saying it, very intelligent, and he knew it, he was arrogant and if you crossed him, he would make sure you never did it again, even if it took years, to retaliate .
He loved animals, but people , well he had a dislike for them. Meeting Myra Hindley was them both a match made in heaven, both cold, distant and cruel.
This book is an eye opener, and is basically Brady's autobiography , he holds nothing back, even telling of Myra's part in the killing of the children, and yes she took pleasure in it,
After reading this. you will wish they had both been hung! I just hope they are both burning slowly and painfully for eternity in Hell!
Though it is a hard read, not because it;s difficult to red, but because you know what he did, it is so well written, that you find you can't put it down!
He He was though I hate saying it, very intelligent, and he knew it, he was arrogant and if you crossed him, he would make sure you never did it again, even if it took years, to retaliate .
He loved animals, but people , well he had a dislike for them. Meeting Myra Hindley was them both a match made in heaven, both cold, distant and cruel.
This book is an eye opener, and is basically Brady's autobiography , he holds nothing back, even telling of Myra's part in the killing of the children, and yes she took pleasure in it,
After reading this. you will wish they had both been hung! I just hope they are both burning slowly and painfully for eternity in Hell!
Though it is a hard read, not because it;s difficult to red, but because you know what he did, it is so well written, that you find you can't put it down!
September 11, 2025
Dr Alan Keightley won Ian Brady's trust, placing him firmly in the minority He claims that Brady never knew he was writing a book about him. It was published, initially only for Kindle, in 2017, a week after Brady's death and serialised in the 'Daily Mail.'
'The Untold Story of the Moors Murders' is the result of many conversations Keightley had with Brady from the early nineties onwards. The author writes very well, and clearly did his research thoroughly, having read all the previous books (and there had been a lot) about the case. However, as was often typical of Brady, much of what he told Keightley just doesn't ring true at all. I wonder how much of it the author actually believed. I was certainly under the impression that he believed much of it. However, I don't doubt either that if he had showed the slightest sign of disbelief to Brady, he would have dropped him quickly and the book wouldn't have been as bulky as it is.
It is up to the reader to decide what they consider fiction from fact. The descriptions Brady gives of his childhood in particular are told in such rich detail that I did believe most of what I read. From the start, Brady appeared to be determined to pour scorn over the works of others who dared to profit from his crimes and downfall, particularly Emlyn Williams, who wrote the best-selling 'Beyond Belief.' He claims that he was never cruel to animals, something that was reported almost as soon as his name made headlines. But it's worth knowing that, while he did come to care about animals in adulthood, he did admit to Frank Longford in the 1970s that he was cruel to them in his early years. Hindley claims that he also told her, during the start of their courtship, that he had been.
Ian Brady was an extreme egotist, so I was not surprised that he claimed to the author that he was, despite what had been written since his arrest, popular at school, had an eye for the ladies, had other sexual relationships besides Hindley, and committed a lot more crimes than those he was convicted of; whether or not I believe them is another matter entirely. I do think that one should read another book or two about this case before reading this in order to hear the 'other side' so to speak. Brady would love to have thought of himself as a big-time gangster who killed more than five people. Alas, he was a liar and a coward who preyed on innocent children who couldn't have put up much of a fight. Some legacy!
As for the murders, I can well believe a lot of what Brady stated about Myra Hindley's real involvement, I really can. We will never know the truth, as both killers were pathological liars and are now both dead.
The book pretty much ends in the early Noughties, leading me to believe that Brady and Alan Keighley's correspondence ceased after Hindley's death. You'll need the saltshaker had with this book, as much of 'The Untold Story' is, to me, just that, a story. Nonetheless, it does provide an insight into Brady's mind (not a nice place to be), what made him tick, and it offers a fresh narrative to the other books.
Enough about him now, let's pray for victim Keith Bennett's family and hope that police will recover the little boy's body sooner rather than later.
'The Untold Story of the Moors Murders' is the result of many conversations Keightley had with Brady from the early nineties onwards. The author writes very well, and clearly did his research thoroughly, having read all the previous books (and there had been a lot) about the case. However, as was often typical of Brady, much of what he told Keightley just doesn't ring true at all. I wonder how much of it the author actually believed. I was certainly under the impression that he believed much of it. However, I don't doubt either that if he had showed the slightest sign of disbelief to Brady, he would have dropped him quickly and the book wouldn't have been as bulky as it is.
It is up to the reader to decide what they consider fiction from fact. The descriptions Brady gives of his childhood in particular are told in such rich detail that I did believe most of what I read. From the start, Brady appeared to be determined to pour scorn over the works of others who dared to profit from his crimes and downfall, particularly Emlyn Williams, who wrote the best-selling 'Beyond Belief.' He claims that he was never cruel to animals, something that was reported almost as soon as his name made headlines. But it's worth knowing that, while he did come to care about animals in adulthood, he did admit to Frank Longford in the 1970s that he was cruel to them in his early years. Hindley claims that he also told her, during the start of their courtship, that he had been.
Ian Brady was an extreme egotist, so I was not surprised that he claimed to the author that he was, despite what had been written since his arrest, popular at school, had an eye for the ladies, had other sexual relationships besides Hindley, and committed a lot more crimes than those he was convicted of; whether or not I believe them is another matter entirely. I do think that one should read another book or two about this case before reading this in order to hear the 'other side' so to speak. Brady would love to have thought of himself as a big-time gangster who killed more than five people. Alas, he was a liar and a coward who preyed on innocent children who couldn't have put up much of a fight. Some legacy!
As for the murders, I can well believe a lot of what Brady stated about Myra Hindley's real involvement, I really can. We will never know the truth, as both killers were pathological liars and are now both dead.
The book pretty much ends in the early Noughties, leading me to believe that Brady and Alan Keighley's correspondence ceased after Hindley's death. You'll need the saltshaker had with this book, as much of 'The Untold Story' is, to me, just that, a story. Nonetheless, it does provide an insight into Brady's mind (not a nice place to be), what made him tick, and it offers a fresh narrative to the other books.
Enough about him now, let's pray for victim Keith Bennett's family and hope that police will recover the little boy's body sooner rather than later.
August 6, 2022
Not what I expected from this book. Repetitive, over-long, and at times biassed towards Ian. Disappointed
October 13, 2017
Less than I expect ed
Nothing new really I expect ed a lot more . The author writes more about Brady and that is it but I have been told. that the doctor likes a drink..so I will leave it there
Nothing new really I expect ed a lot more . The author writes more about Brady and that is it but I have been told. that the doctor likes a drink..so I will leave it there
February 19, 2020
Brady was giving Keightley clues and his cover ups show still in how he gave these to him .. mentioning places and roads he lived on or visited its all part of his fantasy life he created around Manchester .. Brady gives how he wanted his book Janus written under the name NEMO .. In Alchemy .. Alchemy has had a long-standing relationship with art, seen both in alchemical texts and in ... Captain Nemo's submarine the Nautilus is "alchemic" because it is a "hermetically closed cell" (all submarines are airtight, ergo "hermetically
NEMO point is SOUTH .. Nemo is an Oromo word meaning "The Man". In Latin, the same word means "Nobody"! In Homer's Odyssey, when Ulysses blinds the Cyclops, the Cyclops asks him: "Who are you?", to which Ulysses replies (in the Latin translation): "Nemo."
Ulysses James JOYCE 16th JUNE date Brady took Keith .. SOUTH.. Brady used his books and music and films as a code.. and he played word games which comes from Wittgenstein .. so by having Keightley as a friend he manipulated him .. He was showing he was far more clever than Dr Keightley .. The Stream of Consciousness Brady also stated he used to unravel his brain ,, JAMES JOYCE .. it all links back to the 16th June and why SOUTH is important to check for Keith ..like we have done and found so much as the area was never searched .. all finds and a bridge where in 1877 a man called Bennett died in a horse and cart accident .. waggon and horse ??? the more you delve into the labyrinth of his mind the more I have found … all our finds and how to decode his letters on Facebook The Secret Key to The Moors Murders.. letter dated May 66 in Keighley's book.. ROUND THE HORN .. its shipping navigation .. NAVY .. follow the maps as Drake did and NEMO .. its all SOUTH
NEMO point is SOUTH .. Nemo is an Oromo word meaning "The Man". In Latin, the same word means "Nobody"! In Homer's Odyssey, when Ulysses blinds the Cyclops, the Cyclops asks him: "Who are you?", to which Ulysses replies (in the Latin translation): "Nemo."
Ulysses James JOYCE 16th JUNE date Brady took Keith .. SOUTH.. Brady used his books and music and films as a code.. and he played word games which comes from Wittgenstein .. so by having Keightley as a friend he manipulated him .. He was showing he was far more clever than Dr Keightley .. The Stream of Consciousness Brady also stated he used to unravel his brain ,, JAMES JOYCE .. it all links back to the 16th June and why SOUTH is important to check for Keith ..like we have done and found so much as the area was never searched .. all finds and a bridge where in 1877 a man called Bennett died in a horse and cart accident .. waggon and horse ??? the more you delve into the labyrinth of his mind the more I have found … all our finds and how to decode his letters on Facebook The Secret Key to The Moors Murders.. letter dated May 66 in Keighley's book.. ROUND THE HORN .. its shipping navigation .. NAVY .. follow the maps as Drake did and NEMO .. its all SOUTH
August 7, 2025
Brilliant, there is a list as long as your arm about the best true crime books ever written and i have read pretty much most if not all of this genre. The vast majority are nothing more than publishers embellishment to sell the books, and most of them are American.
This book will be in future years recognised as one of the best true crime books ever written.
It has gone under the radar namely because British crime writers or books never get the attention they deserve over the Atlantic probable because the Americans are not interested in British crime having enough of their own.
There is also perhaps the fact of authorship styles, US authors always seem to write film scripts in book form as opposed to the British authors who write books that could become film scripts.
This book is an exhaustive start to finish work on the life and crimes of one of the most evil men that has lived, it takes you through his life of poverty in the Gorbals of Scotland to his last days in an insane Facility.
All so called best true crime books must bring something original or new to a topic. There is a saying that History always has a witness and this author is that witness.
The fact that he actually knew Brady well for years unlike so many others that pretended to (or worse did so for financial gain) and the fact he writes so well and is clearly a highly intelligent man that can pull apart incredibly complicated novels like Crime and Punishment and others means this is a must read into the mind of a killer.
To read this is to understand Bundy, Manson, Jim Jones, Leonard Lake and all the others in the roll of murder.
Read it you will not be disappointed.
This book will be in future years recognised as one of the best true crime books ever written.
It has gone under the radar namely because British crime writers or books never get the attention they deserve over the Atlantic probable because the Americans are not interested in British crime having enough of their own.
There is also perhaps the fact of authorship styles, US authors always seem to write film scripts in book form as opposed to the British authors who write books that could become film scripts.
This book is an exhaustive start to finish work on the life and crimes of one of the most evil men that has lived, it takes you through his life of poverty in the Gorbals of Scotland to his last days in an insane Facility.
All so called best true crime books must bring something original or new to a topic. There is a saying that History always has a witness and this author is that witness.
The fact that he actually knew Brady well for years unlike so many others that pretended to (or worse did so for financial gain) and the fact he writes so well and is clearly a highly intelligent man that can pull apart incredibly complicated novels like Crime and Punishment and others means this is a must read into the mind of a killer.
To read this is to understand Bundy, Manson, Jim Jones, Leonard Lake and all the others in the roll of murder.
Read it you will not be disappointed.
March 9, 2018
With serial killers / crime / psychology being my favourite book genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it a very interesting read. I discovered several pieces of information about Brady, Hindley and the crimes that I did not know before. It is really an autobiography as you find out everything about Bradys life from birth till very near the end. In my opinion, it was quite challenging at times. If you are like me and want to get to the gritty stuff straight away, that isn't the case with this book. With this book it takes a while to get to it, but if you stick with it you will be happy that you did. With the author of the book being a professor in Theology and Religious Studies (as I also studied at university) there are some parts that are quite theological / philosophical so that gets quite difficult (especially if you have forgotten everything you learnt at uni!) I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars, as I personally enjoyed it, the amount of detail and work put into it is obvious and I thought about this book and told friends / colleagues about it afterwards which is always good sign! Would recommend to any true crime fans :)
April 17, 2020
Just finished this book. Author spent many hours with Brady in his various locations in prisons over many years. Brady liked this author and was at ease with him, letting his thoughts flow but always with a guarded agenda. Though he never would be released, he never wanted release from incarceration. There is a limit to what a human being allows others to know about oneself. Brady is no exception and is very calculating to this end.
This author makes the claim he can remember words of Brady quite meticulously, and I'm not doubting it. He also kept a journal of his many hours of interviews which the book comes from. This book is very interesting, and gives a real look into Brady's personal life, some before and some after incarceration and though you realize Brady is guarded he does not nor ever does reveal all but reflecting on the book as I read it I began to see a bit through the mask. Brady was a complex personality and an enigma. His crimes, though easily thought of in terms of black and white do not explain his motives. Can a person truly be 100 percent evil? Brady gives a good run for your money on that thought.
This author makes the claim he can remember words of Brady quite meticulously, and I'm not doubting it. He also kept a journal of his many hours of interviews which the book comes from. This book is very interesting, and gives a real look into Brady's personal life, some before and some after incarceration and though you realize Brady is guarded he does not nor ever does reveal all but reflecting on the book as I read it I began to see a bit through the mask. Brady was a complex personality and an enigma. His crimes, though easily thought of in terms of black and white do not explain his motives. Can a person truly be 100 percent evil? Brady gives a good run for your money on that thought.
April 13, 2020
The minimalistic cover is what caught my attention. No sensational picture or title. Just plain and simple. The story inside is anything but that. Imo it's a great true crime book. Definitely belongs to the better ones out there. Don't expect Mr Brady to look regretful back at his life and the murders he committed. You won't find an apology or a good explanation why he and Myra Hindley killed those poor kids. But his life story and thoughts, his views on life are very interesting. After only reading the first chapter I was already impressed with Ian Brady's intelligence. The writing is easy to follow and kept my attention. The fact that the author had Ian Brady's trust and used the letters and conversations he had with Brady for this book makes it so fascinating. I liked how the author and Brady himself also gave examples of other books about the Moors Murders and how they were wrong on some parts. It made things for me more clear about what to believe when I want to learn more about this case.
October 15, 2018
This is an absolutely fascinating read -- based on many, many hours of meetings with Ian Brady, many letters from him and a lot of philosophical pondering on top of that -- that ends up exploding all the stereotypes about serial murder, about couples who kill for recreation, about child killers, about anything you've ever read before on this subject. Brady simply cannot be wedged into a neat category. I mean I hope nobody can, but some people seem to seek a category to fit into, while Brady simply tells you what he thinks, makes clear he is not what you expected and challenges you to deal with it. This is more a work of philosophy than a biography, and while there's obviously a streak of true crime in here, that's only a small corner of the book. This one has really expanded my thinking. I'm grateful to have found it. This is a book so rich and thoughtful you can read it again and again and always find something new.
November 29, 2020
The last 15% of this book consists of bibliography, index etc. So it finished up quickly in the end, it was a long book and most of the chapters were approx 40 mins long.
So, Ian Brady was evil incarnate as was his sidekick, Myra Hindley. However, he was intelligent, well dressed, well read and had panache... a cut above the regular thug or murderer. His crimes were unforgivable and rightfully abhorred.
This book is written by a man who visited him for years in prison and goes in depth into the mind of Ian Brady. It focuses a lot on his early years and has very little of gratuitous story telling in it. It gives a lot of facts and details. It's a slow read, but I found it fascinating to read how someone ended up so evil, and what occurred after the crimes.
It was a well-written book and well worth the time spent reading it.
So, Ian Brady was evil incarnate as was his sidekick, Myra Hindley. However, he was intelligent, well dressed, well read and had panache... a cut above the regular thug or murderer. His crimes were unforgivable and rightfully abhorred.
This book is written by a man who visited him for years in prison and goes in depth into the mind of Ian Brady. It focuses a lot on his early years and has very little of gratuitous story telling in it. It gives a lot of facts and details. It's a slow read, but I found it fascinating to read how someone ended up so evil, and what occurred after the crimes.
It was a well-written book and well worth the time spent reading it.
October 29, 2021
This is a book that should certainly be read in preparation for writing a paper on Ian Brady; for pleasure reading, though, maybe not so much. It's written by an author who spent years corresponding with Brady and was even given Brady's possessions upon his death. It's not for the faint of heart as it contains graphic details of brutal crimes. However, it's interesting to learn about a person who was so intelligent and had such support from his family but still chose to go down a very dark path.
December 22, 2022
A disturbing well researched account of the moors murders that does not seek to add scandal or gossip to the case. Instead Alan Keightley presents a balanced review of the actual events surrounding the murders. His writing does not present Ian Brady in a sympathetic way but is able to highlight the uniqueness of the man. The book is very disturbing, in that to spend a significant amount of time thinking about a serial killer is not a pleasant thought. But this novel allows one to feel that they have grasped some of the context and detail revolving around the moors murders
September 20, 2025
Alan Keightley has produced a very intellectual insightful book on Ian Brady the psychopath. Keightley's references to religious and philosophical writings in relation to Brady's demeanor was exceptional, indeed some of the references were actually from Brady himself.
At times I found the book disturbing - delving into Brady's mind and the horrors that he and Myra Hindley committed - but the philsophy quotes and references did aid the read - not to provide excuses for the crimes Brady had committed but to give some tangibility to case.
At times I found the book disturbing - delving into Brady's mind and the horrors that he and Myra Hindley committed - but the philsophy quotes and references did aid the read - not to provide excuses for the crimes Brady had committed but to give some tangibility to case.
June 16, 2017
A balanced honest piece of work.
I give this book 5 stars because the author has presented a balanced view of a man's life,revealing some light onto a dark subject.
The author is realistic in his approach to presenting the thoughts of a mentally ill person.
He went beyond the usual approach to this subject and provided some insight into his mind.
Having read a lot of books on this subject,I can now recommend only this one. Well presented well written and very fair to all.
I give this book 5 stars because the author has presented a balanced view of a man's life,revealing some light onto a dark subject.
The author is realistic in his approach to presenting the thoughts of a mentally ill person.
He went beyond the usual approach to this subject and provided some insight into his mind.
Having read a lot of books on this subject,I can now recommend only this one. Well presented well written and very fair to all.
August 6, 2017
Never to be forgotten
Who could ever forget the moors murders.That terrible time in English history.This book gives an insight into the mind of Ian Brady,not a good place to be but it is an interesting story written by a man who Brady trusted to tell the story.It also discusses Myra Hindly.his partner in crime.If you are interested in the mind of a murderer and what makes him tick ,you will find this worthy of reading though also harrowing.
Who could ever forget the moors murders.That terrible time in English history.This book gives an insight into the mind of Ian Brady,not a good place to be but it is an interesting story written by a man who Brady trusted to tell the story.It also discusses Myra Hindly.his partner in crime.If you are interested in the mind of a murderer and what makes him tick ,you will find this worthy of reading though also harrowing.
March 30, 2022
Highly rate this book, quite possibly even more than the devil's disciples version of the tales of murder. So many facets to the story, the man himself and the surprising element of how intellectual Ian Brady truly was- His poor victims being exercises in his beliefs. I cannot imagine what their families went through from his and Myras appearance in their lives. Well worth reading to understand the real life story better.
July 3, 2017
An interesting read, destroyed by the fact that both the author and his subject matter were shockingly conceited and, as we say here in Ireland, very up themselves. That said, Brady's story makes for an interesting read. It's a shame both author and Brady seemed to have a mutual appreciation society going on which kind of put me off.
March 4, 2018
Excellent
This is written for those interested in trying to understand why a human being chooses to take the lives of others. It is neither sentimental nor sensational. It tells us of Ian Brady's perspective, perceptions and his psychosis. It doesn't bring any solace but it does help the reader get closer to the answer of the question 'Why?'
This is written for those interested in trying to understand why a human being chooses to take the lives of others. It is neither sentimental nor sensational. It tells us of Ian Brady's perspective, perceptions and his psychosis. It doesn't bring any solace but it does help the reader get closer to the answer of the question 'Why?'
July 4, 2017
Interesting
How much is really the truth no one can know. Ian Brady remains, to me, inherently unknowable and maybe that is how it should be, for I cannot comprehend how one could kill and not be changed
How much is really the truth no one can know. Ian Brady remains, to me, inherently unknowable and maybe that is how it should be, for I cannot comprehend how one could kill and not be changed
February 28, 2019
Horrifying. An amazing read though which allows you to form your own opinion into the reasons and relationships which resulted in these two being media stories for decades
May 10, 2019
Detailed, good content but could have done with a bit more rigorous editing to improve the flow of it. Worth a read.
October 24, 2019
Fascinating for many reasons. A deep dive into the shallowness that was Ian Brady. I feel like he read everything and understood very little.
August 30, 2021
Absolutely riveting reading
August 18, 2022
Long winded. Brady’s conceit knows no bounds.
February 1, 2021
Keightley is, lets be frank here, a very good writer. He wisely chooses a very neutral viewpoint to frame his biography of Brady and this book is no half baked work of tabloid bile, Keightley visited Brady extensively for many years and gained great insight into the man. Or, as much insight as it is possible to gain on someone of Brady's bent. He was indeed a many layered man, I think these layers were in place as much for his own sanity as they were to keep the masses unaware of his true nature.
One thing that shines out strongly is Brady's undoubted intelligence and his insight into episodes from his childhood and adoloscence speak of a mind both razor sharp and one fractured by mental illness. As Keightley, perhaps unkindly but very truthfully, points out, Fred West would be lost after the first sentence in a conversation with Brady.
We all know, or think we know, the story of the Moors Murders but the bookend events of the Evans murder in Myra's grandmother's house and the gathering storm when Hindley and Brady got together are certainly parts of the story that I was less aware of.
Think what you while of Brady, and is certainly hard to stomach this tale without a certain amount of revulsion, he certainly talked the talk and walked the walk. Half measures were never part of his make up.
Strangely, by quoting Brady's own words constantly and showcasing his fierce intellect, Keightley also shows the subtext to Brady, he certainly possessed a lot of vanity and much of intellect appears to have been dedicated to framing his atrocious actions in a more metaphysical light.
Where Brady says he was dedicated to nihilism and cursing the indifferent cosmos, the cold facts of the cases and the post mortem evidence show someone who was simpy a sexual deviant, paedophille and predatory male with a dark lust for murder. Dress it up as he will with his references to Blake and Dostoevky, the truth is rather more banal and nothing his intellect does reframes his acts in a different light.
This book is an essential read for anyone who has even passingly heard of this case (and, lets face it, the tabloids dined out on this series of murders for forty odd years so we all know of the killings). It is the most unbiased take on events and shows the discrepancies between Brady and Hindley's (faux) confessions.
A brilliant and important book.
One thing that shines out strongly is Brady's undoubted intelligence and his insight into episodes from his childhood and adoloscence speak of a mind both razor sharp and one fractured by mental illness. As Keightley, perhaps unkindly but very truthfully, points out, Fred West would be lost after the first sentence in a conversation with Brady.
We all know, or think we know, the story of the Moors Murders but the bookend events of the Evans murder in Myra's grandmother's house and the gathering storm when Hindley and Brady got together are certainly parts of the story that I was less aware of.
Think what you while of Brady, and is certainly hard to stomach this tale without a certain amount of revulsion, he certainly talked the talk and walked the walk. Half measures were never part of his make up.
Strangely, by quoting Brady's own words constantly and showcasing his fierce intellect, Keightley also shows the subtext to Brady, he certainly possessed a lot of vanity and much of intellect appears to have been dedicated to framing his atrocious actions in a more metaphysical light.
Where Brady says he was dedicated to nihilism and cursing the indifferent cosmos, the cold facts of the cases and the post mortem evidence show someone who was simpy a sexual deviant, paedophille and predatory male with a dark lust for murder. Dress it up as he will with his references to Blake and Dostoevky, the truth is rather more banal and nothing his intellect does reframes his acts in a different light.
This book is an essential read for anyone who has even passingly heard of this case (and, lets face it, the tabloids dined out on this series of murders for forty odd years so we all know of the killings). It is the most unbiased take on events and shows the discrepancies between Brady and Hindley's (faux) confessions.
A brilliant and important book.
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