Joyce McKinney And The Case Of The Manacled Mormon

by Anthony Delano

'The ultimate tabloid story'... 'A fantastic read...' Comments like these on the website TrashFiction helped turn the original edition of this book into a cult sensation. Copies were selling on amazon.com for US$325. '...You don't often see it around, but take my advice: if you do come across it, leap on it and lap it up.' Joyce McKinney was a former beauty queen from North Carolina, originally obsessed by the Osmond family, who became so infatuated by a young Mormon missionary that she followed him to Britain, kidnapped him and - allegedly (for the trial never came to court) - raped him. This NEW version includes everything that was in the earlier one and even more - what happened to Joyce after she fled the country to avoid being tried at the Old Bailey for raping a man. 'The tabloids really went wild... The Daily Mirror had a fabulous expos ready for publication, as this book relates. It's really top quality tabloid sensationalism'. Written by Anthony Delano, Chief US Correspondent of the Daily Mirror, one of the team that tracked down the truth about the amazing Joyce McKinney.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Anthony Delano went to London from Australia after an early newspaper career there and was soon a foreign correspondent for the Daily Mirror, which at that time sold nearly five million copies daily. He was stationed in Rome during the Dolce Vita days, in Paris when General De Gaulle was dismantling the French empire, then the United States where he covered, among many other dramas, the civil rights campaign and the assassination of President John Kennedy. Additional assignments took him all over the globe: wars in Africa and the Middle East, tours with the Queen and other members of the Royal Family; most hazardous of all, perhaps, the historic Beatles tour of America. In between there were executive stints in London. He was managing editor of the Mirror when the monstrous tycoon Robert Maxwell took it over. Clearly time to go. He began to teach journalism and research it academically, gaining first a Master’s degree at Queensland University of Technology then a PhD from the University of Westminster (his 2001 doctoral thesis, The Formation of the British Journalist 1900-2000, is widely cited). He became a senior lecturer, senior research fellow and finally visiting professor at the London College of Communication. He lives in the South of France, married to Patricia, a literary scholar.

Reviews

[Christine Whittington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by a British tabloid writer, this is the ripping tale of Joyce McKinney, who in the 1970s fell in love with, then stalked, a young Mormon missionary, trailing him to his mission in England. With the assistance of several other smitten gentlemen friends, she kidnapped the poor guy, imprisoned him in a cottage, chained and handcuffed him to a bed, and had her way with him. The story is just as much a revelation about the competition and tactics of the British tabloids as it is McKinney's bizarre story, which becomes even more bizarre in the last 50 pages or so.

McKinney resurfaced decades later, when she paid Korean scientists to clone her departed pit bull, "Booger," producing five puppies.

I gave this four stars instead of five for editing and proofreading problems--a proliferation of typos and errors, the rather hurried and disorganized style in places. AND the lack of photographs, which would have pushed this lurid tale over the top.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This case was apparently the toast of the London tabloids in the late 1970's. McKinney was charged with kidnapping and raping a Mormon missionary. Her story was not what it seemed, and the intrepid reporters of the Daily and Sunday Mirrors uncovered the story, in the process embarrassing a rival.

The book is more about the efforts of the reporters and the subject herself so people expecting a straightforward explanation (typical in true crime) may be disappointed at the pace of the reveal, and the anticlimactic ending of the trial.

[Anthony Ambruso · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh boy!

Much of this book contains exaggerations, misrepresentations, coupled with a sarcastic tone. I became suspicious of his "facts" when I found disparities in known issues. I expected an interesting tale from the author, but all I got was frustrated with his anti-Mormon rant. I deleted this book after reading 25% of it.

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ronnie's gone over the wall. Let's go along for the ride.

You know this book is nonfiction because nobody could make it up. In 1963 a gang of low-level crooks held up a poorly guarded train carrying the equivalent of six million dollars from Scotland to clearing banks in London.

Ronnie Briggs (believed to be the originator of the plan) was captured almost immediately, but managed to escape and became something of a folk hero. He lived in Australia for five years with his wife and children. When he realized his cover had been blown, he fled to Brazil.

In 1974 enterprising journalists tracked him down in Rio de Janeiro and shared the info with Scotland Yard. A combination of police blunders, cut-throat competition between newspapers, and Brazil's lax extradition policies set him free again.

Incredibly, he lived in Brazil until 2001 when he was finally returned to England by his OWN request. He was old, suffering from dementia, and wished to take advantage of the fine free medical care in English prisons. This is surely one of the most bizarre stories ever and this very talented writer makes the most of it. Start this one and you won't put it down until you finish.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is good, and interesting in parts - although it took me a while to read in good flow with the writers style. I wish the book was more about the actual heist and capture and less about the press' involvement in it. There are some entire chapters which talk about the structure of the press and how a news agency works not really related to the story that were quite boring.