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Blood Vows: A Haunting Memoir of Marriage and Murder

Helen Cummings

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Apr 17, 2011 Brenda rated it really liked it

Shelves: memoir, gift-from-gr-friend, non-fiction

‘A haunting memoir of marriage and murder’

Helen Cummings had a close, loving family life, with an idyllic childhood growing up in 1950s and 1960s Australia, in the BHP town of Newcastle in NSW. She lived in Mayfield with her parents, Mum, Joy (who would later become the first ever female Lord Mayor of Newcastle) and Dad, Dennis, who was a fireman. There was also her big sister, Margaret, little brother Ray and baby sister Kathy, plus Nanna (Dad’s mum) and Helen.

In 1970, Helen married Dr Stuart ‘A haunting memoir of marriage and murder’

Helen Cummings had a close, loving family life, with an idyllic childhood growing up in 1950s and 1960s Australia, in the BHP town of Newcastle in NSW. She lived in Mayfield with her parents, Mum, Joy (who would later become the first ever female Lord Mayor of Newcastle) and Dad, Dennis, who was a fireman. There was also her big sister, Margaret, little brother Ray and baby sister Kathy, plus Nanna (Dad’s mum) and Helen.

In 1970, Helen married Dr Stuart Wynter, whom she had first met on local government election day in 1968.. they were both working at the election booth. Their courtship progressed smoothly, both enjoying their jobs and the time they spent together. Helen loved Stuart dearly, and even though he didn’t seem to show the same emotion, she believed he loved her.

But within a few months of their marriage, Stuart began to show a different side to his character, when for no apparent reason, he would be in a full rage, ranting at Helen. She blamed herself, and tried to do everything to make him happy, but it didn’t work.

They had a beautiful daughter, Sarah, then a couple of years later, Brendan. All the while, Helen was trying to give the image of a perfect marriage, a loving couple with their children...no-one knew of the terror she was facing, and the uncertainty of when Stuart would erupt in a rage.

Things escalated when they moved to Gloucester to take over the Doctor’s surgery there..the outside facade was one of a happy family, Stuart’s patients loved him, everyone said what a lovely man he was. But behind closed doors, things were different...so much so that Helen ended up taking her two children with her, and moving back in with her family in Newcastle, to keep the family safe.

After their divorce, Stuart eventually married his second wife, Rakentati, and they had a little daughter, Binatia. They moved to Heathcote in Victoria, where, when Binatia was just four years old, in 1984, Stuart murdered his wife and daughter, and then killed himself.

The bravery of Helen, to write these memoirs, and the heartbreak she and her children went through, is astounding. The horror of the deaths of Rakentati and Binatia continue to haunt Helen today. She says at the end of the book...’she is the mother of a famous daughter and the daughter of a famous mother’.

This book was painful, the abuse was terrible, but I’m really glad I read it. I’d recommend it to everyone.
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5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 07, 2014 Blue Eyed Vixen marked it as to-read

Shelves: murder

Jan 24, 2016 Bri rated it it was ok

Shelves: australian-writers, memoir, non-fiction, true-crime, australian-women-writer, 2016, kindle

1 like · Like

Aug 31, 2018 Renee marked it as to-read

Shelves: argh-i-cannot-find-this-gem

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