Fred and Rose: The Full Story by Howard Sounes Book Review

If you’re interested in true crime, then you’ve no doubt heard of the notorious couple Fred and Rose West. Their sordid tale is one that has captivated people for decades, and now, with Howard Sounes’s book ‘Fred and Rose: The Full Story’, their story has been brought to life in an extraordinary way. Read on to find out what sets this book apart from other true crime stories.

Click me to go to my Review

Synopsis

FRED & ROSE IS THE DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THIS INFAMOUS TRUE CRIME CASE – NOW UPDATED WITH A POSTSCRIPT FROM THE AUTHOR

Fred and Rose West are virtually unique in British criminal history: a husband and wife who loved and killed together.

During their long relationship, the Wests murdered a series of young women, burying the remains of nine victims under their home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, including those of their daughter. What was left of Fred West’s eight-year-old stepdaughter was dug up from under the Wests’ previous Gloucester home; his first wife and nanny were buried in open country. Most victims had been decapitated and dismembered, their remains showing signs of sexual torture. These twelve are just the ones police found when the Wests were arrested in 1994. There may be more whose bones have not been located….

Howard Sounes broke the first major story about the Wests as a journalist, and covered the murder trial of Rosemary West, before writing Fred & Rose, the definitive account of this infamous case. Beginning with Fred’s and Rose’s bizarre childhoods, Sounes charts their lives and crimes in forensic detail, creating a fascinating and truly frightening account of a marriage soaked in blood.

About The Author

Howard Sounes covered the Fred and Rosemary West murders as a journalist before writing Fred & Rose, which has become the classic book about the case. He is also the author of Heist: The True Story of the World’s Biggest Cash Robbery as well as biographies of Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and the American writer Charles Bukowski.

My Review

Sounes was the original reporter on the case back when it first broke, which gives him a unique insight and perspective into events as they unfolded. He provides an interesting and investigative view into the lives of Fred and Rose West that often goes beyond what other books have touched upon. His writing style is engaging and conversational but also communicates facts well presented with a tabloid slant that makes it entertaining as well as informative.

The book does an excellent job of inspecting Fred & Rose’s childhoods, family history and how those factors shaped who they became later in life. It’s clear that Sounes has done extensive background research because so much detail is included throughout the whole book—from childhood anecdotes through to police reports—that really helps paint a picture of what made them tick. One of the most striking parts of this book is how it serialises the catastrophic failures of all the many departments involved—from social services, hospitals, police to staff at school—that allowed Fred & Rose’s criminal behaviour to go unnoticed for so long.

Unlike many other books, Howard Sounes begins to address some of the tenants hearing screaming, though it was clearly very easily brushed off. Maybe if these tenants had taken their concerns further the horror would have stopped much sooner. Given the failure of the ‘system’ to investigate (even with 8 children, 31 visits to A&E over the years is certainly extreme and concerning in itself!) I wonder whether any warnings would have fallen on deaf ears. Also, given the ages of the many tenants and transient nature, I wonder if they would have known what to do or would have been believed.

Fred and Rose: The Full Story provides enough of the gory details to provide a sense of what happened without too much sensationalism or speculation as to what else may have happened. In addition, the later added updates was informative and useful. The addition of many photos, and floorplans for 25 Cromwell Street helped to visualise these monsters, their lives and how their home was laid out, enabling them to continue their murderous campaign.

If you’re looking for a thorough yet entertaining account of this infamous couple then look no further than ‘Fred & Rose’ by Howard Sounes. It captures perfectly what made them tick while still providing readers with enough facts to make sense of their crimes without glorifying or sensationalising them too much. This is a must-have for anyone interested in true crime stories and offers a comprehensive introduction to Fred and Rose West.

Rated