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Babes in the Wood cover art

Babes in the Wood

By: Graham Bartlett, Peter James
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
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Summary

A gripping true crime story and an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, Babes in the Wood by Graham Bartlett with Peter James is a fascinating account of what became a thirty-two year fight for justice.

On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a local park. This devastating crime rocked the country.

With unique access to the officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the investigation as the net tightens around local man Russell Bishop. The trial that follows is one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing – a shock result sees Bishop walk free.

Three years later, Graham is working in Brighton CID when a seven-year-old girl is abducted and left to die. She survives . . . and Bishop’s name comes up as a suspect. Is history repeating itself? Can the police put him away this time, and will he ever be made to answer for his past horrendous crimes?

'An extremely well-written and detailed account' – Adam Hibbert, former head of Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team

'A triumph . . . Babes in the Wood should be required reading for all budding detectives' – Malcolm Bacon, former DI

©2020 Graham Bartlett (P)2020 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

What listeners say about Babes in the Wood

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Babes in the Wood

Wow what a fascinating and in-depth In-sight to this very harrowing crime. Written with such compassion. So informative. So many facts I never knew about. Brilliant

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Graham Bartlett tells the real story

I don't usually read real crime stories but if Graham Bartlett writes it I will read it . No flannel or over exaggeration just the whole truth told with the facts in a logical easy to understand way

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Babes in the Wood

This is an excellent book about a monster who got away with it for too long.

The author gives a balanced account of both the good and the bad including the police.

Well written and well narrated.

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Compulsive reading/listening

I never normally write reviews but I was completely gripped by this book.

I moved to Brighton just after the terrible events unfolded and subsequently met a police officer who had worked on Nicola and Karen’s case. He always said that they knew who’d murdered the girls and weren’t looking for anybody else. It was just a question of proving it.

This book tells their story perfectly and also the story of the very brave, intelligent ‘Clare’ who still lives with her terrible ordeal.



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Sensitively written & detailed

This was sensitively written record of the decades long investigation into Nicola Fellows & Karen Hadaway in Brighton. It gave great insight into Brighton at the time, policing and the justice system (especially in relation to double jeopardy) whilst recognising the trauma endured by the girls families as they fought for justice, including the vile accusations made against Nicola's father by the murderer and those who supported him.

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A close up view of the way police way police really work.

Loved this book, I shed a few tears for the parents. Also great sympathy for police . Let the reader. See the hard work done by our police .

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Babes in the wood

Outstanding depiction of a real tragedy in ordinary peoples lives. Very thought provoking and shows the resilience of those families

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Excellent, gripping, compulsive

This excellent, gripping, compulsive book draws you in immediately from there until the end

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Very interesting case

Found this very interesting and very informative. I did personally have to pop in and out of listening

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A superb description of pure evil....

This book is very good - it takes a little bit of time to get going with some slightly cliched and unnecessary detail. However once momentum has been built then it is fast paced and keeps you listening. One tiny tiny issue is the author comes across as being a bit lefty with his observations about cuts to public spending....

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