Member Reviews
Thank you for the ARC of this and apologies for the delay in reading.
This was not really as expected but did make for interesting reading.
I would recommend
Interesting book written from the perspective of victim Beryl Evans brother Peter Thorley.
Interesting looking at his views on the case and into his family's life but sadly doesn't add anything new to what already been said and written about Timothy Evans and Christie.
I thought I had previously reviewed this book, well written, kept my interest and I couldn't put it down, yet I wanted to make it last and savour it.
An interesting way of looking at historically remembered events. Not 100% convinced, but made for an interesting read.
I watch and read anything that is true crime related so I have come across many different cases through the years, but this one I had not. Which is surprising due to the crimes that John Christies committed. This was an emotional roller coaster ride throughout the entire book. Having the account told from the victim's brother was so gripping because you could feel his emotions through the words on the page. Peter Thorley had spent 35 years researching this case and is convinced that Beryl's husband Timothy Evans is actually his sister's killer and not John Christies as the police believe. It is truly fascinating to get a first hand account from someone that personally knew each 0f the key players in this crime. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is a true crime buff.
The events that occurred at 10 Rillington Place in the 1940s and 50s have become the subject of numerous books, documentaries, television serials and films. How much of this, however, paints an accurate picture of what actually happened? This is something that the author has tried to answer, using his first-hand experience of the house to discuss the real personalities of the two convicted killers that lived there: John Reginald Halliday Christie and Timothy Evans.
Before I give my opinion of the book, a little background information is needed for those unfamiliar with the case. In 1949, Timothy Evans was charged with the murder of his wife, Beryl, and his young daughter, Geraldine, whilst the family were living at 10 Rillington Place. Evans was, the following year, found guilty and was hanged at Pentonville Prison. In 1953, a horrific discovery occurred at the house when the bodies of several more women were found hidden in an alcove. Christie was subsequently arrested, he too being hanged at Pentonville. How probable was it that there were two unconnected murderers living at the house at the same time? With much of Evans’ prosecution evidence coming from Christie, there were questions asked about the fairness of his trial. Consequently, in 1966, Evans received a posthumous pardon for the murder of his daughter although it was still deemed likely that he had killed his wife.
I have read quite a lot about this case over the years, but this was the first time I’d read something from the perspective of someone so personally involved. The author, Peter Thorley, was Beryl’s younger brother and was someone who spent a bit of time at 10 Rillington Place visiting his sister and young niece. His insights into Beryl and Timothy’s life was fascinating, painting a picture of a truly unhappy marriage, with Beryl being the victim of her husband’s anger on practically a daily basis. I had great sympathy for Peter who, as her younger brother, felt powerless to help and angry that no one else in the family would listen to his fears.
Perhaps the biggest surprise to me was Peter’s attitude towards Christie. The young Peter certainly didn’t see a murderous side to him, and he actually felt that he liked children. Could this man, therefore, really have been responsible for the death of young Geraldine or were the original charges correct and Evans did actually kill his young daughter? The author definitely gives food for thought.
While this is a comprehensive account of the events at 10 Rillington Place, for me this was more about getting to know Beryl. In everything I have read and seen, there has never been a focus on the victim, something which Peter Thorley has put right here. My heart went out to Peter who found himself on the other side of the world when the murder happened, unable to be there for his beloved sister.
If you have an interest in true crime, I can thoroughly recommend this book. It is a well-written account of an infamous murder case with a personal slant which takes you right into the heart of 10 Rillington Place. I commend Peter Thorley for telling Beryl’s story.
A Personal Narrative...
A personal narrative and heavily researched account of distressing and brutal murder. A clearly emotionally charged account which makes for engaging although often disturbing reading.
I have to admit to being fascinated by the 10 Rillington Place murders. They highlight the reality of life for many in post-war London, and that it was not the rose-tinted version we have been led to believe.
This new account of those events has an insight many others lack. Peter Thorley is the brother of Beryl Evans, the woman murdered, although who murdered her is disputed. For many years the general consensus was that Christie must have murdered her, as it was far too much of a coincidence for there to be two murderers in that small, squalid, house. Thorley lays out the violence that Beryl suffered at the hands of Evans. He gives a compelling account of the death of Beryl and her daughter Geraldine. While he may be biased, it is not an unreasonable bias. I would recommend this book, if only as a highly detailed account of the reality of life inside Rillington Place.
An immensely sad read. I knew the story of 10 Rillington Place and had always assumed that Christie was guilty. Peter Thorley’s account is very believable, and this therefore means that the posthumous pardon for Evans was wrong. It was interesting to read this story from the Thorley family’s viewpoint, and the personal details were fascinating. Most books in the past have changed concentrated more on Christie. Highly recommended.
The book got off to a slow start. The first 30% or so was a chore for me to read, but that is because I find reading about war quite boring. Once that part was over the book flowed well and I enjoyed reading the rest. This was a murder I had not heard of before and it was interesting to hear it from the victims' brother/uncle. I'm sure it was hard for him to write, but I am glad he shared it with us.
Fantastic read well worth giving it a go a lot of interesting information in this book I would definitely recommend
Very interesting story. It takes place in England during World War II, I learned a lot about the war and the way that people (especially children) were affected. The murder itself ends up being surprising, I did not expect the truth until it was explained. If you are a history buff, or enjoy murder mysteries with twists, this is the book for you.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror Books for the arc of Inside 10 Rillington Place
4 stars- it had me hooked and page turning it was a great read, I loved how it told the story of John Christie the serial killer! i find true crime books so interesting so I loved this and how well written it was and how it was portrayed perfectly well done Peter Thorley. Definitely recommend
Inside 10 Rillington Place was such a let down! I didn't know anything about the case when I requested this book from Netgalley, so I went in completely blind. I'm massively disappointed by the way the case was presented, and I wish I wasn't because this is such an interesting case!
Since this book is told by Peter, the younger brother of one of the victims, it provides a completely biased view of what happened back in the 1940's and '50's. That would have been fine, except I was expecting a much more nuanced version of events to be presented to me. I found it very frustrating and it put a massive damper on my reading experience.
In addition to that, the book is presented as though the reader already has a bit of knowledge about the case. I personally hadn't heard of the case before, and I hadn't seen the TV show (which is apparently very good!) either. This book wasn't a very good introduction to it as it made a lot of assumptions about the reader's prior knowledge.
I'm looking forward to doing my own research into this case, but as a true crime book this one fell more than a little flat for me.
I dont think i liked the organization of the book and that is what make it s a 3 star. It went back and forth with memories and stories and i would have liked a smooth outline from childhood to current instead of the flip flop. i think this would make a nice documentary/docuseries but as a book I was quite let down.
Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy of Inside 10 Rillington Place by Peter Thorley from Mirror Books via NetGalley in exchange for possibly writing a review.
Part memoir, part true crime novel, Inside 10 Rillington Place is an attempt by the author to try and set the record straight about the horrific murder of his sister and niece. Because Peter Thorley has first-hand experience with the people involved, his account carries weight, and he is able to make reasoned arguments for who he believes really killed his sister and niece. At the same time, you realize he is not completely unbiased. There is a twist in the story that I won't give away here. This is a good book for true crime buffs.
I haven't read too many real-life crime books in my time and I found this a little difficult to begin with because of the large list of characters and their relevence to the story.
I know that Peter Thorley is not a natural author and is a man writing his memoirs but it was quite long winded and uncessary in places. I did however find the story to be fascinating and would recommend everyone to give it a go if they are a fan of crime fiction. It's shocking that I have never heard of this case due to the horrors that took place and the evil detectives discovered at the house.
A very good read, a brave story told by a grieving brother and uncle - gripping to the end.
The truth this book is labeled. The entire book was the victims brother's views and opinions and the facts are ones anyone knew. There was no "truth" or basis for truth. The first 30% of the book was his childhood, WWII and facts of WWII.....bombing, rationing, coupon books etc.
I used to read a lot of true crime stories in my teens so I remembered the story. This was more a personal account as the author is the brother of Beryl who was married to Evans. Worth a read if you like true crime stories but you will still never know the truth.
While I found this book very interesting, and no one can deny the surprise of all of the coincidences, I wish that it had been paced better. The story peaked way too soon. Additionally, the author has a hard time being objective because he's too close to the story. It is certainly a story worth telling, and it is my belief that he intended for this book to set the record straight but the last 20 % of the book really lagged.