We All Go into the Dark: A Waterstones Best True Crime Read

by Francisco García

A captivating, eloquent and deeply original book, We All Go into the Dark is an absolute must-read for true-crime fans across the board.

Three women were brutally murdered between early 1968 and late 1969, each after a night dancing at Glasgow’s infamous Barrowland Ballroom. Their murders were linked and ascribed to the spectre of the well-dressed, scripture-quoting killer who had apparently stalked the city’s dancehalls. The figure was never caught or identified.

But the intervening years spawned a legend that never quite lost its grip on the popular imagination of Glasgow. The killings provoked the country’s largest ever manhunt, as well as countless suspects, books, documentaries, earnest speculation, pub theorising and bouts of urban mythmaking.

In We All Go into the Dark, Francisco Garcia delves into how Bible John has morphed across generations, interrogates our collective obsession with ‘solving’ historic crimes and questions why some killings are forgotten with indecent haste and why others are never permitted to be forgotten at all.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, History, Audiobook

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2023

Reviews

[Johann (jobis89) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really what I was expecting nor wanted from this book, but it was well-written and meticulously researched. 3 stars.

[Sarah Faichney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether we needed another book about Bible John is arguable, but nobody can fault Francisco Garcia's evidently meticulous research. 

I appreciate the ways in which the author attempts to provide a well-rounded account of the women - names, humanising them and their bereaved families. Having said that, I still don't feel like we know much more about who they were as people. Garcia states this as being a main motivator in writing the book, although one has to wonder whether the tantalising possibility of finally unmasking the killer(s) was the true incentive - much like the true crime aficionados and podcasters he appears to criticise. 

What the author does achieve, very well, is to give us a real flavour of Glasgow in the 60s and 70s. I also found some excellent resources for further reading, as the author mentions various books throughout. 

As I read, I was particularly stricken by Garcia's account of the sheer dogged tenacity of the media - with little to no regard for the wellbeing of the people most affected by these murders. The ways in which George Puttock was repeatedly wheeled out, his pain exploited for public entertainment, is unpardonable. I just find it all so sad. I wanted to be a journalist when I was a wee girl. I'm glad it's not a career I chose to pursue in the end because the industry is increasingly being exposed as historically vicious, vile and staffed by vultures. In many ways it feels worse since the advent of social media. 

The ending of the book felt quite abrupt. 

[Connor Whitley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn’t claim to reveal anything groundbreaking but begs the question, why write it? Still enjoyable in parts because of the quality of writing.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew about Bible John through reading Ian Rankin's Rebus novels, but I had never read a true account of the murders he was supposed to have committed, so I was intrigued to read this. Bible John has never been caught, indeed there are question, as now as to whether the same man murdered the three women in question or whether they were completely unrelated.

Garcia makes a good job of this investigation. He never claims to solve the crimes or believe he can name the killer. Instead he tries to place the crimes in context against what was going on in Glasgow as a whole, during that period and attempts, where possible to give the women some dignity. He uses various aspects of the investigation to ask questions about our increasing appetite for true crime media and whether books like his help or hinder. I like the fact that he doesn't come to any concrete conclusions. His willingness to ask questions, particularly of his own role and profession and his equal willingness to admit what he doesn't know was really refreshing.

[Richard Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is less a book about Bible John than it is about the author writing about Bible John. As such it's an interesting but quite frustrating read. At the end I was nowhere closer to finding out whether there ever was a single Bible John. What is clear though is that the police investigation was very poor.

[ℳᶰᵉᵐᵒˢʸᶰᵉ · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book I do wish there was more talk on theories as to why the murders occurred, etc. I know it would be all speculation but it's always interesting to know different theories and so on.

[Ali Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the start of this book, I really enjoyed it. Then, I started to lose a bit of interest. The writing is really very good, and he has a readable narrative style that makes the whole Bible John story feel more "intimate." By doing this, he is able to show us the personal dimension of a story where the victims are often forgotten. He contacts people who were really close to the story and ponders their varying depths of involvement.

However, the latter part of the book feels more like "my investigation into the lore of Bible John." I think the Marketing isn't quite right because the tag line "the Hunt for Bible John" feels a tad erroneous and should be more like "why society is still fascinated with Bible John" or "an analysis of why we fixate on cold cases". The latter parts are definitely more of a sociological examination of the impact of the case on various individuals who were involved and then on wider Scottish society.

The chapter about the author's attendance at a crime convention was a bit random (a reward for the press pass received?). It also started feeling like the author became as obsessed and lost in the mythology of Bible John as some of the people he spoke to. The interview transcripts feel like they lack depth or substance, and it left me feeling frustrated that he didn't dig deeper.

That said, it definitely gave me a different insight into a case that I grew up hearing about. As a result, I would recommend the book. I just wish I had had a better idea of the nature/tone of the book before delving in.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘We All Go Into the Dark’ explores the unsolved case of Bible John, an unidentified serial killer who is believed to have murdered three women in 1960s Scotland.

Francisco García gives context to the crimes to provide a thorough introduction to Bible John for those (like me) who aren’t already aware of the case.

There are, understandably, no conclusions to be found here. But what is particularly striking is Garcia’s willingness to admit what he doesn’t know and establish his own feasible opinions based on comprehensive research and an unbiased approach.

This isn’t a Netflix Original take on Bible John, nor is it trying to be. Think more along the lines of Michelle McNamara’s ‘I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.’

Like McNamara, Garcia ditches the sensationalist tone of popularised true crime to shed light on a case that’s remained unsolved for far too long. While this can only be seen as a step in the right direction for the true crime genre, Garcia’s account is better suited to those who are already interested in the true crime rather than those just beginning to dip in their toes.


Overall a very informative and interesting read that maintains factual integrity throughout.

Thanks to Net Galley, Harper Collins and Mudlark Publishing who granted an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[JohnC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really strange book, but enjoyable. A sarcasm towards true crime books runs throughout the whole text, which often dips into a world weary self loathing that he’s writing one himself.

While this is understandable and at times welcome (his polite contempt for David Wilson is very funny) this overtakes the book and becomes more about the author grappling with his research and conscience; which starts to feel a tad self indulgent.

This wouldn’t be weird if that was the entire point of the book, to study true crime and our fascination with it. But it isn’t - it’s mostly a fact based, well researched account of “what and where” regarding the Bible John murders. It’s also well written; concise and thoroughly readable.

Garcia often says he doesn’t want to rehash old, well known facts about the case, but unfortunately that’s all his interviews are: quite polite, stale conversations where the subjects repeat all they’ve said before. The best interview actually winds up being with an eccentric who claims she met Bible John while working at an RAF airbase.

Ultimately it feels like a well meaning book with an identity crisis. But I strongly appreciate the attempt to reach beyond the usual sensationalism of Bible John, along with its call for self awareness when we indulge in true crime.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in Lanarkshire in the 60’s and my father was Glaswegian. I have vague memories of the frenzy at the time over the unsolved murders by "Bible John" and remember the photofit being in the newspaper fairly regularly on anniversaries. This is an excellent book but it’s not really about the search for a killer. It’s about the victims, the police, the reporters, the families and all the myriad people affected by a crime like this.

Mr Garcia is a very skilled writer and the book reads like having a chat with a friend but it’s packed full of information and atmosphere. We often went to the Barras market at the weekend and I would see the Barrowland ballroom and wonder at what magic it held. The author beautifully creates the atmosphere of the area at the time and the excitement of a night out dancing away from responsibilities.

I learned a lot reading this book. A lot I didn’t know about the people in the orbit of a killer. Especially the families as they tried to keep the story live in the hope of catching someone.

The way the narrative runs works very well and the research is handled deftly.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.75 rounded up to 3). While the book is easy to read & gives a helpful recounting of the story of Bible John for those unfamiliar with it, it adds nothing new in the way of information or viewpoints. To say that he spent 2 years ‘researching’ it seems a stretch given the book mostly recounts his sitting in the Mitchell Library & Daily Record Offices & regurgitating other people’s findings but doing little investigative work of his own in terms of speaking to people directly involved or visiting locations that didn’t require him to stay longer than 5 minutes in the cold or even simply just offering a new take. The disparaging way in which he writes about Glasgow & others involvement & views around the case make you wonder why he even bothered to write this at all. Bizarre.

[Rachel]

Not a huge fan of the audiobook's narrator, but overall found this pretty interesting and insightful. Despite living in Glasgow and having heard of Bible John growing up, I learnt a lot from this book.

[Stefan Nordin · Rating 2 out of 5]

First half is good and gives a good overview of the case and Glasgow in the late sixties. Second half is almost all filler with interviews that go nowhere and a pointless trip to a crime convention.

[Amber-Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Duncan Swann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho hum.

[James Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

[Tom Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

As good an attempt as any to grapple with the challenge of writing about crime - and writing about how people write about crime and criminals - without being swept too deeply into True Crime Brain

[Eskay · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting look into 60s glasgow and the policing at the time, but does feel a bit of a cop out when garcía is like "well maybe i too am just as bad as everyone for writing this book"

[Tracy Hollen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Niall Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this book by mistake but interesting read on something I knew nothing about.

[Sara Landricombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book review was made possible by #netgalley & #harpercollinsnonfiction #mudlarkpublishing

This was my first true crime novel for some time, I probably should have started on something less dry. I’ve never heard of the bible John case and therefore wasn’t really familiar with the fact that it’s an unsolved case that being the case I persevered. The first section of this book was informative and helped bring me up to speed but the second half with interviews with people made it slow reading - I understand the the author didn’t really have anywhere to go as I said before it’s an unsolved crime so dallied over the theories of tv personalities and previous investigators as to who might be the killer - without any really further leads it’s difficult to say who actually was bible John and it made for frustrating reading knowing that lots of forensic evidence was never obtained or was missed.

The author did however cut through all the BS that had originally surrounded this case and did put forward a fair take amongst the biased views when this case tried to resurface because of the Peter Sutcliffe case and I’m grateful for the lack of sensationalism that he could have added.

It was informative and dry but got a little weyward towards the end, but how do you end a nonfiction book without a real ending anyway? ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

#weallgointothedark #fransiscogarcia #biblejohn #truecrime

[julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating true crime book, that manages to find facts that others have overlooked. There's new light shed on the original investigation and even though most people think they know the details they're in for a shock.

Great read, engaging and well researched

[Scott Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extensively researched and well-written work of true crime which sensitively navigates the ethical pitfalls of the genre.