What do you think?
Rate this book
Prescription for Murder
He was a pillar of the community, serving on local committees, donating prizes to the rugby club, organising charity collections. His patients thought the world of him: he was attentive, kind, never too busy to chat.
Yet Dr Harold Frederick Shipman was also the most prolific serial killer the world has ever known, with between 200 and 300 victims. Quietly, for many years, the small, bespectacled GP was making unexpected house calls - and walking out leaving a dead body behind.
The murderous career of Dr Shipman only came to an end when police in Hyde, Greater Manchester, were called to investigate a forged will. Overnight, they found themselves embroiled in the biggest murder case in British history.
Prescription for Murder is a compelling account of these monstrous crimes and of the man who committed them. The authors have had unparalleled access to friends, colleagues and patients. Their in-depth and authoritative investigation looks at how he killed, how he was able to get away with it for so long, and - most important of all - why.
Yet Dr Harold Frederick Shipman was also the most prolific serial killer the world has ever known, with between 200 and 300 victims. Quietly, for many years, the small, bespectacled GP was making unexpected house calls - and walking out leaving a dead body behind.
The murderous career of Dr Shipman only came to an end when police in Hyde, Greater Manchester, were called to investigate a forged will. Overnight, they found themselves embroiled in the biggest murder case in British history.
Prescription for Murder is a compelling account of these monstrous crimes and of the man who committed them. The authors have had unparalleled access to friends, colleagues and patients. Their in-depth and authoritative investigation looks at how he killed, how he was able to get away with it for so long, and - most important of all - why.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2004
49 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 12, 2012
Lucidly written and avoiding sensationalisation, Whittle and Ritchie’s book provides a fascinating account of Harold Shipman’s life and his crimes. The extensive research underpinning the account is clearly evidenced throughout including: numerous interviews with the family and friends of victims, former colleagues and patients, and the various agencies involved in the case such as the police and victim support; documentary sources such official testimony and the letters that Shipman sent from prison to supporters; and accounts of the court case. Well structured and paced, the book carefully balances historical narrative with human stories and associated facts. To the authors' credit, the tone is restrained and appropriately sensitive and compassionate with respect to family and friends, never losing sight of the fact that the Shipman murders involved real people and that there are many people still grieving and asking questions. Harold Shipman: Prescription for Murder is an excellent but deeply troubling and unsettling read about a man that many people trusted with their health but who liked to play god with their lives.
June 11, 2013
This book, a well written and well researched account of the vile deeds of a thoroughly horrible, self opinionated, nasty conniving man who successfully hid behind a charade of an upstanding pillar of the community... a general practitioner is disturbing in the extreme! The book really is a worthy read and one which you will find hard to put down as the full extent (or maybe even not the full extent) of Shipman's dreadful actions are laid bare. I don't think we will ever know just how many he did kill. It is one of those stories which you are glad to have read but almost wish you hadn't as the events can remain with you for some time.
April 4, 2017
You know, for a murderer as prolific as Shipman was, I expected the authors would have plenty of detail to include in this book. Evidently that was not the case as I found it to be maddeningly sparse on detail. Only one case is covered with any degree of depth (Grundy's) and even in that one there is so much the authors entirely gloss over as if it is unimportant.
When I read crime non-fiction, I'm doing so to learn how the murders took place, the circumstances, the specific evidence obtained, the police interpretation of it, the prosecution presentation of it in court, and the defense provided by the defendent's attorney. There is almost none of that here. Instead we get these lengthy back stories about the witnesses and family of victims, police officers etc. A three page description of the investigation team's office hierarchy and organization including the weekly curry supper.
There is also a problem with the writing ability of one or possibly both authors. Sentence structure is periodically poor. Run on sentences abound. Parts of the book read like newspaper articles where the author is attempting to jam as much detail in to a single sentence as possible. Everything is delivered in a disorganized way, jumping back and forth on chronology. Sometimes it reads like a point form synopsis.
You will get more detail about Shipman's case reading articles online. This book is a waste of time.
When I read crime non-fiction, I'm doing so to learn how the murders took place, the circumstances, the specific evidence obtained, the police interpretation of it, the prosecution presentation of it in court, and the defense provided by the defendent's attorney. There is almost none of that here. Instead we get these lengthy back stories about the witnesses and family of victims, police officers etc. A three page description of the investigation team's office hierarchy and organization including the weekly curry supper.
There is also a problem with the writing ability of one or possibly both authors. Sentence structure is periodically poor. Run on sentences abound. Parts of the book read like newspaper articles where the author is attempting to jam as much detail in to a single sentence as possible. Everything is delivered in a disorganized way, jumping back and forth on chronology. Sometimes it reads like a point form synopsis.
You will get more detail about Shipman's case reading articles online. This book is a waste of time.
September 11, 2015
This is the first non-fiction book I have read (apart from educational text books). I selected it because I was too young to remember what Harold Shipman actually did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the way it started from the beginning of both Harold and Primrose's lives. It is sad that he killed so may people, for it is impossible to remember the victims' stories when their names were mentioned later on in the book. I also enjoyed the theories behind his behavior.
I got strange looks when reading it - but that is no matter to me. I found it interesting to read about true events in depth and get an appreciation of events and their rippling consequences. We often just see news stories and shrug. But this booked showed me it has long reaching results.
I would definitly read more non-fiction on murderers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the way it started from the beginning of both Harold and Primrose's lives. It is sad that he killed so may people, for it is impossible to remember the victims' stories when their names were mentioned later on in the book. I also enjoyed the theories behind his behavior.
I got strange looks when reading it - but that is no matter to me. I found it interesting to read about true events in depth and get an appreciation of events and their rippling consequences. We often just see news stories and shrug. But this booked showed me it has long reaching results.
I would definitly read more non-fiction on murderers.
March 28, 2015
No great insights into why he did what he did, but useful for a chronology of events.
November 13, 2022
You would think book about a serial killer who killed about 250 people would be gripping, but no. One problem is the journalistic style of the authors (both reporters) which often goes very heavy on detail, but little of it is interesting. Another problem is that Shipman's murders were very dispassionate and routine. It's pretty much the same thing every time: visit one of his elderly patients at home, inject them full of morphine, done. And thirdly, he never confessed or talked about his crimes, so any discussion of motivation or psychology is pure speculation. None of it particularly convincing. Some aspects of the story are interesting: how he got away with it for so long, his arrogance and cold attitude with the victims' families. But this didn't need to be 430 pages, and maybe doesn't even need more than a Wikipedia entry.
August 3, 2025
This was an extensively researched and well presented overview of the early life, career and crimes of Dr Harold ‘Fred’ Shipman, the most prolific serial killer the world has ever known.
The journalist authors gathered information from many sources; victims families, ex-colleagues, local residents and business owners in Hyde, police, coroners, even prison-letters from Shipman to his supporters. All of this was reported sensitively and with compassion for the victims.
The nature of his killings are so at odds with the traditionally thought of serial killer – no sensationalist gore or depravity, no teasing of the police, press and public. His victims, nearly always older, single women, died in total peace and comfort in their own homes.
The authors make a brief attempt to explain why Shipman was driven to murder, but do not really succeed. Shipman himself never confessed or gave any insight into his motives and so all theories are conjecture.
I imagine that he was so haunted by the painful, protracted death of his mother during his teens, that this was inextricably linked to his killings. It seems clear to me that he had narcissistic personality disorder; I wonder was he repeatedly reliving a phantasy in which he was an angel delivering everlasting peace? Or was he punishing the mother who idolised him over and over for abandoning him?
The final pages endlessly listing all his victims had a profound effect on me.
The journalist authors gathered information from many sources; victims families, ex-colleagues, local residents and business owners in Hyde, police, coroners, even prison-letters from Shipman to his supporters. All of this was reported sensitively and with compassion for the victims.
The nature of his killings are so at odds with the traditionally thought of serial killer – no sensationalist gore or depravity, no teasing of the police, press and public. His victims, nearly always older, single women, died in total peace and comfort in their own homes.
The authors make a brief attempt to explain why Shipman was driven to murder, but do not really succeed. Shipman himself never confessed or gave any insight into his motives and so all theories are conjecture.
I imagine that he was so haunted by the painful, protracted death of his mother during his teens, that this was inextricably linked to his killings. It seems clear to me that he had narcissistic personality disorder; I wonder was he repeatedly reliving a phantasy in which he was an angel delivering everlasting peace? Or was he punishing the mother who idolised him over and over for abandoning him?
The final pages endlessly listing all his victims had a profound effect on me.
June 8, 2017
Good, but I think the book was a little confused about what it wanted to be, and almost didn't have space or time to cover all of this case. I think there are three books here: the memoirs of the victims, the life story of Shipman and a psychological query into how this could have happened. It fell short on each of these things as a consequence of trying to write them all into one book. However, it was a thoughtful and sensitive depiction, with the victims and their families central.
October 16, 2019
Very sensitive to and respectful of the victims and their families. A bit flowery and over-egging the salt of the earth townsfolk of Hyde.
Recounts the life and career of Shipman, the many many killings and the trial and public enquiry.....but ultimately does not explain satisfactorily why Shipman killed - not a fault of the book or a lack of research- because Shipman never explained himself so it's just conjecture.
Recounts the life and career of Shipman, the many many killings and the trial and public enquiry.....but ultimately does not explain satisfactorily why Shipman killed - not a fault of the book or a lack of research- because Shipman never explained himself so it's just conjecture.
November 24, 2020
A gruesome read
The authors have done their work thoroughly, this is not a book which has been cobbled from the work of others. Shipman is an enigma, a man who killed hundreds of people over 25 years and was never suspected. In the end he practically have himself away. Yet his family stood by him to the end and he never admitted his guilt or hinted at a reason why. This gives the full story, as much as it is possible to discern anyway.
The authors have done their work thoroughly, this is not a book which has been cobbled from the work of others. Shipman is an enigma, a man who killed hundreds of people over 25 years and was never suspected. In the end he practically have himself away. Yet his family stood by him to the end and he never admitted his guilt or hinted at a reason why. This gives the full story, as much as it is possible to discern anyway.
October 29, 2025
'Prescription for Murder' is one of two books about Harold Shipman that were rushed out when he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000. The other is 'Addicted to Killing' by Mikala Sitford. While both are worth reading if you're interested in this case, this one, written by journalists Brian Whittle and Jean Ritchie, is more detailed and much less sensationalist. I believe that the authors investigated Shipman's early years better than anyone before or since, and they uncovered many previously unknown details about him.
It is most frustrating that, despite the book's best efforts, we will never really know why Shipman did what he did and who he really was. None in his family has granted interviews, and the man hung himself without ever admitting his guilt. However, this book goes a long way in detailing what he did and how he managed to get away with killing his patients (a figure that goes in the hundreds!) for so long. The authors conducted their own interviews with people who knew and worked alongside Shipman, many of whom experienced the less appealing side of his nature. Although they didn't suspect him of being a mass murderer, he could be cold, arrogant and a bully, a contrast to the manner in which he treated his elderly clientele, at least to their faces when they went to see him, and presumingly when he came to their homes (often unannounced).
The book also offers 'expert opinions,' which may or may not provide some of the right answers as to why he murdered. It is also respectful to the many people whose lives were slain by the man they assumed, with good reason, they could trust - their well-respected family GP.
Like I said, there is a wealth of information about Shipman's early years, and his mother, whose death does seem to have had a profound effect on him. The research that has gone into this tome is very evident, with no stone left unturned. Unlike other books, his wife is profiled at length with a whole chapter dedicated to her formative years. It also details the not-so-close relationship she had with her family, which was similar to her husband's.
At the start, the authors use descriptive writing, and we, the reader, feel like we are an onlooker to the grim event of the exhumation of Shipman's final victim. However, it soon adopts a more factual, straightforward style that is easy to read.
The late Brian Whittle was a local man familiar with the Hyde area, where some of the murders occurred, and Jean Ritchie has authored many other interesting books. If I had to mention one drawback of this one, it would be that they sometimes focused a bit too much on minor aspects of the case that were neither particularly important nor interesting. However, the book serves as a very comprehensive chronology of Harold Shipman's life and crimes. Overall, I would say it is still the best account available so far.
Please note that ' Prescription for Murder' was revised and updated several times, so the original is quite outdated in the sense that a lot of information regarding specific victims (who only came to light afterwards) is left out. My advice is to get the editions that were published after Shipman's suicide in 2004 (although some things were omitted from the first edition to make room so, I guess, if you're particularly interested in the case or find yourself engrossed in either edition, then you might want to go for both.)
It is most frustrating that, despite the book's best efforts, we will never really know why Shipman did what he did and who he really was. None in his family has granted interviews, and the man hung himself without ever admitting his guilt. However, this book goes a long way in detailing what he did and how he managed to get away with killing his patients (a figure that goes in the hundreds!) for so long. The authors conducted their own interviews with people who knew and worked alongside Shipman, many of whom experienced the less appealing side of his nature. Although they didn't suspect him of being a mass murderer, he could be cold, arrogant and a bully, a contrast to the manner in which he treated his elderly clientele, at least to their faces when they went to see him, and presumingly when he came to their homes (often unannounced).
The book also offers 'expert opinions,' which may or may not provide some of the right answers as to why he murdered. It is also respectful to the many people whose lives were slain by the man they assumed, with good reason, they could trust - their well-respected family GP.
Like I said, there is a wealth of information about Shipman's early years, and his mother, whose death does seem to have had a profound effect on him. The research that has gone into this tome is very evident, with no stone left unturned. Unlike other books, his wife is profiled at length with a whole chapter dedicated to her formative years. It also details the not-so-close relationship she had with her family, which was similar to her husband's.
At the start, the authors use descriptive writing, and we, the reader, feel like we are an onlooker to the grim event of the exhumation of Shipman's final victim. However, it soon adopts a more factual, straightforward style that is easy to read.
The late Brian Whittle was a local man familiar with the Hyde area, where some of the murders occurred, and Jean Ritchie has authored many other interesting books. If I had to mention one drawback of this one, it would be that they sometimes focused a bit too much on minor aspects of the case that were neither particularly important nor interesting. However, the book serves as a very comprehensive chronology of Harold Shipman's life and crimes. Overall, I would say it is still the best account available so far.
Please note that ' Prescription for Murder' was revised and updated several times, so the original is quite outdated in the sense that a lot of information regarding specific victims (who only came to light afterwards) is left out. My advice is to get the editions that were published after Shipman's suicide in 2004 (although some things were omitted from the first edition to make room so, I guess, if you're particularly interested in the case or find yourself engrossed in either edition, then you might want to go for both.)
June 9, 2022
Excellent book on Dr Death, Harold Shipman.
This belongs to the strata of true crime books that are made up of times that are meticulously researched rather than being cut and paste cash-ins which is why it’s so good.
This belongs to the strata of true crime books that are made up of times that are meticulously researched rather than being cut and paste cash-ins which is why it’s so good.
August 20, 2025
enjoyed
Couldn’t put it down. Intriguing and suspenseful. It was hard to follow the timeline at times. Book was not just entertainment but a tribute to the victims who were described warmly and respectfully in the book.
Couldn’t put it down. Intriguing and suspenseful. It was hard to follow the timeline at times. Book was not just entertainment but a tribute to the victims who were described warmly and respectfully in the book.
February 22, 2019
Interesting book especially as my in-laws live in Hyde. Scary to think one person made such an impact on a little town.
July 2, 2019
Well written
April 30, 2021
An interesting case to read about. Unfortunately, I think the simple nature of the crimes hardly makes it a page turner. Still worth a read.
September 22, 2022
It was good
August 26, 2025
An interesting read. Heavy going at times with great detail regarding places/buildings involved in the case. At other points the detail is welcome in understanding this case.
September 17, 2025
Excellent, well researched documentary . Perhaps the most definitive book relating to the background and crimes of Harold Shipman.
November 13, 2012
People trust their GP. They see him or her when they are at their most vulnerable and wanting to discuss worrying symptoms or hear the results of recent tests. If there is one person in your life you can trust it is usually your family doctor. The Shipman case shows how this trust can be misplaced and how the trust can actually work against wrongdoing being exposed. Shipman was a hardworking schoolboy who wanted to do well in life encouraged by his mother who thought the world of him. His mother died when he was seventeen and watching her die may have helped to fuel his fascination with drugs and their effects.
He gained a place at Leeds Medical School and qualified as a doctor meeting his future wife, Primrose, while he was training. They married when she became pregnant. It is possible he started killing patients when he was working at a hospital in Ponetfract after he was first qualified as there were patients who died sooner than expected. But it wasn’t until he was working as a GP in Todmorden, on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border that the killing really started. Here also he developed a Pethidine addiction – which he overcame after being convicted.
In spite of this conviction – for prescription fraud - he became a GP in a newly established large practice in Hyde, Cheshire where he hoped to make a fresh start. His patients liked him and trusted him and he was very popular with older people. He was less popular with surgery staff and frequently had arguments with them. He could be arrogant and regarded other people as ‘stupid’ – even those who were more highly educated than he was himself. But with his patients he seemed to be caring and kind and nothing was too much trouble for him.
It was after he left the large GP practice in Hyde that he seems to have felt he was safe to kill more people because he was working on his own. His staff loved him as did his patients and there was always a long waiting list to join. But those who had professional contact with him – GPs in other practices and undertakers – started to question how many of his patients were dying. Even a local taxi driver who specialised in transporting elderly people started to keep records of how many of his customers died unexpectedly who were also Shipman’s patients.
Eventually there was a bungled police investigation which decided that there was no criminal activity. It was only after Shipman’s botched attempt at forging the will of a Mrs Kathleen Grundy, whose daughter was a solicitor, that a proper investigation was launched and Shipman was charged with fifteen counts of murder and one of forgery, tried and convicted by a unanimous verdict from the jury.
These are not the violent deaths which the popular imagination associates with serial killers. They are calm and peaceful – often in the victim’s own home following an unexpected but welcome visit from a GP who was known and trusted. If the victims had been terminally ill and not enjoying their lives then maybe, just maybe, Shipman could still have been free to continue killing at will. Instead his victims, many of them elderly were bright and lively people still living their lives to the full. One generation of several families was wiped out and neighbours suffered the same fate as neighbour. The death rate of patients in his practice was five times higher than that of GPs in the area with the majority dying at home whereas the majority of people die in hospital or in a hospice.
Why did he do it? This book offers some possible explanations but no one will ever know what his motivations really were because he took them to his grave and never really admitted what he had done. Almost three hundred people died at his hand and many more deaths are suspicious and may have been as a result of his actions. I found this book totally compelling reading as I did not follow the case at the time. It is a well written and comprehensive survey of Shipman’s life and work and the investigation and trial which led to his conviction on multiple counts of murder. It also looks at the enquiry which followed and which uncovered many errors and missed opportunities.
The book is not written in a sensational style and as far as I can tell it offers a balanced view of this massive case. Evidence both for and against is discussed but it clear that the sheer weight of evidence when it was all pieced together was against Shipman. Reading the book provided food for thought about how most of us take some things in life for granted and do not think to question them. It also made me think about how a person’s good reputation may mean they are almost proof against any doubts which might be raised by anyone about their conduct. While life can be miserable if we question everything it can be good to listen to intuition if it raises doubts.
He gained a place at Leeds Medical School and qualified as a doctor meeting his future wife, Primrose, while he was training. They married when she became pregnant. It is possible he started killing patients when he was working at a hospital in Ponetfract after he was first qualified as there were patients who died sooner than expected. But it wasn’t until he was working as a GP in Todmorden, on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border that the killing really started. Here also he developed a Pethidine addiction – which he overcame after being convicted.
In spite of this conviction – for prescription fraud - he became a GP in a newly established large practice in Hyde, Cheshire where he hoped to make a fresh start. His patients liked him and trusted him and he was very popular with older people. He was less popular with surgery staff and frequently had arguments with them. He could be arrogant and regarded other people as ‘stupid’ – even those who were more highly educated than he was himself. But with his patients he seemed to be caring and kind and nothing was too much trouble for him.
It was after he left the large GP practice in Hyde that he seems to have felt he was safe to kill more people because he was working on his own. His staff loved him as did his patients and there was always a long waiting list to join. But those who had professional contact with him – GPs in other practices and undertakers – started to question how many of his patients were dying. Even a local taxi driver who specialised in transporting elderly people started to keep records of how many of his customers died unexpectedly who were also Shipman’s patients.
Eventually there was a bungled police investigation which decided that there was no criminal activity. It was only after Shipman’s botched attempt at forging the will of a Mrs Kathleen Grundy, whose daughter was a solicitor, that a proper investigation was launched and Shipman was charged with fifteen counts of murder and one of forgery, tried and convicted by a unanimous verdict from the jury.
These are not the violent deaths which the popular imagination associates with serial killers. They are calm and peaceful – often in the victim’s own home following an unexpected but welcome visit from a GP who was known and trusted. If the victims had been terminally ill and not enjoying their lives then maybe, just maybe, Shipman could still have been free to continue killing at will. Instead his victims, many of them elderly were bright and lively people still living their lives to the full. One generation of several families was wiped out and neighbours suffered the same fate as neighbour. The death rate of patients in his practice was five times higher than that of GPs in the area with the majority dying at home whereas the majority of people die in hospital or in a hospice.
Why did he do it? This book offers some possible explanations but no one will ever know what his motivations really were because he took them to his grave and never really admitted what he had done. Almost three hundred people died at his hand and many more deaths are suspicious and may have been as a result of his actions. I found this book totally compelling reading as I did not follow the case at the time. It is a well written and comprehensive survey of Shipman’s life and work and the investigation and trial which led to his conviction on multiple counts of murder. It also looks at the enquiry which followed and which uncovered many errors and missed opportunities.
The book is not written in a sensational style and as far as I can tell it offers a balanced view of this massive case. Evidence both for and against is discussed but it clear that the sheer weight of evidence when it was all pieced together was against Shipman. Reading the book provided food for thought about how most of us take some things in life for granted and do not think to question them. It also made me think about how a person’s good reputation may mean they are almost proof against any doubts which might be raised by anyone about their conduct. While life can be miserable if we question everything it can be good to listen to intuition if it raises doubts.
May 11, 2012
I had long wondered about Dr Shipman, and his crime, feeling that he was perhaps someone like me, who found it hard to watch those is pain with terminal diseases waiting for a release that was too long in coming. Someone who had then started to "help" these people, which is a crime, but one that I felt did not rank him as the monster he had been painted. This book explained the situation clearly, and I realised that Dr Shipman had killed for his own ...pleasure, for want of a better word. He came across as rather narcissistic, needing to control those around him. He died without acknowledging his guilt, and so he never gave an explanation himself. However the three pages of the names of his victims was extremely moving.
I only gave three stars because I didn't like the journalistic style of the writing.
I only gave three stars because I didn't like the journalistic style of the writing.
July 20, 2023
The name us Brits always heard but never knew in detail. Whittle's biography of Shipman and the build up and story to his disgraceful crimes is fantastic and interesting all the way through. Presenting all of this case in it's entirety is no easy read, but a fascinating one once doing so. The way Shipman lived and how the beginning of his career and childhood affected him, has to be one of the saddest stories to hear that ended in the murder of 100s of innocent people. Compelling and always interesting.
July 18, 2016
A fascinating and comprehensive account of the 'career' of Dr Shipman. The author has researched his subject in great detail and, while being necessarily objective, he paints a skilled picture showing the obsessive nature of a depraved individual whose reasons for murder remain unclear.
July 31, 2008
Interesting but also very unnerving to think that a man in a position of trust could murder, not once or twice but possibly more than 300 times.
October 28, 2014
Disturbing yet clearly documented, this book told a chilling tale of mans inhumanity to man.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews