Evil Relations: The Man Who Bore Witness Against the Moors Murderers

by David Smith, Carol Ann Lee

The chief prosecution witness in the Moors Murders trial gives his account of the case after more than four decades of silence

Despite standing as chief prosecution witness in the Moors Murders trial, David Smith was vilified by the public due to the accusations thrown at him by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady about his involvement in their crimes. Hindley's later confession that she and Brady had lied in an attempt to reduce their sentences did little to diminish the slurs against his name. For more than four decades, Smith was asked by writers and filmmakers to tell his story. Apart from a handful of brief interviews, he always refused. Carol Ann Lee met Smith during her research for One of Your Own, her critically acclaimed biography of Hindley, following which he finally agreed to reveal all. In Evil Relations, previously published as Witness, interviews, archival research, and, most significantly, David Smith's own vivid memoir are fused to create an unforgettable, often harrowing account of his life before, during, and after the Moors Murders.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Biography, Memoir, Serial Killer, Biography Memoir

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

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David[2 spaces]Smith : Art
David[3 spaces]Smith : Economics Editor of The Sunday Times
David[4 spaces]Smith : Politics, Australian
David[5 spaces]Smith : David (Darkcat) Smith, Computer
David[6 spaces]Smith : GR Author, Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor
David[7 spaces]Smith : GR Author, Mystery, Humor & Comedy, Romance
David[8 spaces]Smith : GR Author, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Crime
David[9 spaces]Smith : Sports
David[10 spaces]Smith : GR Author, Poetry
David[11 spaces]Smith : History

Reviews

[Meconopsis Lingholm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own and have read carol ann lee's "one of our own" but I was unaware of this one until last week when I read mr smith had passed away. I looked at reviews before heading to the library to find this, and many reviews online complain of mr smith's writing....so I was prepared for bad writing....I was stunned to discover that the other reviewers were MIGHTY mistaken, mr smith's parts, his memoirs, are remarkably and beautifully written. his voice is absolutely incredible, and this book couldnt possibly have been so harrowing without his actual "voice" - this is nothing against ms lee, whose previous book on myra hindley is very highly recommended by me. david smith's story is so well done that you dont just read along toddling to this thought and that one, feeling outside of what's going on as in so many other books written about the past....you are actually there with him when he is 5 years old, on the cobbled streets of his first home playing cowboys; you are with him in the attic with his mum; you are with him when his father takes him away to gorton to a filthy and desolate house; you are with him when he finds rock n roll, with him in the streets with his soon to be wife maureen dancing to elvis; you are with him when he is laying outside his deceased mum's house broken with despair of the death of his 6 month old daughter when he was only 16 years old himself; you are with him when he's drinking with ian brady, when his only thought is obliterating himself with free booze; you are with him when he walks into the living room of his sister in law's house to the sight of ian murdering a lad his own age; you feel the grin on his face covering the scream in his soul while he's helping ian and myra clean up, knowing that to do anything else will surely cause his own death; you are with him in the following weeks, 17 years old, still shattered from the death of his daughter and accused heartlessly by police of being involved in ian's other terrible crimes; you are with him when he takes the stand for the crown, still only 17 years old, brave and eloquent; you are with him, his father and wife when they cannot work, when they are abused by the press and public as effigies of myra and ian; you are with him as his soul is breaking and there is no one, no one at all tol help reel him back in, no one to empathise; you are with him when he is constantly beaten and abused by random people everywhere he goes; you are with him when he loses it and stabs a man who followed him to abuse him; you're with him in jail when maureen writes him that letter and he gives up completely; you are with him when out of jail he finds mary and gets his children back, you are there with him when he cannot bear to let his father suffer from cancer another minute; and so on, and so on, and so on.

this is not a pretty book. this is a mortifying and harrowing book about a fella who went throiugh worse in his first 20 years than most of us could ever dream of, who did what he felt was right at every turn with no help or support, a man who was heartbreakingly and terribly abused and harassed for years, who grew up to be not just a good man but very much a great man. I wish I'd known about this book before his death,I would have liked to write to him and tell him what people should have been telling him all along, all these years: you did the right thing, mr smith. you did what you had to do, and I am sorry for what you had to endure because of it. it wasn't your fault but fate made you pay for ian and myra's evil. mary, if you ever read this, I am sorry for your loss.

[Carol Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book! I was horrified to read what David Smith had to go through and this book really moved me. Sadly, David Smith died earlier this year. I personally think this man should have been hailed as a hero for what he did by reporting Ian Brady & Myra Hindley as he most certainly brought an end to their horrendous reign of terror and for sure saved the lives of more poor innocent children from the hands of these evil monsters.
I was so upset and moved at the treatment David and his family suffered from members of the public for years.
An amazing read by an amazing author.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Smith does not exist in Wikipedia world. Just a brief mention under the heading of Moors Murders. How he must wish that the past fifty years in the real world could have provided the same anonymity.
Having read Carol Ann Lee's 'One Of Your Own' in 2011, documenting the 'life and death of Myra Hindley', I found this stunning book 'Witness-The Story of David Smith, Chief Prosecution Witness in the Moors Murders Case', a perfect sequel, also published in 2011. I think 'Witness' is even more powerful than 'One Of Your Own'. Carol Ann Lee is equally exact in her research here, as she is with Hindley's biography, but it is the vivid written memoirs from David Smith that provide such authority and strength to the account.
Brady was grooming Smith to become a partner in his crimes. From the moment Smith witnessed the murder of Edward Evans in 1965 he was plunged into a living hell, a darkness he has lived with for almost half a century. Finally, he has told his story, not just the painful details of Wardle Brook Avenue, but the harrowing years since, right up to the publication date of this book. The stark horrors of this case do not diminish with time.

I myself live on Saddleworth Moor. Some time back, around 2005, I set out early one morning. Dawn was just breaking through a damp mist. I was heading for the M1 slab, so decided that the road to take would be the 'Isle of Skye' road, the local name for the A635 Greenfield to Holmfirth road. From there I could short cut across to pick up the M1 just north of Sheffield. The A635 passes through Hollin Brown Knoll, Brady and Hindley's burial ground. As I approached the area, normally deserted, I was transported back in time forty years. A Morris Minor police vehicle, as well as assorted sixties vehicles were parked at the side of the road. Policemen searching the ground in 'wellington' boots and with wooden probes, dressed in old sixties uniform. Now my foot was off the gas, and I was rolling to a halt. Stood in 'crombie' coat and trilby hat, smoking a pipe was Mountsey himself, leading the search. I snapped out of my vision. He's been dead for years. Then I can see the production team, camera crew. Granada t.v. were filming what was later released as 'See No Evil:The Story of the Moors Murders.'

[Rob Twinem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magnificent book in so many ways. It is not only an extremelly well researched and heart rending story of a man whoose life was destroyed by doing good, but also a fantastic social study of working class Manchester in the 60's. In parts it reads like a thriller, there are so many memorable descritpions but one of the most thought provoking is when David Smith is present in court to give evidence at Chester Assizes...

"Ian and Myra sit together in the dock, so near that I'm convinced I can smell them: her hair lacquer and his aftershave. Their physical presence goes through me like an electrical volt. Ian wears his grey trousers and jacket, with the waistcoat beneath; Myra is in a speckled suit, with a yellow blouse that should soften her face but doesn't. Her hair is white blonde, a candyfloss ball, while Ian is as immaculately groomed as ever. His head is bent, as he speaks softly to Myra and she listens, nodding slowly. Then she turns and her eyes lock on mine."

For anyone interested in true crime and in particular the brutal murders committed by Hindley and Brady this book stands as one of the best ever written.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book. I've read heaps of books about Brady and Hindley but it was refreshing to hear David's point of view. I'm only sad I never got to it while he was alive.....what a life he had. While in prison when he was 22 his age was mentioned and I was shocked silly that he was still so young. He was only 17 when this whole ghastly story came out thanks to his conscience and one phonecall he made. Hard to believe he was that young while this was all going on. Both him and Maureen were only kids......
OK, David was a bit of a wide boy but it was only a front. He was truly a decent human being with good values he'd been instilled with by his "mum". I'm pretty sickened that the people of Manchester took a few scrapes with the law and made him into the 3rd murderer !!! The way him and Maureen were treated was disgusting. All credit to them both for standing their ground and not being driven from their home town but what they endured thanks to this decision was just terrible. Those of a certain age in Manchester need to read this book and just think about how ridiculous and cruel their actions were. He SAVED their kids, for goodness sake. HE got this pair of murderers off the streets and THIS is how you thanked him. Beating him up, spitting on his wife and then their kids ???
More stuff of legend was corrected here too. I'd always thought Myra would never have killed without meeting Ian but reading of her earlier life from the time David meant her she was a piece of work without needing him around. She was a true hard-case of the area. I had read before how she adored Maureen's first daughter but not the truth according to David so that was an eye-opener.
Ian made a mammoth error bringing David into his little murderous clique. I'm shocked Myra ever let this happen as she would have been insanely jealous. THAT will always remain a puzzle for me. I guess like anyone who's not quite all there likes to show off is all. The people of Manchester should be grateful he chose to show off to David Smith....
Now I'm saddened he and Maureen and their little family never made it through all this but I'm pleased David met someone who saw through to the person he was and they had such a lovely life together eventually. His Mary was his saviour for sure. She sounds a lovely lady.
I was so upset by parts of this book. In a couple of places I was sobbing. At other points he really made me laugh. Always totally honest to a fault David was and I for one wish there were more like him around these days. How many teens now would "grass their mates" up while they're stabbing and gunning each other down these days ???
So before you want to ever criticise David Smith or slag him off think on. What he did ruined his life but he STILL chose to tell the truth and he stopped these murderers in their tracks. Just because he was the one and only witness (the title that I think is better for this book)didn't mean he was involved. If people really sat and thought about this and didn't still perpetuate the myth handed down from generation to generation by bitter Lancashire families they would see his story for the truth it is.
Thankyou for what you did, David Smith. I for one thought it was a brave thing beyond belief and may you rest in peace. YOU did nothing wrong at all. An honest guy that deserved better.

[Fishface · Rating 5 out of 5]

A devastating read, written by the man who broke the Moors Murders case. He did the right thing and that decision completely destroyed his life and that of his wife -- the sister of one of the killers. It goes to show just how many lives can be ruined when you commit a murder. The pain caused by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley spreads in all directions.

[Karl]

Excellent book and a further indication, if needed, that people really are idiots.

Slated for stopping the Moors Murders. Well done.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting true crime book.

I didn't know much about David Smith and his connections to Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, so I definitely learnt a lot from reading this book.

I enjoyed the extracts from his memoir alongside the commentary from Carol Ann Lee.

I was glad that this book focused on David Smith, and his life. Lots of books about the Moors murders focus on the killers often in a sensational way, adopting narrow stereotypes of the killers.

This book offered a fresh and deeply insightful look into the case from the perspective of someone very close to the killers.

It was shocking to read the abusive David Smith received from people who thought he was involved in the killings.

Overall, this book is highly interesting and a must read for any true crime fan.

TW: real life accounts of death, murder, rape and violence

[Lindsey Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't born until 1981, but despite that cant remember a time when I wasn't aware of the Moors murders case. I have an interest in true crime anyway, but this case just seems to have pervaded the collective consciousness of the nation in a way no other has, and hence I have taken a real interest in it and read much of what has been written on the subject. I recently read what I consider to be the definitive account of the case, One of Your Own by Carol Ann Lee, which was a brilliantly written and exhaustively researched account. Hence I was pleased to learn that she had co-written a book with David Smith, Myra Hindley's ex brother-in-law and the main prosecution witness in the Moors Murders trial, as I was really interested to hear his side of the story rather than just the bile that has been spewed about him over the years.

With all I knew about the case, I never doubted that Hindley and Brady were lying about David Smith. A basic common sense look at the facts of the case can tell you that if you are prepared to see through the propaganda. However, I have an open mind and so I was intrigued to see if his own account would lead me to feel any different.

I knew that Smith had suffered much abuse and slurs against his name over the years, but I have to say this harrowing account shocked me at the sheer scale of what he and his family have had to endure. It is clear most people were happy to believe Hindley and Brady when they lied in an attempt to implicate him in their crimes, which stuns me given that these are two of the most reviled people in this country! Why were people so willing to believe them over the young man who, whilst he was no angel, had the guts to go to the police over what he had witnessed?

Reading Witness only confirmed my belief in David Smith's innocence, and gave me tremendous respect for the way he has conducted himself since that harrowing day when he witnessed the brutal murder of a boy the same age as him. I found this an honest and interesting account. David freely admits without excuse that he has made mistakes in his life and been no angel, but is adamant going to the police about Brady and Hindley was not one of them, and he would do the same again.

David actually has quite a talent for writing and his sections of the narrative are very evocative and powerful. Yes, he uses a lot of swear words, but actually this is just reflecting the way people of his era and background spoke and more often than not the swearing occurs when he is paraphrasing others. Don't let this aspect put you off - if anything it is just proof of the fact the Smith has not sanitised his account for public consumption.

Reading David's words transported me back to the time and place of the occurrences, and made David's account very believeable and real. He describes brilliantly the descent into depression which, having experienced it myself, was very authentic and real. He also valiantly attempts to describe the horrific sight he witnessed in the murder of Edward Evans, something it is I imagine almost possible to really reflect in words. His account of this aspect in particular is really harrowing.

Learning about how the actions of Brady and Hindley impacted on his life made me feel so much anger on behalf of David and his wife Maureen. What they were put through, unjustly, would have made most people crack. The fact David survived and built a strong family life for his sons is testament to his strength of character. People forget how young he was when he was thrown into a whirlwind of someone else's making, and it stuns me that people can judge him so harshly. I wouldn't go so far as to call him a hero, and I dont think David would himself. He is too honest about some of his own actions for that. What I would say is that, without his actions that night, more children would likely have been killed and Brady/Hindley may never have faced justice. For that alone, he deserves our immense gratitude, understanding and respect.

I am glad this book has been written and David finally got to tell his story in his own words, in his own way. Hopefully it will set the record straight and make some of his critics think twice. Carol Ann Lee also deserves much credit, firstly for being the first writer to earn David's respect through her creditable account of Hindley's life, and secondly for organising David's thoughts and memories into a coherent and moving account of his life.

This is a must read for anyone with an interest in this case. It is an honest, frank and disturbing account of one of this country's worst horrors. And amidst it all, it makes me think "Thank God for David Smith." He did what was right and we should thank him.

[Theresa Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witness which is also written under the title Evil Relations,was a most excellent book to read. It is a autobiography based on the life of David Smith,chief prosecution in the Moors Murders trial. A story that needed to be told for anyone interested in the Moors Murders case..I CAN,T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS BOOK..IT,S EXCEPTIONAL...and i highly recommend this book for all True Crime readers!!

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very rarely drawn to true crime books but wanted to understand the social context of Hindley and Brady, their relationship, etc. This book is incredibly powerful, and I will remain in awe of the strength displayed throughout his life by the late David Smith

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot believe that this poor man was treated so badly for most of his life for something he didn't do. Great book, and extremely thought provoking.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I was a child when the Moors Murders took place, I don't remember a lot about the case, and I haven't read much about it - really only newspaper sensationalism.

I recently had the misfortune of reading Myra, Beyond Saddleworth...a fictional account of what may have happened had Myra been released from prison. Thankfully it was a freebie for the Kindle on Amazon because I would have been more than upset had I paid for it. It's definitely a book that makes you yearn to have those hours back again! If it wasn't for my feeling of failure when I don't finish a book, it's one I should have put in the "Started but not finished" collection!

So reading that made me want to read something real, and my daughter had read this book and recommended it to me. I bought it from Amazon first thing this morning, and approx 8 hours later I've finished it.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried through a large part of this book.

It's written from the perspective of the author: who provides the facts and David Smith: who provides the feeling in the form of his memoirs.

For anyone of that age (although my daughter is only 23)who knows of the crimes, or just anyone interested in True Crime, I thoroughly recommend this book.

Just be prepared to lose your day to it once you start it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought this was very well written, and obviously david smith was highly intelligent. after a bad start in life, and becoming involved in the moors murders and then suffering horrendous abuse and violence from stupid people, he then went on to remarry and this lady obviously helped him turn his life around. i hadnt known he had died until recently, may he rest in peace now

[Alexander Amatosi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good book although it gets rather sentimental towards the end. Ironically Dave Smith's actual memoirs are much more compelling than the author's interjections. All in all a refreshing take on the Moor Murders.

[Polly Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insight into the life of David Smith and how he was persecuted by the public and media for bringing to light the atrocities of The moors murderers.

A great read!

[Colin Garrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the trial of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady in 1966, David Smith acted as chief prosecution witness. But his evidence did him no favours. Due in part to the insistence by Hindley and Brady that Smith took part in the murders, he was reviled and vilified by the press for years afterwards—even after Hindley finally admitted she had lied about his involvement. In this account, David Smith tells his own story.

Following Carol Ann Lee’s critically acclaimed biography of Hindley, David Smith agreed to work with the author. Originally published as ‘Witness’, Evil Relations includes interviews, archival research and excerpts from Smith’s own memoir. As with Lee’s other biographical works, this is a meticulously researched and highly detailed account which shows how Hindley and Brady, in particular, lured Smith into their world of deception and death with the intention of making him, at the very least, an accessory to murder. Although not specifically about the Moors Murderers, the book does explore with frightening detail the killing of Edward Evans, which led to Smith going to the police and the subsequent arrest and trial of the killers.

What is most frightening is how the press and public hounded David Smith and his then wife, Maureen, despite the obvious belief in his story by both the police and the courts. A fascinating, scary and, at times, upsetting book.

[Angie Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a riveting read, telling the story of David Smith , once married to Myra Hindley's sister Maureen, his life in Manchester, and how he became chief prosecution witness in the Moors Murders, trial.
For over 45 years David has kept quiet, even though he had been asked numerous times to write a book, he answer has always been "No!" that is until, Carol Ann Lee , spoke to him ( she had already had a best seller : One of your own, written about Myra Hindley, ) did he say yes.
Once started you can not help, but like David Smith, who comes across as a sad lonely figure, at times hell bent on destroying himself, and at others wanting to be happy and settled,
If any book, should be read about the Moors Murders, and what led up to them being caught, this is it, David tells the truth, nothing but the truth, once started, you will not be able to put it down,,

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly sad. David Smith wasn’t blessed with a great upbringing, although thankfully he did receive love at various points of his life. How he eventually came through after such enormous trauma is a tribute to the man. Extremely affecting. Glad I read it, though.

[Amy W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I put off reading this for a while after finishing (the excellent) One of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley. What more could there be to know about the moors murders?

Obviously reporting the murder of Edward Evans to the police was what brought David Smith into the public eye, so that is what initially drew me in. Yet there was so much more to Smith's life story than that. An unsettled 1950's childhood and his 1960's teen years spent drinking, kissing girls and listening to the latest Beatles records was a slice of life in the North of England that I found interesting to read about in its own right. And then, of course, everything changed that one night.

Although I'm very familiar with the case it was still fascinating to go over it again from a different perspective and from the horse's mouth. It doesn't matter how many times I read or think about what went on, it will never cease to shock and appal me. And what David (and Maureen) were subjected to afterwards was nearly as harrowing to read. Years of sustained abuse and threats by those who believed Myra Hindley's story about him being part of the killings. Myra later admitted she had lied about Smith being involved, but the damage had already been done.

So much less was understood about mental health at that time. Anyone seeing a young boy be axed to death is entitled to have a mental breakdown and yet there was no support for the Smiths who were still only teenagers themselves. They were just expected to carry on as normal. Smith trying to rebuild some kind of life after these events was equally fascinating to read about -- the ways he tried to, and often didn't, cope.

The book is largely written by Smith himself, with Carol Ann Lee adding in historical context or important facts when needed. The guy could really write! His retellings were extremely emotive to read and it felt like I was there with him. (As much as I often didn't want to be.) His descriptions of Maureen's eventual death actually brought me to tears. So much history between the couple who shared those few intense years together. So much anger and yet despair at finally losing the one person who went through it all with him. It was so powerful.

I don't think I'd recommend this book to everyone. I think you would have to have some kind of prior knowledge or interest in the moors murders first to grasp the full impact. But to anyone who read and enjoyed One of Your Own this is absolutely essential follow-up reading. The best book I've read all year.

[Ruth Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and well told. An excellent read.

If ever I think I'm having a bad day or a bad week I need to remember this story. What David Smith had to go through after telling the police of the murder he had witnessed would be anyone's worst nightmare.

Recommended.

http://searchingforkeith.com/

[Roddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading for more background to the case if you're interested but not so well written as the "classic account" by Emlyn Williams. Just gives more insight into the human condition. We are all capable of being "monsters" - it's a very fine line.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most honest autobiography I've read and Smith paints a great picture of life in Manchester in the 50s and 60s.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as some other serial killer books, bit slow in places!

[Kay Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this was a harrowing read I still found it very interesting. Would definitely recommend it to anybody who is interested in the story and would like to gain insight.

[Geraldine Comiskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone seeking to understand dynamics in close-knit families and communities should read this book.
The Moors Murders are already extensively documented. Few could be unaware of the unspeakable cruelty inflicted on the young murder victims and the evil couple's relentless mind games from behind bars, as they teased the grieving families with slivers of information.
This book deals with another appalling aspect of the saga: the community's hate campaign against the young man who told the police, and his wife. Dave and Maureen Shaw were just teenagers themselves with a newborn baby when they became public hate figures. Maureen had the misfortune to be Myra Hindley's sister.
Dave comes across in this very frank book as a very intelligent young man but also a thug who used to beat up his own father. But his moral compass swung into action when he saw Ian Brady slaughtering another lad with an axe. Ironically it was Dave and Maureen's decision to tell the police that made them pariahs.
People spit at them in the street, scrawled graffiti outside their home and made them effectively prisoners.
Disclaimer: I met Dave Shaw once, briefly, when I dropped in to the thatched cottage in rural Ireland where he and his second wife (Mary) had settled down. He was in his sixties then and looked like a "tough old boy" as he sat at a coffee table sipping stout. He didn't want to talk about Ian Brady's latest announcement (Brady had been mouthing off in prison, claiming Shaw knew where the last child's body was buried - clearly Brady was just taunting the boy's family and trying to goad Shaw). I wasn't surprised; I had only approached him because I was in the area and was asked by a tabloid paper to see if he'd talk.
What did surprise me was the abrupt way he asked me to leave; he shouted for his wife, telling her "the lady is just leaving". Mary rushed into the tiny mud-floored cabin which served as their lounge. I got the impression this was the umpteenth time this very gentle and elegant lady had been summoned to act as a kind of bouncer for her traumatised husband.
Of course, I was already leaving. I felt guilty more for having put her in this position than for bringing back her husband's bad memories; he was clearly haunted anyway. And I maintain it was in the public interest to give him an opportunity to talk to the newspaper as they were publishing Brady's "revelations".
Shortly after our brief, unpleasant encounter, Shaw did a deal with a TV production company who were making a dramatised programme which was to tell the story of the Moors Murders from Shaw's perspective. He wasn't satisfied with the result, believing it was too soft on Myra Hindley (portraying her as a naive young woman who was manipulated by Ian Brady rather than an enthusiastic accomplice) so he collaborated with the author of this book to tell his side of the story.
The result is a shockingly authentic chronicle of the murders' systematic, relentless attempt to destroy innocence - and a man's lifelong pilgrimage to reclaim his peace, joy and trust in people. It’s also a great love story.
Readers may not like the young Dave Shaw portrayed in this book, but surely they will have empathy for him and great respect for his second wife, Mary, who saved him - body and soul.

[truecrimereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although co-written by Carol Ann Lee, who wrote the acclaimed Myra Hindley book 'One of Your Own,' David Smith clearly knew his way around a pen, as much of his memoir is in his own words.

Smith was Hindley's brother-in-law, who, as a teenager in 1965, witnessed the brutal murder of Edward Evans, also 17, who was axed and strangled by Hindley's lover and partner in crime, Ian Brady. Smith had many interactions with the killers, having married Hindley's sister Maureen, and can provide unique insights into them. Smith was there, so anyone with an interest in the awful 'Moors Murders' case should be snapping this book up.

But this is more than a behind-the-scenes, so to speak, look at the twisted world of Brady and Hindley; David has an interesting story in his own right. From his typical, yet troubled, working-class upbringing to the escapades he got up to in the 1950s and 1960s, David recounts it all with candour and vivid imagery.

He was the one who brought an end to the 'Moors Murders', yet for many years, he suffered so much abuse and mistreatment from people who believed he was as guilty as the real murderers. Indeed, some of the victims' families went to their graves carrying that opinion. My heart aches for all of those people whose lives were violated by those two, but I am so glad this man had his chance to tell the truth as he saw it. David doesn't sugarcoat his language or try to excuse some of his behaviour, he tells it straight.

David died soon after 'Witness' was published, and I hope he is finally at peace. It would be very wrong to compare what happened to Smith to the victims of the Moors Murderers, and he would be the first to admit this, but his life did take a turn for the worse as a direct result of two of the most evil people in the chronicles of true crime. This is a raw and powerful memoir.

[Simon Zohhadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Smith was the brother-in law and chief witness against Brady and Hindley at their trial. Despite attempts by Brady and Hindley to implicate Smith in the killings, he was believed by the police and was not convicted of any of the crimes although he was present when the final victim of the infamous Moors Murders was carried out. To some he was a hero for going to the police and testifying; to others, he was an accomplice in at least one of the killings. My own view, is that Smith's version of those horrific events, was the truth or closest to the truth. There can be no doubt though that Smith was no saint and he committed a number of serious crimes for which he was imprisoned. Violence appeared to be second nature and he was violent towards his father and wife. He and his wife also suffered many violent attacks from the public because of their association with Hindley and Brady. His life story was full of incident with many personal heartaches. There are some touching moments when he talks about the deaths of his daughter, first wife and father (however, the death of his father has a sinister side, which is typical of many situations in his life !) and reconciliation with his children. This is not just another book about the Moors Murders; it is, I would suggest, one of the three most important books on the subject. Smith had a very turbulent life but the real victims were of course those killed by Hindley and Brady and their long suffering relatives. This was a fascinating read.

My rating 5/5.

[Cynthia Beeching · Rating 5 out of 5]

intriguing

I was a teenager of 17 when the Moors Murderers were arrested and jailed. I remember the news coverage very well as it was, at the time, the worse thing I’d ever come across. I also remember reading that harden police officers has cried when hearing the tapes of the children being tortured. It was interesting to read about David Smith’s experiences and I felt saddened by the way he was treated as I believed he did the right thing and did not deserve the dreadful treatment that he received. If he had not brought this evil couple’s terrible reign of terror to an end, I’m sure other children would have met an horrific end. It was also interesting to read about the era of the sixties.