The Cromwell Street Murders: The Detective's Story

by John Bennett

November 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of the conviction of Rose West, currently serving ten life sentences for her part in the Cromwell Street murders. This book tells for the first time the story from a police perspective. For ten years, the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Superintendent John Bennett QPM, has refused to tell his story. Now, together with BBC journalist Graham Gardner, he reveals the full story of how the West's were caught, how the case was prepared and how it nearly failed to come to court. This book chronicles the roles of those who brought down two of Britain's most infamous killers, shedding light on the real heroes of one of the saddest chapters of criminal history. It explores the court processes, the complications of Rose West's trial, her unsuccessful appeal and the difficulty of dealing with witnesses in such a traumatic case. On one level, this is a story of the triumph of good over evil; on another it is a detailed documentation of how a murder investigation really works - the pressures, the commitment and the physical and emotional drain on those who carry out this work.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

520 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2005

About the author

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John^Bennett

Reviews

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read much in the way of more recent true crime but the one exception is those horrific murders carried out by Fred and Rose West. These murders were committed in Gloucester, the largest city to where I spent the latter part of my childhood and although I'd moved away by 1994 when the garden at 25 Cromwell Street was dug up to reveal the bones of young women, there was an undeniable connection.

In the intervening years there have been many books written and I thought I had read them all. Somehow I missed this one, from the perspective of Detective Superintendent John Bennett QPM, the officer in charge of the investigation.

This is an interesting read which takes us behind the scenes and gives some context to what the police knew, in contrast to what the media were able to reveal, and what information they were seeking. John Bennett also works hard to bring the victims and their families to the fore of the investigation, to give them the respect they were so cruelly deprived off when they met their fate at Fred and Rose West’s hands.

Although of course the book doesn’t avoid the murders it certainly doesn’t dwell unnecessarily on them. Instead we have a reconstruction of the house which once stripped of the lurid tabloid details is revealed to be far smaller than might be expected pretty much laying to rest any idea that horrific murders could occur without other adult residents being aware of the fact.

The book is well structured starting with the lead detective giving his recollection of how and why steps were taken to question Fred West further over his missing daughter Heather. The days that followed which included the key revelations made by Fred are all laid out in chronological detail.

Although the book hinges on the crimes of two utterly depraved individuals what it does best is show the reader how a murder investigation really is run. Some parts are devoted to gathering evidence the exact nature of the bagging for forensic purposes, the managing of the media, the questioning of witnesses and of course the horrendous job of talking to potential victim’s families. When you consider that this relatively small police force was handling one of the biggest murder investigations of the British Isles it gives you some idea of the sheer complexity of the task in hand.
John Bennett attempts to be candid about those officers he feels didn’t perform as he would have expected and you get the feeling that there was more on that score that could have been said. This along with tales of family occasions missed and touching tributes to his patient wife while providing some semblance of context became to my mind a little overblown by the time we’d heard various examples. I can’t be the only reader who was shocked at his wife’s reaction during Rose’s trial, particularly as we’d been told that he never discussed any details at home.

This book was definitely informative and in the main incredibly readable and provided me with another viewpoint of this huge murder investigation.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read and gripping book.

I chose this book to get an insight into the investigation of this case. We have all heard of Fred and Rosemary West. So it was interesting to read about the case from a different angle. Too marks from me!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the West investigation from the point of view of Detective Superintendent John Bennett who led the investigation, although it's told rather awkwardly in third person by BBC journalist Graham Gardner.

This is not the book for anyone who wants a sensational, lurid read. The prose style is pedestrian, the facts presented with few embellishments. What it provides is a fascinating insight into how the police investigated a truly horrific series of crimes and how they finally got the case to court. It's a useful reminder of just how much work goes into investigating serious crimes and the toll it takes on the investigating officers, and the crucial roles played by everyone involved.

One of the most nauseating take aways from this book is the intrusive and unscrupulous behaviour of certain sections of the media, many of whom were prepared to do just about anything to get their stories, even if it meant compromising the investigation and distressing grieving relatives.

[Laura Kendrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving #thecromwellstreetmurders by Graham Gardner and John Bennett ☠🤬🦴🏚 out of 5 related emojis (that's 4 ⭐'s ).
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I've spoken before about my fascination with serial killers and after getting done with the Bundy book I decided to move onto the West's, I'd also just finished listening to the #allkillanofilla three parter about them when I found this on borrowbox.
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What's fascinating about this read is the absolute lack of horrific and gory detail. The detail we do get is investigation related. How a police officer goes about getting his job done, the red tape he has to go through and the stress the media and their interference put on police officers.
The book is told, in third person, from the point of senior officer John Bennett and it's so interesting to me to see how an investigation goes about putting it's culprits behind bars. I'm a huge fan of detective stories and murder mysteries (and of course I understand it's not like in the stories) but I don't think I ever realised how much admin and paperwork goes into investigations. The time it takes to do something that the television would have us believe is just simple.
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Whilst the book mostly focuses on the investigation and brings to light the ludicrous things the media did. It also, like the Bundy book, somewhat demystifies the West's. It turns them from folkloric monsters into pathetic bullies. Devils into simple deviants. Evil into eh... it forces you to see these two people who destroyed so many lives as pitiful and pathetic rather than monstrously romantic.
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#reading #haveread #books #bookrec #bookreview #bookstagram #book

[Robert Thorburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too Chilling for Mere Words

A thoroughly good read, well constructed and detailed analysis of what was required by the Murder Squad in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
The evil crimes committed by Fred and Rose West will always shock and sicken the right-minded amongst us. It captured and described accurately the process of the investigation and how at any moment it could be ruined by anyone who had a mind to do so
Some investigating officers required counselling to enable them to cope with what they’d seen and heard

The fact that Heather West and Charmaine West two of the victims were the West’s own children, is horrifying to us all. What they had suffered was without comparison by today’s standards
A really intelligent read, very informative too

[Louise Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book have never read anything from a detectives view on a case and I am quite surprised at what an astronomical amount of work goes into solving a case like this. That police deserve all the praise they got and much more for all there hard work and for they way they supportive and understanding with the witnesses and victims. On the othe hand I am absolutely disgraced with the way the reporters press tv etc behaved they way they treated witnesses and their families is disgusting I dont know how they sleep at night and knowing they could bring the case crashing down at any time so know one would get any justice its sickening tbh. Very good read though i would definitely recommend for any true crime fan

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book written by the Detective in charge, because I wanted the truth, and as with most news papers if half of it is true then your doing well; This is a harrowing story, and i could feel myself drawing into myself as i read of the crimes of Rose and Fred West, I was also shocked at how intrusive the Reporters were, and uncaring of the victims families feelings, but have the greatest admiration for the Police and the way they acted throughout this inquiry, I never realised how much relentless work goes on behind the scenes just to get a case to court, it's a compelling read, if un- comfortable at times, but very well written.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

No salacious cash-in here. This is a fascinating book about the police processes of the time; the lack of cooperation and even competition between the forces of different districts, the facts around the limited national resources and so on. Bennett presents the facts of the horrendous crimes without sensationalism, but with humanity and compassion. The events involved means that it's not an easy read, but as a marker in history of how agencies dealt with such things at this time, it's an important one.

[dw marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best, most complete, account of an investigation I've ever read - and by the officer who led it.

An astoundingly meticulous utterly readable account of the harrowing investigation into Fred and Rose West of Gloucester by the officer, John Bennett, who led it. Might I add here, firstly, thanks for his great leadership and persistence in the case and, secondly, for producing probably the best real-life police procedural I've ever read.

[Steve Parcell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating if a little formulaic. Bennett should be given the freedom of Gloucestershire for his perseverance and damn hard work in convicting the Wests for their horrible crimes.

Lots of interesting facts on the case I didn't know about but it does drag a little in places.

[Dan Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the yorkshire ripper one.

[Lynne Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A police perspective

Found it hard to put this book down. It's a real eye opener of the work entailed and the pressures under which the team worked.

[Libby Sanderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit slow at the start, I took a while to read this but was interesting.

[Kay Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

[Poppy Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and glad I read it now as I know all the places that are mentioned.

[Alison Minister · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

I absolutely Loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended for fans of true crime or crime novels.

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books about this horrific case and this has to be one of the best in my opinion. John Bennett led the police investigation which resulted in the successful prosecution of Rosemary West for multiple murder. The book explains how the murders first came to light – a policeman was approached in the street and told that the Wests were abusing one of their children. If this hadn’t been treated seriously perhaps the murders would not have come to light. It was due to the tenacity of many police officers who felt there was something more going on that the case was investigated. There had been opportunities in previous years to find out what was going on but both Rose and Fred West had managed to satisfy both Social Workers and the police that there was nothing wrong.

Ultimately it was only because the younger members of the Wet family had mentioned a family joke to Social Workers when they were in care about Heather (the oldest West child) being buried under the patio that the police actually went to Cromwell Street and started digging up the garden. It wasn’t long before human remains were discovered and further excavations were undertaken. From the start the investigation the police and witnesses were hounded by the media which hampered their efforts and potentially compromised the witness’s testimony. Even though Fred West gave himself up to the police and admitted Heather’s murder he kept changing his story almost by the hour and the police were at a loss which story to believe – even when he sent them a not saying he had murdered at least nine young women they weren’t sure whether to believe him.

I found the painstaking way the police carried out the investigation absolutely compelling reading. The way everything was pieced together to make a coherent case first against Fred West and then against his wife. The picture of two evil people manipulating everyone around them for their own satisfaction and perverse desires is horrific and the investigation must have affected everyone involved at a profound level. I was interested to read that Sir Bernard Knight did the forensic work and Brian Leveson was the prosecuting counsel. I hadn’t appreciated until I read this book how close the police came to not being able to prove the case against Rose West once her husband had committed suicide.

Many of the issues which emerged from this case are still with us today – most notably the media’s role in such investigation and so-called cheque-book journalism which threatened to undermine the credibility of many witnesses. The role of ‘appropriate adults’ also came under scrutiny. Social Services’ work was also put under the microscope because many of the young women who passed through Cromwell Street had been in care. The case also led to a review of the missing person enquiries are conducted and as a direct result over a hundred people were traced who had formerly been listed as missing with many of them revealed as alive and well though not wishing to be reunited with their families.
The book contains an comprehensive timeline and a report of a complaint made by a potential witness in the case who alleged wrong doing by the police. If you haven’t yet read any other books about this case then start with this one and then move on to the others which are written about the Wests themselves such as Fred and Rose by Howard Sounes or Happy Like Murderers by Gordon Burn.

[Amy W · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're purely looking for a grisly account of Fred and Rose West's lives and crimes then you will not necessarily find it here. There are of course some appalling details, but not to an overwhelming extent – only as much as is necessary to tell the story.

This book is as the title says: The Detective's Story. It explains how the case came to light, the discovery of the remains, the interviews conducted with the Wests, and the subsequent trial of Rose West, all from the Police point of view. I haven’t read any other books on this case so I can’t compare, but as with some other true crime books I imagine them to have more of a gossipy, deliberately shocking tone. This book, however, is written in a factual way and having the involvement of one of the senior figures throughout the inquiry lends credibility to the account. It doesn’t try to figure out the whys and wherefores; it just tells you what happened.

There is a good amount of detail in the book and I didn’t feel anything was lacking by not delving further into the background of Fred and Rose’s lives. My one criticism would be that the way it is written in the third person (Detective John Bennett’s story being told by Graham Garner, a news journalist); it could come across as a work of fiction at times. There is also some repetition of phrases and information, as well as some unnecessary detail about e.g. what Bennett had for dinner that night, what type of wine he was drinking etc that is somewhat annoying. It doesn't detract too far though from what is an in-depth, factual account of proceedings.

If you want to feel informed about the case, but still be able to sleep at night, I would recommend reading this.

[Jessica Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting account of the investigation into the Wests, and the massive amount of policework involved to bring Rose West to justice. This isn't sensationalist in any way, but somehow the murders seem all the more gruesome for it. There were a few times I had to put the book down and do something else because I just didn't want to contemplate how much those poor girls had suffered.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

a shocking look into the sick world of the wests . both interesting and disturbing gives you more of an insite into their upbringing and how they managed to commit such awful crimes undetected for many years.

[Michaela · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was interesting but so repetitive. The book outlines what will happen with the investigation in great detail then a little later will repeat the same thing again in great detail. It was very annoying like the book didnt think i could remember what id read.

[Micky Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sick and evil couple she should never be let out she should die inside very informative read

[Angela Reeves · Rating 1 out of 5]

not much good