Where is Daniel

by Bruce Morcombe, Denise Morcombe, Lindsay Simpson (Co-author)

On 7 December 2003 Daniel Morcombe disappeared on the Sunshine Coast, while waiting for a bus. For Bruce and Denise Morcombe - the parents of Daniel - and his brothers, Bradley and Dean, it was apparent within hours that something was very wrong. In the first few days following Daniels disappearance, Bruce and Denise made a promise to their son that they would never ever stop looking for him, and bring who was responsible to justice.

We will never give up. As the nightmare of hours became days then weeks, and months and years, the family mobilised to become the moral force behind the longest criminal investigation in Australia's history.

Where is Daniel? covers the decade-long investigation into the disappearance of Daniel and the extraordinary courage, dignity, persistence and fortitude Bruce and Denise displayed under unbearable circumstances.

This determination also applied to Bruce and Denise's desire to mine something positive from the darkest of experiences. They started the Daniel Morcombe Foundation in 2005, to teach children about safety, and have since visited hundreds of schools around Australia. They've established Australia's largest annual child safety day-of-action, Day for Daniel, and utilised the funds raised to support other children who have been the victims of abuse.

Over a decade later, with Daniel's killer brought to justice thanks to an amazing covert police sting, this is the family's story. Where is Daniel? is a testament to the enduring power of love between parents and their child, and the strength and bonds of family to survive.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Audiobook, Crime, Biography, Memoir

640 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2014

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is at times a tough read as unfortunately we all know the ending. I pretty much sobbed my way through this from start to finish. The Morcombe family have touched all of our lives. Their perseverance in keeping the police and the media on their toes for ten years in their search for Daniel is nothing short of amazing. They have made us all better parents in teaching our kids to be aware of the dangers that are out there and installing some safety guidelines. The Morcombes are an ordinary family, what happened to them, could have quite easily happened to any of us. I had a lot of nightmares whilst reading this book and I didn't sleep well for a week. You may ask, why keep reading? I just put myself in Denise, Bruce, Dean and Bradley's shoes and thought this is their Reality! But this wasn't a dream that they could wake up from. RIP Daniel Morcombe, knowing that you were truly loved and a part of a loving and supportive family that never gave up on you.

[Bri · Rating 2 out of 5]

While very interesting and quite heartbreaking, this book is a hard slog. It is very long and goes into intricate detail regarding every conversation seemingly ever had between Persons of Interest, police, the Morcombe family and anyone else involved in the tragedy that was what happened to Daniel Morcombe. I continued reading because I felt it was important to finish the book but I had to admit I skimmed quite a few parts because it became so bogged down in repeating every word people had said. I understand that this was the Morcombe’s chance to tell their side of the story and they wanted to make the most of that chance, I don’t hold that against them one little bit. I am sure I would feel the same way if this happened (gods forbid) to my child. As Bruce Morcombe says at the start of the book, this is not a ‘true crime’ book. It is their story of losing their precious child. I hope the family can go on to find as much peace as is possible after enduring such a terrible, terrible loss.

[Fran Whiteman · Rating 5 out of 5]

While listening to this book I felt sick to the stomach & wondered why I continued! The Morcombe family’s strength, perseverance and guts are admirable. It is great they shared their sad story with us, such brave people.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this story was devastating and heartbreaking I'm so glad they were able to put Daniel to peace I do vaguely remember when this happened and I remember following the story as it unfolded 4.5⭐️

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am afraid I had to battle to finish this. It is very long and my copy was physically heavy. On conclusion I believe this was a record of the effects of this tragedy on the family rather than a detailed account of the crime itself. In that context it has achieved its aim.

[Suzanne Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes you on the horrific journey of the Morcombe family. I never understood the extent of the case. My heart goes out to each & every person of their family. Makes my skin crawl. They deserve all the accolades for their tireless work educating children around Australia to stay safe, through the Daniel Morcombe foundation. After all they have been through, they still continue to give. Daniel would be so proud of them!!

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told in a manner of fact way that might be a little off putting for some, nevertheless this book had me hooked from the start. I was around 14 when Daniel disappeared, but it didn't stop my mother from tightening my activities, giving the lectures that no matter how safe you think you are, there are sick individuals who prey on children waiting alone. Daniel's parents could never have guessed the horrors that lurked in his neighborhood that day he went to wait for the bus. This was something that sickened me even more about this case, that there were so many suspects with criminal pasts that the eventual convicted killer blended in with equally suspect people.

This book doesn't really take literary liberties, it simply tells you what happened, when it happened and the reaction. It isn't as emotional as I assumed it would be because of this. Even so, Daniel's story is one so sad the entire nation rose to support the Morcombes for the length of the mystery, to the conviction, and I hope to this day. As I said, I knew a few things going into this book, but I learned more about Daniel's brothers and Denise and Bruce. I found out more about the wonderful work still being done by the Morcombe Foundation, teaching kids how to recognize a dangerous situation and get help. My admiration for Denise and Bruce went up even higher by the end.

I kind of feel that to get to close to the true emotional trauma suffered by this family would overwhelm me, so I was glad for the oddly detached writing and fact finding. I hope other people go on to read this book, and spread the message about child safety. Five stars.

[Karen Bendo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a book I had to read to see the story to the end. Those sparkling eyes, that distraught family, the fact that this could have happened to any of us stopped us all in our tracks when it happened and has kept our attention for a decade.
Bruce Morcombe was right when he said that the perpetrator picked the wrong family. Bruce Morcombe is a man's man! The vile insidious creature that robbed this family of their beautiful boy under estimated Mr Morcombe. He pushed and pushed and pushed and questioned everything and with incredible strength and determination saw this through to the end.

But for Bruce Morcombe, there would have been no conclusion. Daniel Morcombe would have been another cold case but Mr Morcombe kept everyone accountable. A hard working layman showed them all!

Daniels legacy is that our children are safer today than they were in 2003.

I hope we see this beautiful family smile more often, they deserve every bit of happiness they can squeeze out of this life and beyond until they see their beautiful boy again.

[Rikke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave me nightmares. So grusome and evil, sad and almost impossible to comprehend...
I didn't think I would really be presented with any new information by reading it,as I have followed the case very closely. However the book holds a lot of personal heartfelt details about how the family dealt with the grief. It was very emotional to read, and I cant even begin to imagine how it must have been living it. I definitely hugged my own two kids a little tighter after reading this.

The whole tecnical aspect of the book is slacking a bit. A lot of repetitions, a lot of things beeing dragged out - and I often felt that the writing was a bit messy. I dare say that emotions got in the way of writing a really good book.
Still a good read, so I will give it 3 stars. I almost gave it 4, but then one star would have been a pity star, and something I got confirmed by reading "Where is Daniel" , is that The Morcombes never wanted any pity - they just wanted answers and justice.

[Kristy Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I followed the story of Daniel's disappearance and the Morcombes promise to find him and bring him home on the news. This book was so hard to read because it was so sad but at the same time I couldn't put it down. I can't believe how strong Daniel's family is. Their determination to find Daniel and bring his killer to justice never waivered no matter how hard things got. No parent should have to endure the loss of a child, especially in such horrific circumstances, but to then turn their personal tragedy into a positive project by starting the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to protect other children really shows how phenomenal this family truly is.

[Hamish · Rating 3 out of 5]

way, way too long and kinda dovetails in the end too quickly after 550+ pages of minutia. a lot of it is just reprints of court and interview transcripts, which are great, but not when they're trying to play it like a courtroom drama - but i guess i was going for the investigative spin and not a story about a suffering family. as a true crime story this is great; could probably do without some of the smush, but it's hard not to with a book like this. very descriptive and comprehensive. sad sad sad.

[Gina Pettitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational seems like an enormous understatement. I would rather express deep gratitude for what feels like a privilege for allowing me to enter into the Morcombe's lives in such a personal manner.

[Liss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written devastating story. I openly cried many times while reading it, and while I do recommend it, be prepared for your heart to hurt.

[Mary-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horrible what this family went through. My heart breaks for them. I found the book difficult to follow. Lots of detail that made it more difficult to read.

[Winnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started to read this lengthy tome, I couldn't help but think "I'm sure Daniel will just walk right in at any moment and everything will be fine" despite knowing fully well how this story ends. However, reading about torment and distress this family underwent particularly in the first part of the book probably doesn't even come close to their actual emotions when it all unfolded.

Many people often wonder why Daniel Morcombe's disappearance in particular was so widely publicised. The answer lies directly with the Morcombes and they leveraging of every available opportunity they had to be able to to promote the name "Daniel Morcombe" and for anyone to come forward with information. Red became symbolic of the young teen and that fateful December day when he disappeared and the colour was evident for every fundraising event the Morcombes organised in the name of finding their son and eventually helping other child victims of crime. The Morcombes ensured that no stone was left unturned and even turned to psychics and taking phone calls from strangers on the possible whereabouts of Daniel.

There is great attention to detail in the book particularly when it involves key events pertaining to the case, down to where everyone was sitting in the courtroom during Cowan's trial and what they were wearing. Some readers may find it a bore but if you are a true crime fan, you will probably enjoy the level of detail in the book. As it spans over a decade, it does detail quite a lot not just on the case itself but the foundation and even a little bit on what was happening in the Morcombes lives whilst this was all unfolding. It was very helpful having the list of names at the front because it was not easy remembering all the relevant people in the book and their relationship to the Morcombes.

[Claudette · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Audiobook) Daniel Morcombe’s story has touched all members of the community in different ways. I first found about this case when I working as a Police Officer in NSW and took the “Missing Person” bulletin off the police station fax machine. There was a photo of a bright eye boy of the age of 13, reported missing from Queensland. I followed that story for weeks, to see if anything had been found of Daniel. There was no current developments and that’s the last I heard about the case, until 2011 when the offender was arrested. Thankful he was convicted and now there are tougher penalties for child sexual assault offences. Cowan got off lighter with his earlier convictions, however, this rock spider will never experience liberty again. The pain the Morcombe family went through is unbearable, but how they survived the pain is remarkable..........................................

[Luisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me on edge to start with. Living in the same state and knowing some of the extended family members, you just can't begin to understand how any of them felt or feel. Even after reading the words it's just incomprehensible.
The book slowed down a lot towards half way and it just lost me. I started to feel we were hearing the same thing over and over which in reality, that was what the family was hearing.

[Kylie Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was tough going. Very slow in the first half with a lot of BACK story. But being written by the parents of Daniel it is their story. I was amazed to learn of how the culprit was finally caught! No spoilers but I had no idea. Congratulations to our men and women in blue and sometimes in colours we don’t see. Now whenever I see red I’ll think of you Daniel. May you Rest In Peace.

[Rachel Czekajlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking. I cried a lot reading this book.
Bruce and Denise never gave up. They are truly remarkable. My heart goes out to them and their family. Rest in peace Daniel. You will never be forgotten!
A must read.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, what incredible people.
After all they have been through they remain focused on keeping other children safe.
If you are Australian and you know this story you need to read this book.

[Tomiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The parents love

[Heather Lampe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly raw and difficult subject matter. A great story but so sad.

[Jenny McAteer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking

Very sad story but the parents show incredible strength. Their fight for Daniel and for justice never wavered. Tragic. Unnecessary waste of a beautiful life

[Gena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told from Daniel Morcombe mother perspective, the story of Daniel and his family as they reflect on life before, during and following the disappearance of Daniel. Heartbreaking.

[Carol Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it, but got a bit drawn out during the trial to conviction

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this book made me feel sick whilst reading, the fact that it was written by the father of the victim made me feel privileged to hear his story. This story hit close to home.

[Jodie Hermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

too long to ready too much into every little conversation
audio probably could have been easier

[Zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Growing up, it was coming towards the end of the battle to find Daniel. I remember seeing things in the news. Learning of his storey when I was in primary school. This book is extremely detailed. If you want to know EVERYTHING that happened in the 10 years of finding Daniel you will find those answers in this book. The only negative that for me made this book quiet tiring to finish was how it was written. There's just way to much information that in my opinion is just unnecessary to the reader and there's just so many times where the writer repeats themselves which just drags out the storey. I think a third of this book could have been taken away. But look, is a greatly detailed sad storey.

[gemsbooknook Geramie Kate Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘On 7 December 2003 Daniel Morcombe disappeared on the Sunshine Coast while waiting for a bus. For Bruce and Denise Morcombe – the parents of Daniel – and his brothers, Bradley and Dean, it was apparent within hours that something was very wrong. In the first few days following Daniels’s disappearance, Bruce and Denise made a promise to their son that they would never ever stop looking for him, and bring whoever was responsible to justice.

We will never give up. As the nightmare of hours became days then weeks, months, and years, the family mobilized to become the moral force behind the longest criminal investigation in Australia’s history.

Where is Daniel? covers the decade-long investigation into the disappearance of Daniel and the extraordinary courage, dignity, persistence, and fortitude Bruce and Denise displayed under unbearable circumstances.

This determination also applied to Bruce and Denise’s desire to mine something positive from the darkest of experiences. They started the Daniel Morcombe Foundation in 2005, to teach children about safety, and have since visited hundreds of schools around Australia. They’ve established Australia’s largest annual child safety day-of-action, Day for Daniel, and utilized the funds raised to support other children who have been the victims of abuse.

Over a decade later, with Daniel’s killer brought to justice thanks to an amazing covert police sting, this is the family’s story. Where is Daniel? is a testament to the enduring power of love between parents and their child, and the strength and bonds of family to survive.

This book was heartbreaking.

Having followed this story from the moment Daniel went missing I knew that I had to read this book; I also knew that it was going to be an incredibly emotional book that would be difficult to read at times. Having said that, I am so glad that I read this book even if it did keep me up at night.

I have read many true crime books over the years but none of them ever affected me the way this book did. Learning about Daniel and his family before his disappearance was a beautiful experience, but knowing what was going to happen made these sections of the book almost haunting in a way.

Even though Daniel’s story was all over the news, I was surprised by just how much information the public was never told about. Reading about the police investigation and the methods that were taken to locate Daniel was utterly compelling to learn about.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe did a fantastic job with this book. The way they allowed readers into their lives and grief was incredibly brave and moving. I don’t know of another case in my life as an Australian that has touched so many people as the Daniel Morcombe case did and by telling their story Bruce and Denise Morcombe have paid a beautiful tribute to Daniel that will live on forever.

Where is Daniel? by Bruce Morcombe and Denise Morcombe is a truly heartbreaking read.

Geramie Kate Barker
gemsbooknook.wordpress.com

[Ron Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I did not want to read this book. I did not want to be voyeur on the life of the Morecombe family. Now that I have finished it I am glad that I did.
The Morecombes were so ordinary many people might classify them as boring. A Victorian bourgeois family that moved to the Sunshine Coast to develop a Jim’s Mowing franchise. Both were hard working, good neighbour type people. When I saw them on television Bruce looked like an overweight Rotary member and Denise had that dumpy Aussie housewife appearance. Oh wow looks can be so deceiving. They are two of the most driven, creative, tenacious people you would ever want to meet.
They thought that living on the Sunshine Coast would be a safe and secure location to bring up their three boys.
This part of Australia is also popular with that class of low lifes who live on the periphery of decent society. They are the blood-sucking sycophants who are totally self-centred, live a miserable life of poverty, conflict and violence. They believe that all laws and rules are written for others and they have the right to take what ever they want. They have no empathy for the needs of anyone but themselves.
Unfortunately Australia has a sizeable number of these types. At the very end of this spectrum lies Brett Peter Cowan.
This is certainly a tome of a book. I had to set aside considerable time to get through it. May be it needs a good editing but then I think, no, the Morecombes wrote this book they would do it their way and to them they wanted every scrap of information included.
Parts of the book are quite exciting while other parts are a drag. The part where the undercover operation is described is brilliant. I wonder if a movie will ever be made?
Tears whelmed my eyes on occasions. Any reader who is a parent would feel the same. I am glad they criticize this inane expression “closure.” I think it is a media created term and as the Morecombes say, how can you ever get closure after the brutal murder of your son?
The role of the police is outstanding. There are criticisms of the fact that they had interviewed Cowan early in the investigation and it was not pursued. We can all be critical sitting in the chair of hindsight. The “sting” to get a confession was a masterstroke, and executed brilliantly.
If, like me, you watched this drama unfold in that ten-year period ‘03 to ’13 and your memory is a little clouded then this well written book will put the whole story in perspective. Hopefully you will in turn make a donation to the Daniel www.danielmorcombe.com.au