Lockerbie: A Father’s Search for Justice

by Jim Swire, Mike Grady (Narrator), Nano Nagle (Narrator)

Now a major Sky TV Series starring Colin Firth.

The destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988 was the largest attack on Britain since World War Two. 259 passengers and 11 townsfolk of Lockerbie were murdered. Libyan Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was convicted of the crime. He maintained his innocence until his death in 2012.

Among the passengers was Flora, beloved daughter of Dr Jim Swire. Jim accepted American claims that Libya was responsible, but during the Lockerbie Trial he began to distrust key witnesses and supposed firm evidence. Since then it has been revealed that the USA paid millions of dollars to two central identification witnesses, and the only forensic evidence central to the prosecution has been discredited.
The book takes us along Dr. Swire’s journey as his initial grief and loss becomes a campaign to uncover the truth behind not only a personal tragedy but one of the modern world’s most shocking events.

Audible Audio

Published June 19, 2025

About the author

Herbert Swire (b. 1936), known better as Jim Swire, is an English doctor best known for his involvement in the aftermath of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, in which his daughter Flora was killed. Swire lobbied toward a solution for the difficulties in bringing suspects in the original bombing to trial, and later advocated the retrial and release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the originally convicted suspect in the case.

In 1990 Swire also carried a fake bomb onto an aircraft as a demonstration of lax security.

Jim Swire is the son of Colonel Roger Swire, an officer in the Royal Engineers, and his wife the Scottish folklorist Otta F. Swire, née Tarn.

Reviews

[Jo Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publication day today, my usual emojis seem not to apply, so, Jim, I’m glad people get to hear your story, now. 🎧🤍

Oh great. The first to review a book that is faced with much controversy.

What to write? While I’m extremely conscious that many are opposed to the publication of this title, and Swire’s beliefs, I find myself unable to give it any less than 5 stars.

Foremost Jim Swire is a father who has refused to let his daughter’s murder be left unanswered. He’s become a public figure and the face for the fight for justice surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. The world needs more Jim’s, some may say he’s a fool, a conspiracy theorist, I see bravery and complete dedication. His plight moved me to tears many times, particularly and unexpectedly during his visits with Gadaffi and Al-Megrahi.

I remember the Lockerbie bombing vividly I was very young, approaching 10 as it was just prior to my birthday, I suppose there are events that stay with you, I’m sure many people are the same. Fast forward many years I sat alone on nightshift at Glasgow airport fielding calls from journalists and watching the screens that would tell me when the aircraft’s set to repatriate Abdelbaset Al-Megrahri home to Libya to die would taxi the runway and leave for Tripoli, there was uproar at the time that “we” were spending all that money on a terrorist. The press were thirsty for info that I wasn’t allowed to share. This is not shared to make it about me, but rather to settle in my own mind the little girl who was shocked to the grown woman just doing her job, my nerves at dealing with the press in comparison to Jim’s gargantuan efforts and the massive lack of knowledge or awareness that I held in between.

Jim Swire’s beautiful daughter Flora was on her way to visit her boyfriend in America when Pan Am flight 103 came down in Lockerbie in December 1988 along with 258 other pax and staff she was killed. Jim takes us from the moments following the news to police investigation, rumours of the FBI being seen in the town, of conversations with politicians, the barriers that thatcher put in his way, his attempt to prove the flaws in airport security by successfully carrying a mock up of the same bomb through U.K. airport security successfully to America and his travels to Libya to meet with Gadaffi and ask him father to father to allow the men to strand fair trial on neutral ground. I mean can you even imagine? Then Jim takes us into the trial and I suppose where he begins being labelled a conspiracy theorist, he details witness statements, official documents evidence and more that just didn’t add up. I’m not here to argue one way or another, but looking at the evidence/lack of evidence The U.K. and US governments cover ups that are now proven it’s very difficult to disbelieve that Jim is correct, very easy to believe that there was a convenient miscarriage of justice on a case that needed to be wrapped up, sadly I don’t imagine an inquest will ever come, and the whole truth may always stay hidden.

I definitely recommend reading the book and judging for yourself.

Narrated beautifully.

All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends

Massive gratitude to WF Howes LTD and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pan Am flight 103 came down in Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988 destroying more than the 270 lives taken directly by the bomb that exploded on that plane shortly after leaving Heathrow airport. Families and friends have been grieving ever since then, but one father left his medical practice and has spent all these years since then investigating and making public noise to attempt to find justice for the dead. Written by that father, this book details much of that investigation and exposes some of the political efforts at cover-up. It is the truth behind a television expose series as well. It is both wrenching and riveting.
The narration by Nano Nagle and Mike Grady is expertly done and adds to the impact of the book.
I requested and received a temporary recorded audio file from W.F. Howes Ltd via NetGalley. Release date Jun 19, 2025
#LockerbieAFathersSearchforJustice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph @nnagle51 @wfhowes
#criminology #greatbritain #massmurder #security #politics #government #conspiracy #audio #intelligencefailures #ciacoverup #grieving #anger #history #investigation #culpability