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Someone Else's Daughter: The Life and Death of Anita Cobby
On a hot summer night in 1986, beautiful young Sydney nurse, Anita Cobby, alighted from a train at Blacktown station - and set off to a horrific fate. The recovery of her ravaged body two days later sparked Australia's greatest police manhunt, and ignited unprecedented fury and outrage across the nation.
Someone Else's Daughter traces the life and brutal death of Anita Cobby. It tells the tale of Grace and Garry, her loving parents, who conducted themselves with unfailing bravery and dignity throughout their terrible ordeal. It details the epic investigative work of a tireless and dedicated band of detectives, as well as revealing the shocking stories behind the killers, five vicious men from violent backgrounds. And it talks of the media stars and political highflyers, as well as the ordinary citizens who became embroiled in Australia's crime of the century.
Tragic and terrifying Someone Else's Daughter is a story that no-one will ever forget.
Someone Else's Daughter traces the life and brutal death of Anita Cobby. It tells the tale of Grace and Garry, her loving parents, who conducted themselves with unfailing bravery and dignity throughout their terrible ordeal. It details the epic investigative work of a tireless and dedicated band of detectives, as well as revealing the shocking stories behind the killers, five vicious men from violent backgrounds. And it talks of the media stars and political highflyers, as well as the ordinary citizens who became embroiled in Australia's crime of the century.
Tragic and terrifying Someone Else's Daughter is a story that no-one will ever forget.
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
October 12, 2019
"I could wish it was someone else's daughter, but I can't, can I? They would then have to go through what we're going through." ~~ Garry Lynch, Anita Cobby's father
I long for the day when we stop hurting each other. Will it ever come?
This book tells of five disgusting so-called 'men' who kill a young woman ... just because they could. This case saw Sydney Australia residents filling the streets, baying for blood.
The author, a reporter assigned to the case, has produced a well-researched book.
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
I long for the day when we stop hurting each other. Will it ever come?
This book tells of five disgusting so-called 'men' who kill a young woman ... just because they could. This case saw Sydney Australia residents filling the streets, baying for blood.
The author, a reporter assigned to the case, has produced a well-researched book.
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
November 11, 2011
Really interesting book. Given the topic, parts of it were hard to read, but the thing that was most apparent were what amazingly strong people the Lynches were. Their strength really contrasted so well with the depravity of the perpetrators of the crime. As a result the book showed the polarity of human nature, from its very best, to its absolute worst.
March 27, 2016
Another review from: http://www.saidjess.com/life-death-an... - www.saidjess.com
Its taken me a long time to get my thoughts together on this book. It was a devastating, heart-wrenching, disgusting read that I had to alternate with some fluffy regressive teen girl novel just so I didn't wake up in the middle of the night having savage nightmares about brutal rape/murders.
Summary:
Anita Cobby was from a happy, well-adjusted family and was a nurse in her early twenties. After a night out with a couple of girlfriends, she was dropped off at Sydney's central train station. She headed west to Blacktown where she was living back with her parents. On the walk home, she was kidnapped by 5 men and was brutalised until they decided to murder her hours later.
My feelings:
This book hit home for a lot of reasons -- as do most crimes where a woman minding her own business has become the victim of a depraved individual. This crime took place very just a suburb or two away from where I grew up as a child. It happened when I was barely three years old, but the disturbing details of the actual crime serves as the reason why thirty years on, I shed tears for the poor woman as I turned pages.
The Killers:
I remember once being at a party and someone boasting to an adult that they were 'mates' with the Murphy brothers (three of the killers; Mick, Gary and Les Murphy) as if it were something to be proud of. I remember seeing everyone recoil in horror and almost recreate a lynch mob for even bringing up the names.
The author did a wonderful job of weaving the background of all of the individuals involved in to chapters. The background of John Travers, the group's debated ring leader was the most troubling, but this following quote made me wonder how early on in this man's life did no one certify him as a complete sociopath.
"Teenagers in the Doonside neighbourhood claimed that Travers, on many occasions would scare people by eating small lizards. [...] Sharon Travers later shrugged off her son's cruelty to animals, saying, "You know what 18-year-olds are like when they get together, biting heads off kittens, swallowing gold fish... a lot of kids go through that stage...."
Uhhh? I've never met a single person who has gone through a 'stage' of biting heads off small animals.
There was not one bit of redeeming information regarding these five offenders that made me stop and think, "wow, I guess I can see what drove them to do this." In a lot of murder/true crime books, I always try to take emotions out and look at it logically and think about what may have contributed to someone's inclination to harm another being.
Not this though, nope. None of these killers had any single morsel of remorse for what they did.
The five men joked and chuckled through court. They all tried to blame one another and minimise their part in the crime.
Anita Cobby & Her Family
Putting myself in the shoes of this woman, I couldn't help but feel moved to tears. How many times have I wandered from my old place of work in the dark to my car around 300m away in a questionable area? How many times had I caught a train in the exact same train station straight from work and wandered around the station waiting for a connecting bus or someone to pick me up?
Anita Cobby from all accounts was a sweet, naive, and kind-hearted person who only believed the best in other people. In the 80s, surely it wasn't too crazy to have such a heightened sense of security in what you would consider to be your own backyard?
Her parents were kind people. What struck me as the most surprising was their reaction that wasn't screaming for vengeance. When the criminals were at large and were wanted by police, the parents of the victim appealed to them to come forward so that they didn't end up getting harmed. They may not have been forgiving, but they didn't want to hold on to hatred. It is hard to imagine not being torn apart inside by hatred and rage for who a group of people have taken from your life.
The Details:
It'll take a strong stomach to read the details of this crime which are outlined during the criminal trial. This was probably the most interesting and yet awful part of the book. It was gripping to read about how the Cobby family finally got justice. It was relieving to read that these five certain copped their fair share of depraved violence inside jail, but this part in particular got to me;
"I saw a naked body lying face down on the ground, lying beneath a tree, with the head facing the tree. I could see that it had been there for a period of time and after seeing the body was female I rode back to my house and telephoned police." [John Reen] He told journalists later that day, "I couldn't believe it was a human lying there, I thought it was a dog."
Overall
I haven't read a book that isn't on my Kindle for months, but this was something that I couldn't seem to put down despite all of my above comments. This book is almost 25 years old and the language used is so refreshingly Australian -- a lot of expressions and words that we no longer hear in our vernacular. Not to say that it sounded like Steve Irwin-esque Bonza story, but it was a constant reminder of how long ago the early 90s really are.
If you're going to read a book about the murder of Anita Cobby, don't bother with John Cobby's sensationalist book (I'd like to point out the perfect timing that he's come back after 30 yrs of going in to hiding to spruik a book where he claims that he and Anita were back together at the time of her murder when her parents stated firmly otherwise years earlier). Read this one, its full of facts and great accounts from the Cobby family, family members of the offenders, the police and even journalists.
But, just know what you are getting yourself in to because it is not easy to read.
Its taken me a long time to get my thoughts together on this book. It was a devastating, heart-wrenching, disgusting read that I had to alternate with some fluffy regressive teen girl novel just so I didn't wake up in the middle of the night having savage nightmares about brutal rape/murders.
Summary:
Anita Cobby was from a happy, well-adjusted family and was a nurse in her early twenties. After a night out with a couple of girlfriends, she was dropped off at Sydney's central train station. She headed west to Blacktown where she was living back with her parents. On the walk home, she was kidnapped by 5 men and was brutalised until they decided to murder her hours later.
My feelings:
This book hit home for a lot of reasons -- as do most crimes where a woman minding her own business has become the victim of a depraved individual. This crime took place very just a suburb or two away from where I grew up as a child. It happened when I was barely three years old, but the disturbing details of the actual crime serves as the reason why thirty years on, I shed tears for the poor woman as I turned pages.
The Killers:
I remember once being at a party and someone boasting to an adult that they were 'mates' with the Murphy brothers (three of the killers; Mick, Gary and Les Murphy) as if it were something to be proud of. I remember seeing everyone recoil in horror and almost recreate a lynch mob for even bringing up the names.
The author did a wonderful job of weaving the background of all of the individuals involved in to chapters. The background of John Travers, the group's debated ring leader was the most troubling, but this following quote made me wonder how early on in this man's life did no one certify him as a complete sociopath.
"Teenagers in the Doonside neighbourhood claimed that Travers, on many occasions would scare people by eating small lizards. [...] Sharon Travers later shrugged off her son's cruelty to animals, saying, "You know what 18-year-olds are like when they get together, biting heads off kittens, swallowing gold fish... a lot of kids go through that stage...."
Uhhh? I've never met a single person who has gone through a 'stage' of biting heads off small animals.
There was not one bit of redeeming information regarding these five offenders that made me stop and think, "wow, I guess I can see what drove them to do this." In a lot of murder/true crime books, I always try to take emotions out and look at it logically and think about what may have contributed to someone's inclination to harm another being.
Not this though, nope. None of these killers had any single morsel of remorse for what they did.
The five men joked and chuckled through court. They all tried to blame one another and minimise their part in the crime.
Anita Cobby & Her Family
Putting myself in the shoes of this woman, I couldn't help but feel moved to tears. How many times have I wandered from my old place of work in the dark to my car around 300m away in a questionable area? How many times had I caught a train in the exact same train station straight from work and wandered around the station waiting for a connecting bus or someone to pick me up?
Anita Cobby from all accounts was a sweet, naive, and kind-hearted person who only believed the best in other people. In the 80s, surely it wasn't too crazy to have such a heightened sense of security in what you would consider to be your own backyard?
Her parents were kind people. What struck me as the most surprising was their reaction that wasn't screaming for vengeance. When the criminals were at large and were wanted by police, the parents of the victim appealed to them to come forward so that they didn't end up getting harmed. They may not have been forgiving, but they didn't want to hold on to hatred. It is hard to imagine not being torn apart inside by hatred and rage for who a group of people have taken from your life.
The Details:
It'll take a strong stomach to read the details of this crime which are outlined during the criminal trial. This was probably the most interesting and yet awful part of the book. It was gripping to read about how the Cobby family finally got justice. It was relieving to read that these five certain copped their fair share of depraved violence inside jail, but this part in particular got to me;
"I saw a naked body lying face down on the ground, lying beneath a tree, with the head facing the tree. I could see that it had been there for a period of time and after seeing the body was female I rode back to my house and telephoned police." [John Reen] He told journalists later that day, "I couldn't believe it was a human lying there, I thought it was a dog."
Overall
I haven't read a book that isn't on my Kindle for months, but this was something that I couldn't seem to put down despite all of my above comments. This book is almost 25 years old and the language used is so refreshingly Australian -- a lot of expressions and words that we no longer hear in our vernacular. Not to say that it sounded like Steve Irwin-esque Bonza story, but it was a constant reminder of how long ago the early 90s really are.
If you're going to read a book about the murder of Anita Cobby, don't bother with John Cobby's sensationalist book (I'd like to point out the perfect timing that he's come back after 30 yrs of going in to hiding to spruik a book where he claims that he and Anita were back together at the time of her murder when her parents stated firmly otherwise years earlier). Read this one, its full of facts and great accounts from the Cobby family, family members of the offenders, the police and even journalists.
But, just know what you are getting yourself in to because it is not easy to read.
January 13, 2016
This was a really good read about a terrible, terrible, terrible crime. This is a case that rightly had Australia demonstrating in the streets, howling for the killers' blood. I wish the author had been able to go more into the psychopathology of the ringleader -- he sounds like a hot mess on his best day. I also really wish the copyeditor had known the difference between "pedal" and "peddle," along with the correct pluralization of the name Lynch. The spelling errors were irritating, but not enough to slow me down.
March 3, 2016
A very heart reaching story. I was a teenager when this crime happened and lived in the Western suburbs. Later in life I worked in Blacktown and Anita always came across my mind. Anita's parents were a testament to strong, good people that helped many victim families of violent crime. Bless them all, now the family is in heaven.
September 29, 2014
This book is one of those books you can't put down once you get started. Not even to perform vital functions. It hurts to read it, but if you stop you must go back within 20 seconds or so.
The range of emotions you go through reading the story is phenomenal. None of them particularly good, may I say. I cried so much, I really felt like I could feel Anita's pain and terror just by reading. I was quite ready to grab a kitchen knife, hitch a ride to the Goulburn SuperMax and have a hack at the five men (ha. Men? Now there's a funny joke. Try monsters.) myself. I was on the edge of my seat hoping for the police to catch the murderers. Thank god they did, and they won't be released, because I don't think I'd ever leave the house again!
I think that all women should take something from this. No matter how safe you feel, or how many times you've walked the same route with no problems, there is always something that could happen. Anita didn't have a mobile, seeing as they weren't invented, so girls these days should have no excuse. Always tell someone where you're going. Keep your mobile set to ring emergency at the touch of a button. We owe it to Anita that we take proper precautions, nothing like this should ever happen again. Even though it has, (see Janine Balding), and it will happen again I'm sure.
Go on, read "Someone Else's Daughter". Let it break your heart, make you angry, make you cry, make you love her mum and dad. Learn from it.
The range of emotions you go through reading the story is phenomenal. None of them particularly good, may I say. I cried so much, I really felt like I could feel Anita's pain and terror just by reading. I was quite ready to grab a kitchen knife, hitch a ride to the Goulburn SuperMax and have a hack at the five men (ha. Men? Now there's a funny joke. Try monsters.) myself. I was on the edge of my seat hoping for the police to catch the murderers. Thank god they did, and they won't be released, because I don't think I'd ever leave the house again!
I think that all women should take something from this. No matter how safe you feel, or how many times you've walked the same route with no problems, there is always something that could happen. Anita didn't have a mobile, seeing as they weren't invented, so girls these days should have no excuse. Always tell someone where you're going. Keep your mobile set to ring emergency at the touch of a button. We owe it to Anita that we take proper precautions, nothing like this should ever happen again. Even though it has, (see Janine Balding), and it will happen again I'm sure.
Go on, read "Someone Else's Daughter". Let it break your heart, make you angry, make you cry, make you love her mum and dad. Learn from it.
June 28, 2015
What happened to Anita should never have happened, and it is impossible for me to understand how a group of men can act worse than animals. They threw away their lives and freedom, and they obviously had friends and family who loved them and couldn't believe the truth. They all tried to blame each other, so I don't think that there was one of them who was upset or uncomfortable about what they were doing. It was something they had all done before. If they had of left her alive they would have got less than 10 years. I hope they think of that everyday in jail.
August 22, 2016
I was hoping for more imformation about the case by reading this book,but i didn,t find out anything i already knew by watching a youtube video previous to reading the book. Too much emphasis was placed on the police investigation,a lot of worthless drivel on the day to day investigation which took up most of the book content.Not enough background imformation was given to the killers or the victim Anita Cobby.I was so looking forward to reading this book and ordered all the way from New Zealand and spent thirty eight dollars just to read an okay book.
February 11, 2017
This is a must read. 20 years later its still such a devastating crime!
January 5, 2024
This was a pretty good effort by Julia Sheppard. I read this because in 1987 when I was a kid I was at home and looking at Good Weekend magazine and saw an article featuring 5 very disturbing mugshots. I remember just staring at these photos and thinking I'm glad I wasn't living anywhere near those guys. I guess it's pretty unusual for 5 males to commit a crime like that and then to be locked up for life but does anyone really want them back out on the streets? The main ringleader has never officially even admitted what he did and the brother who died of cancer a few years ago had no remorse at all and seemed to feel he was a victim in this sorry tale. I know it's considered an invasion of these 4 remaining creeps' privacy but it would be kind of interesting to know how they've been spending their time in prison for the last 40 years. Are they in protective custody or gen pop? How many times have they been attacked? Are they liked or loathed by those around them? They should really allow interviews of prisoners like they do in the US. Anyway, terrible story but good book.
November 3, 2018
This book created emotions in me I had yet to experience in life. It will pull at your heart. It's a horrible story, but well worth the read. I would hope she would be touched by the amount of people that fought for her.
Very well written and researched.
Very well written and researched.
June 1, 2019
Fantastic book that details this horrific crime and the investigation that followed in both an informative and compassionate way. Really demonstrates how violent crimes like this affect the family and friends of the victim as well as those who investigate it. I would definitely recommend.
March 19, 2021
3,5 stars*
Anita's murder is absolutely heartbreaking and unfair. All my love goes out to Anita Cobby's family.
The book was sometimes a bit hard to get through because of the many details and names in the case. Other than that it covered everything both information and emotions. A good read.
Anita's murder is absolutely heartbreaking and unfair. All my love goes out to Anita Cobby's family.
The book was sometimes a bit hard to get through because of the many details and names in the case. Other than that it covered everything both information and emotions. A good read.
July 29, 2018
A sad and disturbing look into the Anita Cobby case. The book also shows the strength and determination of her parents and their unending love for Anita
April 21, 2019
This book is impressive. Disturbing in parts, though great read
May 22, 2020
Very brutal and shocking... couldn't put it down...
June 8, 2020
Absolutely amazing book, such a tribute to the life of Anita! I recommend the read
September 6, 2025
I did find the book very interesting but my god it was sad. Extremely heavy 😢
September 15, 2025
This book captured me from the beginning, my heart ached for what Anita and her family went through. Everyone should read this book honestly. Julia Sheppard did a wonderful job at portraying Anita and her unfortunate short lived life and also the effort of the police who served justice against Anita’s Killers.
February 22, 2017
Anita Cobby, just the name dredges up horrifying images of the awful atrocity that befell her that night on February 2, 1986. Most Australians know the story and for those who were around when it happened it sparks outrage.
Julia Sheppard - a young reporter who was assigned to the case and was there from day dot - has written a heartbreaking and very well researched account of everything to do with the crime. The book covers everything; the background of the perpetrators, the victim, the families, the court case and the aftermath. After having read this book I feel as though there’s really nothing else to know about the case which is a testament to the author, I’ve read a few other books about this case and I feel this is easily the best, the most well written and the most emotional of all of them.
Living in NSW, one of the most corrupt police states in all of Australia, it’s so nice to read a book about good cops doing good things – the police assigned to find the killers did such a great job in tracking the killers down quickly, it’s also worthwhile to point out the bravery of Miss X who was instrumental in taking down the killers, without her you never know where they may be today.
I find it hard to give a true crime book about such an awful crime such a high rating, this woman suffered the most atrocious thing and here I am giving a book about it 5 stars – it’s awful really but essentially I’m giving the author 5 stars for doing such a great job of writing about such a horrific subject. While parts of the book were very hard to read I found myself completely enthralled by the story. I have a strong interest in true crime, in particular Australian true crime, and this is probably the most famous case this country has ever had so if you are also interested you simply have to add this to your TBR list. If you decide to read this book just be mindful that you will be put through the emotional wringer, there are times you feel completely sad and on the verge of crying, others where you feel extreme anger and then you feel terrified that this kind of thing really happened.
Hard to read but very well written and expertly researched.
Julia Sheppard - a young reporter who was assigned to the case and was there from day dot - has written a heartbreaking and very well researched account of everything to do with the crime. The book covers everything; the background of the perpetrators, the victim, the families, the court case and the aftermath. After having read this book I feel as though there’s really nothing else to know about the case which is a testament to the author, I’ve read a few other books about this case and I feel this is easily the best, the most well written and the most emotional of all of them.
Living in NSW, one of the most corrupt police states in all of Australia, it’s so nice to read a book about good cops doing good things – the police assigned to find the killers did such a great job in tracking the killers down quickly, it’s also worthwhile to point out the bravery of Miss X who was instrumental in taking down the killers, without her you never know where they may be today.
I find it hard to give a true crime book about such an awful crime such a high rating, this woman suffered the most atrocious thing and here I am giving a book about it 5 stars – it’s awful really but essentially I’m giving the author 5 stars for doing such a great job of writing about such a horrific subject. While parts of the book were very hard to read I found myself completely enthralled by the story. I have a strong interest in true crime, in particular Australian true crime, and this is probably the most famous case this country has ever had so if you are also interested you simply have to add this to your TBR list. If you decide to read this book just be mindful that you will be put through the emotional wringer, there are times you feel completely sad and on the verge of crying, others where you feel extreme anger and then you feel terrified that this kind of thing really happened.
Hard to read but very well written and expertly researched.
February 17, 2022
Omg those men are sick!
December 23, 2012
I was in Sydney when this happened. It was a nightmare can't even begin to understand how Grace and Garry handled it.
A well written book, indepth research and personal relationship with the family helped to put all sides across so very well. it is VERY descriptive in what was actually done to Anita and therefore can be uncomfortable at times as you can only imagine the pain and fear.
It is evenly balanced and deals with the perps as well their family, friends and feelings and where most people were situated at the time of writing.
one of the saddest stories I have read, proabably more so for having lived near the area at the exact time and remembering it all.
This book touched a deep cord with me, the author truely did justice to what a beautiful woman in both body and spirit Anita was.
A well written book, indepth research and personal relationship with the family helped to put all sides across so very well. it is VERY descriptive in what was actually done to Anita and therefore can be uncomfortable at times as you can only imagine the pain and fear.
It is evenly balanced and deals with the perps as well their family, friends and feelings and where most people were situated at the time of writing.
one of the saddest stories I have read, proabably more so for having lived near the area at the exact time and remembering it all.
This book touched a deep cord with me, the author truely did justice to what a beautiful woman in both body and spirit Anita was.
May 28, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
It can be so hard to rate true crime novels. A lot of the time, I find myself wary about giving an honest review or rating as I do not want to seem disrespectful to the victims and their families.
I don’t feel it with this book though.
This packed a huge punch and stayed with me long after I finished reading. It takes a lot to shock and disgust me these days but I felt such a strong level of hatred towards the offenders. I also felt so much admiration for Anita’s family, who have shown such incredible resilience and strength over the years as they dealt with a situation that no one should ever experience.
It can be so hard to rate true crime novels. A lot of the time, I find myself wary about giving an honest review or rating as I do not want to seem disrespectful to the victims and their families.
I don’t feel it with this book though.
This packed a huge punch and stayed with me long after I finished reading. It takes a lot to shock and disgust me these days but I felt such a strong level of hatred towards the offenders. I also felt so much admiration for Anita’s family, who have shown such incredible resilience and strength over the years as they dealt with a situation that no one should ever experience.
September 26, 2012
This has to be one of the most saddest ending to beautiful young life that I have ever read. I couldn't put the book down. It is hard to read at times. The courage of Anita's family & friends is just so hard to believe. I highly recommend this book. I am not about glorifying murders at all. But this book is truly a book that reminds you of Anita & not so much her killers. I wanted to read this book because I am interested in how the minds of others work. I am also interested in reading true stories. As well as true crimes. This "hard at times to read" book was the perfect fit.
October 11, 2012
So glad i had the opportunity 2 read this true story of Anira Cobby who was gang raped & murdered n Blacktown Sydney on her way home frm work 1 Sunday night. Anita was a young caring nurse as well as beautiful who loved her job adored her family & her many friends. It made me cringe as well as cry & extremely angry aftee what this pack of dirty filthy lowlife scum did 2 Anita n left her lifeless body dumped until police found her. Very heart wrenching n chilling book that u won't be able 2 put down!!! RIP ANITA
March 8, 2013
The most disturbng book I have ever read. I had to skim over certain parts as it was so harrowing - and then you remmember this isn't fiction - people actually lived this nightmare. As an Australian I was already familiar with this story, but I am not sure we all know just how remarkable her family were.
May 11, 2011
I just couldn't put this book down. Its such a horrible crime and it is written about so well in this book. It is such a great documentation of what happened. I found it an amazing book and i'd definitely recommend it
:)
:)
January 24, 2012
The most chilling part of the book is that there were actually friends and family defending the defendants! I am also in awe about the calmness and humility Anita's family have shown. I am so disgusted by these men and think it is a waste of money, time and effort keeping them alive.
November 9, 2013
Extremely sad story of a horrific crime. A heartfelt story that will enrage any patent and open your eyes to the monsters that walk this earth. A powerful story that draws a community together for justice.
August 3, 2011
This was a truly emotional read about one of Australia's most harrowing crimes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews