Accidental Death? When things may not be as they seem

by Robin Bowles

This collection of stories centres on the idea of 'accidental death', and the upheaval caused in the lives of those who lose a loved one in this way. Several of the cases examined here turned out, on investigation, not to be accidents at all. Some were crimes. Some remain unexplained; others were shown to be just what they appeared to be. What connects them is what happens to those involved: suddenly, grieving people are thrown into the spotlight. There is no privacy and nowhere to hide. Like it or not, and often through no fault of their own, these people become part of an investigation, subject to the scrutiny of police, media, the courts, and the court of public opinion.

Featuring a range of meticulously researched cases — from the tragic story of Akon Guode, jailed in 2017 for driving her children into a lake, to the accidental death of cricketer Phillip Hughes — ‘Australia’s true crime queen’ delves deep into the criminal justice system. With Bowles’s trademark compassion and forensic attention to detail, Accidental Death? explores the reality of ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations when an unforeseen event upends their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime

352 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2018

Reviews

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin Bowles has published a number of true crime books covering some of Australia’s most high profile crimes, including the death of toddler Jaidyn Leskie, and the abduction and murder of English backpacker, Peter Falconio. She seems most interested in cases where the facts are uncertain, and it is this ambiguity she explores in Accidental Death?.

Bowles presents six interesting cases in this book, some with which I was familiar from media coverage, some not. They are all tragic tales of lives cut short, in which absolute culpability is not easily ascribed. I found ‘26 Seconds’ particularly maddening, and ‘There is a Kid Under the Water!’ utterly heartbreaking.

While her research seems thorough, Bowles is not simply an objective reporter of the facts. Though not necessarily a bad thing, her personal bias is often evident in her storytelling, which is generally unusual for the genre.

I thought Accidental Death? was a thought provoking read, an interesting examination of blame, guilt, and justice, and the lack thereof.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the stories featured in this book are intriguing, it was interesting to learn more information about some headline cases. However I found getting through most of them a big effort. The writing sometimes gets bogged down in technical matters and the author's personal asides feel misplaced and unnecessary (she somehow had a different personal expert knowledge on every case). The chapter on Phillip Hughes' death didn't offer much and felt like it may have only been included for how recognisable it is. But the most egregious chapter is the one that focuses on an ex-cop who killed his wife's lover in a fist fight. We are constantly asked to sympathise with this man as he was found guilty of murder rather than manslaughter. While the discussion of the distinction between the two crimes is interesting, her constant focus on the impact of the perpetrator's life instead of that of the victim and his family is really grating. There's definitely merit to this book but it's allegiances are at times odd or misplaced.

[Lonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found some of the cases interesting though not enough details to be worthy of a whole book.

[Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of true crime stories which are loosely connected by the probability that they could have been accidental deaths. Then again, at least three of them could have been murder. The author sets out the facts as they see them which they do so in a manner which tries to be neutral, but their feelings one way or another come through in a couple of places. The issue with these type of cases is the fact that many are unresolved & it makes for exasperating reading. I was aghast at the (what seems to me) extremely lenient sentencing in the case of the death of Natalia Pearn, & frustrated at the thought that we may never know what happened in the cases of the deaths of two wives of the same man. Was he extremely unlucky or was there more to the deaths of his first & second wives? It's hard to contemplate the fact that in some cases people may very well have gotten away with murder. Verdict: I was intrigued enough by the author's writing style to plan to read some of their other books but this one was a little disappointing.

TWs: child death.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Just find these true crime/accidents so fascinating. Especially Australian crime. These 5 stories were all different and I found myself with mixed feelings about some. Akon Goude's story is tragic, heartbreaking and chilling - her childhood terrifying. This book is extremely well researched and well worth the read.

[Nez · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
It was ok book, but the writing could have been better.

[Scribe Publications]

Meticulously researched and presented.
Courier Mail

Robin Bowles’s Accidental Death? is worth ­reading because it illuminates the gap between ­justice and the law, the shadowland between ­accident and culpability, and the restless ghost that sudden death becomes for everyone it touches.
The Australian

[Sarah Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good true crime book, and have read a couple of offerings by this author in the past. "Accidental Death?: When things may not be as they seem" by Robin Bowles, doesn’t disappoint. It’s an engaging read, which is a little sad to say when you consider the topic.  The Author has researched and written about a collection of some of the more charming cases of accidental death in recent Australian history. Bowles provides the reader with examples of possibly genuine and tragic accidents, those with suspicious circumstances, and others that are just a little odd. She sensitively discusses the devastating consequences that a lack of evidence and certainty has on the family and friends of victims. Well researched and fairly executed. A must read for true-crime aficionados.

I received a copy of this book from Sisters in Crime, Australia in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories recounted in this collection of accidental deaths seemed to be researched in great detail, which was sometimes to the detriment of the stories - it might just be me but I felt that in parts it was too court-room-y and too official. Perhaps I just prefer my true crime to be more sensationalised... In saying that, I definitely enjoyed reading this (as much as one can enjoy reading about horrific traumas, unresolved deaths and endless grief), and would recommend it to others. Some stories appealed to me more so than others; some hurt more emotionally, some less.

[Rosie · Rating 1 out of 5]

An excellent book to read if you want grief porn with the author's personal bias mixed in. While discussing the death of three children, the author thinks it's necessary to talk about her dog and her birthday. There's misinformation about the death of Natalia Pearn.

I got my copy from the library and in the first chapter, somebody had done a little asterisk next to a sentence and just written "crap," which adequately sums up the whole book.

[True Crime Bookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accidental Death by Robin Bowles is a fascinating collection of six short stories, some that leave you with a lingering question: were these deaths truly accidental, or was there something darker at play?

Bowles shines a light on the suspicious details behind 61 year-old, Elizabeth Higgins’ drowning, the devastating consequences of a husband’s revenge on his wife’s lover, the sudden and questionable death of Birgit Munro and her father’s determined fight for answers, and the twenty-six seconds that ended in tragedy on Tasmania’s Midland Highway. She also covers the heartbreaking loss of Phillip Hughes on the cricket field, and the devastating story of three young children who drowned after their mother drove them into a lake.

This was a buddy read, and it turned out to be an easy but engaging read from start to finish. Each story is written in a way that pulls you in quickly, but it was the sixth chapter in particular that left me wishing Bowles had expanded it into a full book rather than just a short story.

Engaging, thought-provoking, and perfect for true crime fans who like bite-size but impactful cases.

[Liam Hanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book as the several stories within the novel were extremely interesting. However, I was unable to connect with the book. I found the author to provide too much of her own emotion, which felt as though she was forcing the reader to agree with her opinion. The book would read much better and become a lot more mysterious if less emotive language was used.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin Bowles has done a lot of research into each of the incidents she describes in this book, taking the reader into the background of each and leaving the reader to decide if it was accident or not. In a few cases it's hard to see how the event could be anything BUT an accident, but in others it's more difficult to tell.

It gives the reader a lot to think about, that's for sure.

[Kat Blockade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the interesting cases, this was very dry and dull reading- skimmed most of it. The author is not a great writer of literature, but is probably okay at writing academic journal articles. Also, author tends to pull you out of the story every so often to give her personal opinion "as a former nurse myself" which somehow doesn't add anything to the narrative.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and engrossing account of a number of accidental deaths in Australia that weren't, as the title suggests, all they seemed on the surface. The author inserts just enough of her own thoughts and emotions into the stories to give them an extra human and empathetic dimension, without detracting from the narrative. The last story, especially, is one that will haunt you.

[Pip Snort · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first stories in this book were a bit passionless and lacked intrigue or tension, however the latter stories were stories of far greater legal and factual complexity and the author was much more emotionally invested and this substantially affected her writing for the better.

[Bookgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. The only thing about it I didn’t like was the authors need to put her own opinions in from time to time.

[Charlie Steen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8⭐️