The Lost Girl: How I Triumphed Over Life at the Mercy of Fred and Rose West

by Caroline Roberts, Stephen Richards

When Caroline Roberts accepted a job at 25 Cromwell Street, the infamous address of Fred and Rose West, she was only 16. Realizing that there was something very malevolent about the couple, she left their employment soon after, glad to be rid of them. The story should have ended there, but a month, later she was abducted by the Wests and suffered violent sexual abuse at their hands before being told that she would be killed and buried. Through a combination of luck and quick thinking, depite the trauma of what had happened, Caroline managed to escape to freedom. This is her story of those fateful days and the appalling aftermath.

Genres: True Crime, Crime, Nonfiction, Biography

278 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2004

About the author

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads.

Born in Goucester in 1955, Caroline Roberts (formerly Caroline Raine) became the live-in nanny to Fred and Rosemary West's three daughters when she was 17-years-old.

Reviews

[Redfox5 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll start by saying something horrible. I really didn't like Caroline. Usally when I read these kinda books, I'm rooting for the victim. I usally like the victim! I'm not saying that she deserved the things done to her. Because they were horrendous and the way she was treated by the police afterwards was awful. If I had read this as two stories, One being what happened with Rose and Fred West and the other being the rest of Carolines life you would get two different reviews from me. With what happened with the Wests, she gets my every sympathy. But if I had just read about the rest of her life I wouldn't have anything nice to say.

[Natz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love True Crime books but I'm afraid this one wasn't for me. Caroline talks more about her own life and doesn't say much about the time she spent with Fred and Rosemary West. You only get one chapter about her working as a nanny, one chapter about the abuse and a few chapters about the media and the trial. The rest is about her lifestyle; boyfriends, drugs and lots of drama and self pity. Don't get me wrong though, I feel deeply sorry for Caroline and I can't believe everything she's been through. It's just that most people will most likely buy this book because they want to read about the Wests, but it doesn't say much about them at all. In other words the description of this book is very misleading. Disappointing.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

can't sympathise with Caroline as a person, only with her ordeal.

[Barbra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read although I can't understand how someone can knowingly go back to a couple who she knew were evil. I know they duped her into getting into the car but why didnt she just run when she saw them.

Back Cover Blurb:
When Caroline Roberts accepted a job at 25 Cromwell Street, the infamous address of Fred and Rose West, she was only 16. Realising that there was something very malevolent about the couple, she left their employment soon after, glad to be rid of them. The story should have ended there.
A month later she was abducted by the Wests and suffered violent sexual abuse at their hands before being told that she would be killed and buried. Through a combination of luck and quick thinking, despite the trauma of what had happened, Caroline managed to escape to freedom.

[Deborah C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

As other reviewers wrote, Caroline doesn’t initially present as an especially likeable person, but I feel that maybe these perceived flaws in her character, certain deceptions and poor choices in relationships, actually provided her with the skills she needed to evade the West’s. Congratulations on that. Later in the book, she describes a more likeable and developed self, though, as a book, this seemed like a quick add-on and didn’t integrate especially well with the rest of the account. I had concerns, as well, about the experience of her co-author, given the grammatical errors throughout. All in all, Caroline provided insight and it read quickly.

[Sabrina Rutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually my second attempt at reading this one. For some reason I just found it a bit hard to get into, but once I got to the third chapter I didn't want to set this book down. Caroline basically describes her childhood, the effect the Wests attack had on her, and her healing process.
Caroline is suppose to be writing another book and I wouldn't mind checking that one out. She got really into spiritualism and that's something that interests me. If I remember right her next book is going to either involve spiritualism or be about it.

[Lynsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book but found it covered more about her life after her time with Fred and Rose West and not so much about her time during working for them as a nanny. I also noticed there were quite a few typos, which although didn't spoil the read thought it could have been proof read a bit better.

[Nisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book, her experiance was so tragic.. It makes me think that I'm so blessed I might have a better teenage life than her..And in the last page of her book, she said, "Life is jerk but we will survive". Good point!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finding reviewing biographies of this kind difficult. Understandably not the best writing, and not an easy story to read or comprehend. I can only really give it a middle of the road rating as it wouldn't be fair to analyse it in a literary sense.

[Karen Osment · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story from the survivor of Fred and Rose West, which went into more detail of her life rather than just focus on the abuse by these evil people. Could have gone more in-depth in places and wasn't too into the 'spiritual' ending, but worth a read anyway.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was terrible the whole West story, and I've read all the books on them and found them all very interesting but this book was a bit disappointing! Glad I've read it though

[Dawn Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Would recommend you read, I couldn't put it down.

[Tracy Bethell · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting in parts

[Fitri Pakpahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kisah nyata ini menceritakan tentang perjalanan pencarian jati diri seorang perempuan yang mengalami pelecehan seksual ketika remaja. Ia tumbuh dengan dibayangi oleh kejadian itu. Caroline adalah perempuan pemberani dan kuat. jelas tergambarkan dari cerita ini. Caroline juga benar-benar hilang (Sesuai dengan judul). bagaimana pikiran2 nya sendiri membuat dirinya semakin kacau. Pikiran2 yang kontradiksi dengan hati dan kemaunya. Kemauanya adalah mengingkan kebebasan. sedangkan hatinya (baik hati) cenderung mudah iba dan ingin menolong orang lain. Namun seiring bertambahnya umur dan ia bertumbuh dewasa. ia menjadi semakin bijak dan kuat. seperti perkataanya di akhir buku ini "Hidup memang brengsek, namun anda harus bertahan"

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very raw book. The author does not hold back on herself. I respect that. It is very brave.
It is amazing to see that is she is a survivor and she has made something of herself.
However I do have to agree with a lot of the other reviews and say I don't think I like the person. Some of her behaviour makes it so hard to like her but this is the raw side to this book.
I do find the writing style to be very basic but that is to be kind of expected.

[Daphne Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An upsetting true story by one of the West’s victims who survived. An insight into the evil couple’s modus operandi, sexually abusing young girls whom they had befriended and killing them when they became difficult to control. Very sad.

[Minimoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hurts me so much. It shows perfectly how a person's life can be affected even after a short time sexual offend.

[Aria Anggana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perjuangan Seorang Korban Pelecehan Seksual Melawan
Trauma Masa Lalunya

Judul : The Lost Girl
Pengarang : Caroline Robert
Penterjemah : Catherine Konggidinata
Tempat : Jakarta
Penerbit : PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Tahun : 2007
Tebal Buku : 324 halaman
Isi Buku :
Saat Caroline Roberts menerima pekerjaan di Cromwell
Street 25, tempat tinggal Fred dan Rose West yang
membawa malapetaka, usianya baru 16 tahun. Saat
menyadari sesuatu yang kejam pada diri pasangan itu,
dia segera meninggalkan pekerjaannya, merasa lega
karena bisa melepaskan diri dari mereka. Kisahnya
harusnya berakhir di sini.
Sebulan kemudian, dia diculik oleh pasangan West dan
mengalami siksaan seksual yang kasar di tangan mereka
sebelum diberitahu bahwa dia akan dibunuh dan
dibukur. Lewat kombinasi keberuntungan dan
pemikiran cepat—terlepas dari trauma yang di
deritanya—Caroline berhasil meloloskan diri.

Ulasan Buku :
Buku setebal tiga ratus dua puluh empat halaman ini
bisa dikatakan diari. Mau dibilang apa lagi karena
memang di setiap lembarnya tertulis pengalaman hidup
Car, termasuk masa-masa paling kelam dalam hidupnya
yang sebagian orang akan menyimpannya rapat-rapat
agar tidak ada seorangpun yang tahu bahkan iblis
sekalipun. Tapi Carolin sebagai penebus rasa
bersalahnya terhadap para korban pasangan West yang
tidak selamat setelah ia berhasil meloloskan diri tapi
terlalu takut dan malu untuk menceritakan apa yang ia
alami. Apalagi polisi yang bertugas menangani kasusnya
—Ibu Car yang akhirnya menagdu ke polisi—tidak
memperlakukannya dengan baik, polisi itu berbuat
seolah-olah Car adalah ratu sek dan apa yang dilakukan
Fred adalah juga inisiatif darinya. Didera rasa takut,
malu dan terlebih lagi sakit fisik dan hati yang
diterimanya, Car memutuskan menutup perkara
tersebut karna tidak ingin datang ke persidangan dan
pada akhirnya pasangan West hanya dikenakan
hukuman denda.
Baru setelah dua puluh tahun berlalu, pasangan West
berhasil ditangkap oleh polisi karena ketahuan telah
membunuh anaknya sendiri Heather—yang masih bayi
saat diasuh oleh Caroline. Ini lah saatnya bagi Caroline
untuk kembali membuka lembar hidupnya yang
berusaha ia hilangkan tapi ternyata selalu membayang
sepanjang sisa hidupnya. Caroline ingin pasangan West
di hukum seberat-beratnya. Caroline membuka
kembali kasusnya dan membantu polisi mengumpulkan
bukti-bukti dengan memberikan keterangan selengkap-
lengkapnya. Sebagai saksi hidup, Carolin mengantar
pasangan West ke dalam penjara. Itulah caranya
meminta maaf kepada korban pasangan West yang
terbunuh.
Semua kisah ini berawal dari rumah. Kita terkadang
lupa, rumah adalah tempat untuk kita kembali dari
sejauh apapun kita pergi dan selama apapun dan dalam
keadaan apapun. Rumah seharusnya tidak hanya
merupa bangunan yang bisa menampung beberapa
jumlah orang tapi rumah juga adalah dimana kita bisa
mendapatkan dukungan, tempat kita untuk tumbuh dan
berkembang serta tempat untuk meraup kasih sayang
sebanyak-banyaknya. Kita tidak sadar, kita bergantung
dengan anggota keluarga dengan seribu cara! Sayangnya
Caroline tidak memiliki semua itu untuk bersandar,
bahkan ia dikecewakan oleh orang-orang terdekatnya
termasuk ayah kandungnya sendiri.
Saya tidak dibayar untuk mengatakan ini. Tapi cobalah
baca buku ini dan bayangkan hal ini terjadi pada Anda,
pada Anak Anda, pada Sodara Anda, pada orang-orang
terdekat Anda, saya yakin Anda akan bergidik ngeri .
Maka saya katakan, jangan abaikan orang-orang
terdekat Anda, orang-orang yang ada di dalam rumah
yang sama dengan Anda. Bekali anak-anak ini perasaan
nyaman di rumah maka dengan caranya sendiri mereka
akan menularkannya dengan teman-temannya di luar
sana.
# Hidup memang brengsek, tetapi Anda akan bertahan—
Caroline Robert
(Dengan orang-orang yang mencintai dan mendukung
Anda tentunya.)


Salam.

26 Mei 2011
http://4sayap.wordpress.com/2011/05/2...

[Emma Compton-Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little shocked reading some of the other reviews on this book. Some shaming Caroline, talking about her self-pity, moaning that the book wasn’t about Fred and Rose enough.
To new readers. This book isn’t about Fred and Rose. This is a survival story of someone who suffered before, during and after Fred and Rose.
So many of Fred and Roses victim didn’t get a chance to tell their story. Caroline did. I can’t imagine what she went through before she even met Fred and Rose! Let alone survive the abuse and then thrive years later. She can look back and explain her actions, both good and bad.
I loved how she was able to take a more spiritual approach in her recovery, and speak positively rather than suggest a woe-is-me attitude.

[nat]

Dalam sehari, baca 2 buku tentang pelecehan seksual.

Paginya baca fiksi karya Jodi Picoult (Tenth Circle), yang berdasarkan riset nyata.
Sorenya baca kisah nyata yang ini.

Yang dialami Caroline memang sangat berat walau tak lepas juga dari perilaku yang dipilihnya.

Betapa beratnya beban mental yang harus dia tanggung, dan pasti itu butuh waktu lama dengan pertolongan banyak orang, untuk bisa pulih dan bangkit, bahkan berani menuliskan kisahnya ini.

Ada sesuatu yang kurang klik di hati, makanya tiga bintang saja.

[Tsalis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book without knowing a single thing about the West family so i enjoy reading it a lot. Caroline (Rest in Peace) had been through a lot at such a young age and you can see how much it affected her life even years after the tragedies. Life doesn’t give you a sunshine just because you’ve been thru a hard night. Caroline describes it so well and I’m so thankful that she’s willing to tell us her life story. A very humane story.

[Rizki Situmorang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kisah Caroline menyadarkan setiap pembaca untuk tidak gentar menghadapi hidup yang rumit, ribet, pahit, tak enak, dll