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The Dennis Nilsen Tapes: In Jail with Britain’s Most Infamous Serial Killer
In 1992, alongside forensic psychologist Paul Britton and an undercover police film crew, Michael Morley spent two days inside the high-security Vulnerable Prisoner Unit at Albany Prison on the Isle of Wight and subsequently became the only journalist ever to record and broadcast an interview with Dennis Nilsen.
In what became front page news at the time, Morley overcame two eleventh hour government attempts (in the High Court and Court of Appeal) to stop ITV in the UK screening extracts of the Nilsen interview. Controversially, the Master of the Rolls ruled no more of the interrogation should ever be shown and the Home Office has never again allowed a serial killer to be interviewed for TV.
The Dennis Nilsen Tapes: In Jail with Britain's Most Infamous Serial Killer will offer a never-before-seen account of Morley's chilling two-year correspondence with the infamous Scottish serial killer, Dennis Nilsen, along with new details of that historic and life changing face-to-face meeting.
Now, for the first time, Morley will reveal the full extent of the recorded material as part of a graphic, unique and definitive psychological investigation into what made Nilsen Britain's most notorious murderer.
In what became front page news at the time, Morley overcame two eleventh hour government attempts (in the High Court and Court of Appeal) to stop ITV in the UK screening extracts of the Nilsen interview. Controversially, the Master of the Rolls ruled no more of the interrogation should ever be shown and the Home Office has never again allowed a serial killer to be interviewed for TV.
The Dennis Nilsen Tapes: In Jail with Britain's Most Infamous Serial Killer will offer a never-before-seen account of Morley's chilling two-year correspondence with the infamous Scottish serial killer, Dennis Nilsen, along with new details of that historic and life changing face-to-face meeting.
Now, for the first time, Morley will reveal the full extent of the recorded material as part of a graphic, unique and definitive psychological investigation into what made Nilsen Britain's most notorious murderer.
- GenresCrimeTrue Crime
352 pages, Paperback
Published June 28, 2022
About the author
Michael Morley
28 books21 followersAka Jon Trace, Sam Christer.
Michael Morley is a former TV producer and director, and is currently a senior executive director for Endemol TV. He has produced a number of award-winning documentaries. Viper is his second novel, following Spider which introduced Jack King. He lives in Derbyshire.
Michael Morley is a former TV producer and director, and is currently a senior executive director for Endemol TV. He has produced a number of award-winning documentaries. Viper is his second novel, following Spider which introduced Jack King. He lives in Derbyshire.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 29, 2022
I think I’m in such shock and so filled with disgust that I don’t know how to rate this book. It’s absolutely horrid.
The only Dahmer book I’ve read is re: his interrogation and I’m pretty sure the detective wrote it o it was completely different from this book’s perspective about Nilson, and these two seem like peas in a pod.
Over halfway through this book, which is somewhat interesting, I’ve not picked up any of my other books, and I see a definition issue. Maybe the words meant the same thing back in the day? but strangulation and asphyxiation are two totally different things, either of which I do not plan experiencing
The introduction of this book just made my day! Ressler and hazelwood helped the author by sharing their knowledge base and research.NO JOHN DOUGLAS! Woo hoo
The only Dahmer book I’ve read is re: his interrogation and I’m pretty sure the detective wrote it o it was completely different from this book’s perspective about Nilson, and these two seem like peas in a pod.
Over halfway through this book, which is somewhat interesting, I’ve not picked up any of my other books, and I see a definition issue. Maybe the words meant the same thing back in the day? but strangulation and asphyxiation are two totally different things, either of which I do not plan experiencing
The introduction of this book just made my day! Ressler and hazelwood helped the author by sharing their knowledge base and research.NO JOHN DOUGLAS! Woo hoo
January 12, 2022
I will never understand why Nilsen's name isn’t mentioned alongside the likes of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer etc when we discuss the most terrifying serial killers. Like @eastofreaden said to me, it’s probably because he’s British - we tend to focus on the American ones.
The parts of this book that focus on Nilsen is fascinating, but some parts were a little dull. At the beginning the author keeps drawing these vague resemblances between himself and Nilsen that felt totally random and irrelevant. But the conversations that Morley had with Roy Hazelwood and Robert Ressler were a particular highlight - these guys being the experts and pioneers when it comes to criminal profiling! Superstars!
The book is essentially about the challenges Morley faced in getting to interview Nilsen and subsequently televise said interview. Legal technicalities come into play and there’s a court case and I didn’t care about any of that. The last two chapters were probably the most interesting as Morley delved into Nilsen’s crimes and the potential reasons for his actions.
Nilsen was SICK. He murdered young men and boys and washed the bodies, storing them in his residence, until he felt he “needed company” and would bring the corpses out again to spend time with them (and perform other unspeakable acts). It’s a highly disturbing read, I just wish the book was more about the victims/the psychology behind these acts, as opposed to the author’s own feelings and struggles. 3 stars.
The parts of this book that focus on Nilsen is fascinating, but some parts were a little dull. At the beginning the author keeps drawing these vague resemblances between himself and Nilsen that felt totally random and irrelevant. But the conversations that Morley had with Roy Hazelwood and Robert Ressler were a particular highlight - these guys being the experts and pioneers when it comes to criminal profiling! Superstars!
The book is essentially about the challenges Morley faced in getting to interview Nilsen and subsequently televise said interview. Legal technicalities come into play and there’s a court case and I didn’t care about any of that. The last two chapters were probably the most interesting as Morley delved into Nilsen’s crimes and the potential reasons for his actions.
Nilsen was SICK. He murdered young men and boys and washed the bodies, storing them in his residence, until he felt he “needed company” and would bring the corpses out again to spend time with them (and perform other unspeakable acts). It’s a highly disturbing read, I just wish the book was more about the victims/the psychology behind these acts, as opposed to the author’s own feelings and struggles. 3 stars.
August 5, 2025
There has only ever been one TV interview with a serial killer in a British jail, which has been broadcast. This book details the story of that dramatic event, which was carried out by the award-winning documentary maker and author of this book, Michael Morley. The subject was Dennis Nilsen, then the country's most prolific murderer.
To get it broadcast, Morley had to overcome two government attempts in the High Court and the Court of Appeal to stop ITV screening any extracts of the interview in the UK. The court ruled that no more than four minutes of a four hour interview should ever be shown.
This book covers those four hours, plus two days spent face to face with Nilsen in Albany Prison on the Isle of Wight and two years of correspondence and confessions from the infamous killer.
To get it broadcast, Morley had to overcome two government attempts in the High Court and the Court of Appeal to stop ITV screening any extracts of the interview in the UK. The court ruled that no more than four minutes of a four hour interview should ever be shown.
This book covers those four hours, plus two days spent face to face with Nilsen in Albany Prison on the Isle of Wight and two years of correspondence and confessions from the infamous killer.
May 31, 2022
I didn’t actually finish this book I read up until the end of the interview with Dennis Nilsen. I borrowed this book from the library as it’s about the Netflix documentary and thought it would be good to read the book before watching the documentary. However, from reading the book I have found out more about the man who set the interview up rather than Dennis Nilsen himself. I am going to now watch the documentary on Netflix and also invest in buying the book Dennis Nilsen actually wrote himself in prison with a publisher.
December 6, 2021
I'd like to give this book 2 and a half stars, as although it gave a graphic account of the crimes that Nilsen committed, this book was also about the author processing his personal trauma after interviewing Nilsen and about venting out his frustration around the 'show that never got made.'
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2021
It's a terrifying book, not because it was written about serial killer, but because it was written by the man who obviously suffers from a feeling of inferiority and an attention-seeking behaviour. You'll know more about Morley's life and his beliefs than Nilsen's. The further you read, the worse it gets.
How could he possibly compare his poor childhood with Nilsen's and complain about it? Is it okay to compare yourself to any serial killer? And how could Morley call Des Nilsen the UK's Ted Bundy? He is a journalist, not a psychiatrist, but he acts like one. Nice try and truly a ridiculous one.
God, it was unbearable. The most precious part is the interview but it's still hard to read because an author comments every Nilsen's phrase with such sardonic irony and cynicism. The rest of book you can just throw away.
How could he possibly compare his poor childhood with Nilsen's and complain about it? Is it okay to compare yourself to any serial killer? And how could Morley call Des Nilsen the UK's Ted Bundy? He is a journalist, not a psychiatrist, but he acts like one. Nice try and truly a ridiculous one.
God, it was unbearable. The most precious part is the interview but it's still hard to read because an author comments every Nilsen's phrase with such sardonic irony and cynicism. The rest of book you can just throw away.
August 18, 2026
A near perfect book! In detailing the process of making a documentary and interviewing Nilsen it manages to be a book about journalism itself, an examination of the offender profiling of the era and a deep dive on Nilsen and it mananges to deliver on all fronts. The chapters detailing the research undertaken before the interview were especially good when the the big names in FBI profiling are simultaneously being interviewed but also sought out for advice on how to interview a serial killer...just amazing. An incredible book.
Possibly one the best true crime books i've read in that it comes in from a completely novel angle and completely captures that viewpoint for the reader to see the case from.
Possibly one the best true crime books i've read in that it comes in from a completely novel angle and completely captures that viewpoint for the reader to see the case from.
September 27, 2022
Overall a really good factual book about Dennis Nelson and the horrific scenes he conducted to his victims.
Some moments are a little hard to read, knowing what he actually did and to the detail that Michael Morley writes then in. It brings home how much of a horrific man he is.
Although the book was good I did find at times it was more leaning towards how desperate Michael was to seek out the info, his determination etc rather than Dennis himself. However if you like true crime stories this is a good one.
Some moments are a little hard to read, knowing what he actually did and to the detail that Michael Morley writes then in. It brings home how much of a horrific man he is.
Although the book was good I did find at times it was more leaning towards how desperate Michael was to seek out the info, his determination etc rather than Dennis himself. However if you like true crime stories this is a good one.
February 24, 2023
The book tells more the story of the interview, how it came to be and the legalities surround this, rather than the story of Nilsen. Perhaps you’d enjoy this more if you had a keen interest for how journalism works. The blurb of the book makes you think you’ll follow Nilsen’s story but if that’s your interest then I would just advise watching David Tennants portrayal of him in ITV’s ‘Des’. I didn’t managed to finish this one, a bit of a slog.
August 20, 2026
Dennis Nilsen is not the UK's Ted Bundy.
His name wasn't "Desmond".
It was an interesting read, but at times it felt like a drag. It's worth a read, definitely, but skimming in certain chapters also works.
His name wasn't "Desmond".
It was an interesting read, but at times it felt like a drag. It's worth a read, definitely, but skimming in certain chapters also works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
Started off very interesting but the more it became about the court case the less interested I was…
April 23, 2023
Another audible book for me… it was intense, very intense. Well worth a listen for anyone into true crime
August 18, 2021
First of all, I thought I would point out that the title of this book is wrong. It is called The Dennis Nilsen Tapes, not "Nielsen", as the subject's surname is Nilsen. The website appears to have got him mixed up with Donald Neilsen, who was another notorious British criminal, though he was notorious for a different reason. Look him up on Google or Wikipedia and you'll see.
Secondly...this book is extremely boring, to the point of it being almost unreadable. It is full of psycho-babble from the author and long, boring rambling quotes from Nilsen himself. I found it very hard to get in to and even harder to keep reading. In the end, I just got fed-up, stopped reading it and my copy of the book is now with a local charity shop. I didn't feel as though I learned anything really new from this book at all, apart from what a boring man Nilsen must have been and full of his own arrogance and self-importance. He also appeared to show no regret or remorse for his crimes or the lives that he took. It seemed as though his only regret was getting caught and spending the remainder of his life in prison, where he stayed until he died, just a few years ago. I felt nothing for this man apart from pure revulsion, and reading this book did nothing to change that.
So, to sum up...don't bother with this. I guarantee that all you will feel after reading it is disappointment, because it could potentially have been so much better. That was my feeling just before I gave up on this book. I wasted too many hours of my life on this book. I wish that I could get those hours back. Don't be fooled by the lurid title. It is tedious to the extreme. Save your time and money. I wish that I had.
Secondly...this book is extremely boring, to the point of it being almost unreadable. It is full of psycho-babble from the author and long, boring rambling quotes from Nilsen himself. I found it very hard to get in to and even harder to keep reading. In the end, I just got fed-up, stopped reading it and my copy of the book is now with a local charity shop. I didn't feel as though I learned anything really new from this book at all, apart from what a boring man Nilsen must have been and full of his own arrogance and self-importance. He also appeared to show no regret or remorse for his crimes or the lives that he took. It seemed as though his only regret was getting caught and spending the remainder of his life in prison, where he stayed until he died, just a few years ago. I felt nothing for this man apart from pure revulsion, and reading this book did nothing to change that.
So, to sum up...don't bother with this. I guarantee that all you will feel after reading it is disappointment, because it could potentially have been so much better. That was my feeling just before I gave up on this book. I wasted too many hours of my life on this book. I wish that I could get those hours back. Don't be fooled by the lurid title. It is tedious to the extreme. Save your time and money. I wish that I had.
December 20, 2021
Not my usual genre, read it to branch out. It was interesting but I don't think true crime is for me
August 29, 2021
As someone who is currently studying criminology this is a very interesting read and raises many questions and theories on why Dennis Nilson became a serial killer and necrophile.
There were certain parts that were simply not needed, went completely off topic and delved more into the authors personal life and perspectives than you would expect.
Other than that I found this book a compelling read that I couldn't put down
There were certain parts that were simply not needed, went completely off topic and delved more into the authors personal life and perspectives than you would expect.
Other than that I found this book a compelling read that I couldn't put down
August 15, 2021
An interesting, personal insight into interviewing Nilsen.
December 30, 2021
A very interesting read, with a lot into the insight of getting the interview with Dennis Nilsen himself, and then the struggle of getting the interview on tv
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews