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Brady and Hindley: Genesis of the Moors murders
The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around what is now Greater Manchester, England. The victims were five children aged between 10 and 17—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans—at least four of whom were sexually assaulted. The murders are so named because two of the victims were discovered in graves dug on Saddleworth Moor, with a third grave also being discovered there in 1987, over 20 years after Brady and Hindley's trial in 1966. The body of a fourth victim, Keith Bennett, is also suspected to be buried there, but despite repeated searches it remains undiscovered.
The police were initially aware of only three killings, those of Edward Evans, Lesley Ann Downey and John Kilbride. The investigation was reopened in 1985, after Brady was reported in the press as having confessed to the murders of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett. Brady and Hindley were taken separately to Saddleworth Moor to assist the police in their search for the graves, both by then having confessed to the additional murders.
The police were initially aware of only three killings, those of Edward Evans, Lesley Ann Downey and John Kilbride. The investigation was reopened in 1985, after Brady was reported in the press as having confessed to the murders of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett. Brady and Hindley were taken separately to Saddleworth Moor to assist the police in their search for the graves, both by then having confessed to the additional murders.
197 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 16, 2021
The author, Fred Harrison, was a reporter for one of Britain’s Sunday newspapers. He gets access to interview Ian Brady after he had written a short article on Ian Brady’s mental condition. This was in 1984. Harrison’s motive for interviewing Brady is to see if he can get any information out of him concerning Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett. Pauline was 16 years old when she went missing in 1963 on her way to a local dance. Keith was 12 when he disappeared when he was walking to his grandmother’s house.
He provides a mini biography of Brady in Chapter 1 titled ‘The Psychopath’. It is a little bewildering to be honest. I really was none the wiser as to why he became a murderer. It does not set the book up well I feel. Stick with it though as it does get better. There is a ‘but’ here. You do need to have some knowledge of the Moors Murderers. Most people in Britain my age, 50 and older, would know about them and what they did. If you do not know anything about them then this is probably not the book to begin with. Actually, it is really not the book to start with.
I knew about how Brady had got together with Hindley and used her as an accomplice to his killing ways but there is a section of the book where he is trying to do the same with David Smith who was actually married to Hindley’s younger sister, Maureen. That was interesting to me as although I knew about the five murders I was not aware of David Smith even though he was a huge part of the story.
It seems this book is not sure what it is. It is not a detailed true crime book nor does it delve deeply into the interviews that the author had with Brady. I can probably only recommend it as an addendum to other books on the case.
He provides a mini biography of Brady in Chapter 1 titled ‘The Psychopath’. It is a little bewildering to be honest. I really was none the wiser as to why he became a murderer. It does not set the book up well I feel. Stick with it though as it does get better. There is a ‘but’ here. You do need to have some knowledge of the Moors Murderers. Most people in Britain my age, 50 and older, would know about them and what they did. If you do not know anything about them then this is probably not the book to begin with. Actually, it is really not the book to start with.
I knew about how Brady had got together with Hindley and used her as an accomplice to his killing ways but there is a section of the book where he is trying to do the same with David Smith who was actually married to Hindley’s younger sister, Maureen. That was interesting to me as although I knew about the five murders I was not aware of David Smith even though he was a huge part of the story.
It seems this book is not sure what it is. It is not a detailed true crime book nor does it delve deeply into the interviews that the author had with Brady. I can probably only recommend it as an addendum to other books on the case.
May 4, 2016
This book only really works is you know a *lot* about the Moor Murders already. I don't. I've heard of them, but barely know anything. This book isn't really about the crimes themselves, per say, but about the people involved. However, you can't basically exclude the murders when you are writing about murders. I understand not exploiting or sensationalizing crimes in these kinds of books, but it would have made things clearly if you even got a clear hint that they were, in fact, happening. There are some clear references to some killings, but I was really surprised when it got to the point of the couple being arrested.
Also, the title and description seem to lead away from what this book is actually about; Brady's relationship with David Smith. Smith isn't even mentioned in the description, yet we get lengthy biography of him before we even get to Myra's biography. In terms of main and secondary characters, I'd put Smith as a main and Hindley as a secondary.
I suppose if you are very familiar with this case, you'd enjoy this more than I did, but I'm afraid this gets 2 stars from me.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Also, the title and description seem to lead away from what this book is actually about; Brady's relationship with David Smith. Smith isn't even mentioned in the description, yet we get lengthy biography of him before we even get to Myra's biography. In terms of main and secondary characters, I'd put Smith as a main and Hindley as a secondary.
I suppose if you are very familiar with this case, you'd enjoy this more than I did, but I'm afraid this gets 2 stars from me.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
April 19, 2020
SPOILER ALERT If you never heard or read anything about the Moors Murders, there will be spoilers.
Brady and Hindley: Genesis of the Moors Murders
This is my first book about the Moors Murders, another reviewer said this book did not have much about the murders and that was a disappointment, because he didn't know much about them, seriously though, if you don't know anything about Ian and Myra, can you really call yourself a TC fan?
As the title says, this book is more about how Ian Brady became a murderer and how he groomed Myra into being his accomplice.
In all, I would give this book 4 stars because it is exactly as the title says.
Brady and Hindley: Genesis of the Moors Murders
This is my first book about the Moors Murders, another reviewer said this book did not have much about the murders and that was a disappointment, because he didn't know much about them, seriously though, if you don't know anything about Ian and Myra, can you really call yourself a TC fan?
As the title says, this book is more about how Ian Brady became a murderer and how he groomed Myra into being his accomplice.
In all, I would give this book 4 stars because it is exactly as the title says.
June 11, 2016
I read a lot of true crime, particularly older crimes, and the description for this one intrigued me. It's not quite what I expected, though, and consequently was not nearly as engaging as it could have been.
I knew virtually nothing about this case before reading this book. If, like me, you know nothing about these killers or the murders, you might want to read something more informative first. The author jumps in as if all his readers are familiar with the circumstances and the people involved. I was lost throughout a good portion of the book. We're given detail on a variety of people who were friends with or acquaintances of Brady and/or Hindley, without much reference as to why (or if) they matter. At one point, I even have a note in the text on my Kindle that reads, "Who are these people?"
The author doesn't give much detail at all about the murders or the investigation. Even Brady and Hindley's relationship isn't all that clear. I still don't understand how or why an otherwise normal young woman would suddenly team up with a killer. Much of the focus here, as far as the case is concerned, is Brady's relationship with - or fixation on - a young man called David Smith, as well as David Smith's background, life, and involvement. The title and description do not reflect the actual content, since Hindley is more a third party in this respect.
We jump rather quickly into Brady and Hindley's arrest, at which time Hindley mostly disappears from our viewpoint and the author takes us through his interviews and research. Here, I thought we had too much author interference. We get the author's opinion and feelings about why and how he pursued this, about his eventual meetings with Hindley, about what he was told, and about what he did with that information. Despite the author's closeness to Hindley, I felt removed from it all, as if the author became more of the focus than Hindley himself. This part reads more like a memoir than a true crime book.
I think this would be an interesting addendum to a more thorough book covering this case. But if you know little or nothing about the murders, you still won't know much when you finish. You will, however, know a lot about a man named David Smith.
*I was provided with an ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
I knew virtually nothing about this case before reading this book. If, like me, you know nothing about these killers or the murders, you might want to read something more informative first. The author jumps in as if all his readers are familiar with the circumstances and the people involved. I was lost throughout a good portion of the book. We're given detail on a variety of people who were friends with or acquaintances of Brady and/or Hindley, without much reference as to why (or if) they matter. At one point, I even have a note in the text on my Kindle that reads, "Who are these people?"
The author doesn't give much detail at all about the murders or the investigation. Even Brady and Hindley's relationship isn't all that clear. I still don't understand how or why an otherwise normal young woman would suddenly team up with a killer. Much of the focus here, as far as the case is concerned, is Brady's relationship with - or fixation on - a young man called David Smith, as well as David Smith's background, life, and involvement. The title and description do not reflect the actual content, since Hindley is more a third party in this respect.
We jump rather quickly into Brady and Hindley's arrest, at which time Hindley mostly disappears from our viewpoint and the author takes us through his interviews and research. Here, I thought we had too much author interference. We get the author's opinion and feelings about why and how he pursued this, about his eventual meetings with Hindley, about what he was told, and about what he did with that information. Despite the author's closeness to Hindley, I felt removed from it all, as if the author became more of the focus than Hindley himself. This part reads more like a memoir than a true crime book.
I think this would be an interesting addendum to a more thorough book covering this case. But if you know little or nothing about the murders, you still won't know much when you finish. You will, however, know a lot about a man named David Smith.
*I was provided with an ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.*
April 18, 2009
Without sensationalising the whole moors murders too much, Fred Harrison manages to provide an intelligent and thought provoking account of what happended within the life and crimes of this murderous couple. At no point in the book does he delve into particularly graffic and unnecessary detail, but manages to still bring home the harrowing truth of the murders. His approach to the subject matter produces an indepth pschological viewpoint with his 'past & present' accounts of the couple. Fred Harrison has managed to produce a piece of important documentation of one of true crimes most disturbing cases without compromising his ability to stay focused on what he wishes to achieve from the book. I would recommended it to anyone interested in the Moors murders.
April 12, 2025
3.5⭐️
This is not a fun, relaxing read, this is a book based on facts from British history and contains horrific information about what happened to the victims of these two infamous killers
This is for my true crime watchers, readers and researchers, if you are interested in the minds of people like Brady and Hindley from a psychological perspective and interested in the history of some of the worst crimes in British history then this one is for you
In my opinion you should read this book after doing a bit of reading and researching about the Killers and their crimes as this book was originally published in the 1980s by the author who was a reporter in the UK and who visited Brady in prison a number of times and does not have much detail and depth in the crimes that the killers committed as the crimes happened in the 1960s
This is not a fun, relaxing read, this is a book based on facts from British history and contains horrific information about what happened to the victims of these two infamous killers
This is for my true crime watchers, readers and researchers, if you are interested in the minds of people like Brady and Hindley from a psychological perspective and interested in the history of some of the worst crimes in British history then this one is for you
In my opinion you should read this book after doing a bit of reading and researching about the Killers and their crimes as this book was originally published in the 1980s by the author who was a reporter in the UK and who visited Brady in prison a number of times and does not have much detail and depth in the crimes that the killers committed as the crimes happened in the 1960s
October 7, 2017
I don't really know how to describe it, but this book sort of passed me by a little bit. Feels shallow, brief and rushed, rather than the comprehensive work I had hoped for. Be warned also, that you only really take anything from the book if you already have detailed knowledge of the moors murderers - this is more like a thesis on the psychology of Ian Brady than an account of what happened.
July 7, 2025
(Listened to Audiobook version on Spotify)
In the world of true crime, the Moors murders is the case I've always been fascinated with the most. This is an interesting, if a bit hard going account of Brady and Hindley. Not everything lines up and there are some strange suggestions being made I feel, but it's worth a listen as there were many details here I wasn't aware of.
In the world of true crime, the Moors murders is the case I've always been fascinated with the most. This is an interesting, if a bit hard going account of Brady and Hindley. Not everything lines up and there are some strange suggestions being made I feel, but it's worth a listen as there were many details here I wasn't aware of.
June 13, 2022
Twisted mind
I found this interesting as I was aware of the case as I'm sure most people are.Well definitely evil with a twisted mind
I found this interesting as I was aware of the case as I'm sure most people are.Well definitely evil with a twisted mind
May 1, 2024
some things don’t match up but gives lots of info into what happened and why
September 19, 2025
20 years into their imprisonment, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were about to dominate the headlines for a second time. A big breakthrough came when Brady finally confessed to a journalist, the author of this book, that he and his ex-girlfriend Hindley had killed two more children. Their names, Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett, had always been linked with the confirmed victims, John Kilbride, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans, but it was only now that their families knew for certain.
'Brady and Hindley,' written by a man who met Brady several times in prison, offers a unique and fresh look at this case. As a result of their correspondence, Fred Harrison was able to do a major update, and I would hope, put to rest the minds of some of those who ever doubted/hated David Smith, Hindley's former brother-in-law.
The book starts with a biography of Brady, who told Harrison things that he'd never disclosed before, and really, should be read with caution regarding their truthfulness. Then there is a chapter about David Smith, the man who Brady thought would join him and Hindley in their activities, only for him to go to the police after witnessing the couple's final murder. David suffered so much abuse and unhappiness due to lies thrown at him by those two, and it is fitting that his story was, to a degree, also told in this book. The third chapter looks at 'The Gorton Girls.' Gorton, in Manchester, is where Hindley was born and raised, as well as where her first victim, Pauline Reade, was.
Harrison takes the reader step by step into his investigation and recounts, in detail, his meetings with Brady, who was still trying to blacken David Smith's name by claiming he was involved in Pauline's murder. Hindley quickly grew to detest Harrison. She had always claimed her innocence in the three murders and always maintained that she knew nothing of the other two. Brady, angered by Hindley's remarks about him in the media, decided to expose her lies, which Fred published in his newspaper. As a result, a police search on Saddleworth Moor was granted, and Pauline Reade's body was discovered in 1986. Tragically, the remains of Keith Bennett have yet to be found.
Fred Harrison puts forward the plausible theory that Brady and Hindley formed a 'killing cult,' which sounded far more likely than some of the theories presented by earlier writers. 'Brady and Hindley' is, in many ways, one of the most worthwhile and insightful books about the case. At the time, the public was getting closer to the truth than ever before, and that is largely due to Fred Harrison. An important addition to the extensive 'Moors Murders' bookshelf.
'Brady and Hindley,' written by a man who met Brady several times in prison, offers a unique and fresh look at this case. As a result of their correspondence, Fred Harrison was able to do a major update, and I would hope, put to rest the minds of some of those who ever doubted/hated David Smith, Hindley's former brother-in-law.
The book starts with a biography of Brady, who told Harrison things that he'd never disclosed before, and really, should be read with caution regarding their truthfulness. Then there is a chapter about David Smith, the man who Brady thought would join him and Hindley in their activities, only for him to go to the police after witnessing the couple's final murder. David suffered so much abuse and unhappiness due to lies thrown at him by those two, and it is fitting that his story was, to a degree, also told in this book. The third chapter looks at 'The Gorton Girls.' Gorton, in Manchester, is where Hindley was born and raised, as well as where her first victim, Pauline Reade, was.
Harrison takes the reader step by step into his investigation and recounts, in detail, his meetings with Brady, who was still trying to blacken David Smith's name by claiming he was involved in Pauline's murder. Hindley quickly grew to detest Harrison. She had always claimed her innocence in the three murders and always maintained that she knew nothing of the other two. Brady, angered by Hindley's remarks about him in the media, decided to expose her lies, which Fred published in his newspaper. As a result, a police search on Saddleworth Moor was granted, and Pauline Reade's body was discovered in 1986. Tragically, the remains of Keith Bennett have yet to be found.
Fred Harrison puts forward the plausible theory that Brady and Hindley formed a 'killing cult,' which sounded far more likely than some of the theories presented by earlier writers. 'Brady and Hindley' is, in many ways, one of the most worthwhile and insightful books about the case. At the time, the public was getting closer to the truth than ever before, and that is largely due to Fred Harrison. An important addition to the extensive 'Moors Murders' bookshelf.
April 18, 2016
Review: BRADY AND HINDLEY: GENESIS OF THE MOOR MURDERS by Fred Harrison
More than six decades ago, a young man of Scottish birth, exiled to Manchester, in whom sociopathic tendencies already flowered, met a girl from Gorton at his workplace. He couldn't love her (forever after he referred to her as "the girl"), but he did perceive a kindred soul. She chauffeured him, he introduced her to pantheism and to the force he selfishly served, "The Face of Death."
They were Ian Stewart Brady and Myra Hindley, and they were killers. They are also icons of evil.
Author Fred Harrison, a journalist and economist, repeatedly interviewed Brady in the 1980's. His account, originally published in 1986, is here updated with a new introduction. This book is not pleasure reading, but I think its narrative is significant in terms of history and criminal psychology.
More than six decades ago, a young man of Scottish birth, exiled to Manchester, in whom sociopathic tendencies already flowered, met a girl from Gorton at his workplace. He couldn't love her (forever after he referred to her as "the girl"), but he did perceive a kindred soul. She chauffeured him, he introduced her to pantheism and to the force he selfishly served, "The Face of Death."
They were Ian Stewart Brady and Myra Hindley, and they were killers. They are also icons of evil.
Author Fred Harrison, a journalist and economist, repeatedly interviewed Brady in the 1980's. His account, originally published in 1986, is here updated with a new introduction. This book is not pleasure reading, but I think its narrative is significant in terms of history and criminal psychology.
August 2, 2016
You can call them psychopaths. You can call them crazy. Still -after all these years- you can't make sense of their behaviour. What brought a young couple to commit such gruesome murders will probably remain beyond rational comprehension.
Great read.
Read more on The Serial Reader Blog.
Great read.
Read more on The Serial Reader Blog.
February 4, 2009
Born,bred and still living on 'The Moors', scene of the most vividly shocking murders in modern times in Britain.
Ian Brady, the psychotic/psychopath and his blond haired moll Myra Hindley freaked the nation in the 1960's as their crimes came to light.
Ian Brady, the psychotic/psychopath and his blond haired moll Myra Hindley freaked the nation in the 1960's as their crimes came to light.
September 15, 2012
A good addition to the Moors Murderers bookshelf. Tells you the continuing story of Ian and Myra and the children they may have killed, if you can believe anything those two say.
April 17, 2016
goulish
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