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Graham Bartlett was a Sussex police officer for thirty years. In 1989 he was posted to Brighton and Hove, becoming a detective the following year. Quite uniquely, he served the city through every rank, rising to become a homicide Senior Investigating Officer and Detective Superintendent for Public Protection as well as a strategic firearms and public order commander. He then achieved his life's ambition, as Chief Superintendent, to become the city's Police Commander - or, as Peter James jokingly called him - the 'Sheriff of Brighton', a job he held and loved for four years. He pioneered Operation Reduction, the enduring approach to slashing drugs deaths and reducing crime, as well as cutting disorder at protests by adopting methods developed by one of the world's foremost crowd psychologists. He lives in Sussex. Peter James is a UK number one bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper. Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters and his accurate portrayal of modern-day policing, Peter has won over forty awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and the Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger. To date, Peter has written an impressive total of nineteen Sunday Times number ones, and his books have sold over 21 million copies worldwide and been translated into thirty-eight languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage - the most recent being Wish You Were Dead.
This book is an extremely well-written and detailed account of the thirty-year journey from the tragedy of the murder of two loved young girls, through a failed prosecution and a family’s tireless pursuit to see justice done, culminating in the complex and challenging Sussex Police investigation that led to the rightful conviction of Russell Bishop. It is a testament to what a family’s determination and police investigative skills can achieve in bringing justice -- Detective Superintendent Adam Hibbert, former head of Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team Babes in the Wood tells this harrowing and tragic story with great accuracy and sensitivity, revealing for the first time the inside story of how the police eventually brought justice for the two little girls. It is a story that needs to be told -- David Gaylor, retired detective chief superintendent for Sussex Police and ‘the real-life Roy Grace’ Make no mistake, a criminal trial is not about finding the truth, it is only ever about the question of proof. Babes in the Wood highlights the painstaking and frustrating, slow and, on occasion, ponderous route to achieving the goals of both proof and truth. It is an excellent observation of professionalism and downright persistence . . . A triumph, this book is not just a testament to the police officers, but also to the parents and families of the victims. The authenticity of this book, the honesty, professionalism and persistent investigation displayed, the array of characters, frustrations and procedures – all these are a shining example of both the truth and accuracy of an investigation, leading to one of the most dramatic re-trials seen within the United Kingdom to date. Babes in the Wood should be required reading for all budding detectives -- Former DI Malcolm Bacon, investigating officer who saw Bishop jailed for life in 1990
