First published review of Arthur Allan Thomas: The Inside Story

UPDATE: Arthur Allan Thomas: The Inside Story by Ian Wishart, Howling At The Moon Publishing, debuts at #2 on the NZ Bestsellers List in its first week onsale, as determined by book sales scan data. It is the top-selling general interest title, but as is usually the case these days a cookbook continues to hold #1 overall. 

I'll add more reviews as they come in, but here's the first, courtesy of Newstalk ZB today:

Books - Arthur Allan Thomas: The Inside Story

29/09/2010

Whether you concur with Wishart or not, you need to read this book.

Arthur Allan Thomas:  The Inside Story by Ian Wishart.

Bestselling author Ian Wishart tackles one of the biggest conundrums in New Zealand’s criminal history - who killed Jeannette and Harvey Crewe? 

A lot of people - including Arthur Thomas himself - believed Len Demler, Jeannette’s father, was the murderer because he’d been cut out of his wife’s will. 

Journalists and authors have perpetuated this theory over the years but now Wishart has a  brand new prime suspect and he lays out his case in this fascinating and highly readable book. 

Wishart is painstaking in his investigation, and his interviews with the man at the centre of the case, Arthur Thomas, offer a remarkable insight into one of New Zealand‘s most memorable characters. 

 Whether you concur with Wishart or not, you need to read this book. 

Highly recommended.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER:

"http://www.nzherald.co.nz/crewe-case/news/article.cfm?c_id=1502987&objectid=10679310 "Wishart's report of Detective Sergeant Len Johnston's brazen arrogance collecting items for later use as evidence from Thomas's farm - pieces of wire, .22 shells and axle stubs - exposes a dark and scary side to our guardians.

"Through the book Wishart lays the ground for his claim that Johnston was actually the murderer and by his position on the inquiry team and proximity to Hutton, was able to influence an outcome which saw Thomas convicted twice of a double murder. Wishart's conclusions are disturbingly possible in my view.

"The question of to what extent Hutton had the wool pulled over his eyes by Johnston is moot. Based on Wishart's debunking of transcripts and evidence previously recorded, I think Hutton could well have been fooled by his best mate. Which means so too were the rest of the team deluded - but when one looks at the disgraceful tendency of several detectives to extrapolate signs of guilt by Thomas from irrelevant comments or actions, one can appreciate how these people lost their way." - former Det. Insp. Ross Meurant

AND HERE'S ANOTHER

From the Southland Times, 30 October 2010:

ARTHUR ALLAN THOMAS: THE INSIDE STORY by Ian Wishart, reviewed by Chris Chilton

"Undeniably...when Wishart hits he hits big. Arthur Allan Thomas: The Inside Story is a book two generations of New Zealanders have waited for...Wishart...offers an explosive new theory about who pulled the trigger of the gun that killed the Crewes in their Pukekawa farmhouse and theorises about the mystery woman who fed their infant daughter, Rochelle, for days after the murders.

"...With his thorough analysis of the evidence and his generous use of first-person accounts it's a stellar piece of journalism..."

Comments

[Antipodean59]

I am half way through. It is compelling and should form the basis of a Royal Inquiry, in my opinion

[Treetop]

Time and time again when a current or former police officer has crossed the line the police commissioner puts blinkers on. Time to take the blinkers off Mr Broad as the public DESERVE to know the truth.

It may never be known who killed Jeanette and Harvey Crewe, this is no reason for the police to not be accountable to the public.

Just like with the Moyle Affair (full police evidence still not released to the public). When the police conceal a historical file on an officers involement I am left asking what is it that they are hiding?

[Marty]

Please, what is the correct link for the online index? The addy in the back of the book doesn't work!