Everyone in Australia knows the name of Queensland schoolboy Daniel Morcombe and most are familiar with his 2003 abduction and the search to find and bring him home.
I remember hearing Daniel's killer had finally confessed in an undercover operation which eventually led to the grisly discovery of Daniel's remains and wanted to know more about how the police were able to 'catch him out'.
The Sting - The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe's Killer is true to its title and much more. Reading about the investigation into Daniel's disappearance I was surprised - and impressed - by the sheer volume of leads and enquiries made by QLD Police in the hunt for Daniel. I really had no idea just how big the investigation was.
I was also horrified to learn about the killer's history (I won't name him here because I don't want his name on my blog) and the fact that he'd been molesting children since the age of 10. This pedophile is a repulsive man and I really don't know how the undercover officers were able to befriend him and put up with his shit. I guess they did it for Daniel and his family. And to make sure he didn't harm anyone else. What else is there really?
I wasn't expecting to get much of an insight into the killer, but there is much dialogue included from recordings during the operation and you definitely get a sense of the man. This 'access' to the mind and behaviours of such a predator was sickening and actually gave me nightmares.
I can't imagine the pain of Daniel's parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, but their victim statements at the end of the book gave this reader some idea. After putting down The Sting, I felt compelled to make a donation to the Daniel Morcome Foundation to help Bruce and Denise continue their work, and if you'd like to do the same, please click here.
I was also moved by the amazing work done by Police, despite the politics between the states. Author Kate Kyriacou has done an amazing job covering this case and there's much to be learned.
My rating = *****
Carpe Librum!
