Records the tragic circumstances which led to one man committing a sequence of vicious sexual assaults through to the murders of Rachel Nickell and Samantha and Jazmine Bisset. It has taken Alan Jackaman over 25 years to come to terms with what he experienced, but he now tells of his part in the downfall of serial killer Robert Napper.

Reveals for the first time information not until now in the public domain and tells of the author’s tenacity as a lower-ranking officer in the face of dwindling resources and sometimes disparagement by more senior investigators. A straightforward account of the solving of heinous and complex crimes, it also delves into media fascination with serious offences and shows how the press may latch on to one murder whilst ignoring another, even more horrific, one.

The author was an investigator on the Bisset case from day one through to seeing that case linked to London’s Green Chain Walk rapes and the discovery that Napper also killed Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common. The book tells for the first time the behind the scenes story of how the misguided targeting of Colin Stagg and rebuffing of the Bisset team’s suspicions allowed Napper to escape justice for 15 years.

The book also looks at the mind of Robert Napper, his bizarre behaviour, family history and ‘doodlings’ (some reproduced in this book) and the fact that sheer ‘chance’ allowed him to remain free for so long.

By the detective who arrested Napper. Looks at the emergence of criminal profiling. Enters the mind of a psychotic killer. Shows how media ‘obsession’ can hinder justice. Contains previously unpublished material.

Extract: ‘To be able to properly investigate the murders of Samantha and Jazmine it was necessary to research the sequence of Green Chain Walk rapes. At first glance the string of offences bore the classic hallmarks of a psychopath who grew ever more cunning, yet reckless, but more importantly ever more violent. Studies of this type of offender clearly show they learn as they progress in their offending…’