Book Review: Bloody Valentine: The Story of Britain’s Worst Miscarriage of Justice by John L. Williams
Genre: True Crime
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Originally published in 1994, just a few short years after the murder of Lynette White, Bloody Valentine pulls together the available information and details of the various people involved throughout the case into a book that will leave you enraged and frustrated.
What I really appreciated about this book is something I think will be familiar to those who have watched the Paradise Lost trilogy (another miscarriage of justice, this time in West Memphis). The ‘real time’ element is very much present, and although Williams, similar to the documentary filmmakers, starts not knowing much about the murder and not entirely certain that the men arrested didn’t do it, throughout the book he lays out what he discovers alongside the evidence, including conversations with family members and trips around Butetown, allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions almost as he does.
Of course, reading the updated 2021 edition, we’re aware of the realities of the case and the wrongful convictions, even prompting a change to the book’s subtitle (from ‘A Killing in Cardiff’ to ‘The Story of Britain’s Worst Miscarriage of Justice’).
It’s important to note that although Williams is from Cardiff, he’s not from Butetown, but in his approach and manner, it’s clear he won over a few of the locals. He admits himself that he wasn’t as familiar with the area as perhaps he should have been when he initially started writing something following the murder, but thankfully a shift from novel to true crime ensured a comprehensive account of the events following Valentine’s Day, 1988, and the opportunity for Williams to become more familiar with the area.
I definitely think the book pairs well with Shreds, which came out in 2019 and offers more of a retrospective view. However, something that (I feel) often gets lost in these kinds of cases is the murder victim – both Shreds and Bloody Valentine offer detailed accounts of the Butetown men who were wrongfully arrested, but Bloody Valentine especially dives into Lynette White’s life and relationships, her upbringing and the work she was involved in during this time.
This is one of those true crime books that is able to stand out because of little more than circumstance, because Williams recognised something deeper happening in Butetown and was able to write about events as they were unfolding, as well as detailing the campaign to free the men involved. As noted above, the book will leave many readers frustrated and angry at the injustices experienced by many during this time, but it’s absolutely worth a read whether you’re familiar with the case or not.
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
Bluesky: @elleturpitt.bsky.social
I received this ebook from Oldcastle Books via NetGalley for review consideration.
