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collegiate_assessor_kovalyov's review
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Right from the beginning, there was a concern in the back of my mind that ultimately I would be disappointed because of reasons shared in the blurb about the hearing having been held in a closed court; there are elements to this case that we just cannot know. Nevertheless, the blurb had me hooked and I came out of this book delightfully surprised. The author was thorough in his writing and made many parts feel fictitious in his recounting of each character telling their own stories, and even what they looked like. Harding jumped between the investigators' work in 2006 and the effects of communist China on Wang Yam in the 80s, and his life through to 2017, which I thought was a good idea; the structuring of the chapters kept me engaged; when something made me gasp in the investigation in 2006 Harding would swap to the 90s and Wang Yam's desperate attempt to escape China.
I appreciated the 'case notes' sections as it meant that I knew the author's thoughts throughout. I actually found out a lot about the judicial system in this book; the courtroom drama was thrilling and I sped through it.
Taking into consideration the fact that Wang Yam's story doesn't yet have an ending I think Harding ended Blood on the Page perfectly. He added a conclusion to the whole affair stating his opinion, which is logical and I think a possible scenario.
I enjoyed this book very much, and this story will undoubtedly stay in my mind for a while.
I appreciated the 'case notes' sections as it meant that I knew the author's thoughts throughout. I actually found out a lot about the judicial system in this book; the courtroom drama was thrilling and I sped through it.
Taking into consideration the fact that Wang Yam's story doesn't yet have an ending I think Harding ended Blood on the Page perfectly. He added a conclusion to the whole affair stating his opinion, which is logical and I think a possible scenario.
I enjoyed this book very much, and this story will undoubtedly stay in my mind for a while.
anji444's review
4.0
Four stars because the book was very well written and engaging. The whole in camera trial episode was frustrating in its lack of conclusion. I would expect Wang Lam to expose his full defence but I guess no one would be able to publish it for fear of being held in contempt of court. A bizarre case but fascinating read nonetheless.
sling's review
3.0
A really good attempt at clarifying a mysterious situation. The book does fall flat and leaves the reader, through no fault of the author. Generally engaging, my one issue was with the flashback style - others may like it but to me it felt disjointed and brought me out of the story flow.
lucymurphyc's review
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Best book I've read in a long time. So unexpected.
ookie's review
4.0
A fascinating examination of a murder and identity theft. Thomas Harding writes so well that this reads almost like a novel with insight into the suspect and victim. Recommended.
halfmanhalfbook's review against another edition
3.0
In June 2006 police were called to search the home in a road in Hampstead. The reclusive owner, a writer called Allan Chappelow, had not been seen for a number of weeks. The house was borderline derelict, it had an overgrown garden, trees growing inside the building and piles of rubbish in every room. They searched, but could not find anything, but a couple of days later returned with a police dog and then discovered that there was a body in a room underneath half a tonne of papers. What began as a missing person inquiry was now a murder inquiry.
As the murder inquiry began they had no leads on what the motive might have been and who the killer might have been. As the leads developed they found that bank cards and money had been used by a Chinese dissident named Wang Yam. As the police started to close in on him, they realised that he had recently left for Switzerland and put a note out on Interpol. Yam had been in the UK for a number of years, claimed to be a grandson of one of Mao’s closest aides, had been divorced, been made bankrupt and sailed fairly close to the law with some of his financial arrangements.
He was arrested in Switzerland and escorted back to the UK where he was arrested for the murder of Allan Chappelow. He made history in his trial though, as it was the first in to be held ‘in camera’: closed, carefully controlled, secret, unheard of in modern Britain. But there were certain things about this that didn’t add up and there was no DNA evidence to place him a the scene of the crime.
It was a case that had intrigued Thomas Harding for a long time. He knew the area well, having grown up just around the corner from the deceased’s home. But investigating this case came with onerous obligations; the court order would stop him and many others speculating about any of the details of the case or they would be in contempt of court.
I thought that this was a really good book about a relatively recent case that is not as straightforward as it sounds. The research is meticulous and he writes with a very strong narrative as he peers into the murky aspects of the case. If you like true crime, this is worth reading.
As the murder inquiry began they had no leads on what the motive might have been and who the killer might have been. As the leads developed they found that bank cards and money had been used by a Chinese dissident named Wang Yam. As the police started to close in on him, they realised that he had recently left for Switzerland and put a note out on Interpol. Yam had been in the UK for a number of years, claimed to be a grandson of one of Mao’s closest aides, had been divorced, been made bankrupt and sailed fairly close to the law with some of his financial arrangements.
He was arrested in Switzerland and escorted back to the UK where he was arrested for the murder of Allan Chappelow. He made history in his trial though, as it was the first in to be held ‘in camera’: closed, carefully controlled, secret, unheard of in modern Britain. But there were certain things about this that didn’t add up and there was no DNA evidence to place him a the scene of the crime.
It was a case that had intrigued Thomas Harding for a long time. He knew the area well, having grown up just around the corner from the deceased’s home. But investigating this case came with onerous obligations; the court order would stop him and many others speculating about any of the details of the case or they would be in contempt of court.
I thought that this was a really good book about a relatively recent case that is not as straightforward as it sounds. The research is meticulous and he writes with a very strong narrative as he peers into the murky aspects of the case. If you like true crime, this is worth reading.
halfmanhalfbook's review
3.0
In June 2006 police were called to search the home in a road in Hampstead. The reclusive owner, a writer called Allan Chappelow, had not been seen for a number of weeks. The house was borderline derelict, it had an overgrown garden, trees growing inside the building and piles of rubbish in every room. They searched, but could not find anything, but a couple of days later returned with a police dog and then discovered that there was a body in a room underneath half a tonne of papers. What began as a missing person inquiry was now a murder inquiry.
As the murder inquiry began they had no leads on what the motive might have been and who the killer might have been. As the leads developed they found that bank cards and money had been used by a Chinese dissident named Wang Yam. As the police started to close in on him, they realised that he had recently left for Switzerland and put a note out on Interpol. Yam had been in the UK for a number of years, claimed to be a grandson of one of Mao’s closest aides, had been divorced, been made bankrupt and sailed fairly close to the law with some of his financial arrangements.
He was arrested in Switzerland and escorted back to the UK where he was arrested for the murder of Allan Chappelow. He made history in his trial though, as it was the first in to be held ‘in camera’: closed, carefully controlled, secret, unheard of in modern Britain. But there were certain things about this that didn’t add up and there was no DNA evidence to place him a the scene of the crime.
It was a case that had intrigued Thomas Harding for a long time. He knew the area well, having grown up just around the corner from the deceased’s home. But investigating this case came with onerous obligations; the court order would stop him and many others speculating about any of the details of the case or they would be in contempt of court.
I thought that this was a really good book about a relatively recent case that is not as straightforward as it sounds. The research is meticulous and he writes with a very strong narrative as he peers into the murky aspects of the case. If you like true crime, this is worth reading.
As the murder inquiry began they had no leads on what the motive might have been and who the killer might have been. As the leads developed they found that bank cards and money had been used by a Chinese dissident named Wang Yam. As the police started to close in on him, they realised that he had recently left for Switzerland and put a note out on Interpol. Yam had been in the UK for a number of years, claimed to be a grandson of one of Mao’s closest aides, had been divorced, been made bankrupt and sailed fairly close to the law with some of his financial arrangements.
He was arrested in Switzerland and escorted back to the UK where he was arrested for the murder of Allan Chappelow. He made history in his trial though, as it was the first in to be held ‘in camera’: closed, carefully controlled, secret, unheard of in modern Britain. But there were certain things about this that didn’t add up and there was no DNA evidence to place him a the scene of the crime.
It was a case that had intrigued Thomas Harding for a long time. He knew the area well, having grown up just around the corner from the deceased’s home. But investigating this case came with onerous obligations; the court order would stop him and many others speculating about any of the details of the case or they would be in contempt of court.
I thought that this was a really good book about a relatively recent case that is not as straightforward as it sounds. The research is meticulous and he writes with a very strong narrative as he peers into the murky aspects of the case. If you like true crime, this is worth reading.
brittneyreadsbooks's review
4.5
In June 2006, police were called to number 9 Downshire Hill in Hampstead. The owner of the house, Allan Chappelow, was an award-winning photographer and biographer, an expert on George Bernard Shaw, and a notorious recluse, who had not been seen for several weeks. Someone had recently accessed his bank accounts, and attempted to withdraw large amounts of money. Inside the darkened house, officers found piles of rubbish, trees growing through the floor, and, in what was once the living room, the body of Chappelow, battered to death, partially burned and buried under four feet of paper.
The man eventually arrested on suspicion of his murder was a Chinese dissident named Wang Yam: a man who claimed to be the grandson of one of Mao’s closest aides, and a key negotiator in the Tiananmen Square protests. His trial was the first in modern British history to be held ‘in camera’: closed, carefully controlled, secret. Wang Yam was found guilty, but has always protested his innocence.
I think I’d have to say this is one of the best true crime books I’ve ever read. The case itself is so intriguing – why was the trial held in camera? Why was evidence overlooked and leads not followed up on? Wang Yam absolutely seems like a shady guy but with some many inconstancies and holes in what supposedly happened, how was he found guilty? What was the evidence given that the rest of us aren’t allowed to know about?
Harding writes that it was as though there was a brick wall around this case. With the gagging order and the fact that almost everyone he reached out to made it impossible for him to get information, or just refused to answer his questions, it’s clear that without a huge amount of time and dedication we wouldn’t have this book.
What I loved the most though, was simply the way it was written. Harding covers so much – the crime itself, what he knows of the investigation, the trials and hearings (multiple because Wang Yam has had appeal after appeal), Allan Chappelow and Wang Yam’s individual histories AND he inserts his own case notes along the way.
The weaving together of so many angles and points of view was executed beautifully, creating a truly engaging and intriguing read.
My only criticism is that Harding comes off a little biased and too quick to accept Wang Yam’s version of events. I don’t know if the evidence provided was enough to find him guilty beyond reasonable doubt, but that doesn’t necessarily make me believe his cries of innocence, either.
The man eventually arrested on suspicion of his murder was a Chinese dissident named Wang Yam: a man who claimed to be the grandson of one of Mao’s closest aides, and a key negotiator in the Tiananmen Square protests. His trial was the first in modern British history to be held ‘in camera’: closed, carefully controlled, secret. Wang Yam was found guilty, but has always protested his innocence.
I think I’d have to say this is one of the best true crime books I’ve ever read. The case itself is so intriguing – why was the trial held in camera? Why was evidence overlooked and leads not followed up on? Wang Yam absolutely seems like a shady guy but with some many inconstancies and holes in what supposedly happened, how was he found guilty? What was the evidence given that the rest of us aren’t allowed to know about?
Harding writes that it was as though there was a brick wall around this case. With the gagging order and the fact that almost everyone he reached out to made it impossible for him to get information, or just refused to answer his questions, it’s clear that without a huge amount of time and dedication we wouldn’t have this book.
What I loved the most though, was simply the way it was written. Harding covers so much – the crime itself, what he knows of the investigation, the trials and hearings (multiple because Wang Yam has had appeal after appeal), Allan Chappelow and Wang Yam’s individual histories AND he inserts his own case notes along the way.
The weaving together of so many angles and points of view was executed beautifully, creating a truly engaging and intriguing read.
My only criticism is that Harding comes off a little biased and too quick to accept Wang Yam’s version of events. I don’t know if the evidence provided was enough to find him guilty beyond reasonable doubt, but that doesn’t necessarily make me believe his cries of innocence, either.
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