Outrage at call for Bulger killers' release". BBC. 28 October 1999. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Anyway, this book really has opened my eyes. Even though I was familiar to the story of James Bulger, I never really stopped to think of how it affected his family. The struggles they endured, whether it be emotional or even legal struggles. Bulger film director 'won't withdraw' from Oscars race". BBC News. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019 . Retrieved 24 January 2019.

To Protect Bulger Killers' New IDs-Injunction". news.sky.com. 8 April 2007. Archived from the original on 10 April 2007 . Retrieved 8 April 2007. Bulger killers 'released' ". BBC. 22 June 2001. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009 . Retrieved 16 March 2010.This book is not an easy read. The chapters surrounding the disappearance and subsequent discovery of James were especially hard to read and at times I had to put the book down because I was actually crying, it is a horrific story and it is impossible to imagine how Ralph, Denise and their family and friends felt at that time. Reading about the moment when Ralph found out his son was dead was just awful. It is incomprehensible how two children could do this to another child. I would reccommend not reading this book before bed as I struggled to sleep with all the thoughts and images in my mind. I know people have theories that perhaps it was their upbringing that made them kill, or the fact that they watched films such as Child's Play 3 but I firmly believe that Thompson and Venables were born evil. There are many people with bad upbringings who go on to live fantastic lives, and there are people from loving homes who go on to become evil people. These two vile individuals were born evil. Reading about what they did was just horrific. Report finds no probation lapse over Venables images". BBC News. London. 23 November 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010 . Retrieved 23 November 2010. A storyline in Hollyoaks, set to begin in December 2009, was cancelled after the makers gave Bulger's mother Denise Fergus a special screening. The storyline was to feature Loretta Jones and her friend Chrissy, who had been given new identities before arriving in the village, after being convicted of murdering a child at the age of 12. [145] The critical theorist Terry Eagleton introduced his 2010 book On Evil with the story of Bulger's murder. [146] Pidd, Helen (23 July 2010). "Jon Venables jailed for two years over child pornography charges". Guardian Online. London. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014 . Retrieved 23 July 2010. Largely this book is a recollection of events from the day that two year old James Bulger was abducted and killed by two ten year olds, Jon Venables and Bobby Thompson, starting with the two older boys 'sagging' school and ending with them returning home in the evening, their crime undetected. Details of the discovery of James, the investigation and the trial follow. These details will be familiar to anyone who has seen media coverage of the case.

Cheng, Derek (24 June 2019). "Jacinda Ardern on UK child-killer Jon Venables' possible relocation to NZ - 'Don't bother applying' ". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019 . Retrieved 24 June 2019. Bulger killers eligible for release". BBC. 26 October 2000. Archived from the original on 24 December 2002 . Retrieved 16 March 2010. This book was didactic with no real effort to storytell. It should’ve been dry. Instead, with its unflinching and frank approach, it was unsettling and engrossing.Firstly let me say, as a mother it is impossible for me to review this book without being emotional about it. This book is a true horror novel, and what is worse, it is a horror novel because it is a true story. Morrison, Blake (6 February 2003). "Life after James". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 19 March 2014 . Retrieved 15 April 2023. What i personally struggle with is how to view the post traumatic stress they developed as a result of murdering James. Because they did this awful thing, which gave them PTSD and this PTSD should be taken into account when judging them....isn't that walking in circles a little bit?

They were put on trial, found guilty, and became Br its still ongoing for James dad like it was yesterday. he had to forgive himself. There was nothing else he could have done differently. James would have wanted him to move on. Child killer of 2-year-old James Bulger, Jon Venables, might be sent to New Zealand". New Zealand Herald. 24 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019 . Retrieved 24 June 2019. Wood, Richard (24 June 2019). "James Bulger murder: Infamous child killer could move to Australia". Nine News. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019 . Retrieved 24 June 2019.a b "Bulger killers released: what the home secretary said". BBC. 2 March 2010. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022 . Retrieved 6 March 2010. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) at the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle on 12 February 1993 showed Thompson and Venables casually observing children, apparently selecting a target. [8] The boys were playing truant from their local primary school, which they did regularly. [9] Throughout the day, Thompson and Venables were seen shoplifting various items, including sweets, batteries, a troll doll, and a can of blue Humbrol modelling paint. [10] One of the boys later revealed that they were planning to abduct a child, lead him to the busy road alongside the shopping centre, and push him into the oncoming traffic. [11] James Bulger murder". guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022 . Retrieved 25 April 2005. Ralph speaks with searing honesty in this book along with his brother Jimmy who had to identify James's body. How awful that must be for somebody to have to do. Thompson and Venables didn't just kill somebody, they destroyed so many lives. Ralph, Denise, their family, and also the people that saw James with Thompson and Venables but did nothing about it. And why would they have done? Ralph himself assumed that James was safe when he saw him on the CCTV with two older boys. Nobody could have guessed what was to happen.

I wasn't sure what to think when I started to read this. I know many have said to me that its a book I should read. Coslett, Paul (4 December 2006). "Murder of James Bulger". BBC. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Schmidt, William E. (24 February 1993). "Liverpool Tries to Reconcile Murder and a Boy Next Door". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. The case against them was based largely on 20 hours of video interviews conducted by police – the boys did not speak during the trial.

Edwards, Richard (4 March 2010). "James Bulger case: timeline of key quotations". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 March 2010 . Retrieved 15 April 2023.