The Moors Murders case is one which remains embedded in the psyche of my country. This biography of Myra Hindley, written by Carol Ann Lee is a very solid effort.
There is some very useful insight into Myra Hindley's early days, and how her outlook and temperament developed. Well-written and evocative of life back then, these passages give an illustration of the way in which a strong and unusual personality came about.
The author does not just draw "obvious" conclusions and assert that every feature of her upbringing, or major incident or event during it, can be directly and unambiguously linked to the later events and crimes, or cited to explain them. There is an appreciation that life is more complicated than that. Overall, the chronicling of the early lives of Hindley (and also Ian Brady) is unfurled in a seamless, measured but highly readable fashion.
I would say that this work has equipped me with a more rounded understanding of how Hindley and Brady gelled "philosophically", what motivated them, and how they became detached and alienated from the rest of society. These were perhaps the most enlightening sections of the book for me.
Another feature of One Of Your Own is the way that developments are placed in some kind of socio-cultural context, especially in relation to the changing, turbulent times of the 1950s and 1960s. The subject matter examined here is clearly disturbing, but I find its sociological and philosophical dimensions fascinating.
Lately it has occurred to me Brady and Hindley were symptomatic of the dark side either of the then nascent "Swinging Sixties", or more generally of post-war social upheavals. They may have represented a rebellion from the conformity and drabness of post-war life, but their rebellion was clearly destructive and nihilistic, unlike some of the more progressive and optimistic movements which flowered later in the decade.
The format of a full biography permits a fuller analysis and documentation, rather than a mere framework. Watching documentaries, and reading some articles, can make it appear like the crimes took place in some kind of vacuum. Here a bigger, deeper picture is presented.
For me there was a slightly new perspective on the period from early 1965 onwards, and what plans the duo may have had for the future. The role of David Smith, Myra Hindley's brother-in-law, is explained and examined.
Graphic detail is not always presented when describing the murders, but the reader only needs to "read between the lines" to discern the terror and suffering which the victims were subjected to.
There is in-depth coverage of the police investigation, the searches and the interviews, with the "nuts and bolts" of how the horrors of the crimes came to light. It is frustrating to hear about the infighting and discord between different police forces.
A large part of the book is given over to Myra Hindley's years in prison, especially the period from the time of sentencing to the mid-1980s, something of a "lost period" in my own knowledge of the case. Media coverage seemed to explode in the 1980s, with the new and dramatic developments which happened at that time.
As regards the "prison years", an intriguing sub-text for me was the change in some attitudes, and the emergence of more enlightened times with regard to how we address social issues and how we treat convicted criminals.
One lesson which emerged for me was how resourceful and tough Hindley was, probably more resilient and coherent than Brady. Quotations from letters and other correspondence give an idea of what she was like in the latter years of her incarceration. Some of Hindley's pronouncements and thoughts made me very angry, but it was also illuminating to read about them.
I was quite absorbed by the stories of the ebb and flow of Hindley's fortunes and morale, and her fluctuating relationships with her friends, relatives, associates and supporters. The thoughts of people who she came into contact with over the years give varying and interesting perspectives on her state of mind and her motives.
In conclusion, I think this is a very creditable examination of a difficult and horrific story.
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