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My Sister Milly
My Sister Milly | Gemma Dowler
4 posts | 5 read | 9 to read
'My name is Gemma Dowler. On 21 March 2002, a serial killer named Levi Bellfield stole my sister and sent our family to Hell...' Everyone thinks they know the story of Milly Dowler. Haunting headlines about the missing schoolgirl splashed across front pages. The family's worst fears realised when her body was found months later. The years of waiting for the truth, only to learn that the killer, known to the police, lived just yards from where Milly had vanished. The parents subjected to horrific psychological torture at a trial orchestrated by the murderer. And the shocking revelation of what journalists would do for a story - criminal acts that brought down a national newspaper. But these bare facts hide the true story. In My Sister Milly, Gemma Dowler shares the heartbreaking account of Milly's disappearance, the suspicions that fell on the family, the fatal errors made by the police, and the media's obsession that focused relentlessly on every personal, intimate and emotional aspect of the Dowlers' lives. It is the story of two stolen childhoods - Milly's and Gemma's - and about the love that kept the family together as they struggled with terrible darkness and injustice. However, this book is a story of hope and recovery. It's taken fifteen years of pain for the family to find their voice. The family has worked hard and has received intensive therapy to recover from the trauma of Milly's murder. Their story shows that whatever suffering you endure in life, there is always hope, and there is always love. Now, for the first time, Gemma tells their story and that of the real Milly. Above all, in this book the family want to bring back to life their incredible daughter and sister. Now, finally, the truth about Milly Dowler can never be denied.
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OutsmartYourShelf
My Sister Milly | Gemma Dowler
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My Sister Milly by Gemma Dowler is a deeply personal account of the aftermath of the disappearance of her thirteenth year old sister, Amanda 'Milly' Dowler in 2002. Milly disappeared on her way home from school one evening & it wasn't until months later that her body was discovered in local woods. I remember seeing the videos of Milly ironing & having a laugh which were shared by her family & the media when she went missing. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf It was a very big case in the UK, but you never really know what goes on behind the headlines.

Gemma's book shows the sheer horror of being a family whose loved one goes missing. How they were failed by the police who seemed blinkered to any possibility that didn't involve the family for far too long. The fact that the man who killed her, serial killer Levi Bellfield who went on to kill several other girls & young women after Milly,
1y
OutsmartYourShelf was able to access her personal diaries & written thoughts & then use these to torment the Dowlers in court is shameful. The notion of British justice takes a battering in this book & rightly so.

This account is raw, personal, & powerful, & the reader can feel the grief & anger which comes off the page. One thing I did notice is that Gemma seems very self-deprecating & almost idealises Milly (although she says she doesn't in the book) but
1y
OutsmartYourShelf I suppose this is natural in these cases. It was a difficult read at times because of the ineptitude of the police & the overwhelming interest of the media, & I must admit that I shed a tear or two at times. I hope the Dowlers are now able to remember Milly as she was & move on whilst never forgetting her. 5🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3970698723

Read 3rd-9th Aug 2023

#RushAThon @andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
1y
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 1y
Andrew65 I can imagine this was a very difficult read. 1y
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Supersteph
My Sister Milly | Gemma Dowler
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@shanebeth #ssdgmchallenge True Crime pub. 2017
I‘m a bit late to the mfm/litsy challenge, but I‘ll do my best to catch up!
This book is truly one of the most heartbreaking stories. Written by Milly‘s sister, it tells a lovely portrait of a teenage girl, and the devastation that is left by her murder.

This was an audiobook and worth mentioning that the narrator did a fantastic job.

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emma_t
My Sister Milly | Gemma Dowler
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This book was one of the most heartbreaking, honest yet uplifting books I have ever read. As a sister myself I cannot imagine the pain Gemma felt losing her sister in such an awful cruel way. As I was reading this book I felt like Gemma and Milly were my friends, like I knew them. I do not have a negative comment to give about this book, I was drawn in until the end. Would recommend to everyone