Title: “Collateral Damage”

Author:  Robin Bowles

Publisher: Lake Press

Year:  2022

Category: True Crime

Reviewed by: Sarah Jackson

A ‘must read’

During her 24 years as a true crime writer, Robin Bowles has encountered the best and worst of the judicial system. She has interviewed and shared the stories of many perpetrators, legal practitioners, and victims. “Collateral Damage” tells the stories of some of the unintended victims of crime and systemic failures.

The stories are a combination of the upsetting, alarming and in some instances (not many) the slightly amusing. One hopes that the examples of manipulation and misuse of evidence, poor court and police procedures and general abuses of power are the exception and not the rule. 

Cases include the story of a police officer who wrote about his experiences relating to the murder of two colleagues, the impact of crime on the wives and girlfriends of organised crime figures and other unsavoury criminals, and the experiences of those unintentionally drawn into crime and corruption while believing that they were acting with the best of intentions. Some of these people are extremely unfortunate, some naïve, and others simply placed their trust in the wrong person/system.

Bowles reports the individuals’ stories and recollections and backs up their assertions with evidence gleaned from her own interviews with parties involved in the cases, and court and legal documents.  A list of references and suggested further reading is made available at the end of each chapter. 

Bowles reports the individuals’ stories and recollections and backs up their assertions with evidence gleaned from her own interviews with parties involved in the cases, and court and legal documents.  A list of references and suggested further reading is made available at the end of each chapter. 

Bowles is clearly a fearless, bold-as-brass investigator, who is not deterred by potential personal safety risks to get to the facts of a matter. My admiration for true crime writers has no bounds. Like all of Bowles’ books “Collateral Damage” is well-written and easy to read. Her sharp wit and dry sense of humour come to the fore (where appropriate) giving the reader a personal connection to her and the cases discussed. This is a must-read for true crime aficionados, and students and practitioners of law and emergency services.

I received a free copy of this book through Sisters in Crime – Australia, in exchange for a fair and honest review.