This book was meticulously researched and well written but I don't think it managed to get 'inside the mind' of West. The dots should have been joined up long before the couple were remanded in custody, there were so many clues about the horrific abuse of their own children that schools and social work should have picked up on and investigated. I felt so sad for these poor children. The crimes the couple committed were almost beyond belief, they were absolute maniacs hiding behind the facade of mundanity. I don't think we find out anything new from this book, but it did bring together all the facts about the cases. I don't think anyone could ever get inside the mind of this couple.

I have seen, read and listened to a lot about Rose West and her husband Fred but this book still brought something new to the table. This case is one of the worst cases out there. This book is very well researched and the writing flows very nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book delves into the horrifying crimes of Rose West and her husband Fred, pulling back the curtain on one of the most infamous cases in British true crime history. It meticulously examines how the couple lured victims into their home at 25 Cromwell Street and subjected them to unspeakable cruelty before burying their remains in the garden or cellar. The inclusion of details about their victims, as well as Rose’s dual life as a mother and sadistic predator, makes for a chilling yet compelling read.

The book excels in its research and clarity, presenting the facts without sensationalism, though the graphic nature of the crimes may not be for the faint of heart. The discussion of the psychological dynamics between Rose and Fred, and the unanswered questions surrounding their partnership, adds a gripping layer of complexity.

While the narrative is thorough, it occasionally feels repetitive, and more insight into Rose’s early life and potential motivations could have enhanced the analysis. Nonetheless, this is a haunting and well-crafted account that will leave readers pondering the depths of human depravity.

Rose was sadistic as both a mother and killer, and all her victims as well as her own children were subjected to horrific sexual violence and torture. Rose did paid sex work in the family home with husband Fred peeping through the holes he had made in the wall and listening on an intercom. They modified the house to take in lodgers and then preyed on them, as well as other young women hitching a lift or waiting for a bus.
Two decades would pass before Rose’s dark secrets were discovered when nine of the victims’ bodies were dug up in the garden and beneath the cellar at the West’s home at 25 Cromwell Street. And now, three decades after this grim discovery, the workings of Rose West’s twisted mind remain as mysterious as who played what role in this husband-and-wife folie à deux.’
Not sure how much we learned about the workings of Rose’s sick, twisted & depraved mind, but this is definitely one you don’t wanna miss if you’re a TC junkie! Dig in!
Thank you NetGalley and Gemini Books Group for this arc in exchange for review.
Pub date: 2.18.2025.

This book tells you a lot more about what happened years ago.
It teaches you things you never knew before
I love these type of books.

I thought I knew everything but I still find myself leaving more about rose west this book was incredible full of information

Rose West is a monster. So is her husband. These people are pure evil.
This husband and wife duel abused their daughters sexually and physically, mentally and emotionally.
This book is about torture, murder, sadistic acts, incest and all things evil.
For years these two monsters got away with their horrible acts because the poor victims were so traumatized and lived in fear of the West's that they understandably could not bring themselves to testify in court.

I found the book and history of the case to be historically accurate and expertly written.

Rose and husband Fred West are undoubtedly two of the most disposable, disturbed and evil beings (can't call them humans) on earth.

This is not a book for the faint of heart.

The book is very well researched and written with accuracy. Unfortunately it is very much a true crime book that digs into the life of two horrible monsters.
And it is all true.

I was given Inside the Mind of Rose West from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This isn't the first time I've read about the troubling, frankly wicked life of the Wests but it has been a long time so I was pleased to see this book available.

I'm giving this book a 5 simply for pure readability. with 18 punchy chapters exploring Fred and Rose West's life and times. It's listed in the title as a book only about Rose West, however, several chapters feature Fred and his criminal lifestyle. In terms of shocking content, it is undoubtedly a story that never has moments of grey. Fred West may have coaxed Rose to become his partner from a young age, but Rose - not mentioned here as dozy Rosie like in other accounts - is fairly happy to never say no to Fred.

As we approach the crimes, the author(s) share a detached, clinical voice. There are times when this reads like an essay, not least because of the self-evident conclusions they reach - that if fate transpired differently, or that if they were stopped, the times when they could have been stopped these girls would now be alive. It goes without saying that although, it's still effective in a tragic, depressing way. Reading this, I felt anger, frustration and a lack of empathy with what both Fred and Rose were going through. In many ways, neither of the authors can understand it as they write in an almost bawdy way how the Wests lived, which is entirely related.

In some ways this could have been longer, perhaps more analytical, but the editing was pretty stellar, taking the reader through this morbid spectacle trying to find shards of logic or reason and realising that these were bad people. Fred, the country bumpkin, with a macabre sense of humour and delusional energy throughout his life (confiding to a police officer that "enjoyment turned to disaster" for the rape, torture and murder that he inflicted on his victims.) Rose who, on the face of it seemed to want to be a mother multiple times over before neglecting, abusing, and allowing her children no safety - you name it, she did it - while also having this fiery, very West Country temper.

Overall I was completely involved and immersed in the story. I was mollified as the author concluded that their luck was in a system that wasn't digitalised and allowed people to 'disappear' so easily. Naturally, the investigation was a complete disgrace and Fred being allowed to get away with suicide was outrageous. I wanted to know if the authors drew any conclusion about Rose being told that her husband had committed suicide but there was sparse commentary. Perhaps because this is so hard to explain just why she turned away from Fred. Likewise, her complete determination to imply that she wasn't involved (bringing about the superb, She Must Have Known title from the '90s). I wanted a slightly more complex description of her life in prison, however, I think she remains an enigma, someone who seems to have sadistic, very uncaring instincts. That's the mind of Rose West, deny, conceal, survive.

Absolutely worth the read and a fascinating profile of sheer wickedness from a most banal couple.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this e-arc! This one was a DNF for me, I just couldn’t keep with the story.

This book is an interesting look at Rose West, who along with her husband Fred committed numerous acts of sexual assault, torture, and murder against young women, including their own daughter Heather. The authors go into Rose's past in great detail, and it does a lot to explain how she became so twisted (and vulnerable to someone like Fred's "charms") but---and this is crucial---it does NOT excuse her. You can feel terrible for the traumas someone underwent without excusing the traumas they then inflicted upon others. A good addition to any true crime library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Before I read this book I had never heard of Rose West, her husband Fred or any of the atrocities that occurred at 25 Cromwell St in Gloucester.
Fred and Rosemary West (Rose) left a horrendous trail of abuse, incest, rape and murder over two decades. This book was fully researched and gives so many sad details of the lives they shattered. It was hard to read at times of the relentless abuse that went on in their home.
They left behind a trail of murders that included her own daughter and stepdaughter. Fred took his own life and she is currently serving a life sentence in West Yorkshire. The title of this "inside the mind of" is a bit misleading because one can only wonder what someone like her is truly thinking.

Rose West was, on the face of it, a mother living with her family in a semi in Gloucester. But behind closed doors, she was a monstrous killer who, with husband Fred, killed at least a dozen women and girls, including her own daughter Heather, sixteen, and stepdaughter, Charmaine, eight.

Inside the Mind of Rose West was not a comfortable read, but it was very well done. Well researched and explored the wider impacts - the victims, near victims, her own family and the families of her victims. It was educational, chilling and extremely interesting to find out more about a female serial killer and one who was working as a team. At times it is unsettling, however the authors have done well to balance this out with facts, without dumping the horror on the reader. The crimes were so much worse than the brief news articles i'd read prior lead me to believe.

Very well put together and a great (but difficult) read for true crime fans.

25 Cromwell Street will forever be a “home” shrouded in pain, torture and the horrors that victims of Rose and Fred West endured. Tanya Farber and Jeremy Daniel presented a thoroughly researched book while not idolizing the criminals, but instead focused on the victims, their lives and the atrocities they endured. Simultaneously, Farber and Daniel were able to detail the lives of both Rose and Fred, making you question is it nature or nurture. Unlike most true crime books, the accounts of the children and the life inside prison was included.

Overall, this was a very well written and researched book, and I highly recommend it for true crime enthusiasts. Be aware that there are several topics that are very prevalent and disturbing.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book for an unbiased review.

Rose and Fred West the UK's most prolific serial killers. Rose looked like a typical mother and wife to the outside world living with her husband Fred and children in their terraced house in Gloucester. But 25 Cromwell Street will always be known as the House of Horrors after what both her and her husband have done.
A chilling read.

This is a very thorough book on Rosemary West. I liked how it tells what happened with her living children in later years. It tells about her life from early years, and meeting the fiend Fred who would become her husband. From the books I’ve read on the pair, they were both twisted sexual pervs who had a taste for killing. No one was off limits, including family. There is also more about Rose’s life after her conviction.

"Inside the Mind of Rose West" by Jeremy Daniel and Tanya Farber tells the true story of Britain's most notorious serial killer, along with her husband, Frank West. This story dives deep into Rose's life from the beginning, exploring what, how, and when her sadistic tendencies started.

Thank you, NetGalley and Gemini Books Group, for the gifted eARC for review purposes. All opinions expressed here are my own.

What makes this story so unique is that females are rarely serial killers, and committing these heinous acts with a partner is even more rare. So why? What happened to cause this effect? And how, after so many years, was the couple not caught?

I really applaud the authors for digging deep into the case of Rose West and bringing life to the victims in a respectful manner. Truly, this is a tough case to read about, and even more so is the fact that the system failed these victims and their families. Not only were there murder victims, but the Wests' own severely abused children were also victims.

I think, overall, this is an insightful book and is educational regarding the psychological aspects of these killers. I believe that the more we can learn from these cases, the better we can understand them and potentially reduce the future occurrences of such events.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Inside the Mind of Rose West is a chilling exploration of one of the most notorious criminal partnerships in modern history. Tanya Farber and Jeremy Daniel take readers deep into the depraved lives of Rose and Fred West, offering a disturbing yet compelling account of the unimaginable horrors that took place at 25 Cromwell Street.

This book is not for the faint-hearted. Farber and Daniel present an unflinching look at the atrocities committed by the Wests, shedding light on the psyche of two deeply disturbed individuals. The narrative is deeply unsettling, yet the authors’ meticulous research and sensitive approach to the victims’ stories add an essential layer of humanity to the text. While the details are harrowing, the book is incredibly well-written, balancing the grim subject matter with a commitment to clarity and respect for the lives lost.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its focus on the victims. The authors strive to ensure that the individuals who suffered at the hands of the Wests are not reduced to mere statistics. Their lives, personalities, and the circumstances leading to their tragic fates are given a voice, adding depth and context to the narrative.

Farber and Daniel also delve into the psychological dynamics between Rose and Fred, exploring questions that continue to haunt true crime enthusiasts. Was Rose a passive accomplice or the dominant force in their shared madness? The authors provide thought-provoking insights, though they wisely leave room for readers to draw their own conclusions.

This is a challenging read due to the sheer brutality of the crimes discussed, but for true crime fans, it is a gripping and essential addition to the genre. Farber and Daniel do not sensationalize the horrors but instead seek to understand and convey the depth of the tragedy.

I highly recommend Inside the Mind of Rose West to those interested in true crime, psychology, or criminology. It’s a difficult but necessary read that adds clarity and compassion to a dark chapter in history.

Excellent book on Rose and Fred West. Many details I hadn’t read before. One of the most horrifying and tragic cases in British true crime history. The children of the couple were victims as well, and it was good to see that highlighted in this book. Highly recommended.

I cannot think anyone has not heard of Fred and Rosemary West. Their crimes shocked and sickened and this book is an insightful view into the couple as people and criminals.

It is well written and factual. If you think you have heard and read everything about these two then this book fills in the gaps.

It is a disturbing read and one that will, despite knowing the story, will once again shock and horrify the reader..