Rating: 
Summary: Kirkus Reviews, March 15,1999
Review: "A chilling stomach-turning study of Northern Ireland's infamous Shankill Butchers, a Loyalist gang of murderers who preyed on Belfast's Catholic population."
Rating:
Summary: Kirkus Reviews, March 1999
Review: "A chilling, stomach-turning study of Northern Ireland's infamous Shankill Butchers, a Loyalist gang of murderers who preyed on Belfast's Catholic population."
Rating: 
Summary: Indictment of the times
Review: A sad and disturbing book that gives an insight into the period of "civil conflict" misnamed "the Troubles".
Murphy and his accomplices committed awful crimes against innocent Roman Catholics,quite stomach churning.
I think this book has to be read with a view of the situation that was going on in Northern Ireland at the time.
These Shankill Butchers felt that they were reacting to the murderous activities of the IRA who were shooting/bombing/maiming/torturing policemen,soldiers.
As during this period the IRA and its allies the INLA were murdering people everyday.
Rating:
Summary: Indictment of the times
Review: A sad and disturbing book that gives an insight into the period of "civil conflict" misnamed "the Troubles".
Murphy and his accomplices committed awful crimes against innocent Roman Catholics,quite stomach churning.
I think this book has to be read with a view of the situation that was going on in Northern Ireland at the time.
These Shankill Butchers felt that they were reacting to the murderous activities of the IRA who were shooting/bombing/maiming/torturing policemen,soldiers.
As during this period the IRA and its allies the INLA were murdering people everyday.
Rating: 
Summary: Provides a clear insight of the Modern day Irish Terrorist
Review: Based on obviously painstaking research, Martin Dillon's book is an incisive study of the psychopathology of political murder. The brutality of Lenny Murphy's savage murder campaign is placed squarely in the context of strife-torn Belfast. Each incident is described and examined in excruciating gory detail, and it is not for the squeamish, but Dillon never fails to draw a link between the attacks and the conditions that permitted them to continue. A stunning book.
Rating:
Summary: A remarkably well told story of true horror
Review: Based on obviously painstaking research, Martin Dillon's book is an incisive study of the psychopathology of political murder. The brutality of Lenny Murphy's savage murder campaign is placed squarely in the context of strife-torn Belfast. Each incident is described and examined in excruciating gory detail, and it is not for the squeamish, but Dillon never fails to draw a link between the attacks and the conditions that permitted them to continue. A stunning book.
Rating:
Summary: Shows the real brutality of sectarian hatred in ireland
Review: I was at the start a little dissappointed with this book as i was led to believe from local media reports in n.ireland that this time the author was going to reveal the identity of Mr A and Mr B. Despite this, i think that Martin Dillon leaves enough clues for the reader, and i now have my own idea about the identity of Mr A. Coming from N.ireland, the book is even more frightening when you can go out for a walk and realise that not too far away is a spot where the butchers abducted there victims. I also believe that the conflict that was going on at the time when the butchers were active served only as an excuse for them to carry out the things they did and i believe that if there was not a war on then these men would still have done what they done.
Rating: 
Summary: Fact or fiction
Review: I've read the reviews of others on this site and I would recommend borrowing the book from the library for anyone looking to gain a basic understanding of what the butchers did and what their aim was. After reading this book I became so intrigued that I decided to research it for myself. This past February I went to Belfast myself and interviewed Jimmy Nesbitt, the man who headed the investigation. It was an eye-opening experience to say the least. According to Nesbitt a good deal of Dillon's book is based on speculation and is meant to sensationalize the story for a more fascinating read. Some of the crimes in the book attributed to the butchers had nothing to do with them. For instance, the shooting at Casey's wine and spirits was said to be the work of the gang, but why would Billy Moore, who essentially admitted to everything he had ever done wrong in his life, fail to mention this? Dillon's book is full of "reliable sources" and information nobody ever knew about before Dillon's book was published. Take those things with a grain of salt. With a story like this, why would you want to sensationalize it anyway? By the way, for the guy who wanted more info about the people in the gang: All have been released from prison. Basher Bates was shot dead by the son of one of his victims. I do know the identities of Mr. A and Mr. B. Mr. B was Lenny's brother, John, who died in a car accident a few years ago. the other I can't name because he's still alive, but you should be able to figure it out. Mr.'s c-z were made up according to Nesbitt.
Rating:
Summary: Vey Informative But Very Violent
Review: Martin Dillon deserves great credit for writing this informative account of Lenny Murphy and his band of murdering thugs. It details the rise of Murphy as a school bully who`d rob classmates at knifepoint , how the Irish " Troubles " led to Murphy forming The Shankhill Butchers , the atrocities they commited , and The Butchers eventual downfall . There is nothing to admire about secterian murder in Northern Ireland and reading this book it becomes quite clear that- Unlike consuming large amounts of alcohol- politics and religion did NOT play a big part in The Butchers lives , it was only an excuse to torture , mutilate and murder people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Courage also had no place in The Butchers lives , wait till you read about hardman William Moore trying to blame his accomplances for the murders. My only complaint is that my edition is from 1990 and I`ve no idea if the author is planning to do a revised book. THE SHANKHILL BUTCHERS` possibly needs to be updated : Can the likes of Mr A , Mr B , etc now be named ? What happened to the likes of Moore after their release under the Good Friday agreement ? How are The Butchers regarded by people in Belfast nowadays ? As a footnote Robert " Basher " Bates was executed by the Ulster Freedom Fighters in the Summer of 1997
Rating:
Summary: Provides a clear insight of the Modern day Irish Terrorist
Review: The book shows quite clearly that a huge majority of the so-called terroists on both sides of the sectarian divide, had no real pollitical aims. The Troubles provided a backdrop of easy money and excuses to Kill wantanly. Martin Dillon, I am sure, risks a huge ammount to bring this story to press
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