My Sister Milly Hardcover – June 29, 2017

when a loved one disappears and is found murdered.The suffering is more expansive than anyone realizes. Police spent years treating the family as suspects. No matter how many times the same answers were given to the same questions or how much lack of evidence was found, police didn't seriously consider a non-family member until after the killer had been charged with similar murders. They were really obnoxious. Some of the investigation was poorly done.We don't know how many girls Belfield killed. He has refused to answer questions even after his convictions, but it's probable that there were murders he wasn't charged with.

Thank you Gemma. You are a warrior woman.

IF grief be the price we pay for love, as psychiatrist Colin Murray Parkes suggests in his book, “Bereavement: Studies of Grief in Adult Life,” then the terrible price paid by Milly (Amanda) Dowler’s family, as narrated in her sister Gemma’s book, is evidence of the unfathomable depth of their love for her.This is a harrowing story of a terrible crime and its aftermath. On top of the suffering that accompanied the murder of this thirteen-year-old child was dumped an extra load caused by the police’s ineptitude and lack of vision. For a long time they believed that her father was responsible for her murder, and that her mother’s neglect had facilitated it. In the time immediately after her kidnapping this belief slammed the door on any chance of her rescue.That the police’s attitude was embedded in Gemma Dowler’s psyche is obvious from her reference towards the end of the book to “Our defence team.” In losing a precious daughter, sister and granddaughter this family found the need to defend itself, while the perpetrator was able to take full advantage of the law in mounting his own genuinely necessary defence.Yes, this is a story, as it says on the front cover, “... of love, truth and courage.” But more than that, it is a hymn to the wonderful young girl Milly was – a charming, music-mad, tender-hearted lover of nature who looked set to achieve wonderful things in life.This book spares us nothing, from an hour-by-hour account of Milly’s disappearance, through the discovery of what happened to her, and all the long days, weeks, months and years that followed, with their vital psychiatric therapies for Gemma and her mother, and then, finally, the trial of the perpetrator.This is more than just another memoir. It strikes right to the heart of what it is like for a family to be caught up in the fallout of a terrible murder. In doing so, it starkly lays out for us the scenes behind not only this crime but also all those others that regularly fill the screaming newspaper headlines. Along the way it shows us how to be kind as onlookers, and how to help families in similar situations - or at least how not to hurt them further.I feel sure that as a work of literature this story will take its rightful place high up in the annals of crime writing, and that the power of Gemma Dowler’s voice will resound down the years, keeping her beloved sister Milly alive for the world.

This book was written by a driven person. A powerful drive to get the truth out. Gemma shares everything in a quest to set the record straight. Be prepared this may be the saddest, most honest, horrific and sweet and lovely book you have ever read. This book will leave a mark. You'll know Milly like a sister and weep that she's gone. Gemma Dowler is hero for writing this book. I hope you soar as a person and push aside all the damage Gemma. Thank you.I have "Gemsie kiss kiss" etched on my brain :)

Before this book, all I knew about Milly was that she was horrifically murdered by a pedophile doughboy, she was beautiful, had her phone hacked, and had a loving family.She was also hilarious; when she deadpanned “You’re a sad woman” while your mom was filming her had me laughing out loud. She loved everything living in the water, and saved newts lives. Brilliant, her net idea! She was musically talented, and loved to sing and dance. She loved her Lovely Granny and the rest of her lovely family. She was smart. She was unique. She had goals. She was everything I wanted to be when I was her age.You would tell an anecdote about her and I would have to remind myself she was only 13. She was wise beyond her years. She was personality plus with that X factor.I’m so sorry for what your family went through, I cried throughout the book. I hate that freak who felt he had the right to take Milly and other girls’ lives.Sending love and hugs to you and your family from Texas.

I found this book to be very powerful and quite upsetting at times. The poor family went thru so much to seek justice for Milly. The one thing i found difficult to understand though was gow Gemma writes boit the excitement and how her and her mum went all gooey meeting Hugh Grant. A man who was arrested and fined for a sex act back in 1995 for having oral sex with a prostitute behind the back of his then partner Liz Hurley. How many other times he sleazely preyed on prostitutes is unkown. What is known is that over 80 percent of prostitutes do so to buy druhs to blot out yhe horrific sexual abuse they recieved as children. A strange person to go all weak t the knees for considering what happened to Milly. Also the use and acnknoldgment of the use of a song by Pete Townsend seems bizarre also seeing as though he was found with child pornogrphy on his home computer. What sort of a man has peodphilic imges on their computer. Gemma was quite rightly very righteous in condemning alot of people in this book. I just hope that the religion of celebrity didnt makw her also overlook others for their sins.

A gripping book. I bought the audible version and found myself weeping many times. The pain this family experienced both at the hands of the murderer but with law enforcement was devastating. Thank you Gemma for sharing Milly with me.

Amazing book! Yes it is sad but it is the raw honest true of what this poor family went through. I knew just the basics of the story before reading this book. I learned so much more about the police and media incompetence. This book will give you an inside look at what the family/friends of Milly went through and continue to go through. Like I said it is sad but is an amazing story of the love of a precious little girl that was horribly ripped from her family’s life.

Gemma Dowler has done her sister Milly, her parents and Lovely Granny PROUD.It is impossible to read her outstanding tribute to them all, and most especially her beloved sister, Milly, without feeling a tight knot in the throat.Despite the extraordinary wrongs done to this wonderfully resilient family by Surrey Police following her murder, despite the horror of the despicable phone hacking which was to follow, despite agony poured upon agony, somehow the unbelievably wonderful Dowler Family survive. The lump in my throat grows larger as I think of their courage, the extraordinary help of those therapists who made their survival possible and the most especially wonderful way in which Gemma Dowler brings to light each and every one of the family members who contributed richly to their mutual survival. I cannot BUT believe that Milly knows just how much, YOU Gemma, have brought to life, her final days with SO much love. For this we are ALL grateful. No sister could have paid a greater tribute to her lost sister than you have.Gemma - YOU are Milly's everlasting star, just as she is YOURS.

Very moving to see on This Morning what a lovely tribute to Milly from a lovely sister and such a lovely family. It's a tribute and very moving and a message of hope from a sad event

An incredible book. Such a very moving account & so very well written. To use Gemma's words yes I certainly 'felt the love' as I read it & think it is a brilliant & fitting memorial for Milly. It was a very difficult read with many tears, & it is almost totally unbelievable that someone could go through such a horrendous catalogue of events & heartache and come out the other side able to tell their story. That is certainly testament to the courage, bravery & love the Dowler family clearly showed throughout.

This is the most heartbreaking book I have ever read. It broke my heart to read what this family endured, Milly's murder, the police incompetence, phone hacking, the trial and that disgusting man and his revelations. The book tells in detail things that have been kept private. I laughed at Milly and her fabulous personality. It is clear Gemma, her mum and dad and lovely granny adored her.The honesty from Gemma on the pages was incredibly brave and the book is written from the heart. I hope Gemma and her beautiful family find some peace now.

Once every now and again, I read a book that stays with me for a long time. This is one such book. It was so well written, despite the time it took me to read it, I never tired of it - or skipped parts. How Gemma and her family survived the utter incompetence of the Police, the constant haranguing in Court and the constant press attention is unbelievable. They were a victim - treated as the wrong doers. I will never again see the press as the "TELLER OF TRUTH" I am sure 15 years on it would be against all human rights to be treated so badly. Thank you Gemma for sharing this harrowing story. Five stars in itself is an injustice - it deserves hundreds. Bless you for your honesty and courage.