THE LAST ESCAPE THE MAN BEHIND THE MOST DARING JAILBREAK IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

 THE LAST ESCAPE THE MAN BEHIND THE MOST DARING JAILBREAK IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

Reviewed By  Nan van Dissel       March 21, 2018

 

Author  John Killick

Distributor:      New Holland Publishers
ISBN:                 Many readers will remember the News Headlines, “John and Lucy’s Great Escape”; this constitutes only a small portion of John Killick’s fascinating autobiography ‘The Last Escape” which chronicles his life both inside and outside the prison system. To add to the reader’s interest, the author not only links happenings in his life to major events in Australia but also to other notorious criminals, who share his time in custody. The suicide of John’s adoptive mother in his teen years triggered a shift from being a law abiding youngster to that of an angry petty criminal, who had little regard for other’s property. Disappointment in love and a growing addiction to gambling led to more serious crimes and ultimately John spending more than half a life time incarcerated in prison. While in prison this career criminal developed his inherent literary skills by reading extensively and taking part in writing classes; these he put to great use by coordinating and contributing to a prison newspaper, entering writing competitions and later writing several books. Some would say the book is a story of self-discovery of a wasted life in prison. However, this book not only recounts John Killick’s life in many prisons around Australia but also the severity of conditions within these institutions. The philosophies of those implementing policies in the prison systems and the impact of these measures on prisoner rehabilitation are also explored by the author. Despite the outrageousness of the crimes, John Killick’s literary style allows the reader to empathize with not only the victims of these crimes but also with the harshness of author’s time in custody. The author makes no excuses for his behavior except to explain that most of his crimes were the result of his gambling habit. True crime readers who enjoy exploring the criminal mind and the reason for the perpetration of crime will find this book both an interesting and an enjoyable read. This autobiography is told with great honesty and lack of pretention: a true story of survival.
Publisher:         New Holland Publishers
Release Date:   November 2017  

   Website:   http://au.newhollandpublishers.com

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Many readers will remember the News Headlines, “John and Lucy’s Great Escape”; this constitutes only a small portion of John Killick’s fascinating autobiography ‘The Last Escape” which chronicles his life both inside and outside the prison system. To add to the reader’s interest, the author not only links happenings in his life to major events in Australia but also to other notorious criminals, who share his time in custody.

The suicide of John’s adoptive mother in his teen years triggered a shift from being a law abiding youngster to that of an angry petty criminal, who had little regard for other’s property. Disappointment in love and a growing addiction to gambling led to more serious crimes and ultimately John spending more than half a life time incarcerated in prison.  While in prison this career criminal developed his inherent literary skills by reading extensively and taking part in writing classes; these he put to great use by coordinating and contributing to a prison newspaper, entering writing competitions and later writing several books.

Some would say the book is a story of self-discovery of a wasted life in prison. However, this book not only recounts John Killick’s life in many prisons around Australia but also the severity of conditions within these institutions. The philosophies of those implementing policies in the prison systems and the impact of these measures on prisoner rehabilitation are also explored by the author.

 Despite the outrageousness of the crimes, John Killick’s literary style allows the reader to empathize with not only the victims of these crimes but also with the harshness of author’s time in custody. The author makes no excuses for his behavior except to explain that most of his crimes were the result of his gambling habit.

True crime readers who enjoy exploring the criminal mind and the reason for the perpetration of crime will find this book both an interesting and an enjoyable read. This autobiography is told with great honesty and lack of pretention: a true story of survival.

Crime, Fiction, Non Fiction