Title: Beyond all reason
First published: 1995
Description: Beyond All Reason is the book on the shocking true story that has captured headlines around the world. On February 12, 1993, ditching school on a Friday, Jon Venables and Bobby Thompson, aged ten, succeeded in luring James Bulger, one month shy of his third birthday, away from his mother, who was shopping at the Strand mall in Bootle, England. They then walked two-and-a-half miles from the Strand, passing several adults who spoke to the boys and questioned them about the child (Jon and Bobby lied, saying he was their little brother), until, with evening settling in they found themselves alone. Jon and Bobby then killed James in a violent and sadistic fashion.

Beyond All Reason is an unadorned - but no less dramatic for it - recreation by a professional journalist of events leading up to the killing, the arrests, the trial and the murder convictions of Jon and Bobby. It includes testimony and the transcriptions of interviews with the boys, their parents, the police and other witnesses. In addition, in a thoughtful and insightful epilogue, written especially for this American edition, the author examines the internal forces that likely led the two boys, who will turn thirteen this year, to murder. His conclusions are provocative and challenging.
Subjects: Case studies, Murder, Investigation, Violence in children, Children, Crimes against, Mord, Female offenders, Marriage, united states, South carolina, biography, Murder, south carolina, Murderers, Murder victims
Places: England, Bootle (Sefton)
People: Jon Venables (1982-), James Patrick Bulger (1990-1993), Bobby Thompson (1982-)
LC classification: HV6535.G6 B667 1995