Book description
The true story of Australia's worst convicted female serial killer,
Kathleen Folbigg. She killed her four children over 10 years. Caleb,
Patrick, Sarah and Laura Folbigg died one by one over a 10-year period
in similar circumstances - suddenly, unexpectedly and while sleeping.
Each was discovered by Kathleen, their mother, who raised the alarm to
her husband, Craig, that they were not breathing. When the Folbiggs'
marriage fell apart six weeks after the death of their fourth child,
Laura, Craig was devastated. It only got worse when he discovered
Kathleen's diary in her bedside drawer. Horrified at his wife's
ramblings about losing control with the children, her 'terrible
thoughts' and her fears she was her 'father's daughter', he took the
diary to the police. The diary was the crucial evidence Detective Bernie
Ryan had been searching for to confirm his suspicions that the babies
had been murdered. With his career and credibility on the line, he made
the decision to charge Kathleen Folbigg with the murder of her four
innocent babies. No one who knew Kathleen could believe she had murdered
her own children. Yet few knew of her tragic past - the fact that her
own father had stabbed her mother to death four decades earlier. When
The Bough Breaks exposes the secret life of Australia's worst convicted
female serial killer, a woman jailed for the unthinkable crime of
killing her own children. It raises important issues about parents who
do not feel emotionally attached to their children and about the
diagnosis of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as a cause of death. Matthew
Benns is a freelance journalist and has written for publications from
the SMH to the Sun Herald to the UK tabloids. He is also the author of a
number of books including The Men Who Killed Qantas for Random House.
His last book, Dirty Money, was number one on the business books
bestseller list and described by investigative journalist John Pilger as
 a terrific book - the first of its kind in Australia . Using
impeccable sources Matthew provides Australians with the uncomfortable
facts and shocking answers to the to the questions raised against our
big business and icons and he doesn't flinch from the facts.
