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Love as Always, Mum xxx

Written by: Mae West,Neil McKay
Narrated by: Julia Barrie
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Publisher's Summary

The true story of an abused childhood, of shocking brutality and life as the daughter of notorious serial killer and master manipulator Rose West.  

You're 21 years old. Police arrive on the doorstep of your house, 25 Cromwell Street, with a warrant to search the garden for the remains of your older sister you didn't know was dead. Bones are found, and they are from more than one body. And so the nightmare begins. You are the daughter of Fred and Rose West.  

'Mae, I mean this.... I'm not a good person, and I let all you children down....' (Rose West, HM Prison Durham)

It has taken over 20 years for Mae West to find the perspective and strength to tell her remarkable story: one of an abusive, violent childhood, of her serial killer parents and how she has rebuilt her life in the shadow of their terrible crimes.  

Through her own memories, research and the letters her mother wrote to her from prison, Mae shares her emotionally powerful account of her life as a West. From a toddler locked in the deathly basement to a teen fighting off the sexual advances of her father, Mae's story is one of survival. It also answers the questions: how do you come to terms with knowing your childhood bedroom was a graveyard? How do you accept the fact your parents sexually tortured, murdered and dismembered young women? How do you become a mother yourself when you're haunted by the knowledge that your own mother was a monster? Why were you spared, and how do you escape the nightmare? 

Read by Julia Barrie.

©2018 Neil McKay (P)2018 Orion Publishing Group

What listeners say about Love as Always, Mum xxx

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Wow….

Although this is hard to get through at points and you find yourself gasping and closing your eyes tightly. I find this book insanely well written. I teared up quite a bit. I highly recommend you give this a listen if you have ever found yourself intrigued by what happened with Fred & Rose. I learned a lot about the background and even though it was rough to hear I’m glad I gave it a listen.

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Heartbreaking and Beautiful Memoir

The author gives a voice and perspective to a story that we’re already familiar with, which gave me a lot to think about. Mae West wrote a heartbreaking memoir of growing up in an incredibly abusive household, and showed remarkable insight and resilience into her relationships with her parents and their terrible crimes. A great listen.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2018-10-31

Amazing

The narrator was perfect. It was fascinating to hear the daughter's perspective. I will probably listen to this again.

6 people found this helpful

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  • Katie A
  • 2018-10-18

Different point of view

This book was written by the oldest surviving daughter of Fred and Rosemary West, notorious serial killers from Gloucester, England. She offers a complex and challenging perspective on life with her parents, the abuse she suffered, and the crimes which Fred and Rose committed. Mae is very frank throughout the book about what was happening and what her feelings were and still are. She never makes excuses for either parent. She discusses in detail why she believed, for years, that her mother was innocent and why and how she came to realize Rose's parts in the grusom torture and murders on Cromwell Street. An excellent read for lovers of true crime or those interested in knowing more about Fred and Rose. The narrator was great and really captured Mae's voice.

6 people found this helpful

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  • Audrey J T
  • 2018-10-05

Whoa.

It's pretty horrible to admit that one of the first things I thought before reading this book was what kind of people could these children have possibly become, being products of both the nature and nurture of Fred and Rose West? Mae West answered that question for me with such self-awareness and grace, a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit and the ability of very victimized people to embody tremendous beauty. Mae's account makes no excuses whatsoever for the actions of her parents, and she dives into the grittiest material, bravely facing all of it: the trajectory of her parents' lives and their truly appalling actions, her own relationship with her parents, her siblings, her daughter, herself. West is remarkably reflective. If you like true crime stories, you will enjoy this, but the book embodies much more than your typical crime ctory ever could. I read a lot of books and don't remember most of them, but I think I will always remember this book, and that is really saying something. Just...WHOA.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Laura A
  • 2018-10-17

INTENSE

Great audiobook. Very startling during the first half, but then you get more into Mae’s personal struggles and experiences post the horrific findings. It is very explicit, and makes you very uncomfortable but at the same time you feel like you need to hear the reality of the outside world. Outside of your bubble. Wish Mae and her family the best today and always. Thanks for sharing your story.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Emily Perkins
  • 2018-10-10

Graphic, but great

VERY detailed and graphic depiction of events which made it a difficult listen.
However, the story was told very well and thoroughly.

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  • Staber
  • 2018-11-20

Top 5 books

This book was an amazing read from start to finish. I didn’t want to put down.
Although the subject was hard to hear the ending was so uplifting!
Highly recommend!!!!

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  • Sherri Smith
  • 2019-08-16

Excellent !!!!

This was a heart breaking and heart swelling story all in one. Mae is such a strong woman. She told her story in such a classy way. I wish her all the best that life has to offer.

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  • Sunshine
  • 2019-05-21

This book was an eye opener .

This book, was one of those that I wouldn't put down. I had to find out what happened next and next and next. It talked about the world of a child thats has abusive parents, yet she still manages to love them, is complicated.

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  • MiniBeast
  • 2023-03-02

Such a powerful story!

Wow! Those poor children and women. Fred and Rose West were utterly horrible, and disgusting excuses of human beings! But I absolutely love that the majority of their children turned out "okay" and had beautiful children/families of their own!

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  • Jon Shellem
  • 2023-01-09

A powerful survivor story.

I so enjoyed listening to this book. Really proud of her for sharing this all so raw. Proud of her strength and recovery. Very disturbing and horrific but with a hopeful ending.