I was seven years old when the Lockerbie disaster struck. Being from Scotland myself, I knew about it but not the full story so when I saw this book I thought I might learn something. It makes for an interesting and scary read although I felt there was a lot of politics/history that went over my head. Ultimately, this is a story about a father who lost his beloved daughter. It makes for one heck of a story down to the people Jim Swire met along the way. It would appear there are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding this awful event, none of which will likely ever be answered. I found this hard to follow at some points during the trial, a lot of key people mentioned in the last third of the book got a bit confusing too. All in all, I felt a learned quite a lot about this event and my heart goes out to all those innocent people whose lives were taken.

I really enjoyed listening to this - after seeing the series with Colin Firth I became interested in the whole ordeal. This audiobook and narration were done so well, I would definitely recommend it.

Lockerbie was one of the most shocking acts of terrorism towards the end of the last century. A PanAm flight left Heathrow and 38 minutes later an ied planted on board exploded. The plane crashed on and around the rural town of Lockerbie in the Scottish Borders. I saw the site soon after the tragedy and the devastation was appalling. Flora, one of the passengers was the bright articulate daughter of Jim Swire. He was a GP at the time and wanted to know what had happened and why. This book, written with Peter Biddulph, is his story and search for the truth. It’s shocking. And I mean truly shocking. It took 30 years to come to print, the main reason being new information and evidence about the events kept coming to light causing revision and rewrite. The reason? Successive Government cover up. Don’t believe we live in a democracy. Governments and secret service agencies ensure that we’re fed a diet if whatever pap, suits their agenda.
I have followed this story intermittently over the years but didn’t watch recent tv shows about the crash. I’ve admired Swire’s determination and perseverance trying to find justice for Flora and the rest of the casualties. His search has been hindered at every stage and he became a person of interest to the security services almost immediately. The Gadaffi story was poppycock. The German government gave detail of the device and plan two weeks before the event. No one acted on it. There’s been over 30 years of smoke and mirrors but at last, the truth will out. I listened to the audio version, very well narrated throughout. I can’t say it’s enjoyable because of the subject matter, but it’s an incredible story of one man’s determination never to give up. Don’t think he’ll be recognised with a gong any time soon for his efforts, but this book deserves a wide audience. Like many others, I’ll never trust government again.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.

Pan Am flight 103 came down in Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988 destroying more than the 270 lives taken directly by the bomb that exploded on that plane shortly after leaving Heathrow airport. Families and friends have been grieving ever since then, but one father left his medical practice and has spent all these years since then investigating and making public noise to attempt to find justice for the dead. Written by that father, this book details much of that investigation and exposes some of the political efforts at cover-up. It is the truth behind a television expose series as well. It is both wrenching and riveting.
The narration by Nano Nagle and Mike Grady is expertly done and adds to the impact of the book.
I requested and received a temporary recorded audio file from W.F. Howes Ltd via NetGalley. Release date Jun 19, 2025
#LockerbieAFathersSearchforJustice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph @nnagle51 @wfhowes #netgalley #goodreads #librarything #criminology #greatbritain #massmurder #security #politics #government #conspiracy #audio #intelligencefailures #ciacoverup #grieving #anger #history #investigation #culpability

Oh great. The first to review a book that is faced with much controversy.

What to write? While I’m extremely conscious that many are opposed to the publication of this title, and Swire’s beliefs, I find myself unable to give it any less than 5 stars.

Foremost Jim Swire is a father who has refused to let his daughter’s murder be left unanswered. He’s become a public figure and the face for the fight for justice surrounding the Lockerbie bombing. The world needs more Jim’s, some may say he’s a fool, a conspiracy theorist, I see bravery and complete dedication. His plight moved me to tears many times, particularly and unexpectedly during his visits with Gadaffi and Al-Megrahi.

I remember the Lockerbie bombing vividly I was very young, approaching 10 as it was just prior to my birthday, I suppose there are events that stay with you, I’m sure many people are the same. Fast forward many years I sat alone on nightshift at Glasgow airport fielding calls from journalists and watching the screens that would tell me when the aircraft’s set to repatriate Abdelbaset Al-Megrahri home to Libya to die would taxi the runway and leave for Tripoli, there was uproar at the time that “we” were spending all that money on a terrorist. The press were thirsty for info that I wasn’t allowed to share. This is not shared to make it about me, but rather to settle in my own mind the little girl who was shocked to the grown woman just doing her job, my nerves at dealing with the press in comparison to Jim’s gargantuan efforts and the massive lack of knowledge or awareness that I held in between.

Jim Swire’s beautiful daughter Flora was on her way to visit her boyfriend in America when Pan Am flight 103 came down in Lockerbie in December 1988 along with 258 other pax and staff she was killed. Jim takes us from the moments following the news to police investigation, rumours of the FBI being seen in the town, of conversations with politicians, the barriers that thatcher put in his way, his attempt to prove the flaws in airport security by successfully carrying a mock up of the sand bomb through U.K. airport security successfully to America and his travels to Libya to meet with Gadaffi and ask him father to father to allow the men to strand fair trial on neutral ground. I mean can you even imagine? Then Jim takes us into the trial and I suppose where he begins being labelled a conspiracy theorist, he details witness statements, official documents evidence and more that just didn’t add up. I’m not here to argue one way or another, but looking at the evidence/lack of evidence The U.K. and US governments cover ups that are now proven it’s very difficult to disbelieve that Jim is correct, very easy to believe that there was a convenient miscarriage of justice on a case that needed to be wrapped up, sadly I don’t imagine an inquest will ever come, and the whole truth may always stay hidden.

I definitely recommend reading the book and judging for yourself.

Narrated beautifully.

All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends

Massive gratitude to WF Howes LTD and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

a really heart-breaking, thoughtful book. well written about a fathers search for the truth. A truly moving piece of work from Jim and Peter. I can’t recommend this book highly enough