Under Their Roof

'My stomach was clenched tight. I knew there was no way I could swallow a single morsel. Playing in my mind was a slideshow of evil, fragments of memory, glued together by fear: Fred and Rose West dragging me off the pavement, Fred pinning me on the sofa while Rose stroked my hair, Fred climbing into my bed and assaulting me while I slept...'
Kathleen Richards was just 17 when she and her sister Deirdre found themselves on the doorstep of 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, seeking lodgings from a seemingly friendly local couple: Fred and Rose West.
While growing up in poverty-stricken Dublin in the 1960s, Kathleen was abused from a young age. A move to England allowed her to escape, but even so life remained difficult, forcing her to seek refuge.
At first, Cromwell Street provided freedom for the sisters who were entertained by Fred's quirky behaviour. Kathleen was also happy to make a new friend in her fellow lodger, Shirley Robinson.
But then, things took a sinister turn: Fred began to abuse Kathleen with his wife's encouragement. And, when Shirley suddenly disappeared too, Kathleen's world began to grow very dark...
This is a chilling account of what it's like to come face-to-face with Britain's most notorious serial killers, but it is also an inspiring account of the resilience of women and how to find happiness after trauma.

Kathleen Richards with Ann Cusack