A Yorkshire Evening Post journalist who covered the Shannon Matthews story has written a book.
Richard Edwards – who will feature in February’s Press Gazette magazine – uncovered the story with a routine call, before visiting the Dewsbury estate where Shannon lived.
“You think, this might be serious but she will probably be home in a couple of hours,’the 33-year-old told Holdthefrontpage. ‘I had no idea it would spiral into the story it did.”
“It’s three stories in one: a girl goes missing, later a girl is found safely and you think ‘What a wonderful, happy ending’ and then you discovered it had been planned all along.
“When that part started, I thought this is stranger than fiction. It has absolutely got to be told.”
Edwards started writing the book in August, when Shannon’s mother was charged, despite initially having no publisher. The book is available from www.pressdeskbooks.co.uk.
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