Peter Sutcliffe terrorised West Yorkshire in the late 1970s, killing 13 women and attacking many more. He was caught nearly fifty years ago - and he's been dead for five - but his face is still instantly recognisable. His name synonymous with evil and brutality.

Writers Sally-Anne Martyn and Daniel Sellers were both just children at the time of Sutcliffe's crimes, but grew up in the heartlands of Yorkshire and watched as their families and communities were devastated by the man the media dubbed The Ripper. The Sutcliffe case has had a lasting impact on the criminal justice system and influenced the way we look at prejudices in society, particularly the way victims are portrayed. But it has also had a profound effect on the way Daniel and Sally Anne write. In Daniel's crime novels and Sally Anne's psychological thrillers, the ghost of Sutcliffe is ever-present. The Shadow in The North.

Sally-Anne Martyn is the author of psychological dark thrillers 'The Clinic' 'The Home' and 'The Beauty Queen.' Her fourth dark thriller / horror will be published by Boldwood Books in October 2026. Click here for links to buy Sally-Anne's books. Daniel Sellers is the best selling author of the Lola Harris Mysteries and the Yorkshire Killings (which includes The Lollipop Man mentioned in the episode) Click here for more information on where to buy Daniel's books. If you have any story ideas for future episodes of Caught Up in Crime - you can email them to [email protected] or contact me at [email protected]

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Or Facebook

Or Instagram

Artwork by Spencer Wilson

Music by Premium Beat

Theme: Noir Guitar by Jonathan Boyle

Tracks featured in this episode:

• True Crime by Tea Time
• Night Falls by Lost Harmonies
• Blueprints by Tom Olivier
• Whispers in the Attic by Cosmo Lawson

Outro: Wild Mountain Thyme by Harpo Marks