REVIEW

Review - WHO KILLED SCOTT GUY? - Mike White

Reviewed By
Karen Chisholm

As the blurb puts it "Scott Guy was a good man, a great dad, a salt-of-the-earth farmer who was gunned down at his front gate for no conceivable reason." "His death enthralled us, partly because it was so inexplicable, but also because there were no obvious suspects."

It's embarrassing that when a book like this comes along, you realise that for a case that gripped the nation of New Zealand, there's been little or no information about it in these parts. And that's particularly disappointing when you think of the forensic detail thrown at us from other parts of the world - I mean New Zealand is our nearest neighbour and this is such a very sad story.

Handled with great delicacy, Mike White has written an analysis of the case, the death of Scott Guy, his life and the charging and acquittal of his brother-in-law Ewen Macdonald. He also provides glimpses into the devastation of the lives of everyone around Guy and Macdonald, and the mess that both families are left trying to negotiate.

It also provides a telling portrayal of a defence team - in particular the barrister Greg King who successfully defended Macdonald, and the particularly devastating outcome for him. Must admit, this reviewer found herself genuinely distressed at the fate of Mr King.

The blurb for this book finished with the line "By the end you'll know everything the jury did - and much more." Alas there still has been no successful prosecution over the death of Scott Guy, and WHO KILLED SCOTT GUY? provides the reader with a very clear picture of how that must feel for everyone involved. Highly recommended if for no other reason than this is an extremely well written, well researched, well told story.

BOOK DETAILS
BOOK INFORMATION
Author
ISBN
9781877505348
Year of Publication
BLURB

Scott Guy was a good man, a great dad, a salt-of-the-earth farmer who was gunned down at his front gate for no conceivable reason.

His death enthralled us, partly because it was so inexplicable, but also because there were no obvious suspects. When police finally arrested someone, public fascination soared - because the person they claimed killed Scott Guy was his brother-in-law, colleague and former mate, Ewen Macdonald.

While on the surface a hardworking husband and father of four, it gradually emerged Macdonald had an alter-ego and alternative life of violence and retribution. The police case against him seemed so logical: Ewen Macdonald was aggrieved, anxious and angry - and secretly hated the person who'd been best man at his wedding, Scott Guy. So Macdonald meticulously planned to get rid of Scott and shot him as he headed to work.

But despite enormous media coverage, the reality is that most of us still know very little about the case. To understand what really happened and why it happened, you need to set aside what you think you know and start over again, from the beginning, from that first dark midwinter morning.

Who Killed Scott Guy? takes you inside the investigation, into the courtroom and tells the real story behind Ewen Macdonald's defence, led by Greg King. By the end you'll know everything the jury did - and much more.

Review Review - WHO KILLED SCOTT GUY? - Mike White
Karen Chisholm
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
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