Where Is Daniel?

De: Denise Morcombe, Bruce Morcombe

Narrado por: David Tredinnick

On 7 December 2003 Daniel Morcombe disappeared on the Sunshine Coast, while waiting for a bus. For Bruce and Denise Morcombe – the parents of Daniel – and his brothers, Bradley and Dean, it was apparent within hours that something was very wrong.

In the first few days following Daniel's disappearance, Bruce and Denise made a promise to their son that they would never ever stop looking for him, and bring who was responsible to justice. 'We will never give up.' As the nightmare of hours became days then weeks, and months and years, the family mobilised to become the moral force behind the longest criminal investigation in Australia's history. Where is Daniel? covers the decade-long investigation into the disappearance of Daniel and the extraordinary courage, dignity, persistence and fortitude Bruce and Denise displayed under unbearable circumstances. This determination also applied to Bruce and Denise's desire to mine something positive from the darkest of experiences. They started the Daniel Morcombe Foundation in 2005, to teach children about safety, and have since visited hundreds of schools around Australia. They've established Australia's largest annual child safety day-of-action, 'Day for Daniel', and utilised the funds raised to support other children who have been the victims of abuse. Over a decade later, with Daniel's killer brought to justice thanks to an amazing covert police sting, this is the family's story. Where is Daniel? is a testament to the enduring power of love between parents and their child, and the strength and bonds of family to survive.

©2014 Denise Morcombe and Bruce Morcombe (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

A moving story of disappearence and murder

This is a book about a family's frightful journey after their thirteen year old son went missing in 2003 in Queensland, Australia. It is very much told from the family's perspective (it was written by Daniel's mother and father). However the narrative is interspersed with enough details of the police investigation to make it interesting as a true crime book. Although some may find the descriptions of the family's daily life a bit tedious (they had to wait some 10 years to get justice for Daniel!), for me it was on the whole an interesting and moving look at the process by which the family turned the tragedy of Daniel's disappearance into an effort to improve the safety of all children in Australia. It will undoubtedly appeal more to an Australian audience because of our familiarity with the Morcombes and the desire to find a solution to the mystery of Daniel's disappearance and murder (which has only very recently been solved). However I feel there is enough to interest a wider audience, especially when it comes to the details of how the police found the murderer and trapped him into confession (a method originally developed in Canada). It is also a very moving rollercoaster ride with the family as they deal with their tragedy.