The Sunderland Strangler is a chilling and meticulously researched account of one of Britain's most notorious serial killers—Steven Grieveson. Based on true events, this gripping narrative blends factual detail with carefully imagined scenes, dialogue, and character insights to recreate the life, crimes, and eventual conviction of a man who terrorised a community for years.

From his troubled childhood in 1970s Sunderland to the moment his depravity was finally unmasked, this book traces the evolution of a boy into a predator. Drawing on real-life timelines, police reports, and court proceedings, author Stu Armstrong constructs a compelling portrait of Grieveson’s descent into darkness, using fictionalised scenes to illuminate the psychology and circumstances that shaped him.

The story follows Grieveson’s early years marked by emotional detachment, behavioural red flags, and an increasingly volatile home life. Through imagined interactions at school, in the streets of Sunderland, and behind closed doors, readers gain a deeper understanding of the pressures and secrets that festered within him.

Between 1990 and 1994, Grieveson committed a series of horrific murders, claiming the lives of four teenage boys—Thomas Kelly, David Hanson, David Grieff, and Simon Martin. The book chronicles each case in disturbing detail, showing how the killer evaded capture through manipulation and fear, and how systemic oversights allowed him to remain at large longer than he should have.

After his initial conviction in 1996 for three of the murders, the story continues into the cold case reinvestigation that eventually led to a fourth murder charge in 2013. With forensic breakthroughs and renewed police determination, justice was finally delivered for Simon Martin, the final known victim. The emotional toll on the families, the missed opportunities by authorities, and the media’s relentless gaze are all portrayed with realism and empathy.

The final chapters explore the aftermath: the grieving families, the enduring scars left on Sunderland, and Grieveson’s life inside a maximum-security prison. A haunting epilogue reflects on how the boys are remembered today, and how a town slowly reclaimed its sense of safety and identity.

Combining the depth of investigative journalism with the emotional resonance of true crime storytelling, The Sunderland Strangler is both a tribute to the victims and a stark reminder of the fragility of justice. It is a book grounded in truth, yet enhanced with imagined scenes that bring the human cost of these crimes into harrowing focus.