Hunt for Madeleine McCann: the next chapter, 10 April 2011

Hunt for Madeleine McCann: the next chapter The Telegraph With funds dwindling and the trail gone cold, Kate McCann has written a hard-hitting book about the search for her daughter, reports Robert Mendick 7:00AM BST 10 Apr 2011 Four years on, they still say prayers for Madeleine McCann in Praia da Luz. Each week, the church in the centre of the Algarve resort makes the same plaintive plea for "Madeleine and all missing children and their families". Kate McCann, the girl's mother, is sometimes there to hear them. She has made a series of secret trips back to the village, staying with the local Anglican priest and his wife. Shunning the limelight, she goes alone, leaving behind her husband Gerry and their twins, toddlers at the time of Madeleine's disappearance but now old enough to be at school. The public has never been told until now of these solo trips. But next month, Kate will find herself where she doesn't really want to be – back in the full glare of the public spotlight. Her book, entitled simply Madeleine, is published on May 12 – the date of Madeleine's eighth birthday. She was just three when she went missing. The McCanns hope the book, published with help and guidance from JK Rowling, will re-invigorate the search for Madeleine. While Gerry McCann has been back at work for more than three years, resuming his career as a heart consultant, Kate has shown no inclination to return to her day job as a GP. Her life, instead, is devoted to the children, looking after two and trying to find the other. And, for the past six months, she has been writing. Her book is expected to raise about £1 million for the fund established four years ago to find Madeleine. The money should be enough to pay for private detectives to keep hunting for another two years, the fund having dwindled to £200,000. Its publication will coincide with a media blitz that will include television interviews in the US, the UK and Portugal. Kate hates being the centre of attention but knows she has to go through with it. "My reason for writing is simple: to give an account of the truth," she says. "Publishing this book has been a very difficult decision and is one that we have taken after much deliberation and with a very heavy heart. "However, with the depletion of Madeleine's Fund, the decision has been taken out of our hands. Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine. Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl." Close friends say there is nothing this deeply private woman would like more than to avoid the limelight. Kate has made at least two secret trips to Praia da Luz in the past 12 months. She stayed with Haynes Hubbard, the Anglican priest in the village, and his wife, Susan, who is now a close friend. "Look at her face when you see the television and newspaper pictures," says Father Hubbard. "She doesn't enjoy being in front of the camera but she is prepared to do it because it might bring her child back. "They need money to carry on the investigation. They will never stop looking and that's why this book has been written. It probably tears them apart to do this but the child is worth it." Another close friend says: "She gets strength from being in the area where Madeleine went missing. I don’t get the impression it is some kind of pilgrimage. It is not like she stands outside the apartment in tears." Kate has spent the past six months – when not caring for her two other children Sean and Amelie – shut away in her study writing Madeleine. She has had help from the highest authorities. JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series and a supporter of the fund, has helped, including introducing Kate to her agent, Christopher Little. The book has been painstakingly produced. Kate has spoken widely to friends and family to make sure her recollection of events is precise. Emma Loach, the daughter of the film-maker Ken Loach, has also become a close friend and adviser. She has made two television documentaries about the McCanns, and is a regular visitor to the McCanns' home in Rothley in Leicestershire. There has also been input from the Tapas Seven, the group of friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine was abducted on the evening of May 3, 2007. They were dining with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished and have stayed loyal throughout. The libel law firm Carter Ruck has been through the manuscript. Friends and acquaintances suggest that Kate will "want to settle scores" – particularly with the Portuguese police, who investigated the disappearance and became convinced, wrongly, the child's parents were involved. "She does not forgive what they put her through," says one friend. "Kate is a strong woman and she knows what is right and what is wrong." After they were made arguidos – or suspects – back in September 2007 the McCanns finally left Portugal and returned to Rothley. Their arguido status was lifted about a year later. The only other person named arguido – a local man, Robert Murat – was also exonerated by the police at the same time. Gerry returned to his job at a Leicestershire teaching hospital a little over a month later. Though supremely hard-working, he is, of course, still deeply committed to finding his daughter and active in overseeing the fund. "Gerry is very much the bread-winner while Kate, when not looking after the twins, spends most of her day on the campaign side," says a close friend, adding: "The book has taken up all her time. It is a cathartic exercise." The couple remain close. Kate is the more devout, attending mass at her local church most Sundays, with their twins, now aged six. Gerry attends, too, if he is not working. "She hasn't given up hope," says the local priest, Father Keith Tomlinson. "Obviously life has been so, so hard but she is a strong character." The village has been protective and Kate feels comfortable in and around the area. "She doesn't like going to London," says a friend. "They get stared at out of ghoulish curiosity and she finds that very uncomfortable. They are famous for all the wrong reasons." The pair are both early risers and fitness fanatics. Gerry often cycles the five miles to work while Kate, who was often photographed in Praia da Luz out jogging, remains a keen runner. Their new-build house, in a cul-de-sac, is described as "immaculate but lived in", the walls filled with photographs of the children. There are other poignant reminders of their missing daughter, such as a poster of handprints hanging in the lounge, which was made by school children in Praia da Luz and given to Kate and Gerry as a goodwill gesture. Upstairs, Madeleine's bedroom has remained largely untouched. Occasionally birthday and Christmas presents sent to her are put there, unopened, awaiting her return. The bedroom is largely off limits to guests and Kate and Gerry have resisted all offers from the media to open it up for photographs and filming. "Don't get the idea the room is some kind of shrine to Madeleine," warns a family friend. "Kate and Gerry are sensitive about the bedroom. It is still Madeleine's room and it hasn't changed." The hunt for Madeleine has been going on for four years now. The Portuguese police began the search but from the outside it felt half-hearted, quickly abandoned as detectives there grew convinced that, first, the little girl was dead and then, even worse, that the parents were somehow involved. In desperation and using money raised by the public and through benefactors, the McCanns hired one set of detectives after another. Privately there is an admission the money has not always been wisely spent, though the couple are happy with the team in place now. One detective agency, based in Spain, promised to have Madeleine back by Christmas – that was in 2007 – while another, Kevin Halligan, was arrested – after being awarded a £500,000 contract to find Madeleine – for widespread fraud. The new operation is said to be more professional but hamstrung by a lack of resources and without the weight of the local police behind it. Sources say there are no obvious leads currently, though surveillance operations are mounted from time to time in Portugal and beyond. The book may be one last push to find the girl. Kate and Gerry take heart from stories every now and then of missing children who suddenly turn up alive – such as Jaycee Dugard in the US and Natascha Kampusch in Austria. "We are hopeful that this book may help the investigation to find Madeleine," says Gerry. "Our hope is that it may prompt those who have relevant information to come forward and share it with our team. "Somebody holds that key piece of the jigsaw."

Kate McCann fear of an attack, 11 April 2011

Kate McCann fear of an attack Daily Star By Nadeem Akhtar 11th April 2011 KATE McCann is too terrified of being attacked to do public signings of her book about her missing daughter Madeleine. Kate McCann has scrapped a UK tour and will only do TV ­interviews in Britain, the US and Portugal. A source close to the publishers said: "Kate doesn't want to give anyone the ­opportunity of heckling or ­attacking her during a promotional tour." A group called The Madeleine Foundation is "demanding answers" from Kate, 42, about what happened to the little girl who disappeared in Portugal in 2007. The book, out on May 12 to mark Madeleine's eighth birthday is expected to raise £1million for the fund to find Madeleine.

JK Rowling's Maddy book, 11 April 2011

JK Rowling's Maddy book Daily Mirror › She helps Kate write story › Secrets of search revealed BY GREIG BOX-TURNBULL JK Rowling helped Kate McCann to write her book on missing daughter Madeleine. The Harry Potter author gave advice as she penned details of the youngster's 2007 disappearance in Portugal. Kate hopes to raise £1million from the book. She said: "Every penny will go on the search for Madeleine." SEE PAGE 7 ------------------------------- Potter author helped Kate McCann write book on disappearance of daughter Madeleine Daily Mirror by Greig Box-Turnbull 11/04/2011 WITH cash draining from the fund set up to hunt for Madeleine McCann, JK Rowling's pledge to help was a welcome boost to mum Kate. The Harry Potter author gave the devastated 42-year-old advice and support as she wrote the harrowing details of the night her daughter vanished from their holiday apartment on the Algarve. Kate's book is expected to raise £1million and she and husband Gerry, both 42, hope it will help shed new light on how Madeleine vanished four years ago. Rowling, 45, is a supporter of the Madeleine Fund, which has ­dwindled to £200,000. TRUTH The book, called Madeleine, will be published on May 12, the ­youngster's eighth birthday. The money it raises should be enough to pay for private detectives to keep working on the case that gripped the world for another two years Kate, of Rothley, Leics, said: "My reason for writing is simple, to give an account of the truth. "Publishing this book has been a very difficult ­decision and is one that we have taken after much ­deliberation and with a very heavy heart. "However, with the depletion of Madeleine's fund, the decision has been taken out of our hands. Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine. Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl." Gerry added: "We are hopeful this book may help the ­investigation to find Madeleine. "Our hope is that the book may prompt those who have relevant information to come forward and share it. Somebody holds that key piece of the jigsaw." Rowling has been heavily involved in the search for Madeleine since she vanished in May 2007. The writer offered a reported £1million reward to find the youngster. She also donated to the fund set up to aid the worldwide search. Rowling arranged for a poster featuring Madeleine to be made available to book retailers across the globe. And last November she helped Kate and Gerry to secure their book deal. She suggested they use her literary agent ­Christopher Little, who arranged a publishing contract with Transworld. Last January, Rowling met the couple, both doctors, at a fund-raising event in London to mark the 1,000th day since Madeleine vanished from Praia da Luz. Her official website features a Madeleine section giving details of her case and phone numbers to contact with information. PRIEST Since the youngster disappeared on May 3, 2007, aged three, Kate, also mum to six-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, has made a number of secret trips back to the resort. She goes alone and stays with Haynes Hubbard, the local Anglican priest and his wife Susan. Father Hubbard said: "She doesn't enjoy being in front of the camera but she is prepared to do it because it might bring her child back. "They need money to carry on the investigation. They will never stop looking and that’s why this book has been written. "It probably tears them apart to do this but the child is worth it." Friends say Kate will "want to settle some scores" – particularly with the Portuguese police, who investigated the disappearance and became convinced, wrongly, the child's parents were involved. After numerous false hopes in the search the book may be one last throw of the dice for the family.

JK's magic touch to help Kate raise £1m, 11 April 2011

JK's magic touch to help Kate raise £1m Daily Mirror (paper edition)

Rowling to demolish £1m house to expand garden, 12 April 2011

Rowling to demolish £1m house to expand garden The Independent By Jonathan Brown Tuesday, 12 April 2011 [00:06 AM] - Extract - Yesterday it emerged that the author had given a helping hand to Kate McCann, the mother of the missing eight-year-old, Madeleine, with her account of the disappearance in Portugal four years ago. But Rowling denied reports that she had written the book which is due to be published next month. In a statement a spokesman for the author said: "While JK Rowling has been a long-term family supporter, her only part in bringing the book to publication has been in supporting the fact that her literary agent was also representing Kate. Beyond this, she has not been involved in any aspect of the writing, editing or publication of the book."

Full statement from JK Rowling PR: To clarify recent reports regarding JK Rowling's involvement in Kate McCann's forthcoming book, Madeleine. While JK Rowling has been a long-term family supporter, her only part in bringing the book to publication has been in supporting the fact that her literary agent was also representing Kate. Beyond this, she has not been involved in any aspect of the writing, editing or publication of the book.

JK Rowling 'not helping Kate McCann write a book about Madeleine', 12 April 2011

JK Rowling 'not helping Kate McCann write a book about Madeleine' Leicester Mercury Tuesday, April 12, 2011, 09:30 There is no truth in reports that Harry Potter creator JK Rowling is helping Kate McCann write her book about her missing daughter Madeleine, a family spokesperson said last night. A number of national newspapers yesterday reported that the best-selling author was helping the McCanns write their account of how three-year-old Madeleine went missing while on holiday in Portugal almost four years ago. Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said that while Ms Rowling and the McCanns share the same literary agent, the author had played no part in the publication of the book, called Madeleine. Speaking to the Mercury, he said: "In the light of recent reports citing JK Rowling's involvement in the Kate's forthcoming book, I can confirm that while she has been and continues to be a long time family supporter, her only involvement in bringing the book to publication has been via her literary agent Christopher Little, who has also been representing Kate. "Beyond this, J K Rowling has had no involvement in the writing, editing or publication of the book." The book will be released by publishers Transworld on May 12 – Madeleine's eighth birthday.

J.K.Rowling Official Site - Missing Madeleine, 12 April 2011

J.K.Rowling Official Site - Missing Madeleine jkrowling.co.uk (text only) Greg Box-Turnbull, in his recent piece for the Daily Mirror stated, of JK Rowling, that 'Her official website features a Madeleine section giving details of her case and phone numbers to contact with information.' However, it is clear the page to which he refers (reproduced below) dates back to 2007 and is, in fact, no longer accessible through the official JK Rowling website. Whether the link to the page, and all reference to Madeleine, has been removed by accident or design is a question only the Harry Potter author could answer. Originally published: June/July 2007 Missing Madeleine Jerry and Kate McCann released this last photograph of their daughter before her abduction in the Algarve eight weeks ago. The picture is of Madeleine sitting by the swimming pool on the day she was snatched from her bed. Kate took the photo of Madeleine at 2.29pm on May 3 - Mrs McCann's camera clock is one hour out so the display reads 1.29pm. Less than eight hours later, before 10pm that night, Madeleine disappeared. Mr and Mrs McCann, backed by an army of friends and family, remain convinced that four year old Madeleine is alive and are praying, along with people around the world, for her safe return. How you can help If you have any information you can call: Portuguese Police direct on 00351 282 405 400 Or British Police on 0800 096 1233 You can also give information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you were in Praia da Luz, Portugal or the surrounding area in the two weeks leading up to Madeleine's disappearance on Thursday May 3, the police may be interested in any photographs you took while there. In particular they would like any pictures that have people in them who you don't know as opposed to scenery shots or pictures of just your own family. You can submit them to the police by visiting http://madeleine.ceopupload.com

McCanns: 'JK Rowling is not helping write our book about Madeleine', 12 April 2011

McCanns: 'JK Rowling is not helping write our book about Madeleine' Official Find Madeleine Campaign - Facebook Original message: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 at 15:47 JK Rowling is not helping write our book about Madeleine. JK Rowling 'not helping Kate McCann write a book about Madeleine' www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk There is no truth in reports that Harry Potter creator JK Rowling is helping Kate McCann write her book about her missing daughter Madeleine, a family... ------------------------- McCanns' response to comments: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 at 19:25 Thanks everyone for the lovely comments. We had to set the record straight because that info was not true.

JK Rowling and Kate McCann's book - various reports, 12/13 April 2011

JK Rowling and Kate McCann's book - various reports 'A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes' - Mark Twain (1835 - 1910) JK Rowling helps Maddie's mum Closer magazine (France) 11:00 April 12, 2011 The mother of Harry Potter decided to come to the aid of another mother, Kate McCann, the mother of Maddie, who disappeared in May 2007. Objective: To assist her in the publication of a book. The richest author in Britain, decided to help her neighbour, none other than Kate McCann, the mother of Madeleine, the little girl who disappeared in 2007 while she was holidaying with her ​​parents in Portugal. JK Rowling has helped Kate to write a book which traces the disappearance of Maddie. Not out of an unhealthy need for publicity, just the desire to help. It must be said that to continue to search for their daughter, the McCanns need a million pounds (about 1.13 million euros) if they want to continue to pay their private investigators for another two years. Sales of the book would therefore allow the devastated parents to put aside money to continue to search for their child. If JK Rowling has helped Kate McCann in writing her book, she did not stop there. The star of the libraries also contacted the couple with her agent, who himself organized a deal with the publisher Transworld. Result, the book is ready for publication and will be released on May 12, the date of the abduction of Maddie. Kate told the British newspaper the Daily Mail that the decision to publish a book came after lengthy discussions between the couple. "Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine. Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl." Let's hope the magic wand of JK Rowling helps a little in the fight of the McCanns ... ------------------ Harry Potter author helps parents of missing girl Rio Negro (Argentina) They are writing a book about the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine in 2007. For the Portuguese police the girl died in the apartment where she spent the holiday and her body was hidden. 12/04/2011 18:07 [12/04/2011 14:07 BST] The author of the Harry Potter saga, Joanne K. Rowling, is helping the parents of the missing British girl Madeleine McCann to write a book on the subject, which goes on sale on May 12 when the child is eight years old. Maddie disappeared four years ago during a family holiday in Portugal's Algarve. With the book, "Madeleine," Kate McCann aims to shed light on the disappearance of her daughter, the search and investigation work of the Portuguese police and the allegations against the family, informs the Dpa agency. Rowling, who has made billions through her stories about the boy wizard, has spent years making donations to the McCanns' fund which finances the search for the child. The Portuguese authorities believe that Madeleine died in the apartment where her parents spent the holiday and was not abducted. This thesis is defended by former chief investigator of the case, Gonçalo Amaral, in a book entitled "Maddie: The truth of the lie." The McCann's lawyer, Isabel Duarte, said recently that the investigator's book adds to the suffering of the parents and hinders the search for the girl. Maddie disappeared on May 3, 2007. Her parents launched a media campaign to look for her that went around the world. At first, police investigated on the basis of a possible abduction, but then bowed to the fact that the girl had died in the apartment and her parents hid the body. Police could not prove this thesis, and in July 2008, the Justice department closed the case. Both sides want the reopening of investigation. The father of the girl, Gerry McCann, criticized the police for giving up. --------------------------- McCanns enlist help of Harry Potter author New Zealand Herald By Paul Harper 12:23 PM Wednesday Apr 13, 2011 [01:23 AM Wednesday Apr 13, 2011 BST] Harry Potter author JK Rowling is to help write a book about missing three-year-old Madeleine McCann to fund the quest to find her, The Daily Mail reports. The missing girl's mother, Kate, is writing an account of the events following Madeleine's disappearance in May 2007, and has enlisted the assistance of Rowling. The Madeleine Fund was set up after the three-year-old went missing from her parents' Portuguese holiday apartment in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz. More than £1m (NZD$2.03m) in donations was raised within four months, but just GBP£200,000 (NZD$414,000) remains. "Publishing this book has been a very difficult decision and is one that we have taken after much deliberation and with a very heavy heart. However, in the last few months with the depletion of Madeleine's Fund, it is a decision that has virtually been taken out of our hands," Mrs McCann told The Daily Mail. "Every penny we raise through its sales will be spent on our search for Madeleine. Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl. "We are hopeful that this book may help the investigation to find Madeleine in other ways too." The fund has been used to hire private investigators, fund a publicity campaign and pay legal fees. However, the McCanns copped criticism after it emerged that money from the fund had been spent on their mortgage and on living expenses, The Daily Mail said.

JK Rowling link to McGann [sic] book ruled out, 13 April 2011

JK Rowling link to McGann [sic] book ruled out The Herald (Plymouth) Wednesday, April 13, 2011 11:00 A SPOKESMAN for Kate McCann has denied reports that Harry Potter creator JK Rowling is helping her write her book about her missing daughter Madeleine. It has been reported that the former University of Exeter student was helping the McCanns write their account of how three-year-old Madeleine went missing while on holiday in Portugal almost four years ago. Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said that while Ms Rowling and the McCanns share the same literary agent, the author had played no part in the publication of the book, called Madeleine. The spokesman said: "In the light of recent reports citing JK Rowling's involvement in Kate's forthcoming book, I can confirm that while she has been and continues to be a long-time family supporter, her only involvement in bringing the book to publication has been via her literary agent Christopher Little, who has also been representing Kate. "Beyond this, J K Rowling has had no involvement in the writing, editing or publication of the book." The book will be released by publishers Transworld on May 12 – Madeleine's eighth birthday. Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007. Exeter's Jane Tanner and Dr Russell O'Brien were with the couple at the time. Despite a massive police investigation and huge publicity worldwide, Madeleine has not been found.

The confusion of a media spokesperson, 14 April 2011

The confusion of a media spokesperson 20 Minutes Online (German) Kate McCann has written a book about the disappearance of her daughter Madeleine, while receiving support from the author of Harry Potter, it was said two days ago. Well, that's wrong. The message is part of a confused public relations strategy. 14. April 2011 10:47 Only two days ago it could be read in the British press that the Harry Potter author JK Rowling had participated in the book which Kate McCann has written. In it the mother recounts her "true story" about Maddie, who disappeared in May 2007. In the original message, which the McCanns own spokesman Clarence Mitchell apparently let the media publish, the reader got the impression that JK Rowling had not only provided literary support, but also provided Kate McCann with the necessary contacts to her publisher. But now it turns out that the announcement was incorrect. As the "Leicester Mercury" reports, the spokesman for the McCann family later felt obliged to revise his statement, "on account of the many media reports it must be made ​​clear that JK Rowling is not involved in the book at all - neither in the writing nor in the publication". The Harry Potter author had supported the McCanns in the search for their daughter, said Mitchell, but that was all. Why the misunderstanding? On various Madeleine forums the false report was received with horror. Clarence Mitchell is also referred to as "brazen" and "influential" in terms of the publication of media releases in the British media. The McCanns are only concerned about money, write indignant users. They would know that just mentioning the name of JK Rowling, for the book, which will come out in bookshops on 12 May, would ensure it sold better, is their opinion. Finally, they would have "their army of top lawyers, PR people and shady private detectives' to pay. Among other things, the name of lawyer Michael Caplan is mentioned - in 1999, he prevented the extradition of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet to Spain.

Reopening the wounds: Kate McCann visits Maddie's room twice a day and the pain is raw. But she hopes her book will revive the hunt, 15 April 2011

Reopening the wounds: Kate McCann visits Maddie's room twice a day and the pain is raw. But she hopes her book will revive the hunt Daily Mail By NATALIE CLARKE Last updated at 10:26 PM on 15th April 2011 Earlier this week, Kate McCann signed off the final chapter of her book about her lost daughter, Madeleine. It is now with the publishers, and a rush is on to have the book edited, printed and on sale by the planned publication date of May 12, which will be Madeleine's eighth birthday. The book, simply entitled Madeleine, gives Kate's account, in her own words, of her daughter's disappearance during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, and the dramatic events that followed. Four years after Madeleine's disappearance, there is, sadly, still no prospect of an epilogue to the book anytime soon, answering that heart-rending mystery: Where is Maddie? As the years have passed, the answer to that question seems more elusive than ever. The trail seemed to go stone-cold long ago, and all new leads appear to be red herring after red herring. Kate and Gerry McCann are desperate to reignite the search for their daughter, but where do they start? With Kate's book, it would seem. Close friends say the McCanns are pinning all their hopes on Kate's story prompting someone, somewhere, to come forward with new information. The aim of the book is two-fold: to put Madeleine's disappearance back in the spotlight, and to raise funds so that the McCanns' team of private investigators can continue their work in trying to find her. Reliving those first terrifying days after Madeleine vanished, and charting the dramatic events in the months that followed when even Kate and Gerry became suspects in their daughter's disappearance, has been an intensely painful experience for Kate. The tortured look that has been etched on the 42-year-old doctor's face since Madeleine's disappearance is still in evidence, and friends say she looks tired, thin and drawn. Kate began writing the book five months ago on the computer in her study at the family home in Rothley, Leicestershire. A family friend describes how she would write through the day, while the couple's six-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, were at school, and then return to her study to write late into the evening after the children had gone to bed. She turned down the offer of a ghost writer because she wanted the book to be in her own words. Pouring intense emotion into the book has given Kate a sense of focus, as well as renewed hope that Madeleine will be found. Meeting publishing deadlines has also given Kate a feeling that she is doing something both positive and purposeful in her struggle to discover what has happened to her hazel-eyed daughter. The McCanns hope sales of the book will raise more than £1million for Madeleine's fund. The book's  launch will be accompanied by several television interviews. 'Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl,' Kate writes on the Find Madeleine website. 'Our hope is that the book may prompt those who have relevant information (knowingly or not) to come forward and share it with our team.' The publication of this book will propel the family back onto the world's front pages and, as Kate herself remarks, they embark on this latest chapter in the Maddie story with very heavy hearts. The McCanns' fateful decision to leave Madeleine alone in a Portuguese holiday apartment with their then two-year-old twins, while they dined with friends at a nearby tapas bar, was one of the most controversial stories of the decade. There were even lingering suspicions, however unfair given that the allegations made against the couple have never been substantiated and the McCanns have been totally exonerated, that they had somehow been involved in their daughter's disappearance. But in the months that followed, the Portuguese policeman heading the investigation, Goncalo Amaral, became suspicious that the McCanns were somehow involved in their daughter's disappearance. There were claims of inconsistencies in the couple's account of what they did on the night in question, and criticism that Kate didn't seem 'emotional' enough in the wake of what had happened. Once subjective suspicion and groundless rumour were stripped away, however, Amaral's 'case' against the McCanns was based almost entirely on the evidence of two springer spaniels. When the police dogs barked after being let loose in the apartment from which Madeleine had gone missing, Amaral saw it as apparent confirmation that they had detected blood and 'the scent of death' at the apartment. Amaral became convinced that Madeleine had died accidentally in the apartment, and that her parents had then staged an elaborate cover-up. The couple were formally declared 'arguidos' — meaning suspects — in September 2007, four months after Madeleine's disappearance. That 'arguido' status was lifted a year later. But false suspicions about the McCanns had been stirred, and sadly opprobrium amongst some lingers to this day. For these reasons, the launch of the book will be low-key. Kate will not be doing any signings because she has serious fears about being subjected to verbal abuse, or even physical attack. 'Kate doesn't want to give anyone the opportunity to have a go at her  during any promotional tour,' a friend told the Mail. 'Just writing the book has been emotional enough.' As an example of the deep unpleasantness the McCanns have to deal with, you have to go no further than an organisation called The Madeleine Foundation, which has a website demanding answers from the McCanns to some 163 questions concerning the case. The group, which comprises 28 members but claims it has thousands of supporters who have looked at the website, has already written to the McCanns' publishers, Transworld, requesting answers to its 163 questions and is planning to step up its campaign to coincide with the publication of the book. Around the time Kate McCann was finishing her book this week, the organisation was taking delivery of 10,000 leaflets entitled 'What happened to Madeleine McCann: 50 facts about the case that the British media are not telling you.' It now plans to distribute them to homes and shops across the country. The leaflet is divided into four sections: 1) Major contradictions in the statements of the McCanns and their friends. 2) The highly trained police dogs who detected the scent of a corpse. 3) Strange things the McCanns have said and done. 4) How the McCanns wasted public money on useless private detectives. In 2009, 30,000 similar leaflets were distributed around the country — including Kate and Gerry's home town — before the McCanns' lawyers, Carter-Ruck, obtained a High Court undertaking from the group's secretary, retired solicitor Tony Bennett, to halt the leafleting. He also agreed to stop sales of a book he had written, entitled What Really Happened To Madeleine McCann: 60 Reasons To Suggest She Was Not Abducted. 'Many people subscribe to the view, to one degree or another, that we are not being told the whole truth,' says Mr Bennett, seemingly oblivious to the pain he is causing the couple. Just as cruel as The Madeleine Foundation are a number of internet sites established with the sole purpose, it would seem, of smearing the couple. Online comments from the public on such sites are often poisonous in the extreme — vitriol likely to intensify after the book goes on sale. The McCanns have taken successful legal action to prevent the publication in Britain of Amaral's book about the case, The Truth Of The Lie, in which he repeats his hypothesis that the McCanns were involved, but key extracts of the book are available online, fuelling the McCanns’ torment still further. It has, of course, been impossible for Kate and Gerry to lead a normal life after all they have been through. For the first few years after Madeleine disappeared, Kate was a virtual recluse. She gave up her part-time position as a GP at a practice in Melton Mowbray, closeting herself away in the family's smart new-build home in a quiet cul-de-sac. She felt too depressed and anguished to venture far, and found it hard to deal with the stares she would get when she was out and about. Over the past year or so, however, she has begun to circulate more often. Each morning, she prepares breakfast for the twins before seeing them off to their Roman Catholic primary school. The school still holds a place for Madeleine, who was enrolled to become a pupil there in September 2007. Such details are a heart-breaking reminder of the little girl the McCanns have lost. Once the twins are at school, Kate goes for a long run around the country lanes close by. At weekends, she is often seen out and about with the twins in the village, taking them to swimming and dancing lessons at a local leisure centre. She also sets aside time twice a day to sit quietly in Madeleine's bedroom, which friends say brings her comfort and solace. The twins sometimes play in the room, but it is off-limits to visitors. Gerry, 41, works long hours as a heart specialist at a teaching hospital in Leicester, often cycling to work and back. Most Sundays, the family walk together to Mass at their local Roman Catholic church, where prayers continue to be said for Madeleine’s safe return to her family. Kate and Gerry do not socialise much these days, but remain close to their friends, David and Fiona Payne, who were part of the group dubbed the 'Tapas Nine' after they dined together on the night Madeleine vanished. Friends say that Kate and Gerry remain close, although the agony of losing Madeleine has inevitably placed strains upon them. In the past year, Kate has made a couple of trips alone back to Praia da Luz, staying with the local Anglican priest, Haynes Hubbard, and his wife, Susan, who have become close friends. Kate feels closer to her daughter there. She and Gerry have been bitterly frustrated by the lack of progress made by private detectives. One particularly inept Spanish outfit, Metodo 3, promised to have Madeleine home by Christmas. That was the Christmas of 2007. Another detective, Kevin Halligen, is alleged to have conned the McCanns out of £300,000 and is currently fighting extradition to the U.S. on other fraud claims. But the McCanns are said to be happy with their current team, led by former British police detectives Dave Edgar and Arthur Cowley. Various individuals continue to emerge, claiming to know Madeleine's whereabouts. In February, Marcellino Italiano, an Angolan-born nightclub bouncer, claimed she had been snatched by an Algarve-based paedophile ring which smuggled her into America. To the McCanns' intense frustration, the Madeleine police files have been officially abandoned. The couple are calling for the case to be reopened, and have launched an online petition in support of that call, which they are asking supporters to sign. When they have 50,000 signatures on it, they will take their case to the Home Secretary. For now, however, they are hoping Kate's book will succeed where every other attempt to find Madeleine has not, prompting someone finally to come forward with the crucial piece of information that will unlock the mystery. See also: The Madeleine Foundation - 163 Questions and 50 Facts, as referenced in the article above.

My secret search for Maddy, 16 April 2011

My secret search for Maddy Irish Independent

Irish Independent - weekend review, front page

Irish Independent - weekend review, pages 2 and 3

Note: This article by Robert Mendick previously appeared in The Telegraph, 10 April 2011, under the headline: 'Hunt for Madeleine McCann: the next chapter'

Fresh hope in the hunt for Madeleine McCann, 17 April 2011

Fresh hope in the hunt for Madeleine McCann Sunday Mercury Ben Goldby, Sunday Mercury Apr 17 2011 KATE McCann has penned a book about her lost daughter Madeleine to encourage people to come forward with fresh information. The new book, simply titled Madeleine, is due to be published on May 12, which will be the Leicestershire schoolgirl's eighth birthday. Among heartbreaking details about life since Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday at Praia da Luz, Portugal in May 2007 Kate reveals that she still visits Maddie’s bedroom twice a day. Kate and her husband Gerry, both 42, are desperate to re-ignite the search for their daughter, and hope that the book will jog memories and help create new lines of inquiry in a case that has been cold for years. Friends say the McCanns are pinning all their hopes on Kate's story prompting someone to come forward with new information. They also hope to raise funds so that their team of private investigators can continue trying to find Madeleine four years after the little girl disappeared from their holiday apartment as they dined out with friends. The couple have had bad luck with private investigators. American Kevin Halligen, is alleged to have conned the McCanns out of £300,000 and is currently fighting extradition to the US on other fraud claims. Their hunt is now being led by two British ex-cops instead. Kate began writing the book five months ago at the family home in Rothley, Leicestershire, while looking after the couple's six-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie. Qualified doctor Kate relives the first days after Madeleine vanished in the book, and charts the media storm in the months that followed when Kate and Gerry became suspects in their daughter's disappearance. She turned down the offer of a ghost writer because she wanted the book to be in her own words. The McCanns hope sales of the book will raise more than £1million for Madeleine's fund. The couple have taken successful legal action to prevent the publication in Britain of Portugese cop Goncalo Amaral's book about the case, The Truth Of The Lie, in which he repeats his hypothesis that the McCanns were involved. Since Madeleine disappeared, Kate has given up her part-time position as a GP at a practice in Melton Mowbray, and has spent the last five months working day and night on the new book.

Madeleine McCann: Piers Morgan 'to seal deal', 18 April 2011

Madeleine McCann: Piers Morgan 'to seal deal' Daily Express By Daily Express Reporter Monday April 18,2011 CHAT show host Piers Morgan is favourite to clinch the first major TV interview with Kate McCann to kick start a new global campaign to find her daughter. The former Britain's Got Talent judge is in a bidding war with US rival Oprah Winfrey but is boasting: "I'll get it." Kate, 42, is prepared to appear on camera after writing Madeleine, her account of the 2007 disappearance of her daughter while on holiday in Portugal. She and husband Gerry hope the book – published on May 12, Madeleine's eighth birthday – will be read by the girl's abductors. Kate says a high-profile interview in the US will re-ignite the hunt. Morgan, 46, took over from chat legend Larry King to front the CNN show in January. Oprah, who had Kate as guest on her show two years ago, is desperate to win her back. But a McCann source said: "The two giants of American chat shows are battling it out. The deal is not done but Piers is hot favourite."

Madeleine McCann and the Government's Counter-Terrorism strategy, 18 April 2011

Madeleine McCann and the Government's Counter-Terrorism strategy Lord Toby Harris blog Lord Toby Harris Monday April 18,2011 A little bird tells me that there is great consternation in the Home Office at the news that Kate McCann's book on the disappearance of her daughter, Madeleine, is due out on 12th May. Is this because of fears that there may be revelations in the book about links between the British police and the rather inept Potuguese police investigation? Apparently not. The real reason is that the 12th May was ear-marked by the Home Office for the publication of the Government's new and revised CONTEST (Counter-Terrorism) Strategy. And there is panic amongst Government spin doctors that Kate McCann's story might upstage it. And the likely outcome: the CONTEST Strategy will be delayed. I am sure that will be reassuring to Al Qaeda.

Kate McCann's book reduced to £10.00 on Amazon, 28 April 2011

Kate McCann's book reduced to £10.00 on Amazon Amazon Madeleine [Hardcover] Kate McCann (Author) RRP:£20.00 Price: £10.00 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. You Save: £10.00 (50%) This title will be released on May 12, 2011.

Madeleine leaflet ban, 01 May 2011

Madeleine leaflet ban Daily Star Sunday By Daily Star Reporter 1st May 2011 KATE McCann has banned protesters from handing out controversial leaflets about daughter Madeleine's disappearance as she promotes her new book. The anguished mum faces the fourth anniversary of her daughter's disappearance on Tuesday. But Kate, 43, has consulted lawyers after The Madeleine Foundation produced thousands of leaflets detailing what it says are "50 facts about the case the British media are not telling you". The group has started distributing them across the UK but it has been banned from putting them out in the McCanns' home village of Rothley, Leics. Tony Bennett, who runs the foundation, said: "There are a huge number of people who are sceptical and there is a demand for the other side of the story." Kate's book, called Madeleine, will be published on May 12, the little girl's eighth birthday. She is hoping it will prompt some new information about Madeleine vanishing from Praia da Luz, Portugal. ---------------------- Madeleine Foundation statement re: Leaflet ban http://www.madeleinefoundation.org.uk/leaflet ban.html 2 May 2011 1. The Madeleine Foundation has had no legal letters about the '50 FACTS' leaflet 2. The Madeleine Foundation has not received any Court order banning us from distributing '50 FACTS' (whether in Rothley or elsewhere) 3. The Madeleine Foundation has not received notice of any Court proceedings about the '50 FACTS' leaflet 4. The Madeleine Foundation made an on-the-record statement two months ago that we would not be leafletting in Rothley 5. Even if there were a Court Order banning our distributing the '50 FACTS' leaflet in Rothley, that would not stop anyone else distributing the leaflet in Rothley 6. The leaflet is freely available for download on this forum 7. The leaflet is produced by The Madeleine McCann Research Group, not by The Madeleine Foundation 8. Thousands of the leaflet have already been distributed in this country and abroad 9. A prominent pro-McCann commentator challenged me to a debate on the accuracy of the '50 FACTS' leaflet but then withdrew her challenge, unable to come up with even one factual inaccuracy in the leaflet 10. We would like to place on record our thanks to the Daily Express, the Daily Mail and The Star who in the past fortnight, by mentioning us, have caused tens of thousands more to visit our website, many reading our in-depth background articles, and some becoming new members and ordering our latest book. Madeleine Foundation 2 May 2011, 8am

Mother of Maddie launches book to "tell the truth", 03 May 2011

Mother of Maddie launches book to "tell the truth" tvi24 Kate McCann says she wants to tell the parent's "version of events" By: TVI24 / SM | 3 - 5-2011 18: 17 Thanks to Joana Morais for translation The mother of Madeleine McCann will launch a book with the name of her daughter, on May 23 in Lisbon, four years after the child's disappearance, which is marked this Tuesday. In a press note sent by their publicists in Portugal, quoted by Lusa news agency, Kate McCann states that the book was written with the objective to "tell the truth", and the "version of the events" of Maddie's parents. The mother of the child added that "it was not an easy decision" to write the book 'Madeleine', with every penny that is raised through sales of the book being used for "the investigation and search for Madeleine". "Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl," Kate explained. Her husband, Gerry McCann, said he was hopeful that the book "will help the investigation to find Madeleine in other ways too". "Our hope is that it may prompt those who have relevant information (knowingly or not) to come forward and share it with our team. Somebody holds that key piece of the jigsaw," he said. The English girl disappeared on May 3, 2007, from the room where she slept with her twin siblings, whilst the parents dined with a group of friends at a near-by restaurant, in the tourist resort of the Ocean Club, in the village of Luz. After 11 days of investigation, the Judiciary Police constituted an English citizen as arguido, Robert Murat, for suspicions of being involved in the case, but found no evidence to arrest him. Without the body and the perpetrators of the crime, the Judiciary Police(PJ), who initially admitted the abduction, turned the course of the investigation in August 2007 towards the likely death of the child, with suspicions falling on the parents, Kate and Gerry, both doctors. The turnaround in the investigation was based on biological evidence collected in the apartment and in the car rented by the McCann couple, 25 days after the disappearance of their daughter. After having undergone several hours of questioning at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the PJ in Portimão, Gerry and Kate McCann were constituted as arguidos. In mid 2008, the prosecutor of the Republic archived the case, which will be reopened if new relevant data surfaces.

Maddie's parents set to give Late Late interview, 05 May 2011

Maddie's parents set to give Late Late interview Irish Herald HEARTBREAK: Kate and Gerry McCann are still in the dark about what happened to daughter Madeleine By Cormac Murphy Thursday May 05 2011 MADELEINE McCann's parents Kate and Gerry are to appear on the Late Late Show for their first major Irish interview, the Herald can reveal. Host Ryan Tubridy will be talking to the McCanns on Friday week as they continue their efforts to locate their missing daughter. It is believed the interview is being timed to coincide with the publication of 43-year-old Kate's book, entitled Madeleine, which hits the shelves next week. The 384-page work is being released on May 12, Madeleine's eighth birthday. Kate and Gerry marked the fourth anniversary of their daughter's disappearance with family and friends this week. The book is their account of how the youngster vanished while on a family holiday in Portugal. Madeleine was nearly four when she went missing in Praia da Luz, Algarve, in May 2007. The McCanns hope the publication of the book will prompt people holding vital information about what happened to come forward. It was originally due out last week but publishers Transworld postponed the release to avoid a clash with the Royal Wedding. The official Portuguese inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance formally ceased in July 2008. However, private detectives employed by the McCanns have continued the search for the missing child. Liverpool-born Kate's mother Susan Healy said of the book: "Kate has to tell her story, even though it's been the most terribly painful process over the last nine months. "We just hope that something will come from the book. It's something that may just force someone to come forward. It's also an account for Madeleine and for the twins [six-year-old Sean and Amelie]." Proceeds from the sales will also help boost their dwindling fund to search for their daughter. The book, which Kate wrote without the aid of a ghost writer, has a recommended retail price of around €22 and is expected to become a best-seller. Extracts will be serialised by newspapers from this weekend before the book is published. A family friend described how Kate wrote through the day, while the couple's twins were at school, and then returned to her study to write late into the evening after the children had gone to bed. The McCanns hope sales of the book will raise more than £1m (€1.1m) for Madeleine's fund. The book's launch will be accompanied by several television interviews, including the Late Late appearance.