THE murder of Huddersfield backpacker Peter Falconio is profiled in a new book, True Crime.

The softback book looks at terrible crimes dating back to 1800.

The Falconio case is given a double-page spread, while the notorious murderous London gangsters the Kray twins only get half a page.

Peter, who lived in Hepworth, and his girlfriend, Joanne Lees, were in an orange camper van when Bradley John Murdoch stopped them on a lonely highway north of Alice Springs in the Australian Outback in July, 2001.

Murdoch, now 48, shot Peter, but Joanne managed to escape his clutches and eventually flagged down a passing lorry.

Peter’s body has never been found and Murdoch, a drug-runner, was convicted of his murder. He must serve at least 28 years behind bars.

True Crime, published by Carlton Books this month, has been co-written by Martin Fido and David Southwell.

It claims that Joanne has “been exploited for sensationalist purposes in the press.

It goes on: “She was subjected to humiliating cross-examination at the trial of Bradley Murdoch as defending counsel tried desperately to discredit her.

“Murdoch tried strenuously to avoid being tested for DNA, but once that was done the case was over.’’

They say he left traces of his blood on the tape used to tie up Joanne and also inside the couple’s camper van.

The authors come up with their theories behind the killing, especially after Murdoch was cleared of an earlier rape allegation when the method of attack was alleged to be similar to the Falconio case.

The writers state: “Murdoch is a drug- runner and was transporting 20lb of cannabis when the murder took place.

“He may have thought Falconio was a cop or informer following him. Equally, he may have seen Miss Lees driving apparently alone at a point when Falconio was reading in the back of the camper van.”