The First Murderer I Ever Met
Hanging out with criminals and cops
$33.59
- Paperback
304 pages
- Release Date
26 August 2025
Summary
For more than thirty years, Mark Dapin has been hanging out with crooks, and both types of cop. In this gripping, often funny and always surprising book, he sorts the tall stories from the truth about true crime, showing us what some of Australia’s most famous felons are really like.
Mark Dapin was still in school when he met his first murderer – a boy called Ian. In reporting the murder Ian eventually committed, newspapers used the cliché that it ‘shocked even those …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781761635298 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1761635298 |
| Author: | Mark Dapin |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster Australia |
| Imprint: | Scribner Australia |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 304 |
| Release Date: | 26 August 2025 |
| Weight: | 450g |
| Dimensions: | 35mm x 234mm x 154mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
‘There are true crime writers and true crime reporters but Mark Dapin is in a league of his own. Essential reading for anyone interested in crime and our often corrupt justice system. The First Murderer I Ever Met is a confronting examination of power and powerlessness, of violence, narcissism and injustice from a writer who knows his subject. Mark Dapin comes to these stories with a writer’s lyrical touch, a journalist’s eye for a yarn and a good dose of lived experience.’ – Michael Brissenden, author of Smoke‘I always enjoy reading Mark Dapin’s books. Unlike many true crime writers, he thoroughly researches his subjects and has that rare ability to bring them to life … Take a walk on the dark side of humanity and look for the occasional bright lights of redemption.’ – John Killick‘Only Mark Dapin could write a true crime book like this. His respectful irreverence for the characters who are used to being taken seriously provides the reader with a clearer understanding of what actually goes on in the world of crime. An entertaining and educational read for any true crime fan.’ – Gary Jubelin, Former NSW Police Homicide Detective
About The Author
Mark Dapin
Mark Dapin is an acclaimed journalist, author, screenwriter, and historian.
He is the author of the novels:
- King of the Cross (Winner of the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction)
- Spirit House (Longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award; shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year and the Royal Society for Literature’s Ondaatje Prize)
- R&R (Shortlisted for a Ned Kelly Award)
Mark holds a doctorate in military history. His history book:
- The Nashos’ War (Shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction; winner of the NIB People’s Choice Award and an Alex Buzo Shortlist Award)
He has also written three books of true crime:
- Public Enemies (Shortlisted for a Ned Kelly Award)
- Prison Break
- Carnage
He worked as consultant producer on Network Seven TV show Armed and Dangerous, and as screenwriter on Stan’s Wolf Creek 2.
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