Sorted on book title (not in series order)
Commenting on books written by people you know is always a little bit tricky, but one of the things that I always admire about these sorts of books from Petraitis is the way that she can tell somebody's story clearly, compassionately, often with a great sense of humour, but never imposing...Read more
From the bizarre to the brutal to the unbelievable, truth is often stranger than fiction, as these fascinating true stories testify.
Vikki Petraitis spent hundreds of hours interviewing police - and even accompanying them on active duty - to compile this collection of stories...Read more
A fingerprint identifies a serial poisoner, a strange indentation in a caravan panel proves a hit-run driver's guilt, and a mass DNA screening flushes out a brutal criminal. Vikki Petraitis has interviewed Australian police from Forensics, Fingerprints, Criminal Investigation Units and...Read more
Twenty-five years ago, serial killer Paul Denyer terrorised the bayside suburb of Frankston.
Twenty-five years later, the trauma of his seven-week killing spree still haunts the community.
The spate of murders in 1993 touched many more lives than just the three...Read more
In 1993, the unthinkable happened – a serial killer began killing young women on the streets around Frankston. Read the incredible story about the hunt and capture of Paul Denyer, the 21-year-old responsible, and the lives that were ruined as a result of his crimes.Read more
True Crime is probably best known for it's analysis or concentration on the investigation, the difficulties with identifying a perpetrator, the perpetrator's possible motives or psychology - basically the crimes themselves. In THE FRANKSTON SERIAL KILLER, Vikki Petraitis has covered those...Read more
In Outside the Law 2 some of our best crime writers take you on a trip into the shadows of Australian society. You’ll meet crooks who just can’t help themselves; killers with twisted logic or hearts of darkness; and cops who daily walk the thinnest of lines to keep them at bay, and away...Read more
I often wonder why authors get involved in True Crime writing. Surely there must be a component of it that's just soul destroying. Writing about the sad, mad, bad, idiot, evil, opportunist criminals who commit the most senseless acts. Then again, there are a lot of us that read True...Read more
Take a walk outside the law with some of Australia's best crime writers. Investigate the criminals who deal in murder, drugs and kidnapping; the cops who track them down; and the journalists who report their stories.Read more
Every year in Australia, there are a lot of true crime books released. The OUTSIDE THE LAW series from Five Mile Press is now up to number 3, edited by Lindy Cameron, released in August 2009. It includes an interesting forward from the editor where she says (amongst other things):...Read more
The discovery of the body of Beth Barnard in her Phillip Island farmhouse in 1986, began a homicide investigation that rocked a peaceful community.
It also created an enduring mystery, for no one was ever brought to trial for her brutal death, and the main suspect disappeared –...Read more
Started reading THE PHILLIP ISLAND MURDER ages ago, tidied up one day and promptly couldn't find the book to finish it. (Goes to prove that housework is dangerous and frankly bloody annoying as I wanted to read this book.) Rather relieved that after 12 months of idly moving things around, I...Read more
In the early 1950s, Rod Braybon’s father had died, leaving his mother with eight children she couldn’t care for. As a ward of the state, Rod was passed from institution to institution until he finally ended up at the notorious Bayswater Boys’ Home run by the Salvation Army. Rod endured...Read more
With the publication of SALVATION Vikki Petraitis has written 9 true crime books, but in her notes at the back of SALVATION, she particularly mentions a book that was released in 1999 - Rockspider. The author wrote that book, with Inspector Chris O'Connor of the Victoria Police Child...Read more
Senior Detective Antigone Pollard is fearless. Armed with a trained police dog, a black belt in judo and the will to speak her mind, she faces opposition head-on.
After six months, Antigone is feeling more settled in Deception Bay. The summer holiday season is off to a slow...Read more
'So you believed the alleged rapists over the alleged victim?' Jane's voice took on an indignant pitch. 'Girls lie sometimes.' I nodded. 'And rapists lie all the time.'
When Senior Detective Antigone Pollard moves to the coastal town of Deception Bay, she is still in shock and...Read more