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Through Fear and Fire: The explosive true story of a bomb squad veteran

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The thrilling memoir of Special Operations Group bomb squad veteran John Taylor.

The Special Operations Group are Australia's most elite policing unit. They are who we turn to in times of shoot-outs, armed robberies, terrorism. And when the threat gets explosive, enter the Bomb Response Unit.

John 'JT' Taylor has seen it all, from backyard blow-ups to the largest bomb to ever go off in Australia. He became the force's longest serving bomb disposal expert and one of its most distinguished members.

Between handling unpredictable homemade explosive devices, daring driving manoeuvres and swapping bullets with hostage-takers, JT has stared down death. He's an adrenalin addict, having scaled some of the highest peaks in the world, including Mount Everest.

From armed robberies to counter-terrorism, bombs and booby-traps, this tell-all memoir reveals details of chilling true crime stories that have never been told before, and shows the grit and bravery of the world's toughest police unit.

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2025

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Profile Image for Tim  Goldsmith.
529 reviews11 followers
September 13, 2025
This book takes a closer look at the life and times of John Taylor, a long-time member of Victoria's "Special Operations Group" (SOG) and "Bomb Response Unit" (BRU).
John is a short bloke with a big heart and some amazing life stories. This book is an interesting insight into a unique mindset and lifestyle. What was particularly interesting was the feeling that the kind of obsession and exceptionalism that allowed John to be successful in his job was very similar to that of some of the crims that he was tasked with catching.
An interesting insight into a world I know little about (and I am thankful for that!)
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