The First Murderer I Ever Met: Hanging out with criminals and cops

by Mark Dapin

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 who knew him best’. But it didn’t shock Dapin, because he knew Ian in real life, not in clichés.

Criminals are sensationalised in the press and mythologised in their own stories. In describing criminals, police and prison officers he’s spent time with, Dapin searches for the real characters and events. How many of Chopper Read’s stories were actually true? What's it like at home with former murder cop Gary Jubelin? Was the biggest art heist in Australian history carried out by one of Dapin’s neighbours, the mysterious Sky Blue? And what happens when you go to visit a prison with celebrated escapee John Killick? These encounters are better than a ring-side seat to the Dapin gets in the ring.

The First Murderer I Ever Met is the truest true crime – it’s what actually happened.

Genres: Audiobook

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

About the author

Mark Dapin is the author of the novels King of the Cross and Spirit House. King of the Cross won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction, and Spirit House was long listed for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year and the Royal Society for Literature's Ondaatje Prize.

His recent work of military history, The Nashos' War, has been widely acclaimed. He is a PhD candidate at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Reviews

[Cheryl R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some people are destined to be involved with the law; it may be on the side of the cops, or the criminals. This book demonstrates Dapin's familiarity with both sides of the law, in Australia. He not only evaluates the truthfulness of many of the "true crime" narratives, but also explains how the routines of prison life lead to the creation of these fictional tales. It is helpful to have a prior familiarity with the names of notorious Australian criminals.

[Ruth Hosford · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s an interesting insight into the criminal lives of some of the worst in Australia from a journalists point of view. I didn’t particularly find the style of writing made the cases of great interest to the reader. Perhaps it was too much of a resume of each of the ten or so criminals. I did however find the background to Shantaram of interest. It’s an interesting read but not particularly memorable.

[Erin Grigson Baylis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting.
The author went through the different murderers, so it felt like short stories but then included bits of opinion and reminiscing.
7/10 A good book for fans of true crime and documentaries.

[Farrells Bookshop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dapin gives brief overviews into several criminals, a good entry level book into the true crime genre, I really enjoyed it.

Read by Polly

[Charlotte · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eh, nothing in this really worked for me.
DNF @ 1:46/18% (November 2025).

[Tamika Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. There are parts I even had a giggle.
Easy go with the flow book.
I like the way the author writes and if Mark Dapin sees this I want him to know I enjoyed Prison Break too.