Kidnapped

The crime that shocked the nation

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Kidnapped

By: Mark Tedeschi

Narrated by: Stephen Briggs

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About this listen

The true story of Australia’s only known kidnapping of a child for ransom, from Barrister and Crown Prosecutor Mark Tedeschi.

When eight-year-old Graeme Thorne was kidnapped on his way to school in July 1960, Australia was gripped with fear and loathing. What monster would dare take financial advantage of the most treasured bond of love – between parent and child? Just weeks earlier, Graeme’s parents had won a fortune in the Opera House Lottery, and this had attracted the attention of the perpetrator, Stephen Bradley.

Bradley was a most unlikely kidnapper, however his greed for the Thorne’s windfall saw him cast aside any sympathy for his victim or his victim’s family, and drove him to take brazen risks with the life of his young captive.

Kidnapped tells the astounding true story of how this crime was planned and committed, and describes the extraordinary police investigation that was launched to track the criminal down. Mark Tedeschi explores the mind of the intriguing and seriously flawed Stephen Bradley, and also the points of view of the victim, his family – and the police, whose work pioneered the use of many techniques that are now considered commonplace, marking the beginning of modern-day forensic science in Australia.

Using his powerful research and storytelling skills, Mark Tedeschi reveals one of Australia’s greatest true crime dramas, and what can only be described as the trial of the 20th century.

‘Remarkably researched so as to explain one of Australia’s most extraordinary criminal cases.’ Chester Porter KC

Abductions, Kidnapping & Missing Persons

Crime

Murder

True Crime

Disappearance

Forensics

Abduction

Critic Reviews

‘A broad-brush morality tale about the consuming power of greed’

‘A study of kidnapper Bradley . . . and a picture of an insular Australia encountering a strand of icy pragmatism direct from war-damaged Old Europe.’ (Peter Doyle, writer, academic, and occasional curator at Sydney’s Justice & Police Museum)

‘An utterly compelling account of the kidnap and murder of schoolboy Graeme Thorne from an author with unparalleled knowledge of the investigation and prosecution of crimes which have terrified Australians.’ (Margaret Cunneen SC, Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor)

‘A detailed and compelling account of events, unfolded with Tedeschi’s customary forensic skill and interspersed with interpretation and analysis that informs and provokes.’ (Nicholas Cowdery AM KC)

‘Remarkably researched so as to explain one of Australia’s most extraordinary criminal cases.’ (Chester Porter KC)

‘With powerful research and storytelling skills, Tedeschi has delivered a gripping story about one of Australia’s greatest, and heartbreaking, true crime dramas.’

‘Masterfully pieced together by the New South Wales Senior Crown Prosecutor’

Most relevant

I read this book so awaited the audible version eagerly
The narrator was poor. Mistakes made. Even audible ones in pronunciation.
I knew this story well as I lived in area where kidnap occurred & sadly the murder.
I found the accents extreme & narration was spooked ;(again) by that.