# Vikki Petraitis

Vikki Petraitis (born 1965) is an Australian true crime author, podcaster, and educator known for her investigative works on crime and justice. Overall, her work has contributed to raising public awareness of crime and justice issues in Australia. She is based in Melbourne, Victoria.

## Career

Petraitis has written extensively about Australian criminal cases, including infamous murders and police investigations. Her books and presentations often focus on real-life crimes, providing in-depth analysis and firsthand accounts from those involved, including law enforcement officers and victims' families. Some of her notable books include The Frankston Murders, which examines the case of serial killer Paul Denyer, and Once a Copper, a biography of former police officer Brian "The Skull" Murphy. She has also contributed to various anthologies and crime-related publications.
In addition to her books, Petraitis has gained recognition for her true crime podcasts, where she delves into both well-known and lesser-known cases. Petraitis regularly speaks on podcasts, including Australian True Crime hosted by Meshel Laurie and Emily Webb. In September 2019, Petraitis was interviewed by Casefile for their From the Files podcast titled From Frankston to Philip Island. She was also instrumental in creating the Casefile Presents series titled The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron – a 10-episode podcast released in 2020 covering the case. In 2021, she also created and narrated a 9-episode podcast called Searching for Sarah Macdiarmid.
More recently, she has also hosted presentations, workshops, interviews, and true crime events.

## Awards

Petraitis was nominated for the 2007 Davitt Award for her book Forensics. In 2007, she won the Scarlet Stiletto Award for Best New Talent for a fiction piece she wrote called "Side Window". She won the Readers' Choice Award and was shortlisted for the 2023 Davitt Award in Adult Novel for The Unbelieved.

## Books

* —— (1993). The Phillip Island Murder – The True Account of a Brutal Killing. Kerr Publishing. ISBN 9781875703098.
* —— (1995). Victims, Crimes and Investigators. Victoria Press.
* —— (1995). The Frankston Murders – The True Story of Serial Killer. Nivar Press. ISBN 9780646228280.
* —— (1998). The Great John Coleman. Nivar Press. ISBN 9780646316161.
* —— (2000). Rockspider – The Danger of Paedophiles – Untold Stories. Hybrid Publishers. ISBN 9781876462031.
* —— (2002). "Serial Killers are Losers". In Greenwood, Kerry (ed.). On Murder II. Black Inc.
* —— (2005). Cops – True Stories from Australian Police. The Five Mile Press. ISBN 9781741246087.
* —— (2006). Forensics – True Stories from Australian Police Files. The Five Mile Press. ISBN 9781741240801.
* —— (2008). "The Frankston Murders and The Paedophile Witch". Outside the Law. The Five Mile Press.
* —— (2008). Crime Scene Investigations – More Stories from the Australian Police Files. The Five Mile Press. ISBN 9781741784091.
* —— (2009). Salvation – The True Story of Rod Braybon's Fight for Justice. Jewel Publishing. ISBN 9780980621303.
* —— (2013). The Russell Street Bombing. Clan Destine Press. ISBN 9780987553812.
* —— (2015). The Dog Squad – Incredible True Stories of Courageous Police Dogs and Their Handlers. Michael Joseph. ISBN 9780143799641.
* —— (2018). Once a Copper: The Life and Times of Brian "The Skull" Murphy. Wild Dingo Press. ISBN 9780648066330.
* —— (2018). The Frankston Murders: 25 Years On.
* —— (2019). Inside the Law: 25 Years of True Crime Writing. Clan Destine Press. ISBN 9780648293712.
* —— (2020). Cops, Drugs, Lawyer X and Me. Hachette Australia. ISBN 9780733643804.
* —— (2020). Police Stories: Compelling True Stories from the Frontline of Australia's Police. Lake Press. ISBN 9780655219927.
* —— (2022). The Unbelieved. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781761067396.