Sirens: Inside the Shadow World of First Responders

Martin McKenzie-Murray

Jun 2026 · Bolinda · Narrated by Syd Brisbane

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6 hr 29 min

Unabridged

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About this audiobook

Three first responders – a paramedic, a police officer and a firefighter – are motivated by a desire to serve the community. But they are drawn to their work by more complicated impulses as well: a need for control, an acute awareness of danger and childhood experiences they are still running from. Peter, a paramedic, served at high-profile disasters including the Port Arthur massacre and the Beaconsfield mine collapse. Despite helping countless people, he is haunted by the lives he couldn't save. Tara, a firefighter, experienced devastating loss at a young age. She found camaraderie in the fire brigade, but is also confronting reminders of her past. Brett, a police officer, survived childhood neglect and abuse. Policing offered a way to impose order, but it eventually forced him to question his rigid moral view of the world. In telling their stories, Martin McKenzie-Murray draws on his own experience and his research into trauma and recovery to ask profound questions about human motivation and survival. What draws people to these intense professions, and how does their work reshape them?

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About the author

Martin McKenzie-Murray is an author and associate editor of The Saturday Paper. He has worked as a teacher, speechwriter, columnist for The Age and adviser to the chief commissioner of Victoria Police. His writing has appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Monthly, The Guardian, Meanjin and The Best Australian Essays. His first book, A Murder without Motive, was shortlisted for the 2016 Ned Kelly Award for best true-crime writing. His latest book, Sirens: Inside the Shadow World of First Responders, is due out in 2026.

Syd is an experienced actor, director, and voice artist with a strong background in musical theatre. With extensive experience across theatre, television, and film, Syd has appeared in feature films such as Cut Snake and Red Dog: True Blue. Syd's television credits include roles in acclaimed series like Wentworth and Deadloch.

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