If you thought you knew the story of The Teacher's Pet,
get ready to be shocked. Hedley Thomas takes you
behind the scenes with a blow-by-blow account of one of
the most intriguing and enduring murder mysteries of
our time - the crime, the podcast investigation, the
sexual exploitation of teenage students, the courtroom
drama - and how justice was finally delivered.
Lynette Simms disappeared from Sydney's idyllic
northern beaches in 1982 and was never seen again.
Lyn was a caring nurse, a loving mother and devoted
wife. Her husband, Chris Dawson, was a rugby league
star, a popular teacher, and exceptionally close to his
identical twin brother, Paul.
This facade of domestic bliss shattered as Chris became
infatuated with the family's babysitter, his 16-year-old
student, a girl he moved into Lyn's home and bed just
two days after her disappearance.
Thirty-six years later, investigative journalist Hedley
Thomas revisited the story in a record-breaking podcast
series that captured the unconditional support of friends,
colleagues, neighbours, family and an international
audience. With fresh leads and old evidence resulting in
a public groundswell for authorities to take action, Chris
was arrested in late 2018 and after a dramatic trial was
found guilty of murder in August 2022.