Gang leader Harun Haqq is murdered, triggering a turf-war on the streets of Sydney.

Reporter

An explosive setting for LiSTNR’s new six-part gangland-crime audio fiction series Gripped: Second Son, is a dark and action-packed thriller full of unseen twists and cliff-hangers, adapted from the award-winning novel The Second Son by Australian crime writer Loraine Peck.

The adaption was written by former gang-member-turned-investigative-journalist, writer and reporter, Mahmood Fazal, set to be compulsive, immersive listening, full of gripping cliff-hangers, high-octane, action-packed episodes and didn’t-see-it-coming double-crosses. Unease and suspense blankets every episode, as listeners become fully immersed in the drama.

“I wanted to create this underworld on the margins of society, that shows what happens when everyone misunderstands one another and overrides the truth with their own interests, prejudices and egos. I imagined how real people from the criminal milieu that I know personally, might fit into the story and used their thought patterns and motivations as instigators of the plot,” says Fazal of bringing the story to life in an audio format.

Told through a variety of perspectives from the protagonists Jamil, his wife Amy and their son Salim, as well as the antagonist Knox; Jamil and Amy are voiced by Lincoln Younes (Jamil) who played John Ibrahim in the Paramount miniseries Last King of the Cross, and actor, model and daughter of INXS member Kirk Pengilly, April Rose Pengilly (Amy), while AFI-nominated Australian actress Zoe Carides of Death in Brunswick, Janet King and Top of the Lake fame, voices Detective MacPherson.

LiSTNR’s Head of Factual and Drama Jennifer Goggin says at its core, it is the story of a man torn between family honour, his duty as a parent and husband, and his loyalty to his gang.

“We chose [to adapt Second Son] for LiSTNR as an audio drama because it explores social, racial, and familial themes that were as interesting as the action that drove the thriller element of the story. Although the audio series adaptation is wrapped up in a different gangland era and setting from the book, the characters grapple with[…] social issues at the forefront of public discourse in Australia today, like the migrant experience, racism in Australia, being torn between your duty as a parent and your responsibilities to your own parents, the allure of gang culture, and police racial-profiling,” says Goggin.

Goggin adds that Fazal has produced many stories on gang culture, police brutality, prison life and abuses in juvenile detention systems in Australia

“We wanted him to bring his experiences, researching and reporting on these stories to the script-writing process, to give depth, truth and complexity to the characters and the world represented in the series.”

The casting and voice performance process was also collaborative, allowing room for actors to immerse themselves in the process and contribute to the strength of the characters and the immersive audio experience. Organised crime consultants were also called upon.

“[They] shared insights into police surveillance techniques, encrypted communication devices, and branding techniques for different gangs to distinguish their drug shipments from each other. [These] insights were built into the series to increase the accuracy and realism and help the listener to do what all great drama should do — immerse you and help you step into the experience of someone else.”

Listen to the trailer. The series will roll out on all podcast platforms from 20 March 2024.

Gripped: Second Son is available now on LiSTNR drops Wednesday’s at 6am until 13 March 2024.

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