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Far away from any World War II battlefront, the citizens of Melbourne lived in fear of a serial killer – the Brownout Strangler.
May 1942: Melbourne was torn between fearing Japanese invasion and revelling in the carnival atmosphere brought by the influx of 15,000 cashed-up American servicemen. But those US forces didn’t guarantee safety. Not long after their arrival, the city would be gripped by panic when the body of a woman was found strangled, partially naked and brutally beaten. Six days later another woman was found dead and her body told the same horrific story. A murderer was stalking the streets.
As women were warned not to travel alone, an intense manhunt ensued. Not long after a third woman was murdered, American soldier Eddie Leonski was arrested. A calculating psychopath, he had a twisted fascination with female voices, especially when they were singing . . . Acclaimed author Ian W. Shaw brings World War II Melbourne to life, and takes us into the mind of the Brownout Strangler, and a very different kind of terror.
‘enthralling . . . makes for a fascinating read.’ Canberra Times on Ian W. Shaw’s The Rag Tag Fleet
May 1942: Melbourne was torn between fearing Japanese invasion and revelling in the carnival atmosphere brought by the influx of 15,000 cashed-up American servicemen. But those US forces didn’t guarantee safety. Not long after their arrival, the city would be gripped by panic when the body of a woman was found strangled, partially naked and brutally beaten. Six days later another woman was found dead and her body told the same horrific story. A murderer was stalking the streets.
As women were warned not to travel alone, an intense manhunt ensued. Not long after a third woman was murdered, American soldier Eddie Leonski was arrested. A calculating psychopath, he had a twisted fascination with female voices, especially when they were singing . . . Acclaimed author Ian W. Shaw brings World War II Melbourne to life, and takes us into the mind of the Brownout Strangler, and a very different kind of terror.
‘enthralling . . . makes for a fascinating read.’ Canberra Times on Ian W. Shaw’s The Rag Tag Fleet
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Reviews
Review
...an interesting study of toxic masculinity in the shape of a ''classic'' murder story.
Fast paced and rich in historical detail, this book is a pageturner for war and law buffs alike.
Shaw vividly paints a picture of fear and suspicion in Melbourne at this time.
Review + Giveaway