Far away from any World War II battlefront, the citizens of Melbourne were living in terror of a serial killer - the Brownout Strangler.

May 1942, Melbourne is torn between fearing Japanese invasion and revelling in the carnival atmosphere brought by the influx of American servicemen. But it is a city that would be gripped by terror - a serial killer is on the loose in the darkened streets, and three women have already been brutally strangled. The killer is an American soldier, Eddie Leonski, who has a twisted fascination with female voices . . . especially when they are singing.

After an intense manhunt, Leonski is arrested then tried in Melbourne and hanged at Pentridge Gaol. 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 war experience.

'enthralling . . . makes for a fascinating read.' Canberra Times on Ian W. Shaw's The Rag Tag Fleet