The Brownout Murders
Overview
They blamed alcohol. They blamed men. But they blamed women most of all.
The year is 1942, the place Melbourne. A brownout is in effect to dim the night-time lights of the city, and thousands of American GIs are based in Royal Park. As the latter make plans to defend the Pacific, the women of Australia have stepped up to support the war effort at home. Beatrice is doing her part. She’s enlisted as an air raid warden, preparing the city ahead of a possible Japanese attack. Her sister June is an operator at the telephone exchange, while her other sister, Lizzie, works as a shopgirl by day and parties with the Americans by night.
But the times are about to change again, and the three sisters will have to navigate the consequences of a new threat as a series of grisly murders are committed in the eerie half-light of the brownout. Inspired by true events, The Brownout Murders tells a story of fear, fortitude, and social change — and how the independence of all women is too often set against the violence of a single man.
Details
- Format
- Size
- Extent
- ISBN
- RRP
- Pub date
- Rights held
- Paperback
- 234mm x 177mm
- 160 pages
- 9781925849585
- AUD$35.00
- 3 June 2025
- World
Categories
Praise
‘The black-and-white illustrations have a smooth quality, featuring styles and details representing 1940s wartime Australia. This true crime tale will obviously suit readers who are looking for books about little-known serial killers … [and] those looking for books on life or feminism during wartime.’
‘A historical true crime story that skillfully connects a little-known 1940s serial murder case to still-relevant questions about society’s exploitation of violence against women … Graham’s loose, retro-style black-and-white art … captures the claustrophobic mood as terror sets in … Crime and history buffs alike will be drawn into this layered real-life mystery.’
About the Authors
Luke C Jackson is an author, teacher and researcher based in Melbourne, Australia. Luke C Jackson is a writer of novels, screenplays, games, and graphic novels, including The Brownout Murders and Two-Week Wait, both of which have been released by Scribe Publications. As a writer and researcher of texts, he is interested in how stories can be written for different media. It was to research The Brownout Murders that he was awarded a Creative Fellowship by the State Library of Victoria in 2019.
Kelly Jackson is a teacher and educational writer. A graduate of the University of Melbourne with a major in Art History, she is the co-author of both The Brownout Murders and Two-Week Wait.
Maya Graham is an experienced artist and educator, and is the sole illustrator and letterer for The Brownout Murders. When preparing to undertake the project, she immersed herself in photographs, posters, and other visual resources stored within the State Library of Victoria archive. As such, her art style for the graphic novel reflects a deep understanding of Australian art and culture of the 1940s.
