The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century

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This is a work of non-fiction. The quoted conversations are taken verbatim from police eyewitness statements, court transcripts, coroners reports and other archival material. Unless otherwise stated, the narrative is based on the original police murder-investigation files.

The Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub massacre was a defining moment in 1970s Australia: the horrific epicentre of all the crime and filth, the corruption and deaths that came before and followed that tragic night in March 1973, when 15 innocent people lost their lives. Despite the quick arrest and subsequent conviction of John Stuart and his sidekick, James Finch, the ashes have never stopped smouldering. Rumours have swirled around that horror-filled night for decades: were Stuart and Finch framed Were others involved Were further atrocities committed to hide the truth behind the outrage For decades it was impossible to uncover the truth behind the tragedy. That changed in 2012, when the author had the privilege of being the first person to view the files created by the original lead detectives. These files reveal what occurred prior to, during, and after the conflagration. They reveal unsettling facts. They reveal that the full story of that night has never been told until now.

Author Bio

Geoff Plunkett is a retired federal government researcher and historian. An expert in chemical warfare, he has written multiple official histories, including Death by Gas, a devastating expos of military deceit. Recent books include Let the Bums Burn, which recounts Australias deadliest building fire, and The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre, an examination of the cold case 1973 nightclub fire, which was based on exclusive access to the original murder investigative files. His work has featured in all the major newspapers, on radio and TV.