Leigh S. L. Straw

Dr Leigh Straw is Associate Professor in History with expertise in Australian history, European history, modern U.S history and Crime Studies. Leigh has lectured in universities since 2001 and teaches and supervises in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs. She is the author of several biographical, historical and true crime books. Leigh is the 2022 joint winner of the Margaret Medcalf Award. This award was for her social history titled, 'The Petticoat Parade: Madam Monnier and the Roe Street Brothels' (Fremantle Press, 2021). Leigh previously won this award in 2018 for her book 'After the War: Returned Servicemen and the Mental and Physical Scars of World War I'. She is the author of a number of true crime books including 'Angel of Death: Dulcie Markham, Australia's most beautiful bad woman' (ABC Books, 2019) and a true crime biography of Australia's first female detective, 'Lillian Armfield' (Hachette, 2018). Her book 'The Worst Woman in Sydney: The Life and Crimes of Kate Leigh' (NewSouth Books, 2016) was longlisted for an ABIA (Australian Book Industry Award). Leigh has also featured on the ABC’s ‘Conversations’ program and delivered the Geoffrey Bolton Memorial Lecture in 2020 (which was broadcast on ABC - Radio National). Leigh's latest book is 'The Ballroom Murder: The dancefloor shooting that shocked Australia' (Fremantle Press, 2022). Leigh is currently writing a book on the Kennedys.