In the winter of 1942, as war raged across the Pacific, Australia experienced a little-known yet significant chapter in its wartime history: direct attacks on its eastern seaboard by Japanese submarines. A Parting Shot is a meticulously researched account of the shelling of Sydney and Newcastle by the Imperial Japanese Navy, revealing the full scope of the submarine campaign waged against Australia during the darkest months of the Second World War. Author Steven Carruthers, a former naval serviceman and award-winning journalist, brings together official records, eyewitness accounts, photographs, and newly discovered Japanese sources to shed light on a dramatic but often overlooked episode of Australia's wartime experience. The book explores the strategic context behind the attacks, the movements of the Japanese submarines, and the confused and sometimes contradictory response of Australian authorities. At the heart of the story are the enigmatic figures who commanded the enemy vessels, the damage they inflicted, and the enduring mystery of what became of several submarines lost in Australian waters. From the harbours of Sydney to the steelworks of Newcastle, and from government bunkers to ordinary Australian homes, A Parting Shot reconstructs events with clarity and insight, giving voice to those who lived through them. This updated 2025 edition includes corrections and additional material drawn from Captain Hajime Sasaki's postwar memoir, which provides a rare first-person account of the Japanese side of the shelling of Newcastle. The book has also been redesigned for print-on-demand publication.

Rich in historical detail and written with journalistic rigour, A Parting Shot is an essential resource for anyone interested in Australia's home-front history, maritime warfare, and the broader story of Japanese operations in the Pacific War.