A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Man in the Balaclava cover art

The Man in the Balaclava

By: Tara Moss,Mark Whittaker
Free with 30-day trial

$16.45/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

  • Summary

  •  

    Please note: contains strong language and adult content.

    Ashley Coulston is a convicted triple murderer, but was he responsible for far more carnage? Wherever Coulston went, a pattern of unsolved crimes followed, including those of Australia’s infamous ‘balaclava killer’ who has never been unmasked.

    In this gripping podcast, best-selling novelist and private investigator Tara Moss examines why Coulston has never been charged with the balaclava killer’s atrocities and whether any other unsolved murders can be traced to him. She also asks why the justice system lets down victims of sexual assault time and time again.

    ©2021 Audible Australia Pty Ltd. (P)2021 Audible Australia Pty Ltd.
    Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • Ep 1: Cold Case on the Gold Coast
    Apr 11 2021

    A series of brutal rapes 40 years ago on Australia’s Gold Coast was never solved but as one of the victims recalls a vital clue Tara and Mark investigate.

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Ep 2: A Quiet Suburb
    Apr 11 2021

    Are the unsolved Gold Coast attacks connected to a violent attack and shocking triple murder which took place years later in Melbourne? 

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Ep 3: Lovers Lane
    Apr 11 2021

    The Balaclava killer's MO escalates. Could convicted triple murderer Ashley Coulston be the perpetrator?

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins

What listeners say about The Man in the Balaclava

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    64
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    55
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    58
  • 4 Stars
    25
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Re-open these cases!

How awful that so many victims have not had justice. Given so many "coincidences" the QLD/VIC/NSW police force need to work together to solve these crimes. Great work Tara & team.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Ineffectiveness of police

This was a well researched report of crimes and how police seemed not interested which lead to years of rapes and killings by a serial offender. How the justice system believed everyone but the victims themselves and how people so easily ignore the warning signs of what's to come. Tara Moss is talented, kind and compassionate while she endeavours to find the truth. Loved her narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great, objective & close to home. A must listen.

The objective nature & balanced examination should be appluded. I know the area where he grew up, know the school which was setup by close family. A little too close to home.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Tragic, harrowing, compelling

The story of Ashley Coulston (and the Balaclava Rapist, who may or may not be the same person) was brilliantly and sensitively told by Tara Moss and Mark Whittaker. While solidly focused on the known facts and evidence of each crime, they never lose sight of the need to bring empathy into the way they present the narrative, and of the need for closure for victims and their families. Every bit as heartbreaking as the story of California's East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer - probably even more so for Australian listeners who are familiar with the places where the attacks took place. Compelling but confronting listening.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Couldn't stop listening

Horrific crimes....incredibly well researched and narrated. The interviews were interesting and the interviewed were very inspiring. The last sentences of the last interview of the entire podcast were a great way to end this series too. Can highly recommend this podcast.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

interesting case

the story was really interesting and I hadn't heard much about it previously. could have done without Tara Moss' moralising and constant use of "actually"

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

so good.

Thankyou Tara and everyone concerned.
I can only hope the police follow up and investigate as thoroughly as you have.
Riveting.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A good job

you did a good job Tara thank you ❤️ I thought il just listen to one or two but no I had to keep going when you talked about the movie it was like a light come on to this day I have never seen the hitcher the Dirty Harry was another favourite

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well researched and delivered

Great Podcast Tara and Mark, crazy to think how long this was going on for and how many victims could be out there. It was mentioned that the gun used in the triple murder was purchased in Tasmania. Are there any suspicious cases in tassie at this time?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Again Police laziness is brought into question ❓

Good podcast 👍 the police have a lot to answer for AGAIN !!! . Doesn't matter if it's Queensland or NSW police back then they were a bunch of Muppets . Tara rocks as she tells this story one we've all heard before of laziness and ineptness on the behalf of the detectives that aren't meant to be like that narrow-minded and corruption reins supreme.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Amazon Customer
  • Amazon Customer
  • 13-11-2022

extremely interesting

I was in complete awwww in this, so crazy how this person could cause such terror and pain in those people's lives and with those victims not being able to get any full closure just his the heart

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for TaraB.
  • TaraB.
  • 30-05-2022

Great investigative journalism

Kept me engaged from the very 1st minute to the very last. Would highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Lou
  • Lou
  • 20-10-2021

Highly Informative

The narrator had the right amount of gravitas for the subject
An interesting and sad story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.