Views to Die For: Murder, anarchy, and the battle for Sydney's future

How did a 1970s plan to raze and redevelop a historic Sydney suburb lead to a kidnapping, murder and urban warfare?

And why does this tumultuous period still play a pivotal role in Sydney's planning today?

These are the big questions explored in Views To Die For.

Views To Die For has been published alongside the 50th anniversary of the 1975 murder of outspoken Kings Cross activist and publisher Juanita Nielsen.

It's the untold and inside story of how a scheme to turn Sydney's inner-east into a future Manhattan was driven by greed, secrecy and incompetence.

The scheme resulted in street violence, an anarchist uprising and Nielsen's death, but also sparked important reforms to support low-cost housing, protect heritage and allow communities to plan their future.

It's a legacy which is at the centre of a heated public debate as Sydney, and Australia, grapple with transformational change and a housing affordability crisis.