The War Widow
The thrilling first historical mystery novel in the popular bestselling Billie Walker series for fans of Kate Quinn, Jacqueline Winspear and Fiona McIntosh
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
'A terrific read' Lynda La Plante
Billie Walker's search for a missing young man plunges her right back into the danger and drama she thought she'd left behind, in this thrilling tale of courage and secrets set in glamorous postwar Sydney.
'A cracking thriller, with a marvellous, strong, flamboyant heroine. Loved it.' Joanne Harris, award-winning author of Chocolat
Sydney, 1946. Though war correspondent Billie Walker is happy to finally be home, for her the heady postwar days are tarnished by the loss of her father and the disappearance in Europe of her husband, Jack. To make matters worse, now that the war is over, the newspapers are sidelining her reporting talents to prioritize jobs for returning soldiers. But Billie is a survivor and she's determined to take control of her own future. So she reopens her late father's business, a private investigation agency, and, slowly, the women of Sydney come knocking.
At first, Billie's bread and butter is tailing cheating husbands. Then, a young man, the son of European immigrants, goes missing, and Billie finds herself on a dangerous new trail that will lead up into the highest levels of Sydney society and down into its underworld. What is the young man's connection to an exclusive dance club and a high class auction house? When the people Billie questions about the young man start to turn up dead, Billie is thrown into the path of Detective Inspector Hank Cooper. Will he take her seriously or will he just get in her way?
As the danger mounts and Billie realizes that much more than one young man's life is at stake, it becomes clear that though the war was won, it is far from over.
'Vivid, page-turning historical crime, better written than most' Sydney Morning Herald
'Rich period detail and a fierce, feminist heroine distinguish this stylish twist on the classic 1940s detective novel. Fans of Phryne Fisher will eagerly anticipate Billie's next adventure.' Publishers Weekly
'Billie [Walker's] addition to the world of literary private detectives is welcome and deserved. She carries a bit of the hard-boiled tradition on her shoulders--the vulnerability, the brashness--while providing a completely feminine perspective on both the crimes and the approach to crime-solving. Neatly incorporates history, social commentary, and a satisfying mystery in one appealing package. More, please!' Kirkus
'Immersive, well-paced, entertaining, thoughtful - so enjoyable!' Angela Meyer, award-winning author of A Superior Spectre
Praise for Tara Moss:
'Enough page-turning suspense to keep you up reading far later than you intended!' Peter James
'Truly thrilling' Woman's Day
'Moss's ultra-cool prose and whip-smart plotting pull you along at cracking pace until suddenly you look up and realise with a gulp how deep you've gone and how very dark it is down there.' Emily Maguire, author of An Isolated Incident
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In the wake of World War II, sharp-witted journalist Billie Walker takes over her father’s detective agency in Sydney. When a missing person case leads her to corruption at both the top end and on the seedier side of the city, Billie encounters the fresh legacy of the war. Inspired by classic film noir and hardboiled fiction, author Tara Moss has crafted an absorbing historical thriller that balances artful period details with bracing suspense and action. She has also introduced a memorable lead character in Billie, a tough and intelligent feminist who will appeal to fans of Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher books. Setting up Billie for future outings, The War Widow is a punchy crime yarn with a literary pedigree.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1946, this spirted series launch from Canadian-Australian author Moss (the Makedde Vanderwall books) introduces Billie Walker, a former war correspondent who reopens her dead father's private inquiry firm after the Sydney newspapers she works for sideline her. When German immigrant Netanya Brown hires Billie to find her 17-year-old son, Adin, Billie assumes the boy is off with friends or a secret lover; then she discovers that before Adin disappeared, he'd been nosing around an exclusive night club and expressed uncharacteristic interest in a high-end auction. After a potential source is murdered and an encounter with the cops suggests they're on the take, Billie is forced to admit that she's dealing with something much larger than a simple missing persons case. Meanwhile, a young Wiradjuri woman asks Billie to investigate a foreigner suspected of mistreating his Aboriginal employees. Rich period detail and a fierce, feminist heroine distinguish this stylish twist on the classic 1940s detective novel. Moss's thoughtful, socially conscious plotting largely compensates for the contrived conclusion. Fans of Phryne Fisher will eagerly anticipate Billie's next adventure.
Customer Reviews
War Widow
I thoroughly good read, with its twists and turns , and it’s connection to the the war and the disturbing news about men and woman and the evil that we can do to each other , I enjoyed it
Enjoyable
Great Australian post war novel