Tara Moss’ The War Widow was a bit of a slow start, but built into an action-packed book with a strong female character who broke all of society norms in the post-Second World War world.
I like main character Billie Walker a lot. A reporter who covered the horrors of the Second World War along side her photographer husband, who went missing while covering a story, Billie returned home to Australia when she found out her beloved father was dying. She didn’t make it, but took over his private investigation company, which she runs with her assistant Sam, a solider who fought in the war. Billie is hired by a distraught mother, whose teenaged son has gone missing. Billie and Sam soon learn, there is more to the case then first thought.
There was so much going on in this book, which the reader knows the son didn’t simply run away with a girl as it was originally suspected. There are number of stories and weird happenings taking place throughout the book. I correctly guessed one aspect of the story; my guessing certainly didn’t spoil the story or how it unfolded.
I have, sadly, never been to Australia, but Moss brings it and her characters to life with her descriptions. I could picture everything, including Billie Walker’s impeccable style of dress, her mother’s apartments and the scenery of the Blue Mountains. I could visualize Billie’s gun in her garter and Billie pulling out hatpins to pick a lock. Well the descriptions are obviously amazing, they weren’t annoying or overbearing either and they didn’t interrupt the flow of the book or the action within it.
The book was a fast read. I finished it in a couple of days once I started.
In preparation with my interview with Moss, coming out in May, I did some research on the Australian-Canadian model, speaker and writer and found out this is the second book featuring Billie Walker. I do hope there is more.
The War Widow by Tara Moss comes out in May. It costs $22.99 and is published by HarperCollins Canada.
A copy of this book was provided by HarperCollins Canada for an honest review.
The opinions are my own.
I interview Tara Moss about writing and this book. Read it here.
May 18, 2020 at 6:23 pm
loved this review. i can’t wait to pick it up. WW II is one of my favorite time periods to read
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May 22, 2020 at 10:37 pm
Thank you so much. What do you enjoy reading about it?
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May 23, 2020 at 11:41 pm
I’ve just always been attracted to that time. Ever since I was a child. It’s been something that I’ve always been interested in I even like the music from that era I also think that there are a lot of parallels between the 1940s and right now. In some ways it feels as though we are in a fight for our morals and I think they were back then too
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May 24, 2020 at 1:58 pm
Interesting. It also seems like a romantic period of time, althoug I am sure it wasn’t with all the people returning from war and those who were left behind trying to find a new normal.
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May 24, 2020 at 2:24 pm
for sure, your right about the romance. it has always been a draw for me. the struggles of that time hard.
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May 23, 2020 at 9:19 am
Sgc10561!
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May 23, 2020 at 9:24 am
Sorry, I didn’t mean to post that. What I loved about your post was that it wasn’t pretentious. I have found some reviewers don’t like to use plain language until what they actually like to put the book. I also simply enjoy reading books from this. And so it caught my interest.
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May 23, 2020 at 10:08 pm
Well thank you very much. I am not that complicated. And I actually meant what do you enjoy reading about that time period?
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May 24, 2020 at 6:56 pm
I for sure, your right about the romance. it has always been a draw for me. the struggles of that time hard.
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May 24, 2020 at 7:03 pm
i’m so sorry for the crazy comments. I use dictation to type that is why it sometimes be a little nutty
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May 30, 2020 at 5:57 pm
Ha. No worries. Let me know how you like it.
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