The War Widow

By: Tara Moss

Narrated by: Corinne Davies

AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!
The war may be officially over, but journalist Billie Walker's search for a missing young immigrant man will plunge her right back into the danger and drama she thought she'd left behind in Europe in this thrilling tale of courage and secrets set in glamorous postwar Sydney.

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.

Reminds me of Miss Fisher mysteries

Reader has a strong Australian accent which adds to a good story. Unusual and entertaining mystery with clothing descriptions and social mores for women of the time which the lead character cheerfully ignores.

Narrator needs some training in pronunciation

Major character name was mispronounced throughout. Various other mispronunciations made this difficult to hear.

Slow start then rushed ending

The narrator is slow and sometimes difficult to understand. I almost stopped listening and deleted this book. But I stuck with it and overall it ended well. Predictable with a good ending leaving a hook for a sequel.

Meh

This wasn't the best WWII novel I have read (listened to) but it also wasn't the worst. I loved that the author was original in Billie's character and her role in the war. Billie's character is very relatable.

There just wasn't anything that stood out to me to make this a "wow" kind of novel.

Excellent Comedy - Drinking Game

At first, the unrelenting awesomeness of the protagonist - her utter perfection in everything she does, says, thinks - her universal desirability to all men, young and old - her astute analyses, worthy of a seasoned detective thrice her age and experience - the sexy refinement of all her oft-described clothes - well, it's overwhelming.

As it began to accumulate, I was put off but, committed to listening on a road trip, I began a running commentary on the entire narrative, rebutting and responding to her supreme perfection with comedic exclamations of awe and admiration. My travel companion and I began outdoing one another, with increased grins and finger snaps. At one point, we turned it into a virtual drinking game: a shot every time her thighs, her eyes, her lipstick, the lustful glances from men, were mentioned ... and agreed we'd be passed out drunk within 15 minutes.

Suffice to say - it's a joke.