It’s 1946, the war is over. Billie Walker, former journalist, is glad to be home in spite of the sadness she feels for her dead father and Jack, her photojournalist husband, who disappeared in Europe. Billie’s mother encourages Billie to accept that Jack is dead, but Billie hasn’t given up hope.
Women in Sydney, Australia are giving up their war jobs to the returning servicemen, but Billie needs something to do. She reopens her father’s detective agency assisted by Sam Baker, a ex-soldier who is both competent and trustworthy. For a time their business is mostly divorce cases. Then a teenage boy goes missing. His mother Nettie believes he’s a good boy, but as Billie and Sam begin the search they realize that he was mixed up in some pretty nasty business and may not be alive.
Billie is tough and resilient. She’s a terrific heroine for the start of this new series. She faces danger and isn’t about to be put off. In the course of the investigation she meets DI Hank Cooper. At first she thinks he won’t take her seriously and may even try to thwart her, but they become allies. I’m sure we’ll hear more of Hank in future books.
If you enjoy mysteries with a feisty female protagonist, you’ll enjoy this look at post WWII Australia.
I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.
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