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Code Name Funnel Web
1940, Sydney.
World War II is raging across the globe. But so far, Frances Davies has managed to avoid the firsthand tolls of combat. That all changes when her brother, Thomas, is reported MIA in Singapore.
Frankie meets Leo, a boat-loving immigrant from Italy, and they fall in love. Local attitudes and something more sinister tear them apart. When he is detained as a prisoner-of-war, she can no longer stand by.
Under the direction of a shadowy British intelligence officer, Frankie agrees to become a covert agent for the Resistance, code-named Funnel Web—like the infamous arachnids of her homeland.
Behind enemy lines, Frankie must survive Nazi-occupied Paris, gulag-infested Eastern Europe, and treachery-laden Asia with instructions to ensnare her targets by any means necessary.
To save Thomas and help defeat the Axis powers, Frankie is forced to navigate a gnarled web of duplicitous alliances and dangerous romances—all the while attempting to salvage some semblance of her humanity.
World War II is raging across the globe. But so far, Frances Davies has managed to avoid the firsthand tolls of combat. That all changes when her brother, Thomas, is reported MIA in Singapore.
Frankie meets Leo, a boat-loving immigrant from Italy, and they fall in love. Local attitudes and something more sinister tear them apart. When he is detained as a prisoner-of-war, she can no longer stand by.
Under the direction of a shadowy British intelligence officer, Frankie agrees to become a covert agent for the Resistance, code-named Funnel Web—like the infamous arachnids of her homeland.
Behind enemy lines, Frankie must survive Nazi-occupied Paris, gulag-infested Eastern Europe, and treachery-laden Asia with instructions to ensnare her targets by any means necessary.
To save Thomas and help defeat the Axis powers, Frankie is forced to navigate a gnarled web of duplicitous alliances and dangerous romances—all the while attempting to salvage some semblance of her humanity.
292 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 7, 2026
Code Name Funnel Web is a fascinating historical fiction novel told through the eyes of Frances Davies, a young woman whose brother Thomas heads off to war only to be reported MIA in Singapore. When Frankie meets and falls in love with Leo, an Italian immigrant, the timing sees Australia’s attitudes toward people of Italian backgrounds become suspicious and Leo is soon detained and sent to a prisoner of war camp. At this, Frankie can no longer stand by and do nothing, so she manages to get herself recruited to spy for the Resistance with the agreement that once her mission in France is complete, they will help her find Thomas. Code named Funnel-Web just like the spider, she must spin a web of lies to ensnare her targets and survive the war unscathed. However as the war escalates and the danger mounts, will Frankie ever get out of Europe alive?
Camille Booker has constructed a wonderfully researched and heartfelt tale of a woman desperate to find her loved one. It's tense and action-packed and I loved that it was focused on women during war time and some of their amazingly courageous acts. Highlighting the way Italian and Japanese migrants were treated during wartime in Australia was also fascinating as although I was aware of this history, it's not always spoken of in stories. Frankie is an absolute force to be reckoned with and her bravery and determination were incredibly inspiring and had me very invested in her survival. Some of the terrifying situations she found herself in had me on the edge of my seat, willing her to be okay.
If you enjoy wartime historical fiction focused on women's stories, then you are going to love this one.
Camille Booker has constructed a wonderfully researched and heartfelt tale of a woman desperate to find her loved one. It's tense and action-packed and I loved that it was focused on women during war time and some of their amazingly courageous acts. Highlighting the way Italian and Japanese migrants were treated during wartime in Australia was also fascinating as although I was aware of this history, it's not always spoken of in stories. Frankie is an absolute force to be reckoned with and her bravery and determination were incredibly inspiring and had me very invested in her survival. Some of the terrifying situations she found herself in had me on the edge of my seat, willing her to be okay.
If you enjoy wartime historical fiction focused on women's stories, then you are going to love this one.
April 20, 2026
What a powerful and, at times, frightening story by Camille Booker with lots of spider references and images! It certainly had me grasping my seat and clutching my chest! The very scary spider name in the title says a lot. Code Name Funnel Web adds that bit of Gothic historical fiction edge to a WW2 novel making it quite original or at least different from many WW stories out there. It carries intense emotional drama and psychological torment. We feel the characters’ fear and the supernational elements of threats, not only with the enemies Frankie encounters but also in her dreaded thoughts of the awful funnel web spider. Those of us who live in Australia know about these venomous creatures and therefore can sympathise with Frankie’s fear of them. But the intriguing twist here is that she becomes the thing she fears when given the code name Funnel Web as a Resistance participant in WW2.
The opening chapter in Como, Sydney, 1940 sets a familiar stage. It begins with ‘THE spider’ found in Frankie’s shoes. We appreciate her mother’s advice: “Spiders like to hide away in dark places, Frances, always check your shoes before you put them on.” This is something I do as well, along with checking my garments after taking them off the clotheline! That whole scene with Frankie and the spider is so relatable. I could FEEL every frightening moment of that intense, gothic experience. Hats off to Camille for delivering it so well. She certainly had my heart racing as I followed Frankie’s encounter and reaction. And the fear of whether she have been bitten. How the dread consumed her. Until the newspaper in her hand that she used as a weapon, captures her attention. It saved her from the spider and she was still alive. But as she analyses her fear, she considers the front page news. What she felt with the spider is nothing compared to the trauma people in war-torn England and Europe are going through. This comparison puts a whole new perspective on everything.
This novel is one of shadows (with enemies like spiders lurking therein), secrets, sacrifice, solitude, survival and even surrender. Because she loves her brother, Frankie surrenders to a plan she never would have followed under normal circumstances. But war requires sacrifice and deeds of necessity. And courage and strength often rise to the surface to meet these challenges. Frankie’s determination fuels her resilience. Her movements are dangerous and sometimes appear reckless. But her perseverance is admirable and she accomplishes what she sets out to do. The means may unpalatable but her mantra is to get to her brother and rescue him from the enemy.
Without question, Frankie is an incredible female lead. There are also some memorable characters surrounding her as well: one of which is the love of her life. Leo is a kind and caring person: a protector of those he loves. But when his plan fails, and he is sent to an internment facility in Cowra, NSW (work camp) because he is an Italian living in Australia, (classified as an ‘enemy alien’) it is a terrible time for him. When Frankie finds out where he is, she visits him but what she sees there is unsettling and what he says to her is not what she expects. It is the confrontation that sends her away and pushes her to become involved in the war—with the main purpose of finding her brother. Her journey is rough and her first experience in London is horrendous. She lands in the thick of the bombing: a massive eye opening time for her.
I won’t give away any plot points but I can say this war leads her to people, places and positions never imagined. She takes up the opportunity to become a Resistant spy. And what follows is both disturbing and understandable. From this point the story moves quickly as we are moved from one adventure to the next. But not without getting a clear picture of events. We learn, along with Frankie, what she is made of: including how capable she is to make a difference. When people are often faced with events (like war) that challenge their very existence, courage seeps out of bone and blood when least expected. As seen in Frankie, the fight for survival magnifies and she is able to do the impossible. Frankie starts out as an ordinary woman who has seen terrible loss and yet she still finds strength, compassion and purpose to keep moving forward to fight against injustice. And to save what is left of her family.
Amid the carnage and chaos of war, romantic love still blooms. Frankie’s love for Leo remains strong. Its lasting qualities are evident as it withstands some horrific storms and circumstances. Love, whether for a partner, family or friends, is a powerful force that can move mountains or a series of obstacles. Frankie’s love for her brother drives her forward, to see him rescued from a prison camp. When everyone fails her (including the men surrounding her), she embraces the task and makes things happen. This woman’s character arc/growth is massive as we see her expand from the first page to the last. The spiders and enemies she encounters, only make her stronger. She conquers her fears and excels.
This is a story of unwavering hope, much earned happiness and ultimate victory. War is awful, soul-shattering and destructive. But a spirit of determination often rises up, along with a never-give-in attitude. This is what transforms ordinary people into heroes—allowing them to endure unimaginable circumstances. It is the power of the human spirit fighting for survival. I highly recommend Code Name Funnel Web that delivers all these things and more. It reminds us we can conquer our worst fears and survive. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Camille Booker and Hawkeye Publishing for a review copy.
The opening chapter in Como, Sydney, 1940 sets a familiar stage. It begins with ‘THE spider’ found in Frankie’s shoes. We appreciate her mother’s advice: “Spiders like to hide away in dark places, Frances, always check your shoes before you put them on.” This is something I do as well, along with checking my garments after taking them off the clotheline! That whole scene with Frankie and the spider is so relatable. I could FEEL every frightening moment of that intense, gothic experience. Hats off to Camille for delivering it so well. She certainly had my heart racing as I followed Frankie’s encounter and reaction. And the fear of whether she have been bitten. How the dread consumed her. Until the newspaper in her hand that she used as a weapon, captures her attention. It saved her from the spider and she was still alive. But as she analyses her fear, she considers the front page news. What she felt with the spider is nothing compared to the trauma people in war-torn England and Europe are going through. This comparison puts a whole new perspective on everything.
This novel is one of shadows (with enemies like spiders lurking therein), secrets, sacrifice, solitude, survival and even surrender. Because she loves her brother, Frankie surrenders to a plan she never would have followed under normal circumstances. But war requires sacrifice and deeds of necessity. And courage and strength often rise to the surface to meet these challenges. Frankie’s determination fuels her resilience. Her movements are dangerous and sometimes appear reckless. But her perseverance is admirable and she accomplishes what she sets out to do. The means may unpalatable but her mantra is to get to her brother and rescue him from the enemy.
Without question, Frankie is an incredible female lead. There are also some memorable characters surrounding her as well: one of which is the love of her life. Leo is a kind and caring person: a protector of those he loves. But when his plan fails, and he is sent to an internment facility in Cowra, NSW (work camp) because he is an Italian living in Australia, (classified as an ‘enemy alien’) it is a terrible time for him. When Frankie finds out where he is, she visits him but what she sees there is unsettling and what he says to her is not what she expects. It is the confrontation that sends her away and pushes her to become involved in the war—with the main purpose of finding her brother. Her journey is rough and her first experience in London is horrendous. She lands in the thick of the bombing: a massive eye opening time for her.
I won’t give away any plot points but I can say this war leads her to people, places and positions never imagined. She takes up the opportunity to become a Resistant spy. And what follows is both disturbing and understandable. From this point the story moves quickly as we are moved from one adventure to the next. But not without getting a clear picture of events. We learn, along with Frankie, what she is made of: including how capable she is to make a difference. When people are often faced with events (like war) that challenge their very existence, courage seeps out of bone and blood when least expected. As seen in Frankie, the fight for survival magnifies and she is able to do the impossible. Frankie starts out as an ordinary woman who has seen terrible loss and yet she still finds strength, compassion and purpose to keep moving forward to fight against injustice. And to save what is left of her family.
Amid the carnage and chaos of war, romantic love still blooms. Frankie’s love for Leo remains strong. Its lasting qualities are evident as it withstands some horrific storms and circumstances. Love, whether for a partner, family or friends, is a powerful force that can move mountains or a series of obstacles. Frankie’s love for her brother drives her forward, to see him rescued from a prison camp. When everyone fails her (including the men surrounding her), she embraces the task and makes things happen. This woman’s character arc/growth is massive as we see her expand from the first page to the last. The spiders and enemies she encounters, only make her stronger. She conquers her fears and excels.
This is a story of unwavering hope, much earned happiness and ultimate victory. War is awful, soul-shattering and destructive. But a spirit of determination often rises up, along with a never-give-in attitude. This is what transforms ordinary people into heroes—allowing them to endure unimaginable circumstances. It is the power of the human spirit fighting for survival. I highly recommend Code Name Funnel Web that delivers all these things and more. It reminds us we can conquer our worst fears and survive. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Camille Booker and Hawkeye Publishing for a review copy.
Review of advance copy
This is the kind of story that doesn’t rush you. It settles. It waits. It lets the unease seep in quietly.
Set between Australia and war-torn Europe and Asia, it follows Frances “Frankie” Davies as her small, contained life begins to press up against the realities of war, secrecy, and loss. The danger here isn’t always loud or dramatic. Often it’s intimate and personal. It's unassuming like a funnel web spider until you discover it within the darkness of your shoe.
Frankie feels deeply human and relatable. Her thoughts circle and return: fear, longing, shame, the ache to matter, and that interiority is where the story really lives. This is a novel about what it means to come of age as a young woman in a world that expects you to stay small, even as history is breaking everything open around you.
The romance is restrained and understated, which lets the story breathe. It’s shaped by loneliness, curiosity, and quiet defiance. It feels tentative. Earned. Real, in the way wartime connections so often are. And that's what makes this not just a love story, but about the shaping — and reshaping — of a woman so often made to linger in the shadows.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere. The heat. The salty river water. The weight of expectations pressed into domestic spaces. The wood smoke. The burning. The way the war feels like a presence, sometimes distant, sometimes heavy on your shoulders, leaving you with the choices you wouldn't ordinarily make. You feel Frankie’s experiences viscerally.
This isn’t just historical fiction. It’s about fear, and the quiet courage it takes to move anyway. A moving, immersive read for those who love mood, interior lives, and stories that linger long after you’ve closed the book.
Set between Australia and war-torn Europe and Asia, it follows Frances “Frankie” Davies as her small, contained life begins to press up against the realities of war, secrecy, and loss. The danger here isn’t always loud or dramatic. Often it’s intimate and personal. It's unassuming like a funnel web spider until you discover it within the darkness of your shoe.
Frankie feels deeply human and relatable. Her thoughts circle and return: fear, longing, shame, the ache to matter, and that interiority is where the story really lives. This is a novel about what it means to come of age as a young woman in a world that expects you to stay small, even as history is breaking everything open around you.
The romance is restrained and understated, which lets the story breathe. It’s shaped by loneliness, curiosity, and quiet defiance. It feels tentative. Earned. Real, in the way wartime connections so often are. And that's what makes this not just a love story, but about the shaping — and reshaping — of a woman so often made to linger in the shadows.
What stayed with me most was the atmosphere. The heat. The salty river water. The weight of expectations pressed into domestic spaces. The wood smoke. The burning. The way the war feels like a presence, sometimes distant, sometimes heavy on your shoulders, leaving you with the choices you wouldn't ordinarily make. You feel Frankie’s experiences viscerally.
This isn’t just historical fiction. It’s about fear, and the quiet courage it takes to move anyway. A moving, immersive read for those who love mood, interior lives, and stories that linger long after you’ve closed the book.
April 16, 2026
Page-turning historical fiction!
Thank you to Camille Booker for providing me with a digital ARC of Code Name Funnel Web. It’s an action-packed read!
The cover, created by the multi-talented Anne Freeman perfectly captures the essence of Camille Booker style: Deep and Dark Women focused stories from a past when everything was harder.
This rewritten version of Camille’s debut novel is a triumph! Camille has managed to keep all the girl-power and spy scenes that I loved and added more agency to Frances, making this an unputdownable read that flowed from start to finish!
Meet Frances Davies, 18-year-old Australian girl growing up in Sydney in the during WWII.
Meet Leo, a boat-loving Italian immigrant, living in Como, Sydney when he falls in love but is detained as a prisoner-of-war.
With her brother reported MIA in Singapore and the love of her life detained, Frances must join the fight to win the war by becoming a British intelligence officer, code-named Funnel Web
An education on women at war that will make you appreciate more than the front line fight.
For readers of Natasha Lester
P.S. If you’d like to know more about Camille and how she came to rewrite and rerelease this novel, stay tuned for my chat with her on Kelly’s Writerly Q&A Podcast, live on Wednesday 29th April!
Thank you to Camille Booker for providing me with a digital ARC of Code Name Funnel Web. It’s an action-packed read!
The cover, created by the multi-talented Anne Freeman perfectly captures the essence of Camille Booker style: Deep and Dark Women focused stories from a past when everything was harder.
This rewritten version of Camille’s debut novel is a triumph! Camille has managed to keep all the girl-power and spy scenes that I loved and added more agency to Frances, making this an unputdownable read that flowed from start to finish!
Meet Frances Davies, 18-year-old Australian girl growing up in Sydney in the during WWII.
Meet Leo, a boat-loving Italian immigrant, living in Como, Sydney when he falls in love but is detained as a prisoner-of-war.
With her brother reported MIA in Singapore and the love of her life detained, Frances must join the fight to win the war by becoming a British intelligence officer, code-named Funnel Web
An education on women at war that will make you appreciate more than the front line fight.
For readers of Natasha Lester
P.S. If you’d like to know more about Camille and how she came to rewrite and rerelease this novel, stay tuned for my chat with her on Kelly’s Writerly Q&A Podcast, live on Wednesday 29th April!
January 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I received an ARC directly from the author, Camille, and was honoured to be the very first person to read this book. After reading her debut, I was eager to step back into her mind and see where this story would take me.
The novel follows Frankie and her relentless drive to be reunited with her brother. She is determined to find him at any cost, even when that determination leads her into deeply confronting and harrowing situations. While I personally gravitate toward fast-paced stories and found the opening a little slower, I could feel the careful groundwork being laid. The unanswered questions kept pulling me forward, and I found myself reading eagerly, knowing it was building toward something bigger.
Around the halfway mark, the pacing shifts dramatically, and from there it becomes hard to catch your breath. That’s the point where the story truly gripped me—and it’s what I live for as a reader.
The novel is rich with historical detail, and Camille’s passion for sharing accurate, thoughtfully woven history shines through on every page. It adds depth, authenticity, and emotional weight to the story, making this a compelling and rewarding read.
I received an ARC directly from the author, Camille, and was honoured to be the very first person to read this book. After reading her debut, I was eager to step back into her mind and see where this story would take me.
The novel follows Frankie and her relentless drive to be reunited with her brother. She is determined to find him at any cost, even when that determination leads her into deeply confronting and harrowing situations. While I personally gravitate toward fast-paced stories and found the opening a little slower, I could feel the careful groundwork being laid. The unanswered questions kept pulling me forward, and I found myself reading eagerly, knowing it was building toward something bigger.
Around the halfway mark, the pacing shifts dramatically, and from there it becomes hard to catch your breath. That’s the point where the story truly gripped me—and it’s what I live for as a reader.
The novel is rich with historical detail, and Camille’s passion for sharing accurate, thoughtfully woven history shines through on every page. It adds depth, authenticity, and emotional weight to the story, making this a compelling and rewarding read.
April 15, 2026
Camille Booker’s first and prize-winning novel, If I Could Fly, has been recast and rereleased as a tour de force, Code Name Funnel Web. The impact of war is explored first in Sydney suburb, Como, and then into German Occupied France and the wider network of WWII through the actions of steely protagonist, Frances.
Frances does whatever it takes to find her missing brother, going undercover as a spy, putting her life and morals on the line. Meanwhile she wonders about Leo, her Italian lover left behind as an enemy in wartime Australia, and whether their love will rekindle despite the obstacles.
Camille is winner of multiple awards reflecting her skilled devotion to her writing. It takes guts, determination and an unrelenting commitment to craft to rewrite and republish an already prize-winning novel. In this gripping psychological drama, played out against the theatre of war at home and abroad, Camille’s craftsmanlike development of her earlier work is an assured and stunning achievement. Code Name Funnel Web is a dark, gritty, historical fiction read of the highest order.
Advanced Reader Copy review.
Frances does whatever it takes to find her missing brother, going undercover as a spy, putting her life and morals on the line. Meanwhile she wonders about Leo, her Italian lover left behind as an enemy in wartime Australia, and whether their love will rekindle despite the obstacles.
Camille is winner of multiple awards reflecting her skilled devotion to her writing. It takes guts, determination and an unrelenting commitment to craft to rewrite and republish an already prize-winning novel. In this gripping psychological drama, played out against the theatre of war at home and abroad, Camille’s craftsmanlike development of her earlier work is an assured and stunning achievement. Code Name Funnel Web is a dark, gritty, historical fiction read of the highest order.
Advanced Reader Copy review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was such an atmospheric, heart wrenching, beautifully written novel. Camille’s words on the page always have this ability to transport me, to make the story feel so real and moving. She definitely has a way with words that really hit hard.
Poor Frances, my goodness what a life she endured. From the joys of her first love in our local suburb Como, to becoming an undercover agent in nazi occupied Paris, and heading all over the world to save her brother, what a story!
Frances was so brave and courageous, reading this story I was so scared and worried when she went to Paris, my heart was racing. The lengths she went to, to try and get information was intense, seduction at its finest! Wow!
As things ramped up, Frances had to do what she had to do to survive. This was a brilliant story about love, loss, survival, secrecy and family.
I highly recommend this one!
Thank you so much @camillebookerauthor and @hawkeyepublishing for sending me this early copy.
Poor Frances, my goodness what a life she endured. From the joys of her first love in our local suburb Como, to becoming an undercover agent in nazi occupied Paris, and heading all over the world to save her brother, what a story!
Frances was so brave and courageous, reading this story I was so scared and worried when she went to Paris, my heart was racing. The lengths she went to, to try and get information was intense, seduction at its finest! Wow!
As things ramped up, Frances had to do what she had to do to survive. This was a brilliant story about love, loss, survival, secrecy and family.
I highly recommend this one!
Thank you so much @camillebookerauthor and @hawkeyepublishing for sending me this early copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Camille Booker is one of the most immersive historical fiction writers I've read, and this story is no exception.
The story has a slow burn start with Frances Davies, feeling helpless in Sydney 1940 whilst World War II takes place on the other side of the world. She soon falls in love with Leo, an immigrant from Italy, until he is detained in an internment camp.
This heartbreak pushes Frances to travel to London, where she becomes a secret agent for the Resistance, leading her to Nazi-occupied Paris, Russia and Asia. Her mission evolves as she tries to save her brother, now a prisoner of war in China.
This is an incredible, dark read that will have you holding your breath in parts (I mean almost the entire second half of the book). I'm so glad Camille decided to rewrite and re-release this novel.
Thank you to Camille for an early review copy.
The story has a slow burn start with Frances Davies, feeling helpless in Sydney 1940 whilst World War II takes place on the other side of the world. She soon falls in love with Leo, an immigrant from Italy, until he is detained in an internment camp.
This heartbreak pushes Frances to travel to London, where she becomes a secret agent for the Resistance, leading her to Nazi-occupied Paris, Russia and Asia. Her mission evolves as she tries to save her brother, now a prisoner of war in China.
This is an incredible, dark read that will have you holding your breath in parts (I mean almost the entire second half of the book). I'm so glad Camille decided to rewrite and re-release this novel.
Thank you to Camille for an early review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What I love so much about this book - apart from Camille's signature evocative writing - is its WWII setting, and the fact that Camille has boldly reimagined her debut novel to write this second, deeper, iteration. It's not the same book any more, but has the same cast of characters whose journeys have been revisited, sharpened and honed.
As I said in my blurb, this story is 'fierce, atmospheric and full of sharply drawn twists, this is historical fiction with bite: a story for readers who want heart, grit, and a heroine who refuses to breat. It pulses with danger and dark beauty.'
I am so chuffed to have the hard copy in my hot little hands, thanks Camille! And congrats on this great book, with its fabulous title!
As I said in my blurb, this story is 'fierce, atmospheric and full of sharply drawn twists, this is historical fiction with bite: a story for readers who want heart, grit, and a heroine who refuses to breat. It pulses with danger and dark beauty.'
I am so chuffed to have the hard copy in my hot little hands, thanks Camille! And congrats on this great book, with its fabulous title!
Review of advance copy received from Author
WWII historical fiction with an Australian connection.
Referencing historically accurate events, this book takes you from the shores of southern Sydney to England/France/Russia and China as Frances (Frankie) embarks on a secret wartime mission while trying to track down her missing brother, who is thought to be a prisoner of war. The harsh brutality of war is balanced with the heroic acts that defined the spirit of the Resistance Network. A well crafted story with plenty of action to keep you engaged. This book will please readers of Natasha Lester and Kate Quinn.
I received an ARC of this book - due for release in April 2026.
Referencing historically accurate events, this book takes you from the shores of southern Sydney to England/France/Russia and China as Frances (Frankie) embarks on a secret wartime mission while trying to track down her missing brother, who is thought to be a prisoner of war. The harsh brutality of war is balanced with the heroic acts that defined the spirit of the Resistance Network. A well crafted story with plenty of action to keep you engaged. This book will please readers of Natasha Lester and Kate Quinn.
I received an ARC of this book - due for release in April 2026.
May 12, 2026
An atmospheric spy thriller which spans Australia, Europe & China from Australian author Camille Booker. Funnel Web becomes Frances’ spy code name but the book opens with a rather creepy, spine-tingling scene featuring a funnel web spider which so cleverly sets the tone for the book. It also sets up a darker sense of foreboding with the actual real spider going on to represent an eerie, spine-tingling unease that Frances experiences throughout the book. Frances is a compelling, resilient character and I really enjoyed this story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Code Name Funnel Web" is a high-stakes WWII spy novel written with confidence and conviction. Camille Booker has created a complex heroine in Frances, who navigates loss, love, and espionage across continents and battlelines. A sweeping wartime story of survival, secrecy, and the extraordinary paths women were forced to walk during wartime. I enjoyed reading a WW2 story that isn't watered down and has a fierce female protagonist who doesn't need a man to rescue her.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When Camille Booker beckons you back in time, you follow, tumbling heart-first into her richly drawn world. With shimmering prose, Code Name Funnel Web lures you deep into a web of peril, loyalty, and impossible choices. Rich in sensory detail and aching human emotion, this is historical fiction at its most immersive. Frances is all of us—unsure, unprepared, yet mustering unfathomable courage. You don’t just read Funnel Web's story—you become her.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This incredibly compelling historical fiction had my heart racing from the opening chapter, and the twists and turns didn’t let up until the final page which had tears running down my cheeks. The characters, especially Frances, are so beautifully drawn within a plot that’s exciting and complex, traversing from 1940’s Australia as it entered the Second World War through to Japanese prisoner of war camps. There’s betrayal, love, grief, strength and knife’s edge survival. I loved it.
December 22, 2025
This story took me down entirely new paths during this era and I was so pulled in an enamored by all the details and the characters’ journies. An incredible, heroic, sweeping story that had me turning the pages hungrily at every opportunity! I loved it and am already wanting to read it again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A boldly written, eye-opening, and hard-hitting ride. I wanted to reach in and pluck Frances out of danger so many times!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Man oh man, what a page-turner! An absolutely captivating and pulse-pounding psychological thriller that provides such a unique vantage point on WWII. Could not recommend it highly enough!
April 15, 2026
Originally released as What if You Fly in 2021, author Camille Booker has recently rewritten, edited and re-released as Code Name Funnel Web. I had read and enjoyed the first edition and was interested to see how things had changed because the only complaint I had about the first edition was that main character seemed to fit in an incredible amount of things in a short time period!
Code Name Funnel Web is a tightly plotted and well researched historical fiction novel . Set in Como, Sydney in 1940 and then Europe and Asia. You really felt you were visiting all the places and got a good feel for what it was like during the war. Main character Frances, is living at home with her parents, feeling helpless as she reads of the war overseas and wanting to do something to help. She falls in love with Leo, an Italian immigrant who ends up in an internment camp. I enjoyed seeing their romance play out and it was interesting to see the attitudes of the time to Leo being first an immigrant and then an ‘enemy’.
Tragedy strikes her family, her parents are killed in a fire and her brother is taken as a POW. Frances decides she’s needs really needs to do something and ends up working for the resistance in France and then in Asia rescuing her brother. I really enjoyed Frances’s story, seeing her grow and find her purpose. A compelling historical fiction with tragedy, romance, adventure and intrigue.
Code Name Funnel Web is a tightly plotted and well researched historical fiction novel . Set in Como, Sydney in 1940 and then Europe and Asia. You really felt you were visiting all the places and got a good feel for what it was like during the war. Main character Frances, is living at home with her parents, feeling helpless as she reads of the war overseas and wanting to do something to help. She falls in love with Leo, an Italian immigrant who ends up in an internment camp. I enjoyed seeing their romance play out and it was interesting to see the attitudes of the time to Leo being first an immigrant and then an ‘enemy’.
Tragedy strikes her family, her parents are killed in a fire and her brother is taken as a POW. Frances decides she’s needs really needs to do something and ends up working for the resistance in France and then in Asia rescuing her brother. I really enjoyed Frances’s story, seeing her grow and find her purpose. A compelling historical fiction with tragedy, romance, adventure and intrigue.
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