Tara Moss

Tara Moss is an international bestselling author, documentary host and and human rights advocate. She is the author of 14 books, published in 19 countries and 13 languages. Her latest, is The Ghosts of Paris, following on from the internationally bestselling historical thriller The War Widow, set in the postwar 1940s and featuring '‘staunchly feminist, champagne-swilling, fast-driving Nazi hunter’ investigator' PI Billie Walker.

Moss is an outspoken advocate for the rights of women and children, and people with disabilities, and has published two best-selling non-fiction books, The Fictional Woman and Speaking Out - A 21st Century Guide for Women and Girls.

She has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2007 and as of 2013 is UNICEF Australia’s National Ambassador for Child Survival, and has visited Australian hospitals, maternity wards and schools as well as Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon in her UNICEF role. In 2015 she received an Edna Ryan Award for her significant contribution to feminist debate, speaking out for women and children and inspiring others to challenge the status quo.

Her in-depth novel research has seen her tour the FBI Academy at Quantico, spend time in squad cars, morgues, prisons, the Hare Psychopathy Lab, the Supreme Court and criminology conferences, take polygraph tests, shoot weapons, conduct surveillance, pass the Firearms Training Simulator (FATSII) with the LAPD, pull 4.2 G’s doing loops over the Sydney Opera House flying with the RAAF, and acquire her CAMS race driver licence. She has hosted the true crime documentary series Tough Nuts – Australia’s Hardest Criminals on the Crime & Investigation Network, ‘Tara Moss Investigates’ on the National Geographic Channel and the author interview show Tara in Conversation on 13th Street Universal. In 2014 she was recognised for Outstanding Advocacy for her blog Manus Island: An insider’s report, which helped to break information to the public about the events surrounding the alleged murder of Reza Barati inside the Australian-run Manus Island Immigration Detention Centre.

Tara is a PhD Candidate at the University of Sydney, and has earned her private investigator credentials (Cert III) from the Australian Security Academy.

Moss is a dual Australian/Canadian citizen, currently living with family in Vancouver.

Recent Awards and Accolades:

2012 Australia’s 20 Most Influential Female Voices

2013 Australia’s Most inspiring Women ‘who push boundaries, create change and motivate’

2014 Outstanding Advocacy Award for Manus Island: An insider’s report

2014 Cosmo’s The Women Who Made 2014 Better for The Fictional Woman

2014 Influential Women of 2014, alongside Malala, Laura Bates, Angelina Jolie and more

2014 The Hoopla‘s The Female Eunuch Award for The Fictional Woman

2015 Best Designed Non-Fiction Book Award, for The Fictional Woman designed by Tara Moss and Matt Stanton

2015 Part of the University of Sydney’s Leadership for Good

2015 Edna Ryan Award - ‘Grand Stirrer Award’ for making a feminist difference by speaking out for women and children, for a significant contribution to feminist debate and inciting others to challenge the status quo

2016 Champion of the West award for community service

2017 The Order of Lambrick Park

2017 International Top 50 Diversity Figures in Public Life ‘recognises the achievements of individuals who have used their position in public life, for example as a campaigner, politician or journalist to make an impact in diversity.’ Listed alongside Malala Yousufzai, Angelina Jolie, Bernie Sanders, Emma Watson, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet and more.