Title: The Italian Secret (Billie Walker Mystery #3)
Author: Tara Moss
Publisher: 26th August 2025 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia
Pages: 384 pages
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers
Synopsis:
#1 internationally bestselling author Tara Moss returns with an immersive post-war mystery as glamorous investigator Billie Walker follows a trail of secrets to Italy’s sun-drenched Neapolitan coast
Naples, 1943. Deep within a secret network of underground tunnels, a woman takes shelter from a wartime air raid and prays her husband will return home safe.
Pacific Ocean, 1907. A girl embarks on a lonely journey to begin a new life far from home.
Sydney, 1948. Billie Walker, recently returned from a stint as a wartime investigative journalist, has reopened her father’s private inquiry office. One day, Billie is cleaning out old filing cabinets when she uncovers a dusty box whose contents just might upend everything Billie thought she knew about her late, beloved father.
Soon Billie is on the scent, uncovering the secrets of her family’s past, travelling aboard the first post-war luxury passenger ship from Sydney to Naples in search of answers. And as the trail leads her toward two women whose history may be entwined with her own, she realizes she might be putting all three of them in harm’s way. Billie’s father had an enemy—one who may now be stalking Billie around the world—and the closer Billie gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in.
My Thoughts
I am ever so happy to have been lost in Billie Walker’s world once more - my new historical female heroine! The Italian Secret is the third novel in the Billie Walker series by Tara Moss and I loved it! Although not necessary to have read the previous two (Tara does provide a catch up and some background) I highly recommend you do. This is a post WWII private investigator you will not want to miss out on!
’He was the one who had taught Billie to search out answers, to be curious about the world and the people in it. He had taught her to solve the whys of the world.’
These books are a gorgeous blend of mystery, history, and glamour! This time the setting is a cruise ship then the stunning backdrop of post-war Italy, this book had me hooked from the first page.
Moss paints a vivid picture of 1950s Rome, full of secrets, fashion, and intrigue. Billie, as always, is smart, stylish, and utterly captivating — think Audrey Hepburn meets Veronica Mars. If you're into vintage noir, strong female leads, and a little bit of danger wrapped in silk and shadows, The Italian Secret is a must-read.
I highly recommend this series and reading the books in order. The Italian Secret is such a wonderful historical mystery book filled with exciting, emotional and highly addictive storylines. I can't wait to see what Billie gets up to next! Perfect for fans of historical thrillers with a cinematic flair.
'So it is not an illness at all, you suspect?' She shook her head. 'No. I don't think so?
'You believe these deaths are connected?'
'Yes, I fear they are, she said. 'Almost certainly’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
