Review:The Italian Secret (Billie Walker Mystery #3)

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.

Review: The Ghosts of Paris

Title: The Ghosts of Paris (Billie Walker Mystery #2)

Author: Tara Moss

Publisher: 1st June 2022 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 384 pages

Genre: historical fiction, mystery

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A thrilling tale of courage and secrets set in postwar London and Paris, in which a search for a missing husband puts investigator and former war reporter Billie Walker on a collision course with an underground network of Nazi criminals

It's 1947. The world continues to grapple with the fallout of the Second World War, and former war reporter Billie Walker is finding her feet as an investigator. When a wealthy client hires Billie and her assistant Sam to track down her missing husband, the trail leads Billie back to London and Paris, where Billie's own painful memories also lurk. Jack Rake, Billie's wartime lover and, briefly, husband, is just one of the millions of people who went missing in Europe during the war. What was his fate after they left Paris together?

As Billie's search for her client's husband takes her to both the swanky bars at Paris's famous Ritz hotel and to the dank basements of the infamous Paris morgue, she'll need to keep her gun at the ready, because something even more terrible than a few painful memories might be following her around the city of lights . . .

My Thoughts

I am ever so happy to have been lost in Billie Walker’s world - my new historical female heroine! The Ghosts of Paris is the second novel in the Billie Walker series by Tara Moss and I loved it! Although not necessary to have read The War Widow (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!

‘My dear girl,' Basil said, looking quite appalled. You think this kind of work is appropriate for a woman?' 'Well yes, Basil, I do. I grant it's not for everyone, but it's appropriate for plenty of women and men, given the chance.’

The Ghosts of Paris will take you from Sydney, to London, to Paris. Tara recreates the streets of Sydney and brings alive the post war struggles of two European capitals with all the sights and sounds. The storyline reels you in on so many bases. Not only is there a challenging missing husband case to solve but Billie is also wondering if this trip might shed some light on her own husband missing from the war years. There are twists, turns and action aplenty from this riveting tale. 

Full credit to Tara for giving readers such a strong, confident and independent leading lady with her Fighting Red lipstick yet also able to demonstrate Billie’s softer and more vulnerable side. With just enough sprinkling of historical details there is much at play in this post war mystery. You will be cheering Billie on as she fights the good fight - literally and figuratively - against her male peers and always with the trusty Sam supportively by her side. 

‘Ah, Paris. You see? You are the right man for this job,’ Vera declared, raising her glass victoriously. ‘I knew it.’ ‘I do hope so’, Billie cautiously agreed. ‘I may even be the right woman.’

I highly recommend this series and reading the books in order. The Ghosts of Paris is such a wonderful historical mystery book filled with exciting, emotional and highly addictive storyline’s. I can't wait to see what Billie gets up to next. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher 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.