The Italian Secret

The new thrilling historical mystery novel in the bestselling Billie Walker series, from the...

Tara Moss

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English

HARPER360
01 September 2025

Historical mysteries; Historical fiction; Australian Crime Fiction

Series: A Billie Walker Mystery

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No.1 international 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 safely.

Pacific Ocean, 1907. A young woman 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. 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 postwar luxury passenger ship from Sydney to Naples in search of answers. And as the trail leads her toward two women whose history is entwined with her own, she realises she is not the only one at risk. 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.

'Another rip-roaring novel featuring one of my favorite detectives, Ms. Billie Walker. Moss's latest is both a tale of international intrigue and an intimate family drama, racing from the cosmopolitan city of Sydney to the war-torn shores of Naples. The mystery at its core is a doozy, the tension sublime. An unforgettable read' Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen

'A fearless young woman sets out on a quest in this tense but heartwarming tale of family, love and honor spanning the globe from Naples to Sydney' Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of the Royal Spyness series

'A richly layered, page-turning post-war mystery that explores, with depth and heart, how long-held secrets shape family and identity' Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of A Map to Paradise

Praise for the Billie Walker mysteries:

'A terrific read' Lynda La Plante

'A cracking thriller, with a marvellous, strong, flamboyant heroine. Loved it' Joanne Harris, award-winning author of Chocolat

'Retro noir with a gutsy heroine and atmospheric setting ... vivid, page-turning historical crime, better written than most' Sydney Morning Herald

'Just what I needed today - a blast of the escapist past' Ian Rankin

'Tara Moss writes beautifully; vivid descriptions, truly believable characters and enough page-turning suspense to keep you up reading far later than you intended!' Peter James

'Ultra-cool and whip-smart' Emily Maguire

'Rich period detail and a fierce, feminist heroine distinguish this stylish twist on the classic 1940s detective novel' Publishers Weekly

By: Tara Moss
Imprint: HARPER360
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm, Spine: 31mm
Weight: 423g
ISBN: 9781460763278
ISBN 10: 1460763270
Series: A Billie Walker Mystery
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 01 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Tara Moss is a best-selling author of 15 books of fiction and non-fiction, published in 19 countries and 13 languages, a documentary host and award-winning human rights advocate. Her latest series is set in the late 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. She is a dual Australian/Canadian citizen, and divides her time between NSW and Vancouver. Visit her at taramoss.com