Billie King: An Endearing, Rollicking, Funny And Original Debut Novel, Perfect For Fans Of Boy Swallows Universe And The Dressmaker

Billie King by Shannon Kelly-White is a fast-moving Australian historical fiction debut with bite: funny, tender and driven by a gutsy girl you’ll barrack for from the first page. Set in post–WWI rural Australia, it opens with a shocking run-in between a struggling young mother and Dulcie James, Australia’s last female bushranger—then the mother vanishes, leaving hard questions behind.

Twelve years later, Billie King is twelve, broke, and furious at a world that keeps trying to take what little she has. With rent overdue, an unreliable father and authorities circling, Billie must choose between searching for her missing mum and holding her family together—while the past keeps pushing back into the present.

Perfect for readers who love fierce female characters, bushranger stories, and coming-of-age drama with grit and heart.

Add this one to your basket and meet an unforgettable new voice in Australian fiction.