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Billie King
Not yet published
Expected 30 Jun 26A blisteringly fast, fresh, funny and hugely entertaining novel of mothers, daughters and one gutsy wild colonial girl who gets caught up in Australia's last female bushranger's quest for revenge. Think Leah Purcell's The Drover's Wife meets Trent Dalton.
'The thing is, when your neck's been getting stepped on for so long, you run out of air. Without air, the fight up and leaves you. What you need to see is someone who's gotten out from under the boot before, someone who's fought back and lived to tell the tale. And that someone's Dulcie James.'
1918: Australia's last bushranger, Dulcie James, holds up Anna King's falling-down farmhouse. There's a scrawny unloved infant on the floor, Anna seems more furious than frightened, and it's the bushranger who's left shaken. Sparks fly between the women, and the trajectories of their lives are altered, especially for Anna as the next day, she vanishes.
Twelve years later, Anna's daughter, Billie King, is a girl ready to explode. With a missing mother, the rent in arrears and her alcoholic father's gambling debts to cover, she has no time for school. But when child services threaten to remove Billie from her father - and she learns he's really not her father - she must decide between continuing her search for her missing mother and keeping what's left of her family together. If she fails to hold onto her father, she'll be taken away and placed in a children's home, but if she doesn't find her missing mother, who will?
'This blazing novel had me gripped from first page to last. Wildly original, utterly tender, fiercely feminist and astoundingly good storytelling, I inhaled it.' Tess Woods, The Venice Hotel
'If Quentin Tarantino had set Kill Bill in the 1930's Aussie bush with a gun-slinging 12 year old, it would be something like Shannon Kelly White's debut novel, Billie King. This fast-paced, funny and brazen debut novel kicks ass. An irrepressible story about determination, friendship and of being a woman. May we all have some of the spirit and tenacity of Billie King.' Kerryn Mayne, Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder
'The thing is, when your neck's been getting stepped on for so long, you run out of air. Without air, the fight up and leaves you. What you need to see is someone who's gotten out from under the boot before, someone who's fought back and lived to tell the tale. And that someone's Dulcie James.'
1918: Australia's last bushranger, Dulcie James, holds up Anna King's falling-down farmhouse. There's a scrawny unloved infant on the floor, Anna seems more furious than frightened, and it's the bushranger who's left shaken. Sparks fly between the women, and the trajectories of their lives are altered, especially for Anna as the next day, she vanishes.
Twelve years later, Anna's daughter, Billie King, is a girl ready to explode. With a missing mother, the rent in arrears and her alcoholic father's gambling debts to cover, she has no time for school. But when child services threaten to remove Billie from her father - and she learns he's really not her father - she must decide between continuing her search for her missing mother and keeping what's left of her family together. If she fails to hold onto her father, she'll be taken away and placed in a children's home, but if she doesn't find her missing mother, who will?
'This blazing novel had me gripped from first page to last. Wildly original, utterly tender, fiercely feminist and astoundingly good storytelling, I inhaled it.' Tess Woods, The Venice Hotel
'If Quentin Tarantino had set Kill Bill in the 1930's Aussie bush with a gun-slinging 12 year old, it would be something like Shannon Kelly White's debut novel, Billie King. This fast-paced, funny and brazen debut novel kicks ass. An irrepressible story about determination, friendship and of being a woman. May we all have some of the spirit and tenacity of Billie King.' Kerryn Mayne, Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder
320 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 19, 2026
This is a story about the indomitable spirit of women who refuse to be broken in. And, simply put, this is one of the most incredible stories I have read in many years. I felt transported back to my childhood growing up in rural Australia, the sights, the sounds, the smell, the language, the people. I don’t know that this book will be for everyone, but Christ this book feels like it was written for me.
This is historical Australian fiction, set in an old rural town called Orilong in the years after the First World War. Billie King, the titular character, is a spirited twelve year old girl who can’t help but find trouble wherever she goes. Dulcie James the Lady Bushranger is tired of all the hard things life has thrown at her, but she is returning to Orilong with one loose end left to tie up. There is a connection between Billie and Dulcie, and we learn about this in flashbacks through the old diary of Billie’s Mum, Anna, who has her own story of finding the strength to continue despite immense hardship.
The story rotates through three viewpoints - Billie and Dulcie in 1930, and Anna in 1918 - painting a picture of life in Australia a century ago. The first thing you will notice is the Australian slang and way of speaking and it is wonderful. This not simply adding some swear words to character dialogue, it is baked into the very DNA of this book to the point where it’s a character in its own right. Billie, Dulcie, Anna and the whole of Orilong are brought to life so vividly that I found myself getting distracted by my own memories and flashbacks.
The story itself? It is very dark, very confronting, deals with some very heavy content such as sexual assualt, PTSD, suicidal ideation, poverty, child abuse (formerly known as schoolhouse discipline), and more. Not only is the content dark, but that bloody author Shannon Kelly-White can’t help but to pile on the misery for our characters. And this is what makes Billie King shine (the book and the woman). Billie King is a beacon of determination, showing incredible strength and courage, brightened further by her compassion and values. You only need to read through boxing sequence, especially the scene with the kangaroo, to see why Billie King is a light so strong that she burns away the darkness. As the darkness burns away the threads of the story start to intertwine, secrets are revealed, motives are confirmed, and the conclusion hits like a ton of bricks!
I want to finish this review with two quotes from the book. If you want to know what type of book Billie King is, what type of characters Billie, Dulcie and Anna are, and why you should absolutely be moving this book to the top of your list, these two quotes should be all you need.
“Everyone seemed so damn keen on killing spirit. In horses. In her. Maybe life would be a hell of a lot easier if she’d just give hers up, but she couldn’t.”
“That’s what blokes don’t grasp about us women. How tough we are. Men, they dig a hole for us, she said. They tell us to fit ourselves in it, to lie down. So we do. They watch us, thinking we’ve given up but Lord knows we’re just resting, gathering ourselves and our thoughts and then we get back up. We do. Again and again, we climb out of that hole and have another swing.”
This is historical Australian fiction, set in an old rural town called Orilong in the years after the First World War. Billie King, the titular character, is a spirited twelve year old girl who can’t help but find trouble wherever she goes. Dulcie James the Lady Bushranger is tired of all the hard things life has thrown at her, but she is returning to Orilong with one loose end left to tie up. There is a connection between Billie and Dulcie, and we learn about this in flashbacks through the old diary of Billie’s Mum, Anna, who has her own story of finding the strength to continue despite immense hardship.
The story rotates through three viewpoints - Billie and Dulcie in 1930, and Anna in 1918 - painting a picture of life in Australia a century ago. The first thing you will notice is the Australian slang and way of speaking and it is wonderful. This not simply adding some swear words to character dialogue, it is baked into the very DNA of this book to the point where it’s a character in its own right. Billie, Dulcie, Anna and the whole of Orilong are brought to life so vividly that I found myself getting distracted by my own memories and flashbacks.
The story itself? It is very dark, very confronting, deals with some very heavy content such as sexual assualt, PTSD, suicidal ideation, poverty, child abuse (formerly known as schoolhouse discipline), and more. Not only is the content dark, but that bloody author Shannon Kelly-White can’t help but to pile on the misery for our characters. And this is what makes Billie King shine (the book and the woman). Billie King is a beacon of determination, showing incredible strength and courage, brightened further by her compassion and values. You only need to read through boxing sequence, especially the scene with the kangaroo, to see why Billie King is a light so strong that she burns away the darkness. As the darkness burns away the threads of the story start to intertwine, secrets are revealed, motives are confirmed, and the conclusion hits like a ton of bricks!
I want to finish this review with two quotes from the book. If you want to know what type of book Billie King is, what type of characters Billie, Dulcie and Anna are, and why you should absolutely be moving this book to the top of your list, these two quotes should be all you need.
“Everyone seemed so damn keen on killing spirit. In horses. In her. Maybe life would be a hell of a lot easier if she’d just give hers up, but she couldn’t.”
“That’s what blokes don’t grasp about us women. How tough we are. Men, they dig a hole for us, she said. They tell us to fit ourselves in it, to lie down. So we do. They watch us, thinking we’ve given up but Lord knows we’re just resting, gathering ourselves and our thoughts and then we get back up. We do. Again and again, we climb out of that hole and have another swing.”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Far out, this tale of the toughest twelve-year-old Aussie girl was friggin something else. The pacing swayed between the sweet slow burn of a mystery you dread getting answered and the crack-fast flash of a bushranger’s bullet finding home.
Miss Billie King — you can hardly fault a single thought she shares. She’s been given the rough end of the pineapple since entering the harsh world she inhabits. Lucky for us, we ride alongside her as she hides from no-good buggers, searches for answers about why her life is so rotten, and stumbles on secrets big enough to knock her Stetson off.
It has so much heart, you might sook just a little.
Thoroughly engaging, fresh, and empowering for young people wanting to be taken seriously, and for women who know they are worth more than the roles society asks of them, this is a novel I will read again. Beautifully written, even if our young Miss Billie truly has a whole lot of French she can’t give a frig about wanting a pardon for.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for this ARC.
Miss Billie King — you can hardly fault a single thought she shares. She’s been given the rough end of the pineapple since entering the harsh world she inhabits. Lucky for us, we ride alongside her as she hides from no-good buggers, searches for answers about why her life is so rotten, and stumbles on secrets big enough to knock her Stetson off.
It has so much heart, you might sook just a little.
Thoroughly engaging, fresh, and empowering for young people wanting to be taken seriously, and for women who know they are worth more than the roles society asks of them, this is a novel I will read again. Beautifully written, even if our young Miss Billie truly has a whole lot of French she can’t give a frig about wanting a pardon for.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is such a truly Australian novel. There are so many colloquialisms in it, which I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed because it seemed so right for the cast of characters. I’m not sure anyone who’s not Australian would understand some of it though.
The book tells the tale of Billie King, a young girl growing up in outback Australia around 100 years ago. Billie really doesn’t fit in with the other kids at school and is forever in trouble, either at school, or for non attendance. When it seems she is going to be removed from the only home she’s known, Billie takes off, intent on finding out what happened to her mother, who left when Billie was just a baby. She finds Dulcie, known as the Lady Bushranger, and we see how their stories entwine.
This is a fun book, with a focus on strong women. It’s a great read, but touches on a number of difficult themes.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
The book tells the tale of Billie King, a young girl growing up in outback Australia around 100 years ago. Billie really doesn’t fit in with the other kids at school and is forever in trouble, either at school, or for non attendance. When it seems she is going to be removed from the only home she’s known, Billie takes off, intent on finding out what happened to her mother, who left when Billie was just a baby. She finds Dulcie, known as the Lady Bushranger, and we see how their stories entwine.
This is a fun book, with a focus on strong women. It’s a great read, but touches on a number of difficult themes.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To use an Aussie colloquialism - this is a ripper of a debut novel!
The story is told from the point of view of three women - Dulcie, Anna & Billie - as their stories are told and finally converge. This has everything a reader could want - the human element, triumph over adversity, strong female characters, spirit - courage - endurance - all set in post WWI Australia.
I read this in one sitting - the gut wrenching action played out across the pages, drawing me ever deeper into the narrative, until I was so invested in both characters and story, I could see no way but forward till the final pages played their last ace.
If you have read Leah Purcell's :The Drover's Wife" or even watched the film, you will adore this.
One of my top reads for the year!
The story is told from the point of view of three women - Dulcie, Anna & Billie - as their stories are told and finally converge. This has everything a reader could want - the human element, triumph over adversity, strong female characters, spirit - courage - endurance - all set in post WWI Australia.
I read this in one sitting - the gut wrenching action played out across the pages, drawing me ever deeper into the narrative, until I was so invested in both characters and story, I could see no way but forward till the final pages played their last ace.
If you have read Leah Purcell's :The Drover's Wife" or even watched the film, you will adore this.
One of my top reads for the year!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow, wow wow! What an incredible time this book was, I simply could not put it down. I loved the outback setting and the premise that just draws you in. Billie is such an endearing and loveable character to follow as she uncovers the mystery of what happened to her mother. All three perspectives - Billie, the diary flashback chapters of her mother Anna, and Dulcie aka Lady Bushranger were all equally strong and engaging. This story was fast paced, while still making you care for the 3 leads and their different experiences as women during this time period.
I have nothing but praise to give this book.
I have nothing but praise to give this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What do a lady bushranger, a young girl, and a missing mother have in common?
Honestly, not much but I couldn’t think of a great line to open this review 😅
Anyway, Billie King is EX-CELL-ENT. Yes the capitals were required. I went into this intrigued by the blurb and once I started I was hooked.
Billie has an awful life, her mother is missing, father is a drunk, and she is at risk of being sent to live with the nuns. Whereas Dulcie, the lady bushranger is ready for it all to end, her path of revenge is nearly complete. The only thing they have in common is trying to figure out what happened to Anna.
For Billie, if she can just find her mum, then things might be okay.
The way this is written, the language, the tone really makes you feel the 1930s where the majority of it is set. The dusty, small country town. The struggles of those on the outskirts of both town and the law.
And then we have the characters, Billie and Dulcie, you really feel for them. Everything that has led up to the three days covered in this book, it makes you root for them, you want them to thrive.
I will say, there were a few parts in the book the made it feel longer than it really is, but they pass and you’re back in the action. And truly, the ending had me on the edge of my seat.
Honestly, not much but I couldn’t think of a great line to open this review 😅
Anyway, Billie King is EX-CELL-ENT. Yes the capitals were required. I went into this intrigued by the blurb and once I started I was hooked.
Billie has an awful life, her mother is missing, father is a drunk, and she is at risk of being sent to live with the nuns. Whereas Dulcie, the lady bushranger is ready for it all to end, her path of revenge is nearly complete. The only thing they have in common is trying to figure out what happened to Anna.
For Billie, if she can just find her mum, then things might be okay.
The way this is written, the language, the tone really makes you feel the 1930s where the majority of it is set. The dusty, small country town. The struggles of those on the outskirts of both town and the law.
And then we have the characters, Billie and Dulcie, you really feel for them. Everything that has led up to the three days covered in this book, it makes you root for them, you want them to thrive.
I will say, there were a few parts in the book the made it feel longer than it really is, but they pass and you’re back in the action. And truly, the ending had me on the edge of my seat.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This story is Australian set and very enjoyable read and a great show of the strength of women. Billie is a young girl growing up in the bush of Australia. Life has been hard to her, she is determined to piece together her past with the help of Dulcie the bushranger.
You really feel for Billie in this book, she is without a mother, her father doesn't have the time or patience for her - only the bottle, and option of living with the Nun's is scarily real.
I'd recommend this book, a captivating read.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.
You really feel for Billie in this book, she is without a mother, her father doesn't have the time or patience for her - only the bottle, and option of living with the Nun's is scarily real.
I'd recommend this book, a captivating read.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Billie King is an outstanding debut! A quick-witted and pacy read, this book was impossible to put down. An intricate tale of revenge, survival and a mother's love, captured within a rich Australian bush setting makes for a truly unique story. This book is a celebration of courage and feminism. Shannon Kelly-White is a fresh new voice in fiction and an author to watch!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Vibrant and interesting debut from an Australian author that pulled me in from the first chapter! Loved the outback early 1900s era. The writing is raw and rich at the same time.
Thank you again to the author and the publisher for my advanced copy. Full RTC 🩶
Thank you again to the author and the publisher for my advanced copy. Full RTC 🩶
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
You are going to want to read this book!
Billie King is being published on June 30, and I will be sharing it far and wide when it does.
I loved everything about it:
Billie King
Anna & Dulcie
The gorgeous and loyal horses
The setting of the town and the mountains
It's an exceptional debut novel 💚
Billie King is being published on June 30, and I will be sharing it far and wide when it does.
I loved everything about it:
Billie King
Anna & Dulcie
The gorgeous and loyal horses
The setting of the town and the mountains
It's an exceptional debut novel 💚
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A very unique interesting read. I loved the mystery of how Dulcie was connected to Billie and finding out what happened to Anna. I thought Billie's character was raw, well explored and I was drawn to her for never giving up. I enjoyed learning Dulcie's story especially the "why" of how she became the bushranger, what happened to her son, husband and with Anna. Seeing the change in Billie's Dad brought hope to Billie which I didn't see coming, it showed his love was real.
I thought the ending was a little rushed and I was surprised about what happened to Anna. I really thought the scene at the church was "it" but then learnt the truth after. A great read, push through the start and you won't regret it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I thought the ending was a little rushed and I was surprised about what happened to Anna. I really thought the scene at the church was "it" but then learnt the truth after. A great read, push through the start and you won't regret it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 16, 2026
3.75 stars
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews