Lush, dark and meticulously researched, The Butterfly Women weaves romance and mystery into an unforgettable tale of Australian history, and the women so often erased from it.
It’s 1863, and Melbourne is transitioning from a fledgling colony to a thriving, gold-fuelled metropolis. But behind its shiny new façade, the real Melbourne can be found in the notorious red-light district of Little Lon, full of brothels where rich and poor alike can revel all night. The most glamorous among them is Papillon, home to the most alluring women in the city.
For poor Irishwoman Johanna Callaghan, a job at Papillon could be her ticket to success, but in a time when women’s lives are cheap, it also brings great danger. Meanwhile, for respectable women like journalist Harriett Gardiner, Papillon is strictly off-limits, but when a murderer begins stalking the streets of Little Lon, she becomes determined to visit it and find the truth.
As both women are drawn into the hunt for the killer, a long-hidden side of old Melbourne is revealed.
Madeleine Cleary is from Naarm/Melbourne and lives at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges with her husband. She holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Melbourne and an associated honours degree from RMIT University. Oblivious to her history, Cleary completed her studies a block from her family’s tawdry brothel in Romeo Lane.
Cleary served as an Australian diplomat in China. Before joining the Public Service, Cleary spent five years working in bookshops where she met her husband. When not working or writing, Cleary is reading, bush walking, eating, traveling, or spending time with her family and friends.
I am obsessed with The Butterfly Women’s setting! It’s raw, it’s detailed, and after finishing the book, I feel as though I’ve learned so much about Melbourne in the 1800s. Little Lon and the brothel Papillon are illustrated with profound details that are so smooth it felt as though I could literally eat the words Cleary had penned. They weren’t merely set dressing, they were, in their own right, characters, whom I enjoyed learning about.
Cleary does an immaculate job at differentiating her two characters and their point of views throughout the book. Both Johanna and Harriett feel incredibly unique and iconic in terms of how they’ve been written, how they speak, and, most notably, their personal lives and goals. I truly felt for them, especially during the more tender, emotional moments, which left chills throughout my body. I could not get enough!
The book’s overall tone and atmosphere compliment its historical setting. The way Johanna and Harriett confront the murder is so luring and captivating. I had to keep reading until the very last page! The Butterfly Women is also extremely well researched; every single detail feels important. We cannot stop talking about this book in the Better Reading office! If you like mystery, history and complex characters, this book is for you.
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