The Butterfly Women

It's 1863, and Melbourne is transitioning from a fledgling colony to a thriving, gold-fuelled metropolis.

But behind its shiny new faade, 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. 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.

About the Author

Madeleine Cleary is a writer and podcaster. Her debut novel, The Butterfly Women, inspired by her discovery of a connection to the thieves and prostitutes of colonial Melbourne, was chosen as Dymocks Fiction Book of the Month. Her writing has been shortlisted for The Australian Fiction Prize and featured in The Australian Weekend Magazine. Madeleine is the co-host of The Book Deal Podcast, where she interviews other writers about their pathways to publication.

Madeleine is a former bookseller and served as an Australian diplomat in China, and now lives at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges with her husband.