The Society of Literary Marauders

‘Wasley is an Austen for our times.’ – Tess Woods, author of The Venice Hotel and Love and Other Battles

‘A heartfelt celebration of literature, rebellion and the bonds of friendship.’ – Kelly Rimmer, author of The Midnight Estate and The Paris Agent

At Oxford University, 1928, four young women make a secret pledge: I hereby undertake to take and read any book kept away from nice young ladies.

They’ve come from unlikely corners of the British Empire: brickworker’s daughter Annie, wealthy flapper Ridley, refined Parsi aristocrat Dorelia and disheartened schoolteacher Norma. They call themselves the Society of Literary Marauders and the price of entry is having stolen a book.

Their illicit meetings rapidly become a lifeline in a world where knowledge is power, and women are fed lies and half-truths. They start with small misdemeanours – getting their hands on banned books, stealing back historical records claimed by the men’s colleges. But over time, they become aware of a true literary injustice – and they slowly formulate a plan to put this historical wrong to right …

Full of intrigue, literary drama and the joy of rebellious female friendships, this stunning novel is an unputdownable joy from first page to last.

About the Author

Sasha Wasley was born and raised in Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia. She completed a PhD in feminist literature at Murdoch University in 2006, and went on to work as a copywriter on topics ranging from mine safety to sex therapy.

Sasha’s debut novel was published in 2015, after which she gave up her copywriting business to pursue her fiction writing career. She is a writing mentor and workshop facilitator and loves being involved in the Australian writing community.

Sasha is passionate about levelling the playing field for members of the community experiencing disadvantage. She is an ambassador for the Books in Homes Australia charity, which provides books of choice for children in disadvantaged circumstances to keep in their home libraries. Today, she lives and writes in the Perth hills region with her partner and two adult children. A lover of animals, Sasha spends her free time pottering in the garden with her dog, cat and flock of backyard chickens.