The Women in Black

'Funny, affectionate, moving and written with a light, comic touch.' -- Monica McInerney * Australian Women's Weekly *
'A delicious book. Funny and happy, it's like the breath of youth again.' * Jane Gardam *
'Seductive, hilarious, brilliantly observed, this novel shimmers with wit and tenderness.' * Helen Garner *
'A major minor masterpiece, a witty and poignant snapshot of Sydney the year before yesterday.' * Barry Humphries *
'St. John casts an airy spell with the deftness of her prose, which moves gracefully, swiftly and with perfect manners.' -- Delia Falconer * Australian *
'This glorious, witty snapshot of Australia in the 1950s...it really is a gem in the rough....This is no nostalgia piece for a lost way of life, but a clever, funny argument for why things had to change.' * Sunday Times *
'Wickedly humorous yet tender...Full of old fashioned elegance and witty humour. I loved every page.' * Style Magazine *
'Like the deceptively simple (but perfectly crafted) little black dress, this delicious and sly masterpiece works its magic from the very first sentence. Once you slip into its folds-- full of hope and new beginnings, of luck and laughter and love-- I dare you not to catch yourself smiling, and wanting to twirl, for days and days and days.' * Sarah Blake, author of The Guest Book and The Postmistress *
'Funny and light...perfect for lovers of chick lit with a dash of romance and historical fiction for good measure.' * Booklist *
'Department store particulars are part of the charm of The Women in Black, a deceptively smart comic gem that tracks four women through the pandemonium of one holiday season in 1950s Sydney. Laced with a fierce intelligence that captures the limited options for women and postwar xenophobia views, it's also a love letter to department stores of yore. Let's raise a glass to this heroic comic novel that's not only still alive but getting a second wind.' * New York Times *