Book Launch: The Butterfly Women
by Madeleine Cleary
5pm, Thursday 15 May
Paperchain Bookstore
34 Franklin Street Manuka, Griffith, 2603
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. 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.
Madeleine Cleary is from Naarm/Melbourne and lives at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges with her husband. Madeleine called Canberra home for six years and served as an Australian diplomat in China. Before joining the Australian Public Service, Madeleine spent five years working in bookshops where she met 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, Madeleine completed her studies a block from her family's tawdry brothel in Juliet Terrace.
When not working or writing, Madeleine is reading, bush walking, eating, travelling, or spending time with her family and friends.