I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline and felt engaged with the plot. The characters were multi-dimensional and I loved linking up the timelines to real historical events. A wonderful read for lovers of Australian historical fiction.

I don’t normally request review books that aren’t Christian-based, but when I read the description of The Butterfly Collector, I was so intrigued that I decided to give it a chance. What a story! I was a bit baffled, in the first few chapters, about what was going on, and flipped back and forth a few times to see who the previous chapters were about, but I was soon captivated by all three main characters. Before too long I was so drawn in to this story that I even spent one night dreaming about it, after I read a couple of chapters just before going to bed!
This is one of those split-time novels that is extremely well done. Part of the story is set in 1922, and the other part in 1868. The thread that connected the two was quite a surprise to me! The first chapter introduces Verity Binks. She wants to be a reporter, but has just lost her job with the newspaper to returned servicemen. Then, she is sent an invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball—along with a butterfly costume. Who could have sent it to her—and why?
The next chapter features Theodora, whose parents and brother have recently died in a steamboat accident. She and her three sisters have been left alone. The older three are desperate to get back into society—but Theodora just wants to paint butterflies! Chapter 3 switches to yet another person, which confused me for a few minutes. Clarrie was thankful for her job as housemaid for the reverend, but she had a problem. Her baby would arrive soon—and she hadn’t been able to marry Sid yet. Eventually, she helped Theodora to find an elusive butterfly that had never been seen before in Australia, but before the discovery could be reported, Clarrie’s baby went missing.
As Verity followed the trail of a story she had been put on the scent of, she found herself discovering her family’s history—and uncovering a terrible mystery some fifty years in the making. Could she find the truth—and if she did, would she be able to expose it for what it was and make a difference?
Whew! What a story. Butterflies, adoption, baby farming, and journalism, all set in Australia. The Butterfly Collector is an unusual book. As I said, I rarely read books that aren’t labeled Christian, because I don’t want to deal with off-color scenes or bad language. This one is very clean, however. There is a bit of romance—but there was no hint of it in the 1922 story until I reached about 37% of the way through the book! There is some between Sid and Clarrie, and reference to what they did earlier that created their baby—but it’s totally off page. So, I’m impressed with Tea Cooper, and will be watching for more books by her.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 12: bloody and damn. Chapter 22: damn. Chapter 28: bastard and bugger; a fight in which a man tries to harm women and is himself knocked out. Chapter 31: I’ll be damned. Chapter 33: damn. Chapter 35: be damned.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

What a captivating story and an absolutely beautiful cover. A dual timeline book, it tells the stories of Theodora and Verity and their unexpected connection. A book chock full of fabulous characters, along with a few shady types. Loved Verity's spirit and sense of right and wrong and, even though he doesn't appear often, Arlo provides the voice of reason she needs. Absolutely recommend!!

The first thing that drew me in with this one was the stunningly magical cover but the story that Tea Cooper tells is even more noteable. The telling of two timelines which come together and make a twisty historical mystery.

1869 Clarrie leaves her newborn baby in the care of a midwife while she is working. Then the baby goes missing... Will the father Sid be able to find him?

1922 Verity is striving to be a correspondent when she loses her job and then she is sent a beautiful butterfly costume and is invited to the masquerade ball. This sets off a series of mysterious events, will Verity be able to put it altogether.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this all the way through, Tea Cooper has a talent for writing fiction but also does her research and includes some true facts. The descriptions are beautiful and I adored the characters. My favourite part of the story was the mystery and danger, the mystery of the story is what kept me engaged. Historical, mystery, romance fans will all devour this amazing novel.

I loved this story so very much, from start to finish Tea Cooper took me on a journey back in two time lines, to follow the story of a twisty historical mystery involving gorgeous butterflies and wonderful characters that I loved, come along for the fascinating trip, you will not want to put this one down.

1869 Morpeth which is a small river town close to The Hunter Valley, Theodora Breckenridge is in morning after loss her parents and older brother in a ship wreck, but her three sisters decide it is time to make a trip to Sydney but Theodora is much happier staying at home and working on her research about butterflies and do her painting, she is very excited about discovering a butterfly that has never been seen in Australia and is determined find out much more about it. Hiring a new maid Clarrie to help at home is a bonus as they become close and Clarrie is a lot of help, but Clarrie has a baby who is being cared for by a local midwife and when he goes missing there are lots of questions that need answering. Will Sid the baby’s father find their son and uncover the truth?

1922 Sydney, Verity Binks has wanted to become a correspondent and follow in her father and grandfathers footsteps when she is sent a beautiful butterfly costume and an invitation to the Sydney Artist Masquerade Ball anonymously on the day she has just lost her job at The Sydney Arrow newspaper, this is a mystery but one that Verity is determined to get to the bottom of and arrives and meets Mr. Treadwell and is asked to write an article about the history of The Treadwell Foundation, an institute that supports and helps young girls in disgrace, or does it, what will Verity find when she digs deep a mystery that goes back more than fifty years with links to her past as well.

Tea Cooper has again researched so well and added fact and fiction together to bring her readers a brilliant story, a story that digs deep into the past and has Verity uncovering information about baby farming and Theodore finding the elusive Monarch butterfly, there is mystery, secrets and friendships all wound together to make this a compelling story that had me up late last night. I loved the characters Verity, Theodora, Clarrie and Sid and also Redmond and Arlo all were easy to get to know and made this story fabulous, my thanks MS Cooper for another keeper, this is one that I highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

A book with two timelines which initially appear to have nothing to do with each other yet eventually twist and turn together in amazing ways.

In Morpeth in 1868 Theodora Breckenridge discovers a butterfly which may be a first sighting ever in Australia. Her sisters cannot persuade her to travel to Sydney with them as they go to seek husbands. She stays at home and with the help of Clarrie, a maid, attempts to gain proof of her sighting. However when Clarrie's baby goes missing their lives take a very dramatic turn.

In Sydney Verity Banks wishes to be a reporter but it is 1922 and she has to leave her job to make way for men returning from the war. On the lookout for stories to write to try and gain herself recognition, she stumbles across a mystery involving adopted babies which seems to have great relevance to her own family history.

This is a well written book with interesting characters and a lot of intriguing historical fact. The author weaves people's lives together in tricky ways and the reader needs to stay alert to remember who is related to whom all the time! I did wish that Verity and Arlo's relationship had been given a little more room to develop.

Highly recommended for people who enjoy this genre.

Wow, I chose this story as I knew the author was Australian and stories set in the past always fascinate me. I'm from Melbourne so I didn't know all the areas and really enjoyed reading how folk travelled and lived all that time ago.
Took me a while to get into the story and get my head around the characters running in two different time lines. Once I had everyone in place the story really picked up and kept me glued to my kindle. There is a connection between the two timelines of a couple of generations in one family.
The main theme running between these timelines is the discovery of baby farming. Newspaper stories being cancelled as a well do to charitable family may be involved. Also the side story is the discovery of a butterfly that we all know these days, the art work and stories told although not acknowledged to make the history books.
I could go on and on about the story, but please read it for yourself. Absorb yourself into the characters' lives like I did.
I also enjoyed the author's notes at the end, explaining the truth, the facts and the fiction.
What a wonderful book, I highly recommend it.

1868 Morpeth -Theodora Breckenridge who has developed a passion for painting nature discovers a new species of butterfly which she sets about investigating. Sid Binks is a young typesetter working for the local paper and Clarrie is his love. The young couple find they are to become a family and have to organize somewhere for Clarrie to give birth and then for the baby to be cared for while they are both working.

1922 Sydney – Verity Binks has just been let go from her job at the Sydney Arrow newspaper and receives a mysterious invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball. Here she is introduced to Mr Treadwell and asked to write an article regarding the Treadwell foundation which supplies accommodation for young ladies about to become unwed Mothers.

The two woman are linked by a tale that begins with a discovery of a butterfly, a young couple and their baby, two newspapers, a n immoral business that spans over 50 years and one women's effort to find someone she loves.

I was drawn to this book by the beautiful artwork on the cover as well as the title. The story of the discovery of the Monarch Butterfly is just one layer to this book. The author has intertwined each story and time skillfully and each time the lines intersect, a new aspect of the twisty plot is revealed. The plot is quite complex until the end and all becomes clear, but the story holds the interest until the very end.

This is not an action story but has a pace akin to the quiet life the characters experienced in Morpeth,. There are sections where events that effect our characters become quite tense, but there is a politeness and properness to this story, befitting of the times it is set in.

Both the main characters, Verity and Theodora are strong, driven, intelligent young women who don't conform to the expected standards of females of the day. Theodora is much more interested in painting her butterflies than finding a husband and Verity longs to be a journalist at a time returning soldiers where given jobs that women had previously held. Both women are searching for something and are determined to find it.

Clarrie is a young unwed Mother. Unlike the picture that society paints of women like her, she illustrates the love and dedication she has for her baby as well as her determination to make a good life as a family.

The setting of the Sydney section of the story is centred around the Rocks area and is easy to envision Verity bicycling through The Cutting and through the streets lined with terrace houses. Morpeth is not familiar to me, but located on the banks of the Hunter river, the authors descriptive prowess has made it sound idylic.

This was my first book by Tea Cooper and I feel that this author will appear on my bookshelves often. Her writing is lyrical and atmospheric. She has extensively researched her topic and cleverly woven fact and fiction to create a story that will both entertain and educate. I can recommend this book to lovers of Australian stories and Historical Fiction.

Morpeth, 1868. Theodora Breckenridge is still mourning the loss of her parents and brother Jamie in a tragic accident, she lives at The Landing with her three sisters Constance, Florence, and Viola. Her sisters want to travel to Sydney to find husbands and go dress shopping, Theodora would rather stay home and draw and paint. Theodora admires Harriet and Helena Scott, they once lived on nearby Ash Island and they documented the areas flora and fauna. Theodora discovers a butterfly, it’s never been seen before in Australia and it’s native to the Americas.

The Butterfly Collector has an easy to follow dual timeline, it’s set in 1868 and 1922 in New South Wales, Australia.

Sydney, 1922. Verity Binks loses her job at The Arrow, and her boss Mr. Bailey feels he should employ returned servicemen at the newspaper. She arrives home early and her neighbor Mrs. Carr informs her that someone has delivered a parcel. The anonymous package contains a much sort after invitation to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball, a beautiful butterfly costume and mask. While attending the ball, she meets Mr. Treadwell, and he would like her to write an article prompting his mother’s charity. The Treadwell Foundation, it supports unmarried women who find themselves in a delicate condition and their babies.

Verity begins to look into the Treadwell Foundation, she discovers that Mrs. Treadwell and her grandparents Sid and Clarrie had all lived in Morpeth and around the same time. Her grandfather Sid worked for the local newspaper called The Morpeth Want, and Verity slowly uncovers the well hidden clues and attempts to solve a fifty year old mystery.

I received a copy of The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. This is my favourite book by Ms. Cooper, it’s a compelling historical mystery and one with so many unexpected twists and turns. A story about secrets, family ties, adoption, cover ups and illegal baby trafficking, and a trail blazing woman’s interest in art, nature, science and the Wanderer Butterfly. Five stars from me, I highly recommend this book and a must read for fans of well written Australian historical fiction.

Set in Sydney and the Hunter Valley in 1865 and 1922, this story begins with the discovery of the Monarch butterfly, also known as The Wanderer, first seen on Australian shores around 1870/71. Common along the east coast of Australia, it is very distinctive in colour.
It is also a story of journalists.
Revealed in the story is also a horrific trade which existed as far back as the 1840s (and probably before that) and up to the early 20th century, and could possibly still exist in our current time. The whole truth of this trade may not ever be known.
Clarrie and Sid are a young couple in 1865 . Sid works in a newspaper and Clarrie is a maid, firstly for the local Vicar and later in the home of the vivid Breckenridge sisters.
Their granddaughter Verity is a would-be correspondent in the 1920s but loses her job when the men return from WWI. Always, her grandpa Sid and her father Charlie are very close to Verity's heart as she as she determines to become a journalist as they both were.
I very much enjoyed the tenacity of Variety as she attempts to uncover and write the history of the Treadwell Foundation which supports disgraced young women and their babies.
As with all of Tea Cooper's books I have read, this one is historically so very interesting. and the subject matter fascinating. I highly recommend this story to other readers whom I know already love Tea's books. I love this one.
Thank you NetGalley for my copy and thank you Tea Cooper...a brilliant, emotional and captivating story!

1868 and Clarrie and Sid were sweethearts when Clarrie realised she was pregnant. Sid would stand beside her, working everything out so Clarrie wasn't left destitute. Maud was a midwife and would assist with Clarrie's birth, then the lay-in period, and when Clarrie found work at the Breckenridge home as an all purpose maid, helping out Theodora as well as working in the house, they were happy. Sid worked at the local newspaper office - "The Morpeth Want" - and visited his newborn son as often as he could. But the day he was snatched, everything changed...

Verity Binks missed her grandpa Sid immensely, though she was grateful for the home he'd left her in Sydney. It was 1922 and Verity worked at a newspaper in the city, cycling everywhere. It was when Verity was commissioned to write a piece about the Treadwell Foundation that history reared its head and Verity's interest was aroused, especially after she spotted a painting she recognised. She was determined to discover the secrets of the past, secrets which had affected her family as well as others. Returning to Morpeth, meeting a newspaper man there, they joined forces. But would they discover the truth? Plus Verity knew she needed proof...

The Butterfly Collector is another exceptional historical novel by Aussie author Tea Cooper, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Based on fact, the author's notes at the end of the novel are very interesting, and show how much research the author put into this book. Clarrie, Sid and Theodora were wonderful characters, along with Verity (although she had a bit of a temper!) and Arlo, son of the newspaper editor who was good friends with Sid. All in all, a twisty, involved historical mystery which I highly recommend.

With thanks to HarperCollins AU via NetGalley for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

An Australian author of historic fiction, Tea Cooper’s The Butterfly Collector is a dual-timeline novel set in Morpeth in 1868 and Sydney in 1922. It’s 1868 and illustrator Theodora Breckenridge discovers a butterfly not previously found in Australia. She is mourning her parent’s loss in a boat accident when her maid Clarrie’s son goes missing. The narrative then switches to Verity Binks in 1922, who loses her job at a newspaper but is invited to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball, where she wears a masked butterfly costume. Switching between these time periods, an unfolding dark mystery that is shamefully part of our colonial history is revealed. An enjoyable tale that captures the atmosphere of both time periods. Fans of the genre will truly enjoy this engaging narrative, despite its twee ending and three and a half star rating. With thanks to Harlequin Australia and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

What a beautifully written book with dual timeline. I love books that alternate between different times and this book is different since both timelines are set in the past.

1898, Morpeth, four sisters live together after the tragic death of their parents and brother. Theodora wants to stay home and paint and learn about flora and fauna while her sisters want to travel to Sydney to find their husbands.

In 1922 Sydney, Verity loses her job as a journalist where her boss wants to replace her with ex servicemen. She meets on Mr. Treadwell and gets to know about his charity called Treadwell Foundation that supports unmarried women and their children. She is intrigued by the foundation and goes in a hunt to discover the history behind the foundation and unravel a 50 year old mystery.

I love the different POVs and the beautiful writing. A historical mystery is something that I would always love to read and I loved the beautiful way of writing interspersed with secrets relationships and families.

A historical mystery set mostly in Australia in 1922 and 1868. Two separate themes the discovery of a Monarch Butterfly in Australia and the plight of unmarried mothers. Verity Binks works for a newspaper in Sydney but loses her job to make way for returning soldiers after the first World War. Verity lives alone in her grandfather Sid’s house in the Rocks. Her father and grandparents have died.
A strange package delivered with an invitation to a ball at the Town Hall and a request to write an article about the Treadwell Foundation that for many years offered protection for young woman sends Verity on a journey of discovery. In a search to find out some background information about the woman who started the Treadwell Foundation Verity travels to Morpeth near Maitland to find out about the Breckenridge family where she discovers a connection with her grandparents in the 1860’s.
I loved the twists and turns and the way Verity’s grand-parent’s story was intertwined with the Breckenridge family and the connection with the Arrow Newspaper in Sydney and the local newspaper in Morpeth.
This was about families, identity and baby farming. Fast paced with lots of action.

This historical novel is set in the town of Morpeth near Maitland in the Hunter Valley, and also in Sydney. It’s in two timelines, the late 1860s and 1922. The earlier timeline follows Theodora Breckenridge (the butterfly collector of the title) who thinks she has seen a ‘wanderer’ butterfly never found in Australia before; and Sid and Clarrie, a young couple expecting a child. Sid works on the local newspaper and Clarrie is a maid. The second timeline is about Verity Binks, Sid and Clarrie’s granddaughter, who has just lost her job at a Sydney newspaper to make room for men back from the war who need jobs. The title suggests that the main topic of the novel is butterflies, and it is a big part of the first timeline but the overall theme is [baby farming, more specifically the babies of poor or single women being adopted for money.
I really enjoyed this novel, both timelines worked well, the subjects and history was very interesting.
Another excellent novel by Tea Cooper.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction set in rural Australia in the late 1800s. I enjoyed the attention to detail and I felt the characters were really relatable. It is always surprising to read about the social mores of a time gone by and how much has changed, or not changed. I loved the sense of place that the author creates and all the backstory about the newspaper trade. The way young women were treated generally, and particularly if they found themselves 'in the family way' and were not married is deplorable. I have not read any of Tea Cooper's books before but I would definitely read more of hers. The story is an intriguing mystery I am sure lovers of historical fiction will enjoy all the attention to detail. Well researched.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to provide an independent review of this book. Much appreciated. Thanks also to you Tea for all your hard work and dedication. Putting a novel together is a daunting task and I really appreciate all the effort you put in to bringing these characters and this moment in time to life. Best wishes, Libby :-)

Settle in, get comfy, and pay attention…because this is a story you will happily want to absorb! This book is so much more than first impressions might imply.

Sydney, 1922

Verity is very proud of her position at The Arrow and her potential to ultimately become a worthy female newspaper correspondent.
So when she is summoned to the office of her boss at The Arrow, she is not for a moment concerned, and fully expects that her boss wants to commend her for her latest article.
Her boss however, had bad news for Verity, informing her that due to the return of servicemen from the war, and the shortage of jobs, he would have to let her go.
He assured her that he would still pay her for any worthwhile special freelance stories that she might write.

Devastated and in shock, she packs her meagre belongings and goes home to her rented accommodation to ponder her grim looking future. As she arrives home her [nosy] neighbour greets her with a parcel which was anonymously delivered earlier, addressed to Verity with no sender address or any other identification.
The mysterious parcel contains an invitation [also anonymous] to the Sydney Artists Masquerade Ball, as well as an amazing Butterfly themed costume for her to wear.
Verity is so intrigued by this mysterious invitation that she feels compelled to go, even if only to get a story to sell to her [now ex] employer at The Arrow.

Verity’s attendance at the Ball is about to throw her life into yet another huge spin!


Morpeth, 1868

Theodora Breckenridge is still mourning the loss of her parents and brother at sea after the steam boat they were travelling in was hit by a rogue wave and dashed against rocks killing all but one person.
Theodora is one of four sisters, Florence, Constance and Viola, with Florence being the eldest, assuming charge of them all.
When Florence announces that it’s time to cast aside their mourning attire and travel to Sydney on a steamer boat with a view to shopping for new dresses…Dresses suitable for young women to wear whilst seeking a husband…Theodora is filled with trepidation.
Not one for socializing at the best of times, she is also (understandably) terrified at the prospects of travelling on a steamer. She is adamant that she will not go and would much prefer to stay at home and work on her paintings but Florence feels she should go, especially as she has nobody to play chaperone if she stays home, except for their housekeeper.
After much pleading and cajoling, Theodora is allowed to stay at home with her painting work, under the watchful care of their housekeeper.

This is where Theodora, whilst painting in her mother’s garden, saw…or imagines she saw…an unusual butterfly. She goes in search of it and in so doing, opens up an adventure, which uncovers some mysteries and long held secrets…
Meanwhile in Sydney…

Weaving some of Australia’s most fascinating historical facts in with some tantalizingly clever fiction, Tea Cooper has built a richly complex story with an equally rich and complex cast of well developed characters.
Told in two timelines with parallel themes that flow smoothly between each, we are taken on an amazing journey of unfolding mysteries, where pieces of a long standing puzzle are cunningly brought together to reveal some astonishing new truths.

This story would make a wonderful television mini-series!

I am more than happy to recommend this book to all readers, I loved it!!
5⭐️s

With thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for my copy to read and review.

The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper is a delightful story.

Set in two time periods of 1868 and 1922 it gives a beautiful rendition of both periods and the locations of Sydney and Morpeth in The Hunter Valley. I was particularly enamoured with the Morpeth location as I lived in the Hunter for many years and its description brought back some wonderful memories of this quaint town and particularly on the river.

The theme of ‘baby farming’ and the plight of unwed pregnancies were central to the story and was a wonderful rendition of the horrific practice that was widespread during those times. Fortunately due to the enormous efforts of some determined women this practice was changed with social reform legislation.

The characters are engaging and wonderfully developed and the mysteries that unfolded are gradually solved.

Highly recommended read.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from Harlequin Australia via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheButterflyCollector #NetGalley

My rating:

Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Historical fiction



Review:

This is a beautifully written story full of intrigue with the right amount of suspense and mystery. The book captivates you from the moment you start reading. The plot is written over a dual time line both set in New South Wales one in 1868 and the other in 1922. The story sheds a light on the dark exploitation's of forced adoption and baby farming which was common at the time. The other sub plot that is nicely interwoven in the story is the discovery and arrival of the Monarch butterfly in Australia

Overall a mesmerising story, that flows well, the writing is vivid and captivating.The characters are well depicted which made them likable and interesting. The book explores some interesting historical subjects.

Review copy provided through Netgalley at no cost to me

First of all, I love the cover. It is true what they say that a picture is worth a thousand words and this one is gorgeous with the girl and butterflies. It is intriguing, mysterious and mesmerising in its beauty and where the story begins for me. And wow, what a story! I was drawn in from the first page of narration but just before that, we are given two beautiful drawings of the locations with the Landing, the rivers, Maitland, Morpeth and Ash Island. These help us visualise the importance of the settings and provide a clear vision of where everything begins.

The story starts in 1922 with Miss Verity Binks who is a writer for The Arrow newspaper. She is called in to the office of her boss Mr Bailey. Quickly we know her life is about to change. The soldiers are back from the war and her job now is being given to one of the men who have returned. Mr Bailey makes his case clear that he has no other option but let her go, even though she is very good at her job. His only offering is that he can pay her stringers’ rates for a few articles. And he promises to help where he can for he says it’s the ‘least I can do for the daughter of one of our heroes, never mind the promise I made Sid.’ This loss is her first challenge and we know there will be more to come. She also deals with the perception of what women were to be at that time—dependant on a husband. But she is not one to entertain convention and of course we know she is about to set her own course, rather than be dictated by society’s current rules. Once again, Tea gives us a potentially strong determined woman who aims to change the course of events that befall her.

I felt very at ease with the writing—so smooth like the flow of a river. Back and forth we venture between two timelines of 1922 and 1868 where a mystery begins and continues into the later timeline. A family story that is filled with many twists and turns and unexpected directions and surprises. This is one complex page turner with lots to keep you on your toes. So many intriguing details and mysterious elements flutter around its core. Including the spotting of a rare butterfly. Tea fleshes out through her characters and plot, powerful historical events that span such topics of women losing their jobs after the war, baby farming and coverups of illegal activities behind facades of class/position. There is also the display of abusive treatment to women who became pregnant out of wedlock. Family names, stolen children and pay offs—are all part of the fabric of this fascinating and, at times, heartbreaking story.

Verity of 1922 is a very likeable and admirable character that I could sympathise with and cheer on in her quest for truth and justice. I found myself carefully watching her steps and often wondering how she was going to solve the family mysteries. Inevitably, it was destined to be an all-consuming search. She meets others on the journey she rubs the wrong way, exposes and disarms but she also finds allies who march beside her in uncovering some epic lies. Many who have much to gain (and lose) by the discoveries. Of course, there is an eventual romance, gentle and unpretentious but it is not the prime focus of Verity’s story.

As mentioned, the novel opens in 1922, but with its setting in Sydney. Other chapters take us back in time to 1868 at Morpeth with Theodora, the artist butterfly lady, who desires to be free to make her own decisions and to explore what might be out there waiting for her to grasp. She yearns to hone her skills and to pursue her passion. And then from the same time period we meet Clarrie, Verity’s Grandmother, who works for the Reverend as a ‘maid-of-all-work’. She has been with Sid (a newspaper feature writer) for three years. Theirs is a wonderful union but they have not managed to save enough to marry and she has become pregnant. She does not regret her condition but hiding her secret becomes difficult and poses many issues to come. Through her and others we learn some pretty hair raising things of what was happening in those days to unwed mothers and babies.

I found both time threads equally fascinating for one is dependent on the other. The complete story is like a beautifully laid puzzle where eventually pieces click into place. The presentation of the facts of the times felt authentic. Tea has done her research well. Her exquisite descriptions left me feeling truly transported to the locations and all the beauty that abounded in the natural world. And not to forget the butterflies, who are another piece of the fascinating story’s fabric—carrying their own message, as Theodora would say.

The Butterfly Collector is a beautifully written story and I think maybe one of my very favourites of Tea Cooper. I highly recommend this novel for historical fiction lovers. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to HQ Fiction AU (Harper Collins Australia) and Netgalley for my review copy.