At first, the connection between timelines lies only in the bold colours of the monarch butterfly, but The Butterfly Collector soon becomes a double tale of mystery, deceit and good ol' investigation. It could be hard to keep all the details straight between timelines, especially as they uncovered details about the past, but it shed light on a very real, sinister part of Australian history. The audiobook, narrated by Emily Barrett, was a pleasant experience. Their voice was for the most part smooth, and easy to follow. Their character voices were distinct but not too jarring as to distract from the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for unbiased review..

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿
𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿

⭐⭐⭐⭐

While it was this gorgeous cover that initially caught my attention, it was the story within that kept me glued to these pages. This dual-timeline historical mystery is a captivating breath of fresh air. In the oversaturated hist fic genre, it's always nice to read something completely unique. And it's set in Australia, which we just don't have enough of. We initially follow two completely different different stories: Theodora's in 1868, and the Verity's in 1922. The way Cooper melds these women's journeys together is such a treat, and took me completely by surprise in the best possible way!

🎧 I listened along with the audiobook, which was beautifully narrated by Emily Barrett. There's a fairly large cast here, and Barrett managed to give a unique voice to each of the characters. Though there are two timelines, I was able to keep them seperate with the help of her narration.

Add this one to your TBR, friends!

📌 Out now!

Thank you NetGalley & @harpermusebooks for my #gifted copies
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This was a compelling story about a heart breaking truth. It is written well and combines the two storylines well in the end. One woman in search of a rare (new?) butterfly befriends a maid who's baby goes missing. I appreciated the historical accuracies and the explanation of liberties taken within the author's note. Great Historical Fiction read!

The Butterfly Collection
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed the book at the beginning. It was really interesting. The book started to really drag & moved way to slow for me. It was very predictable. Thank you for the opportunity to read it. Sorry I wasn't really crazy about it. I've read lots of 5 stars back to back so my expectations are high.

1868, Morpeth Twenty-one year old Theodora has spent the last two years of her life in mourning over the death of her parents and brother at sea. While she grieves their loss, this time in solitude hasn't been all that dismal for her. Preferring an introverted life where she can improve upon her art, Theodora has been reveling in this time at home. Theodora finds inspiration from the well-respected Scott sisters, who are making a name for themselves as flora and fauna illustrators. At a shocking chance in the garden, she spots a butterfly that has never before been seen in Australia. This is her first opportunity to finally make a name for herself and contribute to the world of science. Through the help of her maid and friend, Theodora aims to earn the credit for her discovery.

1922, Sydney: Twenty-five year old aspiring journalist Verity Binks has just been let go from her position. Now that WWI is over and men are returning, many employers are no longer interested in keeping the woman who filled these positions while they were gone. While she's downtrodden and unsure of how to keep up payments, she suddenly receives a mysterious package. There's a beautiful monarch costume and an invitation to a coveted masquerade ball. While at the ball, she is approached by a Mr. Treadwell who wishes her to write a book on the history of the Treadwell Foundation. As Verity begins to unravel Treadwell Foundation's past, she discovers a shady background that seems to go back more than fifty years. The Treadwell foundation and family have been covering up what's been really going on, but can Verity get this information out and stop them from continuing to hide the truth?

I thought this book was interesting, but the mystery was a bit lacking for me. I knew exactly what was happening, but the book was so long that it took a while to get there. I'm not sure if reading this one would've been better than listening, but the audiobook is over 10 hours long and I listen on 1.5x speed. For that reason I went from really enjoying it to just liking it.

Verity is a would-be journalist until she loses her job to the returning soldiers. But, this does not stop her from going after a story. When she receives a costume and an invite to an esteemed ball, she jumps at the chance to write a story. However, this mysterious evening turns into much more than she bargained for.

Verity is a good character. She is determined to be a writer. And in this time period, that is a big challenge. Women are supposed to marry, have children and keep the home. This is not a part of Verity’s talents! So, I did admire her gumption!

This novel is unique in its subject matter, time period and setting. Now, I am not going to lie, I almost DNF it more than once, especially at the beginning. And it could be that I have read a few “sweet” books lately and I need a bit more action than this book offered. But it does get better, especially where the hunt for Charlie is concerned. (You will need to read this to find out!) And I did enjoy learning about the history of basically selling babies. I just don’t understand the cruelty of some people. Greed is a powerful thing!

The narrator, Emily Barrett, is not one I have listened to very often. I really enjoyed her voice and her cadence.

Need a unique historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I had to sit with this book for several days after finishing it to develop my thoughts on it. When I finished the book it felt underwhelming, though decently satisfying at the end. It's an interesting part of history, though not handled with as much nuance as it could. The book attempts to balance three POVs set in two different time periods. The more modern narrative works well to create intrigue around the past but the inclusion of one of the POVs in the past felt superfluous. The character's POV, which the book's title refers to, feels unneeded and more like a distraction to pad the pages than a character one needs to be in the head of. Ultimately the book feels less like it's trying to tell a compelling story that reveals true history and delves into the more cheap, salacious nature these stories can easily become. It feels truly well-intentioned as a story but not enough to recommend it when there are so many other stories about the tragic separation of unwed mothers and their babies out there.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book but I think that's b/c I was listening to the audio and it had so many characters and the timeline kept jumping forward and back. Once I got into the book it was great! I knew something was going to happen to Charlie at some point but kidnapping?! I love that Verity was not going to be held back and did what she needed to do to solve the mystery! This was my 1st book by Tea Cooper but will not be my last!

#TheButterflyCollector
#NetGalley

This was a really refreshing historical fiction book! I loved the setting and dual timelines. Great audiobook as well

The book had my attention for the first 25%, and it reminded me quite a bit of a Kate Morton novel. I loved the Australian setting and dual timelines.

However, after the beginning, I found the plot to be quite slow and my interest waned. Overall, this story wasn't fast paced enough for me.

Book Review
Title: The Butterfly Collector
Author: Tea Cooper
Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Narrator: Emily Barrett
Length: 10 hours, 43 minutes
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Butterfly Collector is a historical mystery written by the Australian author, Tea Cooper. The audio version was capably narrated by Emily Barrett whose youthful and breathy delivery captured just the right pace and presentation.

The story unfolds in dual time lines. Here’s the set up:

Morpeth, New South Wales, 1968 - Theodora Breckinridge, the daughter of a famous naturalist, is an aspiring nature illustrator striving to make a name for herself. Theodora discovers a species of butterfly never before seen in Australia. She appears to be at the point of a breakthrough when her maid Clarrie's baby goes missing.

Sidney, New South Wales, 1922 - As serviceman return home from the war needing employment, Verity Binks loses her job as a stenographer at the Sydney Arrow. On the same day she finds herself unemployed, Verity is surprised to receive an anonymous package containing a paid ticket to the Sydney Artists’ Masquerade Ball along with a mask and a magnificent butterfly costume. While at the ball, Verity is introduced to the esteemed Mr. Treadwell who commissions her to write the history of the Treadwell Foundation, a charity dedicated to aiding young women who find themselves in “disgrace.” As we alternate timelines, we unwind the twisty connections that lay between Theodora and Verity, decades old secrets are unraveled and painful truths are confronted.

The Butterfly Collector is a satisfying mystery unveiling tragic truths of Victorian society, politics, and women’s struggles with reproductive expectations and rights across social classes. (DM if you have concerns about triggers.) The novel is well researched, and its characters are well developed. While the ending got a bit cluttered with its final revelations, I’d recommend The Butterfly Collector to lovers of historical fiction and mystery, who wish to be transported to a different place and time.

I’d like to thank the author @Tea_Cooper, @HarperMuse and @NetGalley Audio for the gift of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Look for it! Pub Date: 28 Nov 2023

I tried several times to get into this book but it just wasn’t for me. I think it would appeal to readers who like sweet period pieces that move at a quiet pace. I think I was expecting more of a twisty mystery, that just happened to be set in a historical era and found the pace much to slow. Love the cover of this book!

I found this very difficult to stay with. I kept falling asleep and I didn’t like the storyline. I couldn’t seem to connect with either the story or the characters. It just wasn’t for me.

I struggled to get into the one. The audiobook was hard to follow. I might try to physical book at a later time, but this wasn't a favorite. Though what a compelling premise.

Excellent historical fiction about real events in Australian history! In 1868, Clarry is a young unmarried pregnant woman who is fired from her housekeeping job once her condition becomes apparent. Her attentive and loving boyfriend, Sid works for a newspaper and finds a midwife to take Clarry in and care for baby Charlie once Clarry secures employment as a companion for Theodora, a young woman who is estranged from her sisters following the tragic deaths of their parents and brother in a shipwreck. To her sisters’ dismay, Theodora is more interested in studying and painting butterflies than in societal expectations.
In 1922, Verity is trying to follow in her grandfather Sid’s footsteps and become a journalist in spite of her gender. When Verity stumbles upon a lead for a story about babies being stolen and either killed or adopted out for the previous 50 years, she sees her breakthrough into serious journalism and finds out that the stories are connected to her own past.
I found this audio book to be very entertaining and I think the book will be just as good. The dual timeframes were well written and the characters well developed. The unfolding of a mystery along with interesting history really added to the book. I appreciated the author’s note about her research and the interesting facts around the discovery of Monarch butterflies in Australia as well as the horrendous “baby farms”. I enjoyed the audio book so much that I finished it in 2 days!
#NetGalley #HarperMuse

This was an interesting book which covered various topics and I really enjoyed it I would recommend this book for others who enjoy cozy picture

The Butterfly Collector by Tea Cooper takes place between 1868, Morpeth and 1922, Sydney. Theodora Breckenridge an aspiring artist who discovers the first Monarch butterfly sighting in Australia. As Theodora searches for more butterflies she get swept up with Sid Binks and his girlfriend Clarrie, who just gave birh to Charlie. Clarrie is hired by Theodora as a her maid and to help her find more of the butterflies. In 1922 Verity Binks is sent a mysterious package and an inventation to attend a gala. Her goal is to write an article for the local newspaper with the hopes of getting her old job back. Verity is commensioned to write an article about the Treadwell Foundation. Once she starts her investigation/research she finds that the Treadwell Foundation is not what meets the eye. This is a fast read and I could wait until all the pieces fell into place at the end. Anyone who loves a good historical mystery book will love this one. If you love Kate Morton's books you will love Tea Cooper's books.

I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version of The Butterfly Collector. I thought it was a pretty good historical mystery. I liked it and am giving it four stars.

It is worth the ending! When first starting this book I felt a bit disjointed with the two stories in two different times, and was not sure if I would enjoy it. But, the way the author pulled together the two stories was done extremely well. Once you have ajustes to the switching of times the book is incredibly enjoyable. The pacing is well done and you find yourself slowly unraveling the mystery of the story like a butterfly unraveling its cocoon.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

2.5 stars

Two time lines, one conclusion...this one just was not for me.