Around 10 years ago now (or maybe longer), I did a walking tour of Melbourne which focussed on the lane ways of Melbourne. The lane ways are something that Melbourne prides itself on, and there are all sorts of different worlds down these lanes, from gigantic living walls to huge murals, graffiti walls, and plenty of signs of history. During the tour we were shown how if you look up, you can often see the history. It may be in the form of the pulley arms that are still present where goods were hauled up into warehouses, or an ornate ceiling that has been protected in an old arcade that where the other shops have been modernised. Looking down, you might see the beams on the side of buildings which are there to protect the walls from a horse and carriage bumping into it, or a water trough that has been there for many, many years.

Sometimes, though, you need to look harder to find the hidden history of the city, and The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary is a book which brings this hidden or forgotten history to life. Set in 1863, this book shines a light on the dark corners of the area around Little Lon. This is an area where the poorest of the poor lived, where women in particular have to do anything they can to make ends meet. It is also the area where the high class brothels are, where the dressed girls provide entertainment to the great and good of society, behind the closed doors of establishments like Papillon. This era is a very interesting time historically. After being founded in 1835, the city of Melbourne grew exponentially when gold was found in surrounding regions in the early 1850s. It was very rapid growth, and undoubtedly came with some growing pains.

The story is predominantly told through the voices of four fascinating women. Johanna Callaghan is an Irish woman who is found in a terrible condition after being beaten. The woman who found her is Mary Jenkins, who dresses in her husband's police uniform and patrols the streets around Little Lon. And then there is Madam Catherine Laurent who owns Papillon. She knows many secrets of her clients, men are publicly respectable who would rather not have the public know the truth, but who can be useful to Madam Laurent when she needs them. The final voice is that of Harriet Gardiner. She is a refined upstanding woman who has no reason to get involved with the goings on at Papillon, but she is driven by curiosity and the desire for truth. As a journalist she wants to do more than write stories about fashion and society events. She wants to tell meaningful stories about those in society who do not have a voice.

The truth is that the streetwalkers of Little Lon are being murdered, one by one. Despite the fact that there have been several deaths, the police aren't interested and the newspapers are not reporting the story. So it is up to the four women to try and find out what is going on and to catch up a murderer. Eventually the police are forced to acknowledge that their is a serial killer in their midst. The newspapers start sharing the story through articles from someone known only as The Vagabond. Could The Vagabond be the murderer? He certainly seems to know a lot.

There is so much going on in this book. Beyond the obvious murder mystery, we also see what the lives of women were like, from the poorest of the poor to the protected upper classes.

Johanna begins working as a servant at Papillon, but she knows that this is never going to bring her enough money to become respectable and so she wants to started working within the pleasure house, no matter what the cost may be. Here she builds friendships with the women who support each other despite their varying backgrounds. It almost seems strange that someone would aspire to become a high class prostitute but it is a way out of desperate poverty that is open to her.

We also see racism again Irish with the No Irish Need Apply signs that are hung in businesses and against Chinese who are feared because they are different and are seen to be taking gold and jobs. The indigenous treatment is also very clear due to their very minimal presence on the page. Most of the indigenous people were moved out of the city to reserves away from society. The racism and sexism was also seen when people who had information that could help with the investigation were ignored because they were prostitutes, or women, or of a different ethnicity.

Many of the place names mentioned like Lonsdale Street are very familiar to modern Melburnians. We also get to see some of the events which continue to play a role in Melbourne now. For example, at one point, Johanna attends the third running of an annual horse race at Flemington racecourse. That race, the Melbourne Cup, is still running today and is a major event in Melbourne.

At it's heart this is a historical mystery, but don't make the mistake of thinking it is a cozy little mystery, because it is dark and gritty. So the question is does it work as a mystery? The answer for me was a resounding yes. There were a few red herrings along the way, but when the case is finally solved I was able to see how the clues had been there all along. It also worked as a strong piece of historical fiction set in the city I call home. I found this to be a very intriguing and engrossing read and I am pleased that I read it.

This story is made all the more interesting given that the author's own family history includes a brothel owner. The family made every effort to become gentrified over the years so the fact that this was in the history was only discovered relatively recently. I am going to an author event soon and I am looking forward to hearing more about this.

Next time I am in the part of the city where this book is set, I will be certainly looking at it differently.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge that I host. This was also one of the books I nominated to read as part of 20 Books of Winter. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

Madeleine's debut novel, The Butterfly Women is a sure-fire winner - I loved it. Melbourne in 1863 is growing exponentially thanks to the discovery of gold, however, all that glitters is not gold. This shiny new façade conceals the real Melbourne where the notorious red-light district of Little Lon is found. Brothels are attended by rich and poor alike and the most glamorous among them is Papillon, home to the most alluring women in the city. A murderer is stalking the streets of Little Lon including the Butterfly women - it must be stopped.

‘We may resemble pretty little butterflies, Captain, but we have been in more fights and know these streets better than your men.’

Reading about the Melbourne of this era was absolutely fascinating. Combine that with memorable women and a page turning murder mystery and I couldn’t put it down. The story is told through the voices of four women: Johanna an Irish ‘dressed’ woman, Catherine the brothel owner, Mary who police patrols the streets in her husband's uniform and Harriet a respected journalist. All these women’s lives interconnect as together they work towards trying to get by in a man’s world. It was so engrossing to read about my city from a time long past. A stunning debut filled with twists and turns and all from a feminist lens.

‘For while John and many of the town’s men failed to find their fortunes on the goldfields, Catherine and the women they’d left behind found theirs in the boarding houses and brothels of this dusty town.’

The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary

I requested this book because I'd seen some online buzz about how the book was inspired, which I found really interesting; Madeline's father had researched his family tree and discovered links to a well-known madam in the early white settlement of Melbourne. This research inspired Madeleine to write a fictionalised account of their lives, ending in The Butterfly Women.

Set in 1863 in Melbourne's notorious red-light district of Little Lon (the back alleys within the square formed by Spring Street, Lonsdale Street, Stephen Street and Little Lonsdale Street. The Butterfly Women is Part Australian historical fiction, part crime thriller, told by the voices of 4 women:
Catherine, or Madam Laurent, madam of the most glamorous brothel in Little Lon, Papillon.
Johanna, an Irish immigrant, finds herself a job as a maid at Papillon, but she dreams of a much more glamorous life.
Mary, who impersonates her husband as a police officer on the nights he's too drunk to patrol the streets himself.
And Harriett, who comes from a respectable family and is ambitious to be a 'real' journalist, is only offered the society pages.

After each death at the hands of the serial killer known as 'The Butcher', ' The Banshee' collects the stories of those who die at his hand.

Body count = Ten. If I counted correctly. Let's agree on ALOT. This is not a cosy mystery; this book is a gritty historical fiction and dark.

Thanks to Netgalley and Affirm Press for giving me the ARC of The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary to read and review. I really enjoyed it. Big thumbs up.

The Butterfly Women is out now.

An incredible debut novel by an Australian author. I absolutely devoured this book from start to finish. I love how the author took snippets from her ancestors and turned it into this dark and twisted novel. I think the mystery element kept this historical fiction alive, creating tense scenes, quick chapters, suspicious characters and a very ominous villain.
This book kept me guessing until the very end and just when I thought I had caught the killer - I was wrong.
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book, and hope you read more by Madeleine Cleary

It's 1863 and Johanna Callaghan, a poor Irish girl, is fortunate to find work as a maid in one of the most glamorous brothels in town. While she is grateful to have a roof over her head, she aspires to become one of the glamorous 'dressed ladies' who entertain the men who visit and when her beauty is recognized, she becomes the belle of the red light district. Meanwhile, Harriet Gardiner, a respectable woman, lives with her brothers and writes a society column for the local paper but she secretly dreams of being a real journalist and writing stories that matter. When someone begins stalking and killing the women of the red light district, Harriet wants to find the culprit and finally have her opportunity to write a real story. Under the guise of teaching Johanna to read and write, Harriet and Johanna are drawn into a dangerous game in an effort to find the killer.

A fabulously written story set in the red light district of late 1800s in Melbourne. The author's detailed research about life during this time is vividly brought to life, telling a story about women from this era who were often invisible to much of the world. This historical mystery/romance is woven together well with an intriguing plot including a few red herrings to keep the reader guessing at who the killer might be. A great debut and I hope to read more by this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Just—wow. This book was everything I didn’t realise I was craving in historical fiction. The depiction of Melbourne in 1863, and the lives of the women within it, was written with such affection that I couldn't put it down. The setting of House Papillon and Little Lon was given life through both the eyes of those who resented it and those who called it home. Cleary’s research shines throughout, with historical detail seamlessly woven into the unfolding mystery.

My favourite aspect of this story though was the women and their friendships. Each chapter offered a fresh perspective, revealing the harsh realities faced by women from different walks of life in the late 1800s. Mrs. Jenkins, Madame Laurent, and Brigette were all portrayed with wit, dreams, and depth. Johanna and Harriet, in particular, were stunning—a tentative, socially unacceptable friendship that proves vital in solving the murders on the streets of Little Lon. Cleary has written a beautiful blend of character arcs that give voice to the forgotten stories of women from the past. I will be reading this again!

We need Australian books and to support new Australian voices more than ever, and ones that deal with very specific slices of our history are really important, especially when you're dealing with underrepresented histories: women, sex workers, people living in poverty.

The Butterfly Women revolves around Little Lon, an infamously shady part of Melbourne back in the late 1800s. There's a killer on the loose, preying on the area's sex workers. The book offers unique protagonists and a vibrant location that feels like a character all on its own.

There's a thin line with historical fiction, between reproducing the bigotries of the time and seeming to condone them, that I think this book walks: it expects you to think critically about what you're reading rather than leading the reader by the hand, or pretending these attitudes and behaviours didn't exist.

An interesting read.

Madeleine Cleary's debut is something truly remarkable. Based on the women of Little Lon, you are instantly transported to 1800s Melbourne following women of all social standings as their lives are threatened by a killer roaming the slums.

I can't say I've read about this time in Melbourne's history, but reading this book has me fascinated. I was completely transported as I read and loved every moment of it.

This was definitely a fascinating read and a bit different than what I usually go for, as I'm not huge on historical fiction; but when I learnt it was set in Melbourne in the 1800's, I was so intrigued.

I think it's a fantastic debut for Madeleine Cleary, who writes this book loosely based on the experience of her ancestors. It was fascinating to see the story from the perspective of 5 women and seeing them grapple with the many challenges that being a women in the 1800s provided, but also how they were able to rise above it in so many ways and establish themselves as women who garnered respect despite their gender and social standing.

"The Butcher" who has been going around murdering women (especially sex workers), being tied in to Jack The Ripper was an interesting choice. I'll admit, I did see the reveal coming quite early on in the book but it was still fun to watch it unfold.

Would've loved to hear more about what happened to the other characters towards the end of the book - i.e William and Joanna, but I did like the idea that these women finally got the chance to have their stories told after all these years.

Thank you to Simon & Scheuster Australia and Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book.

A well-researched historical mystery, set in the 1960's as Melbourne is transitioning from a fledgling colony towards a metropolis. This story is set amongst the notorious brothels of Little Lon, at a time where women's lives are maligned, undervalued or silenced.

I enjoyed reading the struggles and triumphs from the perspective of our protagonists - poor Irishwoman Johanna, renowned Madame Catherine Laurent, disguised policewoman Mary, and journalist Harriet Gardiner.

The writing had me immersed in the search for the serial killer who was targeting women in Little Lon, while also considering the experiences of the characters depicted, despite the clashing of culture, personal circumstance and social class.

This is an incredible debut, and I am keen to read more from Madeleine Cleary in future!

The map is a brilliant addition and helped me to understand the context for the story. I also love that this story was inspired by the author's own family history.

With thanks to Madeleine Cleary, Affirm Press and NetGalley, for the ARC, to read in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. I absolutely love it when the author weaves well-researched facts into fictional stories and takes us back in time. What is particularly interesting about this book is that the author has taken experiences of her own family and weaved it into a thrilling and beautiful story. It’s not just historical fiction, it’s also a mystery and a romance.

Set in 1860s Melbourne, this book showcases the raw side of this city where in the red light area women are not safe. Women in general, during that time was looked down upon (I mean what has changed in 2025) and then women living in brothels did not even have the right to earn safety. Throw in a killer amidst that and everything turns to chaos. Two women, a journalist and a “lowly” woman now will have to search for this killer to ensure they don’t end up dead.

Really enjoyed it so much and loved the way the author portrayed the struggles of women! Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster AU for providing me with this ARC copy.

I'm not normally a historical fiction reader, so sex work was the sell for me to pick up a copy of The Butterfly Women. It's written by a non-sex worker, Madeleine Cleary, whose loose connection to the industry is relatives "who likely worked in a brothel in Romeo Lane (current day Crossley Street) near Bilking Square." You'll see her distance from sex workers in items like the reader questions buried at the end: "Can sex work ever be empowering or is it naturally exploitative?" It's also obvious in the trite little sections any time a worker is murdered that try to fill in what was lost in actual character development. I found these sections patronising. They seem to suggest that sex workers have motivations for acting that are not able understood by ordinary people. Yet aren't we all driven by doing what we need to do to survive, both as individuals and as mothers?

So a warning for sex workers, and people who love them, that the early part of this book spends a lot of time in demeaning and derogatory language: "You hated your body and what you did to survive." The author buys into the hierarchy between different types of sex work: "They are dressed girls, not streetwalkers. The men who visit Papillon are respectable not dangerous." It perpetuates myths about bodies wearing out: "But in the future, when your beauty fades and your body tires, do you still think men like Garrott will dress you in silk and pour you Champagne?"

Eventually you get to the point where the author finally realises sex workers "lived remarkably independent lives for the time" through the character of Johanna, but I don't think it quite sinks in that it could be a choice, a deliberate sacrificing of reputation for freedom. I mean, I'd much rather be Johanna than Harriett, even though Harriett has a better than most life as a journalist...

I think the book owes a big debt to Sarah Waters lifting women cross dressing for access to freedom and writing about Melbourne's laneways in Little Lon as being a local answer to St. Giles. It felt like a Melbourne version of something I'd read before, and telegraphed the murderer though harping upon unaccounted time over and over again...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Women.
Madeline Cleary did a great job of weaving fiction into to history, with parts based on her own family history.. The reader has been rewarded with a fantastic story of women’s struggles in the mid 1800’s in the seedier parts of Melbourne. It was intriguing read & to see it all unfold was testament to the author’s clever writing. I found the approach told primarily from the women’s perspective to be really empowering.
I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC for an honest review.

The Butterfly Women follows the dark and twisted life in Melbourne around the 1860s. In the city that is fast growing and developing, the heart of Melbourne can be found in a brother house in Little Lon. When murders start to appear in the streets, the sinister side of the city starts to be revealed.

As a fantasy girlie who lovess seeing maps in books, how I yelp when I open the book and saw the map of Melbourne, made me so weirdly happy HA. The author gives fresh voice to the history of the lives of people, especially women, at the time. The book dive deep in difficult topics like sexism, social classist, racism. If you love feeling big emotions, roller coaster read, you will need to save this book for when it comes out.

4.25 stars!
thank you netgalley and simon & schuster for the opportunity to read to an early copy of this book.

this is an incredible story to follow and Cleary sets the scene of 1860's melbourne incredibly. and the women's stories that she tells are all so different, yet so similar and intertwine beautifully. i was hooked from the very first line, "the woman seated in death's shadow is the youngest in his flutter".

i really enjoyed the commentary on the society at that time and how women were looked down on for activities that men could partake in without a blink of an eye. i felt that the quote "as women we earn our own income and we run our own businesses. most have others who depend on un. if i could somehow change things so women could earn a decent income with the use of their bodies, than of course i would..." really showed what the book was discussing and how women had to take their fate and lives of themselves and their family into their own hands.

i really enjoyed this book, and loved the women and the mystery storyline that we followed throughout!! what an incredible way to tell the stories of so many people and stories that may have been forgotten in the years since.

Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Butterfly Women in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Such a good read.
Australia in 1863 comes alive in the readers imagination. The comparison of women living in Melbourne, the disparity of their role in society, is evident in this telling. Throw in the hunt for a killer, and you have a read that will keep you up until you reach the final page.
Well worth a read.