The Butterfly Women

‘Impeccably researched and beautifully told, The Butterfly Women is a daring novel that gives voice to the silenced women of early Melbourne - women who were maligned, judged and buried under layers of mainstream history. Weaving a marvellous, and oft dark tale, that doesn’t hesitate to expose class and cultural differences, as well as trenchant sexism, misogyny and racism, Madeleine Cleary breaks down an imposing door and, invoking the ghosts and monsters of other places and times, beckons the reader to follow her into Australia’s hidden past. Go with her - you won’t regret it.’ Karen Brooks
‘A beautifully researched and unforgettable Aussie tale.’ * Take 5 *
‘Madeleine Cleary threads fictional mystery and romance into a grim but fascinating chapter of Australia’s hardscrabble past, bringing to richly detailed life the women so often overlooked by history.’ * The Canberra Times *
‘Absorbingly written and impeccably researched.’ * The Australian *
‘Think Pride & Prejudice where Lizzie is a sex-worker and Darcy an upper-class magistrate, with Jack the Ripper lurking in the shadows.’ * The Herald Sun/The Daily Telegraph *
‘This page turning work of historical fiction illuminates stories that were ignored — essential reading for anyone interested in Australia’s complex social history.’ * WellBeing Magazine *
‘Cleary’s approach to writing about Papillon and about prostitution is refreshingly balanced.’ * The AU Review *
‘The Butterfly Women is a love letter to the rich history of Melbourne. You can see it bleed through in every page.’ * ArtsHub *
‘I had to keep reading until the very last page!’ * Better Reading *
‘A gripping page-turner … authors like Cleary are bringing archival recovery into the mainstream.’ * Honi Soit *

Madeleine Cleary is a writer and podcaster. Her debut novel, The Butterfly Women, inspired by her discovery of a connection to the thieves and prostitutes of colonial Melbourne, was shortlisted for the 2025 Dymocks Book of the Year. Her writing has been shortlisted for The Australian Fiction Prize and featured in The Australian Weekend Magazine. Madeleine is the co-host of The Book Deal Podcast, where she interviews other writers about their pathways to publication.

Madeleine is a former bookseller and served as an Australian diplomat in China, and now lives at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges with her husband.

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