What's Inside?
A signed book - 'The Butterfly Women' by Madeleine Cleary.
A candle - Taking inspiration from the signature scent of Madame Laurent, this Violet fragrance is a blend of Violet, Bergamot, Vanilla and Lime.
An alcoholic beverage - Brunswick Aces Spades Gin & Tonic - As Gin is the drink of choice by the people of “Little Lon” it felt only fitting to pair a Gin & Tonic with this novel. These beverages are distilled and created in Brunswick, Victoria.
or a non-alcoholic beverage - Brunswick Aces Spades 0% Gin & Tonic - As Gin is the drink of choice by the people of “Little Lon” it felt only fitting to pair a Non-Alcoholic Gin & Tonic with this novel. These beverages are distilled and created in Brunswick, Victoria.
A bookmark - Embedded with Native Daisy seeds, sow 3mm deep in well drained soil, leave plenty of room to grow and enjoy white daisy flowers in Spring and Summer.
A surprise - Hunted & Gathered Gin Chocolate - Created in collaboration with Four Pillars, this bar is 70% cacao and contains spent botanicals and gin-steamed oranges from their distillations, dried, ground, and then mixed into premium dark chocolate.
About the book...
It's 1863, and Melbourne is transitioning from a fledgling colony to a thriving, gold-fuelled metropolis. But behind its shiny new faade, 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.
About the author...
Madeleine is from Naarm/Melbourne and lives at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges with 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 Romeo Lane.
Madeleine served as an Australian diplomat in China. Before joining the Public Service, Madeleine spent five years working in bookshops where she met her husband.
When not working or writing, Madeleine is reading, bush walking, eating, travelling, or spending time with her family and friends.
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