It's 1863, and Melbourne is transitioning from a fledgling colony to a thriving, gold-fuelled metropolis. But behind its shiny new façade, the real Melbourne can be found in the notorious brothels of Little Lon, where rich and poor alike can revel all night.
For poor Irishwoman Johanna Callaghan, a job at the glamorous Papillon brothel 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 Harriet 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.