The Butterfly Collector in Aussie Readers

Oct 24, 2022 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: aussie-authors, sent-by-publisher, net-galley, 3500-2022, read-on-kindle, reviewing-by-request, 2022-release, uncorrected-proof, historical-mystery, arc

1868 and Clarrie and Sid were sweethearts when Clarrie realised she was pregnant. Sid would stand beside her, working everything out so Clarrie wasn't left destitute. Maud was a midwife and would assist with Clarrie's birth, then the lay-in period, and when Clarrie found work at the Breckenridge home as an all purpose maid, helping out Theodora as well as working in the house, they were happy. Sid worked at the local newspaper office - "The Morpeth Want" - and visited his newborn son as often as ...more

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Nov 04, 2022 Helen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-copy-from-netgalley

I loved this story so very much, from start to finish Tea Cooper took me on a journey back in two time lines, to follow the story of a twisty historical mystery involving gorgeous butterflies and wonderful characters that I loved, come along for the fascinating trip, you will not want to put this one down.

1869 Morpeth which is a small river town close to The Hunter Valley, Theodora Breckenridge is in morning after loss her parents and older brother in a ship wreck, but her three sisters decide i I loved this story so very much, from start to finish Tea Cooper took me on a journey back in two time lines, to follow the story of a twisty historical mystery involving gorgeous butterflies and wonderful characters that I loved, come along for the fascinating trip, you will not want to put this one down.

1869 Morpeth which is a small river town close to The Hunter Valley, Theodora Breckenridge is in morning after loss her parents and older brother in a ship wreck, but her three sisters decide it is time to make a trip to Sydney but Theodora is much happier staying at home and working on her research about butterflies and do her painting, she is very excited about discovering a butterfly that has never been seen in Australia and is determined find out much more about it. Hiring a new maid Clarrie to help at home is a bonus as they become close and Clarrie is a lot of help, but Clarrie has a baby who is being cared for by a local midwife and when he goes missing there are lots of questions that need answering. Will Sid the baby’s father find their son and uncover the truth?

1922 Sydney, Verity Binks has wanted to become a correspondent and follow in her father and grandfathers footsteps when she is sent a beautiful butterfly costume and an invitation to the Sydney Artist Masquerade Ball anonymously on the day she has just lost her job at The Sydney Arrow newspaper, this is a mystery but one that Verity is determined to get to the bottom of and arrives and meets Mr. Treadwell and is asked to write an article about the history of The Treadwell Foundation, an institute that supports and helps young girls in disgrace, or does it, what will Verity find when she digs deep a mystery that goes back more than fifty years with links to her past as well.

Tea Cooper has again researched so well and added fact and fiction together to bring her readers a brilliant story, a story that digs deep into the past and has Verity uncovering information about baby farming and Theodore finding the elusive Monarch butterfly, there is mystery, secrets and friendships all wound together to make this a compelling story that had me up late last night. I loved the characters Verity, Theodora, Clarrie and Sid and also Redmond and Arlo all were easy to get to know and made this story fabulous, my thanks MS Cooper for another keeper, this is one that I highly recommend.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy to read and review.
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Dec 22, 2022 Rina rated it really liked it

Many years ago, Tea Cooper’s ‘The Woman in the Green Dress’ introduced me to the world of historical fiction. Since then, I had read numerous historical fictions that were so well written. I was nervous going into this one, as I wasn’t sure if Cooper’s writing would still amaze me the way it did before. I shouldn’t have worried, because it did!

Using the vehicle of dual timeline, 1868 and 1922, this book introduced us to two fascinating women, Theodora Breckenridge and Verity Binks. Theodora was Many years ago, Tea Cooper’s ‘The Woman in the Green Dress’ introduced me to the world of historical fiction. Since then, I had read numerous historical fictions that were so well written. I was nervous going into this one, as I wasn’t sure if Cooper’s writing would still amaze me the way it did before. I shouldn’t have worried, because it did!

Using the vehicle of dual timeline, 1868 and 1922, this book introduced us to two fascinating women, Theodora Breckenridge and Verity Binks. Theodora was more interested in painting nature and discovering butterflies rather than finding suitors and getting settled, while Verity found her independence in the form of bicycle and determined to write a worthy article, despite having to lose her job to the returning soldiers. Soon, Verity stumbled onto the path of Theodora’s life when she was sent a butterfly costume and invitation to the Sydney Artists’ Masquerade Ball.

I was hooked right from the start. Both Verity and Theodora were strong, independent women who pursued their ambitions despite of society expectations; the kind of heroines I love in books! The mystery of the butterfly costume was so gripping - I couldn’t stop turning the pages because I wanted to see the connection between the invitation and Theodora’s butterfly study.

The inclusion of Australia’s best real-life scientific illustrators, the Scott sisters (Harriet and Helena), as characters in the book was also great. I love it when a work of fiction manages to captivate you so much that you decide to go down the rabbit hole of researching the non-fiction part of the setting!

While the story was mostly plot-driven, I thought the characters were well-written; they were wholesome and loveable. The dialogues were easy to follow, while staying true to the time period’s way of speaking.

At the end of the book, I thought that the butterfly symbolism was appropriate for its metaphor on transformation, rebirth and hope.

(Thanks to Better Reading Australia and Harlequin Australia for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)

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