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The Women in Black cover art

The Women in Black

Written by: Madeleine St. John
Narrated by: Deidre Rubenstein
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Publisher's Summary

From the Booker-shortlisted-author of The Essence of the Thing comes a great novel, a lost Australian classic. Written by a superb novelist of contemporary manners, The Women in Black is a fairy tale which illuminates the extraordinariness of ordinary lives.

The women in black are run off their feet, what with the Christmas rush and the summer sales that follow. But it's Sydney in the 1950s, and there's still just enough time left on a hot and frantic day to dream and scheme... By the time the last marked-down frock has been sold, most of the staff of the Ladies' Cocktail section at F. G. Goode's have been launched into slightly different careers.

With the lightest touch and the most tender of comic instincts, Madeleine St. John conjures a vanished summer of innocence.
©1994 Madeleine St.John (P)2009 Bolinda
Historical Fiction
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What the critics say

A little gem...shot through with old-fashioned innocence and sly humour." ( Vogue)
"A highly sophisticated work, full of funny, sharp and subtle observations...a small masterpiece." ( Sunday Times, London)

What listeners say about The Women in Black

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The Women in black

It is seldom that I find a book that I don’t want to end. This is such a book. I felt like I was part of the group of characters.

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Witty and bright

Loved this novel! It is a high quality literally work written in an easy to digest fashion with a fabulous and lively narration!

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Charming.

Charming. I smiled all the way through. The performance was stellar. I hope to read the others by this author.

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