Molly (Rosalie Ham)

It's 1914 and the world is on the brink of transformation. There are rumbles of war in distant lands and Melbourne's streets are full of women fighting for the right to vote, to equal pay, to live full and satisfying lives.

Molly Dunnage is a modern woman and she wants to see change, at home, at work and in underwear. Her burgeoning corsetry business is starting to take off, thanks to some high-profile supporters. She's marching with the suffragists for better conditions for women everywhere. And her family - her eccentric, confounding, adored father and aunt - are turning their minds to country retirement.

But as the clouds of war gather and an ominous figure starts skulking in the shadows of her life, Molly's dreams start to falter. Then, when true love drops out of the sky and into her arms, her hopes for her life and the world are entirely upended.

This prequel to the internationally bestselling The Dressmaker introduces us to the strong-willed, clear-eyed and straight-talking Molly Dunnage. With the dark humour, richly detailed settings and vividly drawn characters we've come to expect from Rosalie Ham's luminous writing, this is an unforgettable story of hopes lost, love found and corsets loosened.