The latest novel by Fiona Kelly McGregor brings to life the gritty underbelly of 1930s Sydney through the eyes of Iris Webber – once described as the most violent woman in the burgeoning harbourside city.

Inspired by a true story, meticulously researched and peppered with the vivid vernacular of the era, Iris reveals the daily struggle experienced by so many in Depression-era Australian cities and towns, and the desperate acts they carried out just to survive.

From a grimy prison cell, awaiting sentence on a charge of murder, to the days and nights eking out a living as a prostitute, petty thief and busker on the mean streets of Darlinghurst and Surry Hills, Iris’s story is one of drudgery, depravation, deception and violence – but, somehow, there’s still room for friendship, laughter, dancing and love.

With the men in her life vacillating between incompetence, manipulation and extreme acts of aggression, it is the women she encounters on the streets, in the bawdy houses and in the dance halls and night clubs, who provide a reason to endure the relentless privation and a glimpse of beauty amid the ugliness.

This is a captivating tale, expertly told, with McGregor deftly evoking sympathy, empathy and a genuine affection for a real-life character who challenged convention and defied the law. A screen adaptation would be a joy to behold.

Reviewed by Maureen Eppen