The potato factory

First book in the fictional trilogy that spans the history of Australia. This is the story of Ikey Solomon, the true character on whom Charles Dickens patterned his villain Fagin. Ikey, his brothel mistress-wife Hannah, and Ikey's sometime mistress Mary Abacus are all transported as criminals to Van Dieman's Land. Raising two separate families, each with the surname Solomon, the two women set out to destroy each other. The author is well known for his books which include 'The Power of One', 'Tandia' and 'April Fool's Day'.