Tuesday Evenings with the Copeton Craft Resistance
A tender, funny novel where yarn, friendship, and quiet rebellion come together
I stumbled across this audiobook at my local library, having never heard of the author before. But when I saw that it was set in Australia, centred around a crochet group, and had a solid 4.04 rating on Storygraph, I was intrigued. And yes—I was hooked (pun absolutely intended).
Described as a story of friendship, community, and yarn-based subterfuge, this polyphonic ensemble novel delivers on every stitch. It introduces us to a wonderfully diverse cast of characters, each bringing their own threads of humour, heartache, and resilience to the Copeton Craft Resistance (also known as the CCC):
Meredith, the control freak with no patience for men, who starts the group for companionship—though she’d never admit it.
Claire, an overwhelmed mother of five who uses crochet as both sanctuary and survival strategy.
Yasmin, a pregnant Muslim woman crafting for her baby while grappling with systemic racism and the daunting leap into motherhood.
Edith, an elderly woman grieving the quiet loss of her closest friends, who finds unexpected warmth and connection in the CCC.
Luke, Edith’s gentle, reluctant grandson, who learns to crochet and discovers something more.
Harper, the edgy young woman with a hidden story and a stunning creative gift.
Lottie, the group’s non-stop talker—who, somehow, still manages to get her rows done, or so we think.
Kate Solly weaves their stories together with empathy, insight, and plenty of humour. There were moments that made me laugh out loud, but more often, I found myself quietly rooting for these characters as they stitched their lives—messy, beautiful, complicated—into something stronger together. What begins as a casual craft group becomes a gentle, collective resistance: proof that small, thoughtful acts can ripple outward into something meaningful.
The audiobook, narrated by Rebecca Macauley, is well done. Her portrayals of the children’s voices are uncanny—almost too realistic at times—but in scenes involving Claire and her family, they brought an added layer of warmth and chaos that fit beautifully.
If you enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction with warmth, wit, and a socially conscious thread running through it—think The Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books or The Authenticity Project—this one is worth adding to your list. In Canada, it’s only available as an ebook or audiobook. I got mine through the Libby app.