Following the news a few weeks ago that Australian author Kerry Greenwood had passed away, I had a quick look at my spreadsheet where I record all my books read and realised that it had been more than 15 years since I read an instalment in her Phryne Fisher series. I had just finished listening to a very long audiobook. I therefore decided to listen to the next book, the 11th book in the series, as it would be a complete change of pace and a relatively quick listen.
When the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher is called in my her friend Detective Inspector Jack Robinson to visit the scene of an unexpected death, her real qualifications are just that she is a woman. Jack wants her to take a look around the very pink room, filled with fairies and the like, and see if anything seems amiss. However, once the autopsy results come in, it changes into a murder investigation.
The victim, Miss Lavender, wasn't particularly liked either in the apartment complex she lived in or where she worked. She was someone who liked to know everyone's business and wasn't afraid to use it against them if it is suited her. It turns out that there was some crossover as some of the people who lived in the complex also worked at the ladies magazine as writers. The only thing to be done is for Phryne to start working at the magazine to see what she could find out. Yes, Miss Fisher got a job! Shocking!
The murder investigation is not the only thing that Phryne has going on. Her Chinese lover Lin Chung has gone missing after going to Hong Kong on a business trip and Phryne is worried enough to reach out to his family who disapprove of her. When she receives a gruesome package, she knows that it is time to swing into action, regardless of the danger she might face, especially given that it begins to look like she might be going up against pirates.
One of the things I loved about revisiting this series is the fact that it is set in 1920s Melbourne and the book is sprinkled liberally with mentions of roads and suburbs that I am very familiar with. Of course, they look very different now than they would have done but I could trace Phryne's movements on a map quite easily if I wanted to!
I was also able to easily reacquaint myself with all of the characters from the detective, to Phyrne's adopted daughters and not to forget Dot, Phryne's right hand woman.
The previous book I had listened to had been narrated by Richard Armitage, which is my idea of aural bliss, and it did take me a bit to get used to the narration in this book. By the end though I was enjoying the performance. It didn't take me long to get back into Phryne's world. It certainly didn't feel like 15 years, and I would like to think it won't be 15 years before I read the next one in the series. Who knows what mischief Phryne will get up to in the next book!
I am sharing this review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here.
Rating 4/5
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