Away with the Fairies by Kerry Greenwood

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

Coming Soon: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

As as an established fan of the Phryne Fisher mysteries by Kerrie Greenwood, I was very pleased to hear that the series was being adapted for TV.

The series will be shown starting later in February (24th to be exact!) on Australian TV, and now we have a trailer to watch too!




Hat tip to Joanne from Booklover Book Reviews for pointing out the trailer!

Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood

Super-sleuth Phryne Fisher is sojourning at Cave House, a Gothic mansion in the heart of Gippsland mountain country. But she soon discovers that her host is receiving death threats, someone is setting lethal traps and the parlourmaid has been strangled to death. It seems Phryne is up to her neck in danger.

How does this connect with a pair of young lovers, an extremely eccentric swagman and an angry outcast heir? Just who is responsible for the mysterious funerary urns which keep appearing around the house? And how can she make time for the luscious Lin Chung?

Phryne's search draws her deep into the darkest dungeons of the house and of the limestone Buchan cavers. Who knows what she will unearth this time.

When Phryne is invited to a house party at Cave House in the Gippsland area outside of Melbourne, she takes along her current beau, Lin Chung, and their servants, the ever faithful Dot and the ever resourceful Li Pen who is Lin Chung's bodyguard. The fact that Lin is Chinese is something of a shock to the guests who are all from the upper echelon's of Melbourne society, and Phryne and Lin have to deal with the not so hidden racism of the time.

Even before the Fisher party arrive at the gothic Cave House there is drama when Phryne hears a gun shot and then they see a young woman emerge from the bush screaming. What Phryne doesn't realise is that she has been invited for a specific reason. The host is being threatened with letters, and it isn't long before Phryne finds that matters are escalating with a number of more lethal traps being set within the grounds. Like Phryne, many of the guests are at the house for a reason, and it is only as the book progresses that everyones agendas are unveiled piece by piece and layer by layer. The group dynamics are affected by a couple of major events. The first is that the river that is near the property is on the rise, and the house guests are all trapped together until the rains cease and the river goes down. There are also the small matters of the mysterious urns that keep on being moved from one place to another, the people who seem to want to get into Phryne's room at night, and the housemaid who has gone missing. Of the guests, Phryne is the only one who knows that the girl is already dead because she saw the body, but when she went to get the hosts the body had been moved and there is no sign of where it might be.

This book felt like a tribute to classic Agatha Christie. There is the house party, the guests who all have hidden links to other guests, the body that Phryne knows is there but that goes missing and it has to be said that Kerry Greenwood really manages to make these really classic mystery ideas feel fresh. The unveiling of the culprits is really very creepy and takes place in a very interesting place.

If there was one thing that did bother me it relates to Phryne's relationship with Lin Chung. She has always been a lover of beautiful young men, but in this book she also has relations with one of the other characters. Lin Chung obviously isn't pleased but it happens anyway. I suspect that the relationship is growing, but I don't really want to see this kind of thing continue. It is probably worth mentioning that the sex is a bit more obvious in this book than I remember it being in the earlier books. Not explicit by any stretch of the imagination just more there.

After being just a little disappointed in the last Phryne Fisher book this was a welcome return to form and I am totally looking forward to getting to the next book. As an added bonus, my interest has been piqued about the Gippsland area in which the book was set, including the Buchan Caves. I can't remember the last time I went into a cave - must be more than 20 years.

Once again, this isn't the cover that I had on the library book I read, but I do so love this new series of covers, and they do fit the series so well that I am just going to go ahead and post with this cover instead of looking for the one I have!

Ruddy Gore by Kerry Greenwood

Running late to a gala performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore, Phryne Fisher meets some thugs in dark alley and handles them convincingly before they can ruin her silver dress. She then finds that she has rescued the handsome Lin Chung, and his grandmother, who briefly mistake her for a deity.

Denying divinity but accepting cognac, she later continues safely to the theatre where her night is again interrupted by a bizarre death onstage.

What links can Phryne find between the ridiculously entertaining plot of Ruddigore, the Chinese community of Little Bourke St., or the actors treading the boards of His Majesty's Theatre?

Drawn backstage and onstage Phryne must solve an old murder and find a new murderer - and, of course, banish the theatre's ghost who seems likely to kill again.

Where the previous book in the series took place in the carnival and circus, this time Phryne is involved in a mystery in the theatre and in particular in a production of Ruddigore by Gilbert and Sullivan.

The book opens when Phryne and her friend Bunji are on their way to a night at the theatre and they interupt a mugging of an old Chinese woman and her handsome grandson, Lin Chung.

They continue onto the theatre, but to say that it is not an ordinary night is an understatement, because the main character dies on stage. In the grand tradition of the stage, the show must goes on, but when the understudy to the main character also feels ill, it is obvious that there are major problems at the production. With more deaths to follow, and the appearance of a ghost in the theatre there is plenty to keep Phryne busy. What unravels next is

I must confess that this one didn't work for me as well as a lot of the other Phryne Fisher novels did. I don't know if it was all the references to Gilbert and Sullivan that I didn't get, or something else, but it didn't hold my attention as well as normal. It probably is just about me, because when I check the Amazon reviews most other people love it.

The introduction of Lin Chung heralds what appears to be a pretty major change in Phryne's life. At first, it seems as though he is another of the parade of beautiful young men that Phryne fills her life with, but just reading through the author website and back cover copy for the next books in the series, it is obvious that Lin becomes a pretty major and regular character. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in relation to this aspect of the mysteries.

Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood

Phryne Fisher is bored. So when she is asked to investigate some strange goings-on in Farrell's Circus and Wild Beast Show, her curiosity gets the better of her. Stripped of her identity, wealth and privileges, Phryne takes a job as a trick horse-rider, wearing hand-me-downs and a new name.

But what connects the circus with the particularly nasty murder in Miss Witherspoon's house for paying gentlefolk? Or with the warfare between rival gangs on Brunswick Street? Piecing together the fragments from the seedy underworld of twenties Fitzroy and the eccentric life under the big top, Phryne proves her mettle yet again aided only by her wits, an oddly attractive clown, and a stout and helpful bear.

The Honorable Phryne Fisher is feeling somewhat bored with her life. Yes, she is wealthy with a steady stream of beautiful young men to keep her company, and lives a very glamourous life during the Roaring '20s but it doesn't seem to be enough.

When she is approached by 3 members of Farrell's Circus and Wild Beast Show to investigate the mysterious goings on at the circus, including the death of one of the circus freaks in a Brunswick boarding house, Phryne leaps at the chance to go undercover at the circus. She becomes one of the trick riders, the young women who stand on the back of the horses and perform tricks. Phryne has long been somewhat impulsive, and this decision is certainly an example of this, because for Phryne to fully investigate exactly what is going on at Farrell's she needs to go deep undercover, and that means that for the first time in many years Phyrne is going to be by herself. No servants, no friends to help her out if she gets in trouble, and it is inevitable that she is going to do so.

This book was a little different than the usual Phryne Fisher mystery. This book is more about the life of the circus performer and about Phryne being by herself than the mystery itself. For example, Phryne doesn't get directly involved in the murder investigation. She is more focusing on the circus and why a string of things have gone wrong. There is quite a lot of emphasis on the different social levels within the circus with the performers not meant to fraternise with the 'carnie' workers.

I did enjoy seeing Phryne show a more vulnerable side to herself, and found the ending to be a very interesting finish to another fun Phryne Fisher mystery.

When I look back at the grades that I have given to all of the books I have read in the series so far, the consistency of the writing and the stories told is very clear.

The above cover image is not the cover that I have (although I do love this whole series of covers for the rereleases!), which I can't find a picture of anywhere! It seems to be quite a common problem for me with this series because there are a couple of others that I haven't been able to find anywhere as well. Oh well. I do think these ones are much prettier than the versions I have so I won't go the bother of scanning the covers or anything like that.

The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood

In jazz 1920s Melbourne, the Green Mill is the hottest dance hall in town. But the glamourous Miss Phyrne Fisher finds there are hidden perils in dancing the night away. Like murder, blackmail, young me who vanish. And an overbearing mother whose motives for wanting her sons found looks decidedly suspicious.

Phyrne Fisher's fifth adventure leads to smoke-fill clubs, a dashingly handsome band leader, and some fancy flying indeed across the Australian Alps.

This is the fifth book in the Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood, and follows on from Death at Victoria Dock. Having read this many books in the series, there are a number of things that are a given. Phryne lives a very decadent lifestyle in many ways. There will be handsome young men, there will be some shocking (for the day) behaviour and she will of course find her man!

There were however some differences in this case. The story opens with Phryne dancing the night away at the Green Mill dance hall, at the end of a dance off. Things turn deadly however when one of the remaining dancers is murdered right in the middle of the dance floor it is a bit puzzling as to how it can possibly have been done. There were many witnesses, and no one saw anything. More puzzling is why Phryne's companion for the evening has done a runner!

Whilst solving the murder whilst undertaking a flirtation with one of the band members is on Phryne's agenda, it really is the search for her companion, Charles Freeman that is Phryne's paid assignment. What she find is that the seemingly upright family is full of secrets, and eventually leads her to search for Charles' brother Vic, who has chosen to live high in the Australian Alps as a virtual hermit.

What having Vic living in this location did allow is for Phryne to take her plane and fly up into the Alps, something that I found quite fascinating. The idea that to fly somewhere that takes five or six hours to drive to would have taken two refuels, whilst not surprising I guess, was quite eye opening because we take for granted that you can fly to Sydney in an hour from Melbourne!

This wasn't the strongest of the mysteries so far, but the book was still entertaining enough read. Onto the next one in the series!

Rating 4/5

Death at Victoria Dock by Kerry Greenwood

There are some things that Phryne Fisher finds intolerable. Having her windscreen shattered by a bullet as she is driving past Melbourne's Victoria Dock, for instance, or discovering that bullets from the same gun have entered the body of a beautiful seventeen year old. Not to mention the ruin of her fur and lingerie as she holds the dying, bleeding boy.

Outraged by these crimes against property (and the senseless waste of human life), Phryne swears she will track down the young man killer's, and in doing so stumbles across the plans for a bank robbery and possible massacre. Phryne delves into life among the Trotskyites, tattoo parlours, pubs and spiritualist halls of 1920s Melbourne. There she discovers Peter - the battle-scarred, sexy, Slavic ex-anarchist - who she turns to for comfort and information. But then her beloved maid Dot is kidnapped and nothing can distract Phryne from revenge.

I have a confession to make. I finished this book so long ago, and know that I really liked it when I read it, but don't know how much of the storyline that I can remember. I am trying to catch up on reviews, but then I keep on finishing more books than I review!

I guess one thing about mystery series as well is that there is an element of sameness in the stories in the series - it is in the detail that the plot gets the individuality to distinguish one book from on another, but I think that the back cover blurb shows just how detailed the plot for this one really is!

The books that I have read in this series so far have all been good, and I would recommend them! I promise to do better...I really do!

Part of the reason for really enjoying this series is its Melbourne locations. It's a fairly safe bet to say that Phryne wouldn't recognise Victoria Dock as it is today!

Rating: 4/5

Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood

When the 1920's most glamorous lady detective, the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher, arranges to go to Ballarat for the week, she eschews the excitement of her red Hispano-Suiza racing car for the sedate safety of the train. The last thing she expects is to have to use her trusty Beretta .32 to save lives. As the passengers sleep, they are poisoned with chloroform.

Phryne is left to piece together the clues after this restful country sojourn turns into the stuff of nightmares: a young girl who can't remember anything, rumors of white slavery and black magic, and the body of an old woman missing her emerald rings. Then there is the rowing team and the choristers, all deliciously engaging young men. At first they seem like a pleasant diversion....

Another fun read from the Phryne Fisher series, following on from Flying Too High. There's lot happening including an interlude with the delicious young university student Lindsay, the mysterious death of an older woman where there are not even any footprints found near the body to start tracking the killer, a young woman with amnesia and a very dodgy boarding house. Are they connected?

I have to admit that reading this book did make me think really hard about train travel in the 1920's - something that I can assure you that I don't generally think about! The reason being these days it takes about 90 minutes to get to Ballarat from Melbourne on the train and yet in the book it appears as though it was an overnight trip in those days, and the other reason being that once the murder is discovered they end up in a little town called Ballan, and I live right near to Ballan Road...never been there, but there is something cool about reading a book that is set where you live!

The cast of supporting characters is getting bigger and bigger, something that I would imagine will have to stop at some point in the series, given that there are currently 16 books in the series.

Phryne is once again living her very decadent lifestyle to the fullest, and the sense of time and place is excellent! Looking forward to the next book! I only wish that the versions of the books that I am getting from the library had the same gorgeous covers on them like the ones above! Maybe as I get closer to the end of the series I will get the nicer covers.

Rating: 4/5

Flying Too High by Kerry Greenwood

The second in the classic Phryne Fisher series from Kerry Greenwood, featuring the irresistible heroine Phryne. Whether she's foiling kidnappers, seducing beautiful young men or simply deciding what to wear for dinner, Phryne handles everything with her inimitable panache and flair.

Danger, excitement and love - this is how the glamorous Phryne Fisher is determined to live her life in her second enticing adventure.

Walking the wings of a Tiger Moth plane in full flight ought to be enough excitement for most people, but not Phryne Fisher, amateur detective, woman of mystery, as delectable as the finest chocolate and as sharp as razor blades.

In this, the second Phryne Fisher mystery, the 1920s' most talented and glamorous detective flies even higher, handling a murder, a kidnapping and the usual array of beautiful young men with style and consummate ease - and all before it's time to adjourn to the Queenscliff Hotel for breakfast. Whether she's flying planes, clearing a friend of homicide charges or saving a child from kidnapping, she handles everything with the same dash and elan with which she drives her red Hispano-Suiza.

Finally!! I am up to reviewing books that I have read this year!

This is the second in the Phryne Fisher series after Cocaine Blues and once again she is completely embroiled in mysteries. This time there are two - the death of a successful business man whose son has been accused of being the murderer and also the kidnap of a young girl.

Phryne is a completely exuberant character -as an example, in the first few pages of the book she goes walking along the wings of a Tiger Moth aeroplane for fun.

During this book we get to meet a few more of the people who I suspect are going to become regulars in the series, including her new housekeepers, as well as some that we met in the last book like Dot, her maid. Phryne has moved out of the Hotel Windsor and into her own home, and her new servants must get used to the quite liberal lifestyle that Phryne indulges in, including a handsome young doctor, and a passionate Italian sculptor.

Once again, Kerry Greenwood has done an excellent job of portraying the setting of the latter days of the 1920s, and the times of an exuberant, independent woman living life to the fullest! There were also the familiar settings of Melbourne and Geelong as an added bonus!


Rating 4/5

Darn it!

If I had of looked at the Reading Victoria website earlier I could have gone and listened to Kerry Greenwood talk about the Phryne Fisher books last night!

Oh well...

Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood

It's the end of the roaring Twenties, and the exuberant and Honorable Phryne Fisher is dancing and gaming with gay abandon. But she becomes bored with London and the endless round of parties. In search of excitement, she sets her sights on a spot of detective work in Melbourne.

And so mystery and the beautiful Russian dancer, Sasha de Lisse, appear in her life. From then on it's all cocaine and communism until her adventure reaches its steamy end in the Turkish baths of Little Lonsdale Street.

One of my reading goals for 2007 is to read some more Australian authors, something I haven't done very much of at all this year! Kerry Greenwood lives in Melbourne, like me, and uses many locations in Melbourne as part of her books.

This book is the first of the Phryne (pronounced Fry-knee to rhyme with briny) Fisher mysteries that are set in the latter stages of the Roaring 20's. The author does a fantastic job of bringing a sense of time and place to the story, with both the locations that are still in the city (like the Windsor Hotel where she bases herself on her arrival from England) and the others that are no longer there like the Turkish baths of Little Lonsdale Street.

Phryne is a young, wealthy and independent young lady, but she hasn't always been that way, having been born in a poor suburb in Melbourne. Her family came into wealth when some distant family members died, and suddenly her father found himself a member of the aristocracy. Life changed dramatically for Phryne, but she still remembers what it was like before, and this gives her a heart for the destitute, the deprived. Within days of arriving in England, she has found herself a young lady to be a made, become friends with a couple of lovable larrikins with a decided bent towards communism who come in very handy at several stages throughout the book.

It is only when she realises that she is being framed for drug possession that Phryne realises how much danger she may really be in, but it doesn't stop her from taking loads of risks in trying to expose the Mr Big of cocaine smuggling.

A very entertaining read. I am very much looking forward to reading more in this series.

I really like the Phryne Fisher website as well - it gives a very good feel to the setting of the 1920's!

Rating 4/5.