Phryne Fisher is a likeable, charming and vibrant individual. She's kind and generous to those she meets, smart and logical when faced with problems or obstacles and adventurous in her dislike of boredom. She is brave and tenacious and brutal when faced with injustice.

A few deaths of distant relatives were all that stood between her life of poverty and her ascent into luxury at the age of 12 and she never takes her wealth and social standing for granted. The result of which is a kind and generous soul who is always willing to speak up for the victims, the downtrodden or the underdogs and one who relishes fine food, fine clothes and the myriad of pursuits open to her. Her open mindedness leads to an unique and vibrant cast pulled from all walks of life.

Being an Aussie and a proud Melbournian - the Melbourne setting was a highlight. Recognising the street names and places was fun. And Melbournians will understand the delight in recognising how strange our weather is to outsiders.

As far as the genre goes, I don't know if I'd really say it was crime or historical. I mean it is a historical period but it felt kind of modern. The crime was good but it was interspersed with character relationships. There was romance but none of it was meaningful or relevant. It was too lowbrow to be literary and too much reality to be chick lit. It's an odd mix that was an enjoyable read but likely not for everyone.

It's also fairly different from the tv show (and she's a lot younger in the books) but the main elements are present - like Phryne's love of clothes, her humour, confidence and loveable charming personality.

Character wise, I love them all! Phryne, Dot, Dr Elizabeth MacMillan, WPC Jones, Inspector Robinson, Bert and Cec, Mr and Mrs. Butler, they were all fantastic and had me giggling throughout. And I adore the way women are portrayed in this series. I love that all the female characters are strong willed and fierce and able to look after themselves - even when it doesn't always seem like it. I also really like how the cops aren't written as useless or inept - but rather unable to significantly help without someone willing to speak up and testify.

The mysticism in this book was a bit much for me to appreciate but apart from that it was an alright read. Dot learning to bribe was hilarious. The love interest, Simon, was a total whinger, although I didn't hate that he was the virgin in the relationship. I didn't understand the bit about the Russian spy. Why did she even suspect there was a Russian spy? The logic on that one lost me. It wasn't my favourite but it was an entertaining read. 3.5 stars. ( )

This was my first Phryne Fisher book, although I've watched all episodes of the television show and find them to be great fun. The book, however, was a bit less fun.

The mystery was quite well done but much of the chemistry and other information laid out for the reader felt a touch overdone. I found my eyes glazing over a few times.

All in all, Phryne was still a joy and I loved Dot. Any fan of the show will likely enjoy the book, too.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this one. It's being re-released in June. ( )

A better than average mystery with Melbourne,Australia as the locale with the incomparable Ms Phryne Fisher as your companion and the Roaring Twenties as the era. ( )

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Kerry Greenwood - Raisins and Almonds: I appreciated the history lessons, as I always do, but meh, really. #cursorybookreviews #cursoryreviews ( )

1928 Melbourne and a Jewish scholar is killed in a bookshop rented by Miss Sylvia Lee. The community leader Benjamin Abrahams, father of Miss Fisher's latest partner, asks her to investigate.
This mystery in this series really didn't catch my imagination, nor did I get interested in the characters.
A NetGalley Book ( )