"Dot closed her eyes. Miss Fisher was about to happen to someone again. She hoped that Phryne wouldn't get blood on her shoes. That glacé kid was a beast to clean…"

That is the perfect introduction to the Hon. Miss Phryne Fisher – and to Dot. This force of nature disguised as a flapper is striding into the fray in defense of the defenseless … And Dot, no flapper, is unflappable in support of her employer. She's had to get blood out of Miss Fisher's clothes before, you can tell – but she has faith that it will be only in a good cause.

I love that little paragraph. It's wonderful non-typical character description, gets a whole lot of information about two characters into four short sentences, and shows how good a writer Kerry Greenwood is. It is the very definition of "Show, don't tell". Ms. Greenwood writes with a confidence and flair worthy of her heroine.

‘Who’re you?' grunted an oaf with short blond hair, giving the fisherboy another shove.
‘Phryne Fisher. Who are you?’
The curly-headed oaf was struck with an inconvenient memory when he heard that tone. He suddenly recalled a Maori storyteller from his childhood. One of their heroes had addressed an enemy: 'What name shall I put on the cup I shall make from your skull?'

How great is that? A sudden, isolated jump into the brain of a thug, showing him to be smarter and more observant than might have been assumed - and, again, giving a really beautiful thumbnail sketch of Miss Fisher without even directly referencing her.

These are the reasons I love Phryne Fisher, and why I love Kerry Greenwood. Well, some of the reasons. There are lots. Though I doubt Phryne would actually make a cup from someone's skull. She could, I have no doubt, but she almost certainly knows some artisan who could make an exquisite object for her.

"Jane dropped her book — but caught it before it hit the floor." There's another one. This speakes volumes (pun sort of intended) about Jane.

Oh, another reason I love Kerry Greenwood? Phryne meets "a straight-backed girl, possibly, in I Zingari cricket costume, with a stick of celery in his or her lapel instead of a daisy". That is a reference few would try, much less pull off, and it made me happy.

Yet one more reason: I learn things I never thought to learn. For example, that last quote made me look up "I Zingari", and that was a fun rabbit hole. I also learn British and Aussie slang that is always nice to have in one's back pocket. "That one is a wet slap and a dead loss." Sometimes she doesn't even make me look a new thing up: "The cup which Ruth sugared and milked contained tea which was sepia in colour and as strong as a thunderstorm. 'Could trot a mouldiwarp on that,' observed Tinker proudly. Phryne shuddered slightly, but she was willing to admit that a mole of moderate size could certainly have waltzed on the surface without peril."

Another quote: "Money can't buy happiness but it can vastly improve the quality of your misery." It's sometimes difficult to enjoy a character who has money to burn. The rich in reality are so often clueless unempathetic monsters. (Lord Peter overcomes his wealth by being ... Lord Peter.) As for Phryne, she didn't always have money - she grew up well and truly hardscrabble. So it's vicariously enjoyable to watch Phryne spend - especially when the spending goes not only on expensive clothing and perfumes (I do want to try Jicky someday), but on friends and those in need.

I love Phryne. Long may she wave.

And many thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy for review (belated though the review is.)

I’m a huge fan of the Miss Fisher TV show, and can’t wait for the movie to finally arrive. These books help both to keep my enjoyment of the TV show alive and scratch an Agatha Christie-like itch, though Phryne Fisher is completely her own character against Poirot or Marple.

Phryne Fisher is a woman outside her time. Forward-thinking, ambitious, compassionate, observant, demanding and sexual, she stands out against the women normally portrays in the 1920s. She is also a woman who finds herself in the middle of mysteries at every turn and is a dab hand at solving crimes with minimal intervention by authorities. Such is this, the 18th Phryne Fisher mystery novel, set in the beachside town of Queenscliff rather than the usual Melbourne, Phryne arrives with her growing cast of characters in the shape of her adoptive daughters and stalwart companion Miss Dot Williams expecting a causal holiday and lands smack dab in the middle of a mystery to be solved. The expected housekeeper and butler are missing, the house in disarray and nothing as it should be. This novel is no police procedural. It is not a thriller nor is it a whodunnit. Rather it is a cosy mystery with a lovely piece of historical recreation thrown in. Phryne is a woman to admire in the here and now. It’s a fun read, easy to digest and apt to leave the reader wanting more.

Dead Man's Chest is a welcome addition to the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

A holiday could obviously never be a holiday for Miss Fisher, and indeed this isn't.

The storyline is quite fun, apart from a few nasty characters, but over-all it feels as summery as a summer detective novel should. The inclusion of the surrealists adds the little bit of 'slighty out there' that each Miss Fisher book must include, quite unnecessarily. But overall, there's a lot of eating in this book, much discussion of food and a gentle mystery for the summer holidays!

Most enjoyable.

I love this character and series, both the books and TV series. That said this book felt a bit recycled. I've read some of the same phrases from this author before and even the plot felt like a "rerun" of a previous one . That said I still quite enjoyed it. I just feel that the characters need some growth because the series is feeling a bit tired. I think I hesitated to review this book because I really wanted to love the story since I still really enjoy reading about Phryne's life, however it fell flat in my opinion, especially a rather rushed ending. This series could really use a bit of a shake up.

IF you like a good cozy mystery, that takes place in the early twentieth century, you'll kike this. It's got humor, likeable characters and a fast paced interesting story. It also has a woman with sass and class and she knows how to handle herself and a gun accordingly. So should you ever get the chance pick up a copy and check it out.

I simply adore Miss Fisher Mysteries and this just continues the story. Dead Man's Chest by Kerry Greenwood follows the incomparable Phyrne Fisher as she solves yet another mystery. The story is engrossing and filled with colorful characters that just you visualize the story. I can't get enough of this series.

Have you ever fallen in love with a tv series and then found out it was based on a book? That's what happened to me with the Australian series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. As soon as I started watching it on Netflix, I was obsessed. Then one day I noticed that at the end of the show it said based on the books by Kerry Greenwood or something like that. I did what any respecting book worm would do and research all the normal book wormy site until I found all the works that make the Phryne Fisher Mysteries, which are a lot.


I was excited to see that she was still publishing new books in the series and one of her most recent works is Dead Man's Chest (#18 in the series). In this story, Phryne, her maid Dot, and adoptive daughters (Jane and Ruth) go on vacation. When they get to their rental home they discover the butler and his wife are not there, and it seems there might have been a robbery too. The next day the butler's dog shows up at their doorstep, which makes Phryne wonder if there is anything else at play here. As always, Phryne decides to investigates and is met with a whole new cast of characters, cops that aren't that helpful, and a pretty interesting mystery.

If you have never read any of the Phryne Fisher Mysteries, you don't have to worry about starting at #18. It's one of those series where you can pick up wherever and still enjoy it. All her books are fun, interesting, and pretty fast paced. I particularly love how strong and empowering the character of Phryne is. I think these books do a great job of portraying the ambience of the era (the flapper era) while still discussing current topics, and providing a fun mystery.

This is one of my favorite characters of all time and if you don't know Phryne you should get to know her

Book Review: Dead Man’s Chest: Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood
Review by Dawn Thomas

269 Pages
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: December 5, 2017

Women’s Sleuths, Australia, 1920s Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller

Phryne is taking her household on holiday to the ocean while renovations are being done at her house. When they arrive at their rental house, the find the house locked up and no one there. Apparently, the live-in servants, Mr. & Mrs. Johnson, vanished in the night with all their belongings. While the family is settling into their vacation, Phryne cannot help but investigate the Johnson’s disappearance. When Gaston, the Johnson’s dog arrives at the house thin and full of mud, Phryne knows foul play is at hand.

At the seaside, a crew is shooting a movie about lost treasure. Filming comes to a halt when the leading lady is attacked with a knife. Everyone believes it is the work of the hair sniper. Jane, one of Phryne’s adopted daughters is asked to fill in so the movie shoot can continue. With two mysteries going on around her, Phryne stays busy looking for clues and suspects. Although, there is always time for a cocktail or two.

This is the 18th book in the Phryne Fisher mystery series. I have been a fan of the BBC television series for years and looked forward to reading one of the books. The series is set in the 1920s Melbourne Australia. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys Miss Marple and Murder, She Wrote.

I went into this not having read any of the other Miss Fisher books, but I have bingewatched the TV show based on them several times and found it easy to jump right in. Since I was introduced to the show first, the story was slower and less gruesome than I initially expected, but once I adjusted to that change I thoroughly enjoyed the its calm pace.

In addition to being a cosy mystery, it is also credible as a piece of historical fiction and clearly very well-researched. The bibliography provided at the end has made me want to look more into 1920s cinema and the Surrealist movement. The end notes also include recipes from the story, which I find really charming, and I think I'll give The Impossible Pie and the Noyau Cocktail a go.

Was there a murder? Was it a murder-mystery?

Dead Man’s Chest is one of the most murder-less crime novels I have ever read. It could have been called ‘Seaside Medley’ or ‘Phryne’s Holiday’. I would have been equally nice.

Dead Man’s Chest (Spoiler) has absolutely nothing to do with the novel at all. It is pushed into the narrative as an oversight, as an accident. There is no treasure-hunt, only a pretence. There is no murder, only a distant possibility (never to be uncovered. There is no need).

There are surrealists’ club and fish sceleton jewellery. There are boys and their misadventures. There are all the wrongs righted by Honourable Miss Fisher. She does everything and does everything right.

She is amazing, exciting, mesmerising and sparkling. Miss Fisher is a woman every woman hates but wants to immitate. She is her own rules, laws and traditions. Phryne is, again, wonderful in this episode of her adventures. From her dresses to her swimming in Queenscliff sea baths, from her sidecar drinks to her dealings with very unpleasant people.

Seaside medley is just what it is, a seaside read. Summer time read for daydreaming.

4 stars
I enjoyed reading this book, #18 in the series. I have already read book one in the series and have been watching the tv series. This book has Phryne going to the coast to stay in a house borrowed from an acquaintance while her house is being renovated. She arrives to find the live in servants and all of the food gone. She determines to find out what happened and encounters an interesting group of characters. It was a light, easy read. In 1920s Australia, cigarettes are called "gaspers"
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ebook.

I love the TV series and was looking forward to this book. However it quite difficult for me to follow..I do intend to revisit as soon as I am able.

We adore Miss Fisher. This book is quintessential reading for fans of Phyrne and Jack.

It was a pleasure to get thru another adventure with famous Miss Fisher. This is my second novel featuring this sassy character. The first book didn't leave a good impression, but I did promise to give Miss Fisher another change - and I am glad I did.

In this novel, Miss Fisher, her two daughters and companion Dot are heading to Queenscliff for a winter vacation. But it just happens that murders follow our courageous little detective wherever she goes. And this vacation is not an exception.

First - married couple buttler and cook/maid Mr. and Mrs. Johnson that supposed to meet and prepare the house for Miss Fisher and her companions are missing. Their beloved dog is found at home by himself, filthy and hungry. Everyone has nothing but good things to tell about the lovely Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. What is a reason behind their disappearance? Why did they leave the house, hid all the valuable items but left the back door open?

Second - elderly next door neighbor who might have witnessed something about the Johnsons passes away in her sleep. Although the doctor confirms that the lady passed away from natural causes, her daughter seems to think that her mother was murdered. Well, Miss Fisher does find a pillow with teeth imprint and victims saliva on it... can this be a proof?

Third - young a beautiful maid from the next door who is also a wannabe movie start drops dead in a middle of the filming festival.

Relaxing and carefree vacation no more. Miss Fisher and Co not only bring all the lawbreakers to justice (well almost all), they also fight off dangerous local mobsters, befriend lovely and curious Tinkle, and have some fun in the sun in between.

Well, that's one heck of a vacation, don't you agree. After reading two books of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries I can safely admit that Phyrne Fisher is a crime magnet. And I am looking forward to reading more of her captivating stories.

Another fun adventure with Ms. Fischer! I always enjoy this character.

Another great Miss Fisher novel - and this had some great one liners in it. Loved it.

My Chocolate Rating on Scale of 5: 3 Reese’s Peanut-Butter Eggs, Hearts, or Trees (stick-to-your-ribs good)—see below, take with a cup of coffee for my reading bias

With its omniscient viewpoint (even from the dog) and slow-paced opening, this book varies from what I usually read. I had jumped at the chance for the ARC (advance reader copy) because I loved the three-season series about the “lady detective” living in Australia in the 1920s but hadn’t yet read any of Greenwood’s books. This sounded like an episode I’d seen, so it would provide a chance to appreciate the author’s original works while I tried to ignore the direction the TV episode took—I looked forward to more subplots, and the book did not disappoint in that regard.

The mystery hits fast, with the holiday home Phryne and company stay at in a shambles, and the husband and wife who should be running the household are missing. The lazy opening pace surprised me, but I suppose reflects that Phryne is on holiday. With her usual ingenuity, she gets the house humming, then balances holiday with solving the mystery. The head-hopping took me a good three chapters to get used to. I’d have put the book down by then, but I’d made a commitment as an ARC reader, and even if I was starting it a month later than I should have, I was giving it a chance. I did enjoy the characters. If I hadn’t, I would have given it a DNF.

Somewhere about chapter five I got into the book more, appreciating it as a slice of history (an aspect I love so much about the TV series). I cringe (in a good way) as a stench emanates from a hair salon: “‘It’s those marcel irons,’ said Phryne. ‘If you want hair like corrugated iron, you need to discipline it very severely.’”
I kept reading because of the characters. I enjoyed watching Ruth come into her own as she worked towards a dream she had; I already knew book-loving, fast-witted Jane would give as good as she got. Who but a bookworm must admit, about their unconventional bookmark rather than dog-earing a corner, “Nothing seemed available except the lettuce.” And when it comes to Phryne standing up for herself, never needing a man to rescue her, of course Greenwood gave me ample reason to cheer. I can well believe this reaction by one of the bad guys: “She looked just like a Dutch doll, pink lips, bright eyes, white skin, black shiny hair. But she didn’t sound like any doll. Phryne Fisher gave [I’m cutting the name] the willies.”

Greenwood walks into the mystery casually, as Phryne investigates and uses her family and some of the locals a’la Holmes’ Baker Street Irregulars. The cast of characters rounded out nicely, deepening the slice of life as the mystery got going. The new characters had their own arcs, as did the existing characters, deepening the story. The inclusion of a half dozen Surrealists, provided laughable moments, even if they did slow the pace.

At the end of the novel, Greenwood tied together threads of the plot nicely, playing on characters strengths and weaknesses. It’s a book that satisfies.

Take my 3-chocolate rating with a cup of coffee, as I don’t read a lot of mysteries, and I don’t read a lot of omniscient POV. That head-hopping and all the filtering words “Phryne heard” or “Dot saw” or “Ruth felt” pushed me out of the story regularly. Language wise, Greenwood painted great descriptions. Phryne, never one to let a wrong go un-righted, says, “ ‘And boys, I’m going to be here for weeks, and if I see any of you so much as look sideways at an innocent man, woman, child or dog, expect retribution to set in with unusual accuracy and force. You hear me?’ ”

If you like mysteries or historicals, give Miss Fisher’s Mysteries a read.

I love watching Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on PBS. Phryne is definitely in a class by herself. And the costumes are to die for — very Downton! I was thrilled to find a Miss Fisher mystery on Net Galley. I have read other mysteries of favorite shows, but this one was different. It gave a greater depth to the characters and spent a lot of time in character development. There was a mystery, of course, and lots of twists and intrigue, but overall, it was a very solid and pleasant story.
If you enjoy the series on PBS (haven’t watched it? start now and thank me later!), you will enjoy this novel full of favorite people and fun!

Thank you for my review e-copy!

I am a huge fan of the tv show Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and, while binge watching it some time back, I discovered that there was also a book series written by Kerry Greenwood that the tv show was based on. Of course, I was beyond delighted because more Miss Fisher is better than no Miss Fisher.

There are 20 books in the Phryne Fisher series. Dead Man’s Chest is number 18. To date I have only read two books in the series, the other book being the very first one, called Cocaine Blues. I thoroughly enjoyed both books. Usually I am a stickler for reading books in order because I can’t stand not knowing what happens in between, but I found that in this series, it really didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Phryne Fisher has a way of “collecting” people who need her, so there were a few characters that I was unsure of how she came to be with, but that didn’t really seem to matter.

In this book, Phryne, who is a private detective, is taking her two daughters, her maid, the dog, and herself on a much-needed vacation to Queenscliff (the books are set in Australia) to escape the murder, violence, and criminal activity that seems to accompany her line of work, but as soon as they arrive at their vacation lodgings it seems that a mystery is already afoot. The caretakers of the house they are to stay at have gone missing under suspicious circumstances and the house seems to be completely picked over. And of course, immediately, Phryne is on the case and, as you can well imagine, a quick-paced, intriguing mystery ensures.

I love the books and the tv series mainly because of the character of Phryne Fisher. She is a smart, witty, sophisticated, no-nonsense kind of lady. She doesn’t take shit from anybody. She extremely adept at taking care of not only herself, but other people as well. She is also an extremely capable private detective, who people are constantly calling on for help because they know she will aid them and they know how good she is at what she does.

The book series is a bit different than the tv series, but not so much that you can’t enjoy both. The biggest difference for me is Phryne is younger in the books than she is in the tv series. This isn’t something that bothered me, but just something I noted. The fantastic Essie Davis does a great job of bringing the character to life on screen. I don’t remember too much about the 1st book, other than I enjoyed it. I also really liked Dead Man’s Chest. It was easy to get in to, a fairly quick read, and I enjoy mysteries, so this was right up my alley. I do have to point out one thing though. There was a lot of food porn in this book! And I don’t mean porn using food, I mean straight up food porn that, if you are a foodie will probably give you multiple orgasms. Literally, every chapter goes over what the characters are eating and drinking. Every. Single. Chapter. Now, I love food as much as the next person, but it was a little over the top for me, which is why this went from a 4-star book to a 3-star. Including descriptions here and there I totally get, but I really don’t need you to tell me every 10 pages in exhaustive detail. Other than that, it was an entertaining book.

So, if you like a bit of mystery, wrapped up with adventure and a touch of danger, that includes a fantastic heroine that most women should aspire to be like, then these are the books for you!