Quote:
Originally Posted by CRussel
Next up on the eBook side is Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood. This is the first of the Phryne Fisher books and is getting rave reviews from my DW.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dreams
I have this first one on my kindle and haven't read it yet. Let us know what you think about it.
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Finished
Cocaine Blues and went immediately on to read the next,
Flying Too High. I really enjoyed both of them, and I've bought the next couple, taking advantage of Amazon's WhisperSync deal to also buy the Audible versions of them.
Phryne Fisher is an English woman brought up poor, but who has now inherited a very large fortune (we don't actually know it's size, but it appears essentially bottomless.) The stories are set in the 1920's, and Phryne is an entirely emancipated woman who has just moved to Melbourne Australia and sets about solving mysteries somewhat by accident, but then by intent.
Phryne has a knack for acquiring completely devoted staff by attaching them as she works, and an equal facility for finding lovers as she goes (and unacquiring them nearly as quickly). She's an aviator, drives a Hispano-Suiza, carries a revolver, and isn't afraid to solve a problem by throwing well thought out money at it. All somewhat a bit too good to be true, but one really doesn't mind and disbelief is happily suspended.
The one weakness in these early books is the endings tend to be just a bit too contrived and awkward, and there are always a few more subplots going on than absolutely necessary. Somehow, these faults seem minor in the context of a thoroughly original and enjoyable character. Highly recommended.