Death in Daylesford

Phryne Fisher #21

by Kerry Greenwood

Surrounded by secrets, great and small, the formidable Miss Phryne Fisher returns to vanquish injustice.

When a mysterious invitation arrives for Miss Phryne Fisher from an unknown Captain Herbert Spencer, Phryne's curiosity is excited. Spencer runs a retreat in Victoria's spa country for shell-shocked soldiers of the First World War. It's a cause after Phryne's own heart but what could Spencer want from her?

Phryne and the faithful Dot view their spa sojourn as a short holiday but are quickly thrown in the midst of disturbing Highland gatherings, disappearing women, murder and the mystery of the Temperance Hotel.

Meanwhile, Cec, Bert and Tinker find a young woman floating face down in the harbour, dead. Tinker and Phryne's resilient adopted daughters, Jane and Ruth, decide to solve what appears to be a heinous crime.

Disappearances, murder, bombs, booby-traps and strange goings-on land Miss Phryne Fisher right in the middle of her most exciting adventure.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Crime, Australia, Historical Mystery

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2020

About the author

Kerry Isabelle Greenwood was an Australian author and lawyer. She wrote many plays and books, most notably a string of historical detective novels centred on the character of Phryne Fisher, which was adapted as the popular television series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. She wrote mysteries, science-fiction, historical fiction, children's stories, and plays. Greenwood earned the Australian women's crime fiction Davitt Award in 2002 for her young adult novel The Three-Pronged Dagger.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phryne Fisher is back which makes me very happy. I delayed reading this one because I was looking forward to it so much. Does that make sense?

The first thing to notice about Death in Daylesford is the beautiful cover, the second is that it opens with Phryne in her favourite place with Lin Chung. Although she spreads her favours around I think Phryne has a special spot for Lin. I always thought it was a shame the TV series chose to leave him out.

After this Phryne and Dot set off into the to country to solve mysteries and murders and find missing women. The rest of the family stay home but enter into a mystery of their own. Jack is sidelined for this book and Hugh gets his turn in the spotlight instead.

It is all delightful 1920's Australia. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is half built. In England Bertie is the brother who is not going to be King. Cars are being driven dangerously if they go over 40mph. The author does her research and I learn something about Aussie history from each of her books. There are other little gems too. Who knew that some cats find Valerian as exciting as the better known Catnip. I googled it and spent a happy half hour watching cats going into ecstasy over a packet of Valerian tea.

All in all this was an excellent read and I highly recommend it.

[Randi Annie Framnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death in Daylesford is book 21 in the Phryne Fisher’s Mysteries series by Kerry Greenwood, published by Poisoned Pen Press. This time Miss Fisher is taking a holiday of sorts to visit a spa for WWI war veterans to consider donating to the cause. Mysteries seem to follow her and Dylesford and Hepburn Springs is no different. A murderer is on the loose specializing in killing victims at local crowded events, staging it as accidents. Women also seem to quietly disappear from farms in the area and Miss Fisher sets out to find what’s really going on in the beautiful Victoria spa country. At home in Melbourne Miss Fisher’s 3 adoptive children are solving their very own mystery, finding what happened to a drowned schoolgirl found floating in the harbor.

Main character is baron’s daughter Phryne Fischer who seems a confident woman who work as a private investigator. She seems to have a strong character and doesn’t care a jot that people might judge her for living a very different life from women of her time. I find that impressive, which makes her my favorite of this story.

Supporting character is Lady’s Maid Dorothy, Dot, Williams, who seems to take on a bland presence wearing beige/brown clothing at all times. She seems to have an interesting relationship to her boss, speaking to Miss Fisher like a servant when in public, but being friend and confidant in private. I found her likable and dependable. Like the ideal practical kind of “female Watson”.

This is the first book I have read by Kerry Greenwood, and read it as a standalone. That worked out perfectly, but I wish I had read book 1 and maybe a few more from the start to get a grip on how Miss Fisher developed into the formidable, renowned character she is in book 21. In this book you kind of get a 2 for 1 deal as the plot reads like two separate mysteries. I loved the descriptions of prosperous Australian lifestyle of the 1920s. I have read a few contemporary books set in Australia before, but this one stood out with its historical setting, the colorful characters (apart from beige Dot) and the great writing; even funny in places. I’m very pleased there are so many more books in the series. The murder in the middle of a festival was an excellent dramatic element, but my absolute favorite was the fabulous surprise ending where the identity of the culprit took me totally by surprise.

I feel hooked by this series and is excited to see what the next book will be about. I recommend this one to readers who enjoy an excellently written historical mystery with a fabulous ending. Similar authors to explore might be Victoria Purman or Rosalie Ham. Thank you to #Poisoned Pen Press and #Edelweiss+ for this opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Conclusion: Death in Daylesford is the fabulous new story where Miss Fisher experiences murders in the middle of crowds and local women of Daylesford mysteriously go missing from their homes. Miss Fisher’s children work with Melbourne police to find what happened to a schoolgirl drowned in the harbor.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publication of a new Phryne Fisher novel is a cause for celebration and this one is a welcome addition to the series, especially with its beautiful cover depicting Phryne looking as elegant as ever.

There's a lot going on in this novel and it's a tale of two parts. One part takes place in Daylesford where Phryne has been invited to visit a Spa in Hepburn Springs where returned servicemen are being treated for shell shock. With the ever reliable, beige-wearing Dot at her side, Phryne discovers a host of secrets in nearby Daylesford. They are present at a murder carried out in public at a highland gathering, investigate a string of missing women and solve a kidnapping. Meanwhile, the second part of the novel is playing out back in Melbourne with Phryne's adopted twin daughters Ruth and Jane, ably aided by Tinker are doing some sleuthing of their own, assisting Dot's fiancé, Sergeant Hugh Collins, with the investigation of the death of a teenage girl.

Fans of Ms Fisher will find much to enjoy here. The country setting makes a nice change from Melbourne and Daylesford in the 1920s has much to offer, including a range of well stocked local shops, tea rooms, the ladies room in the local pub where Phryne and Dot lunch as well as nearby Hepburn Springs where Phryne and Dot are staying. The murderer is not an easy one for Phryne to uncover and he strikes again before she works out who it is. An entertaining read with never a dull moment.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for an arc of the book to read

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Miss Phryne Fisher and her friend Dot Williams headed to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, they left behind Phryne’s two adopted daughters, Jane and Ruth, plus Tinker and Mr and Mrs B. They would only be gone a week for a holiday, as well as seeing Captain Spencer, the man who ran the retreat for shell shocked soldiers in Hepburn Springs. Phryne could do with some pampering at the spa, she thought…

It wasn’t long before Phryne was involved in mysteries as well as murder in Daylesford; therefore, she set to work to find the missing women, and to stop a killer in his tracks. Meanwhile back in Melbourne, while Tinker was in the company of Cec and Bert, he discovered the body of a young woman floating in the Yarra. With the inept policeman – not Phryne’s friend, Detective Jack Robinson – jumping to conclusions which were obviously quite wrong, Jane, Ruth and Tinker decided to investigate themselves. Would Phryne solve the mysteries in Daylesford? And would her three young proteges solve their mystery?

Death in Daylesford is the 21st in the Phryne Fisher series and it was another excellent cosy mystery with the two mysteries running side by side. It showed the growth and maturity of the three young people in Phryne’s care, along with Phryne, in her own inimitable way, proving why this series is such a huge success. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Pamela Ziliotto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't finished the book yet but I keep questioning myself about who really wrote and who edited this novel.
How is it that after 20 instalments Ember the cat has changed sex and the author doesn't remember what happened only three books ago and tells us that Jane's plait was cut by the pigtail-snipper and not by herself?
I feel disappointed.

[Rebecca Boreham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, but I felt the tone of Miss Fisher and her group had subtly changed. The dialogue was overly flowery, the use of complex expressions and Phrases With Odd Capitalisation gave the book a dissonance from the earlier books in this series.

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
I just adore the beautiful, vibrant cover on Death in Daylesford it's stunning! This was an enjoyable read about the adventures of the elegant Detective Phryne Fisher who is quite a fascinating character.

Phryne is off to have a short holiday in Victoria’s spa country and to meet up with Captain Herbert Spencer who runs a retreat for shell-shocked soldiers of the First World War in Hepburn Springs, Victoria. The fabulously wealthy and glamorous Miss Fisher has been invited by the Captain who is hoping that she will take him up on his request for financial support for his retreat.

Phryne arrives in Daylesford accompanied by her faithful employee Dot, but it’s not long before she finds herself thrown into solving the towns murders and surrounding mystery. Who is the town murderer that uses a different method to kill each of his victims and doesn’t think twice about killing them in a crowded place?

Back home in St Kilda a young girl is found floating in the Yarra river and Phyrne’s young adopted family try to solve their own mystery.

An exploding outhouse, booby-traps, murder, mayhem, missing women and a valerian-loving cat are all in the mix of this exciting adventure.

I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for an advanced copy of the book that I was lucky to win in a competition.

[fleurette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book in this series. To everyone who, like me, started with watching the TV series, I assure you that it will not be a problem and you won’t be disappointed. I also had no problem not having read the previous books. I got into this story very quickly.

If you are unfamiliar with the TV show or the previous books, and this is your first encounter with Miss Fisher and her group of devoted helpers, then you should definitely get to know her. It's great to watch her brilliant mind work. At the same time, she is so cute that you can easily forgive her bravado or simple nosiness. Miss Fisher is one of those people who are not afraid to create problems, but also to solve them later on her own. Not only Miss Fisher, but also other characters are very easily to like - her trusted companion Dot, her adopted kids - Jane, Ruth and Tinker, and policeman Hugh Collins. They all make a group that is nice to read about.

The plot is also very interesting. We have two mysteries here. One is solved by Miss Fisher and Dot in the small town of Daylesford she has been invited to, and the other by Hugh and Miss Fisher's children. They are both equally interesting. I think that there is quite a good balance between these two cases, so that as a reader we are really committed to resolving both of them. At the same time, they are completely different from each other.

In the case of Miss Fisher's mystery, we can basically talk about an entire bunch of potential crimes, some of which are loosely related to each other. These are more your typical small-town crimes, although with an interesting twist at the end. I like that not everything was part of one scheme. And also, that not everything turned out to be a crime. The case Jane, Ruth, Tinker and Hugh are working on is much simpler, but the kids also need to show considerable perceptiveness to solve it. Both plotlines are really good.

Jack is not really a part of this book. He is involved in some other case. Surprisingly, it did not bother me at all, and I did not notice his absence in this story. Though I'm curious to see what Phryne and Jack's joint investigation will look like.

If you are a fan of the TV series, this book will not disappoint. If you haven't met Miss Fisher yet, feel free to read this book too. The fact that this is the twenty-first book in this series (sic!) is not the slightest problem. It is really fun to read. Now I’m into it and I will certainly read the previous books in this series too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Joan Happel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The indomitable Phryne Fisher is finally back! In this 21st installment to the delightful series, set in 1920s Australia, Phryne is invited to visit a retreat for shell-shocked WWI veterans in Victoria’s rural spa country. Hoping into her Hispano-Suiza along with her faithful maid Dot, Phryne tears through the countryside of Australia on another adventure. Mystery and intrigue will find our heroine no matter where she is, and this is time around is no exception. Upon arriving, Phryne soon discovers that women have been disappearing, and before a day is out, she is a witness to a clever murder at the annual Highland games.

Meanwhile back in Melbourne, Phryne’s trusty family and friends have also found themselves embroiled in a murder mystery. A schoolmate of Phryne’s two adopted daughters, Jane and Ruth is found dead, floating in the water. Along with Dot’s police boyfriend Hugh and Phryne’s other ward, Tinker, the four sleuths investigate to find the real killer among Claire’s friends and family.

Back in Daylesford, Phryne finds no shortage of suspects both male and female, and as her clever sleuthing slowly eliminates them one at a time, she is in a race to find the murderer before he or she strikes again!
Death in Daylesford contains all we have come to expect from a Phryne Fisher mystery! Witty prose, likeable characters, wonderful descriptions of 1920’s fashion and life in Australia. Nor would it be a Phryne Fisher adventure, without the addition of a delightful romp in in bed with one of the town’s many attractive men.
Fans of this series, or of cozy historical mysteries in general will not be disappointed. If you’re not familiar with these books, pick this one up and it might just send you back to the others for a hugely entertaining read.

Thank you to Poison Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a confession to make. Despite adoring Kerry Greenwood’s Corinna Chapman series, I have tried, more than once, to read the Phryne Fisher series but never gotten past Cocaine Blues. To be fair, that was some time ago and at least a decade or two before Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries made its debut on TV, a show I’ve now binge-watched in it’s entirety on at least three (or five) occasions. So when I learnt that a new Phryne Fisher mystery was being published, I absolutely had to to get my hands on it. I was a teeny bit apprehensive, but thankfully I loved it.

In Death in Daylesford, Miss Phryne Fisher, accompanied by Dot, travels to country Victoria at the invitation of a war veteran who hopes to win her patronage for the spa retreat he runs for shell-shocked returned soldiers. Accommodated near Daylesford, Phryne is looking forward to a week of leisure, but almost immediately finds herself hunting a brazen murderer, three missing women, and a kidnapper, despite the objections of the oafish local officer.

Meanwhile in Melbourne, with Detective Inspector Jack Robinson on special assignment, Detective Sargent Hugh Collins’ lazy temporary supervisor is choosing the path of least resistance to solve a murder. Taking matters into his own hands, Hugh drafts Miss Fisher’s wards, Jane, Ruth, and Tinker, who are in the care of Mr and Mrs B, to help him, when it is revealed the victim is a school friend of the girls.

That makes four mysteries which Greenwood deftly develops in Death In Daylesford, skilfully laying red herrings and clues. Each of them are interesting in their own right, though the most intriguing relates to the very public murders of three young men. Deducing the perpetrator and their motive is a rare challenge for Phryne, even though the deaths occur right in front of her. My early theory was proved right, but there was a twist that took me by surprise..

I couldn’t help but visualise the actors from Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries as the story unfolded, but even if you are entirely unfamiliar with the series in any form, the characters have a strong presence. Phryne is her usual unconventional, stylish and seductive self, and Dot, her stalwart, beige-clad companion. Much is made of a barmaids beauty, her suitor’s brawn, the haggard appearance of a battered wife, and a Captain eager to please.

Greenwood’s writing is wonderfully descriptive, with the era coming across in all the details of the setting and styling, she excels at showing, not telling. I’m a fan of the Phryne’s quick wit, and dry observations, the author has a great sense of timing, and and an ear for natural dialogue.

Fans of the Phryne Fisher book series are sure to delight in this newest mystery, published seven years after the last, as should those viewers mourning the possible demise of the TV series. Entertaining and clever, Death in Daylesford is a charming, and satisfying read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 21st instalment in Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher series is as fabulous as ever!
The Hon. Phryne Fisher, accompanied by the ever-faithful Dot, accepts an invitation to visit the dashing but mysterious Captain Herbert Spencer in Hepburn Spa, near Daylesford. Captain Spencer runs a rehabilitation facility for shell-shocked returned servicemen, utilising the famed mineral waters of the area. Phryne and Dot stay at the comfortable Mooltan House, and are immediately drawn into several local intrigues.

Mooltan House, as it appears today.

A local young man is killed in an apparent accident at the Daylesford Highland Gathering, as Phryne and Dot look on. Days later, they're also present when a second man collapses and dies at a dance in a church hall. Phryne suspects murder, and notes that both young men were suitors of Annie Tremain, the stunningly beautiful but innocent barmaid at the Temperance Hotel. Also piquing Phryne's detective interest is the fact that several local married women have disappeared from their homes in the Daylesford area over recent months - have they met with foul play, or is there an alternative explanation?
Meanwhile, back in Melbourne, Phryne's household have a mystery of their own to solve. Tinker, while catching up with Cec and Bert at the docks, has come across the floating body of a young woman. She's identified as Claire Knight, a missing schoolfriend of Ruth and Jane's. Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins, who's staying at Phryne's St. Kilda home to keep an eye on Tinker and the girls, puts all three unofficially to work in determining what happened to Claire. It seems they've each absorbed a variety of skills from their benefactress!
This was a highly entertaining read, with several intertwining mystery plotlines and plenty of historical and artistic detail, particularly as regards Phryne's sartorial choices. Several of Kerry Greenwood's creative similes had me laughing out loud. The central characters are all in sterling form, with the exception of Jack Robinson, who makes only a brief appearance in the concluding chapter. The cast of supporting characters, based both in Melbourne and in the spa region, are well developed and interesting. Greenwood explores many themes around women's rights, social and gender inequality and even competing religious denominations. She skilfully intertwines into the narrative many descriptive and historical details of one of Victoria's most visually stunning regions.

The Pavilion at Hepburn Springs, Victoria
Death in Daylesford is another triumph for Kerry Greenwood, and I have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending it, both to existing aficionados of the series, and those who are yet to discover its delights.
My thanks to the author and publisher Allen & Unwin Australia, for the opportunity to read and review an Uncorrected Proof of this title.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyably different!

Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, friend and stalwart figure in Phryne Fisher’s life, a fixed presence who is frequently involved in a love/hate tussle with her, is on secondment investigating a highly hush hush operation that goes to the upper echelons of the police.
Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins, finds himself with a replacement boss who is rather ineffective yet, Oh So sure of himself. Hugh determines that he might have to quietly go his own way in investigative matters. Hugh is Phryne's personal assistant Dot’s intended.
Hugh is living at Phryne's for the moment. Jane and Ruth, Phryne’s adoptive daughters are concerned about a missing school chum. Tinker, another edition to the Fisher household, meanwhile has met up with Cec and Bert down at the wharves after school where they’re fishing for eels. They find a body in the water.
As all this is occurring Phryne and Dot have motored up to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs (sort of north from Melbourne) to visit a sanatorium supporting WW1 shell shocked service personnel. It turns out puzzling things have happened in the area. Accidents are more than they seem and center around a local pub, The Temperance, and a very appealing barmaid. And it seems three women have gone missing in the area.
Phryne is still enamoured with her lover Lin, but the head of the sanatorium is an attractive man.
Excitement and puzzling occurrences are on the agenda for all, from the crew at home in St Kilda, and Phryne and Dot in spa country.
Another enjoyable yet perplexing Phryne Fisher mystery. She faces an illusive, careful and dangerously clever opponent.
BTW I do love the very stylish cover, just like Phryne!

A Poisoned Pen Press ARC via NetGalley

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This murderer specialises in killing in the middle of a crowd, and it’s a different method each time. I may add that this is a criminal of extraordinary cunning, and is moreover quite, quite mad and horribly dangerous.”

Death In Daylesford is the twenty-first book in the popular Phryne Fisher series by award-winning Australian author, Kerry Greenwood. While Phryne and Dot travel to Daylesford at the invitation of (former) Captain Herbert Spencer to visit his Hepburn Springs hotel, Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins is left assisting an incompetent Acting DI in a possible murder case while DI Jack Robinson is seconded elsewhere.

Claire Knight, a classmate of Phryne’s adopted daughters, is found floating face-down at the docks, and Hugh quickly judges that he will have to do his own investigating, when Acting DI Fraser jumps to the easy conclusion and fixes on the nearest male as the culprit. Ruth, Jane and Tinker, each resourceful and talented in their own way, make significant contributions to learning the truth.

Meanwhile, Phryne is expecting to have a quiet vacation in a spa town, inspect the hotel catering to shell-shocked soldiers with a view to contributing financial support, and to relax, but everyone seems to think she’s there to investigate the recent disappearances of several farmers’ wives.

But before she can ask a single question, there’s a terrible accident at the Highland Gathering with the caber toss, and a man is dead. Except Phryne can immediately see it’s no accident, even if the local cop, the pompous Sergeant Offaly, seems clueless.

The victim is one of many would-be suitors of the breath-takingly beautiful barmaid at the Temperance Hotel. Weeks earlier, another of their number fell from a train; when a third young man dies at the church dance, Phryne wonders: could one of Annie Tremain’s admirers be trying to eliminate rivals?

Two more women go missing during their stay so, in between enjoying the region’s attractions, their days are busier than anticipated: “Dot found it hard to sleep during the day, preferring healthful early nights to obtain her necessary recuperation. Phryne had heard of early nights but considered them hideously overrated.”

Phryne, amid spa and massage, vegetarian meals with herbal wines (all surprisingly good!) and seduction, and the ever-chaste Dot gather information by careful observation, judicious listening (or opportune eavesdropping) and shrewd questioning, and manage to satisfactorily solve several mysteries, save a horse and prevent a fourth murder, while keeping certain necessary secrets.

As well as lots of clever deduction, this instalment features Mr Butler’s dumb waiter, Dot arming herself against Phryne’s driving, a valerian-loving cat, an exploding outhouse and domestic slavery. Entertaining, as always.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen and Unwin.

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never read a Phryne book before? Just seen the TV series?
PUT THIS BOOK DOWN, and go and find a copy of Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher, #1. Read that one. And the one after that and the one after that. The whole series.

The woman from Poison Pen Press who chirps in a forward that if you've seen the show, you will be ready for the books was either drunk when she wrote that,or just lies a lot. Here are some reasons why:

1)Jack Robinson is NOT Phryne's
dashing love interest, in fact it is frequently noted that he is so ordinary you don't remember his face. He is also middle aged, married and grows orchids.

2)There is NO "Aunt Miriam." There IS a Mrs. Butler!

3)Lin Chung is Phryne's long time lover. His family considers her his concubine. And she is very good friends with his eventual bride, Camellia.

4)Phryne doesn't take to Jane because she had a sister named Jane killed by a serial killer. Her sister is Eliza, and she is very much alive. And Phryne adopts Jane AND Ruth.

5)Eliza, a lover of heraldry, would be horrified at the casual adjustments in their father's title. Either he is a "minor baronet" and Phryne isn't "Honorable," or he's a baron and she is!

Moving onto this book. Greenwood clearly dashed this off for some $$$, and it shows. While the basic plots (2 mysteries) are fine, and as always in a Phryne book the good are rewarded and the bad get theirs, it is riddled with continuity errors and bad research!

Suddenly Ember, the very very male black cat is a female kitten! Ruth and Jane have a classmate who is 16 or 17 and they should only be about 13. Tinker is heading for the police academy, which seems to be college like, and he too is only 13-14, yet dealing with a 17 year old classmate.

And would Phryne get her history wrong? The "Jordan River" in the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" is the Ohio, NOT the Missouri and Harriet Tubman was a "conductor" on but did not create or run the Underground Railroad. She'd know that if she sang the song.

In other words, I didn't adore Murder and Mendelssohn (Phryne Fisher, #20) ,her previous book, because of the silly Sherlock Holmes subplot. But compared to this book, that one was terrific.

Go read the rest of the series. Then come back and tell me how great this one is.

It isn't.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Allen & Unwin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Miss Phryne Fisher returns with her latest whodunnit in this classic 1920’s murder mystery.
Miss Fisher is mysteriously invited to Daylesford where a local runs a spa for returned soldiers of the war.
But why has this invitation suddenly arrived?
Phryne and her companion Dot make the journey whilst viewing the break as a mini holiday.
After arrival they are thrown into the chaos of disappearing women, murder and riddles of the local hotel.
Meanwhile back at home, Phryne’s family and associates are dealing with a dead body appearing in the river and more dilemma’s they could possibly handle.
Time is running out, will all the pieces complete the puzzle.
While is was a pleasure to reacquaint with the distinguished and sassy Miss Fisher and her clan, I found the plot slightly flat and uninspired.
The story started with such promise and then it deviated two seperate ways and this kind of lost me.
I felt I was more invested in one side more so than the other and it made me distracted and lose interest.
I hope whomever picks it up had a better experience than I did.
By the end of the story I didn’t realise how much I had missed the Honourable Miss Phyrne Fisher and her entourage but unfortunately I wish the story had more oomph.

[Cheyenne Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always so much fun reading a Phryne Fisher book. Always so much positive feminism too. :)

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Read the blurb for an idea of the various complicated plots...
It has been 7 years since the last Phryne Fisher book, so I was eager to reconnect with my favorite Australian sleuth.
Alas, there were some bumps along the way as the author worked to regain her rapport with Ms. Fisher. In places it seemed that Greenwood was trying a bit too hard to illustrate Phryne's wit and elan; there were a few scenes that seemed a bit off, with Phryne acting even more outrageously than I recall her doing in past books.
However, everything finally came together in the last quarter of the book--the prose calmed down, Phryne had her wits together, the various mysteries were solved.

While the parts of the story that featured Phryne and Dot Williams had their bumps, the parts featuring Hugh and the three youngsters, Jane, Ruth, and Tinker, were smooth as silk.

I hope the author has planned more visits with the dashing Miss Fisher. I'll be along for the ride. I won't even need a Freda Storm Veil for Frightened Passengers.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 21st instalment in Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher series is as fabulous as ever!
The Hon. Phryne Fisher, accompanied by the ever-faithful Dot, accepts an invitation to visit the dashing but mysterious Captain Herbert Spencer in Hepburn Spa, near the town of Daylesford in Victoria's thermal region. Captain Spencer runs a rehabilitation facility for shell-shocked returned WW1 servicemen, utilising the famed mineral waters of the area. Phryne and Dot stay at the comfortable Mooltan House, and - true to form - are immediately drawn into several local intrigues.
A local young man is killed in an apparent accident at the Daylesford Highland Gathering, as Phryne and Dot look on. Days later, they're also present when a second man collapses and dies at a dance in a church hall. Phryne suspects murder, and notes that both young men were suitors of Annie Tremain, the stunningly beautiful but innocent barmaid at the Temperance Hotel. Also piquing Phryne's detective interest is the fact that several local married women have disappeared from their homes in the Daylesford area over recent months - have they met with foul play, or is there an alternative explanation?
Meanwhile, back in Melbourne, the remaining members of Phryne's household have a mystery of their own to solve. Tinker, while catching up with Cec and Bert at the docks, has discovered the body of a young woman floating in the water. She's soon identified as Claire Knight, a schoolfriend of Ruth and Jane's who'd been reported missing from her home. Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins is staying at Phryne's St. Kilda home to keep an eye on Tinker and the girls, and puts all three unofficially to work in determining what happened to Claire. It seems they've each absorbed a variety of skills from their benefactress!
This was a highly entertaining read, with several intertwining mystery plotlines and plenty of historical and artistic detail, particularly as regards Phryne's fabulous sartorial choices. Several of Kerry Greenwood's creative similes had me laughing out loud. The central characters are all in sterling form, with the exception of Jack Robinson, who makes only a brief appearance in the concluding chapter. The cast of supporting characters, based both in Melbourne and in the spa region, are well developed and interesting. Greenwood explores many themes around women's rights, social and gender inequality and even competing religious denominations. She skilfully intertwines into the narrative many descriptive and historical details of one of south-eastern Australia's most visually stunning regions.
Death in Daylesford is another triumph for Kerry Greenwood, and I have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending it, both to existing aficionados of the series, and those who are yet to discover its delights.
My thanks to the author Kerry Greenwood, publisher Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death in Daylesford by Kerry Greenwood

Synopsis /

When a mysterious invitation arrives for Miss Phryne Fisher from an unknown Captain Herbert Spencer, Phryne's curiosity is excited. Spencer runs a retreat in Victoria's spa country for shell-shocked soldiers of the First World War. It's a cause after Phryne's own heart but what could Spencer want from her?

Phryne and the faithful Dot view their spa sojourn as a short holiday but are quickly thrown in the midst of disturbing Highland gatherings, disappearing women, murder and the mystery of the Temperance Hotel.

Meanwhile, Cec, Bert and Tinker find a young woman floating face down in the harbour, dead. Tinker and Phryne's resilient adopted daughters, Jane and Ruth, decide to solve what appears to be a heinous crime.

Disappearances, murder, bombs, booby-traps and strange goings-on land Miss Phryne Fisher right in the middle of her most exciting adventure.


My Thoughts /

First and foremost, a huge thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Right from the outset I knew I was going to enjoy this book. A book that is dedicated to a glorious memory of “Dougal, prince of cats”, listed at the top of the order, even before the author’s sisters and parents! This has been such a lovely, pleasant read and is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2020. It’s going to be difficult to review without spoilers, but I’ll try. First, the vocabulary is as delightful as the setting is beautiful. The Author writes vividly and in great detail of the countryside and I was drawn into the surroundings immediately. Even if you've never read a Phryne Fisher mystery before you'll quickly be immersed in the world and will have no trouble becoming acquainted with the cast of characters.

The story begins in Daylesford, a small ‘spa’ town located in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, within the Shire of Hepburn in Victoria, Australia. Once we begin, we are lead down the path of parallel mysteries with the main adventure being investigated by our dogged heroine (Phryne Fisher) and ever present beige cladded sidekick (Dot). Setting out for a short holiday Phryne and Dot soon become embroiled in the affairs of the family running the mysterious Temperance Hotel with disappearances of local women; as well as murders of young men and, adding to the intrigue, the mystery of the knitted scarves! The women work well together even though Dot does not always approve of Phryne’s methods of breaking and entering (using the set of lock picks kept in her handbag!)

And meanwhile, back in Melbourne, Phryne’s resilient adopted daughters, Jane and Ruth (along with Tinker [who is the most wonderfully described character] are unexpectedly thrown into their own detective mystery trail when a young shy classmate of Ruth and Jane is found dead floating face down in the Harbour. There is just so much to love about the plot – well drawn characters and the skill of the author to draw all the various threads of the story together. An aspect of this book that I enjoyed the most, were the droll quips and witty turns of phrase which characterised most of the writing style.

There had been some difficulty with Mrs Walker, who had shown every inclination to outstay her welcome and had, moreover, all the survival skills of a dandelion in a snowstorm.

He blinked and put his massive head on to one side, looking now like a kookaburra eyeing off an unattended sausage at a barbecue.

Readers of classic English murder mysteries will be won over by this Antipodean version. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. 😊

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This murderer specialises in killing in the middle of a crowd, and it’s a different method each time. I may add that this is a criminal of extraordinary cunning, and is moreover quite, quite mad and horribly dangerous.”

Death In Daylesford is the twenty-first book in the popular Phryne Fisher series by award-winning Australian author, Kerry Greenwood. The audio version is read by Julia Franklin. While Phryne and Dot travel to Daylesford at the invitation of (former) Captain Herbert Spencer to visit his Hepburn Springs hotel, Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins is left assisting an incompetent Acting DI in a possible murder case while DI Jack Robinson is seconded elsewhere.

Claire Knight, a classmate of Phryne’s adopted daughters, is found floating face-down at the docks, and Hugh quickly judges that he will have to do his own investigating, when Acting DI Fraser jumps to the easy conclusion and fixes on the nearest male as the culprit. Ruth, Jane and Tinker, each resourceful and talented in their own way, make significant contributions to learning the truth.

Meanwhile, Phryne is expecting to have a quiet vacation in a spa town, inspect the hotel catering to shell-shocked soldiers with a view to contributing financial support, and to relax, but everyone seems to think she’s there to investigate the recent disappearances of several farmers’ wives.

But before she can ask a single question, there’s a terrible accident at the Highland Gathering with the caber toss, and a man is dead. Except Phryne can immediately see it’s no accident, even if the local cop, the pompous Sergeant Offaly, seems clueless.

The victim is one of many would-be suitors of the breath-takingly beautiful barmaid at the Temperance Hotel. Weeks earlier, another of their number fell from a train; when a third young man dies at the church dance, Phryne wonders: could one of Annie Tremain’s admirers be trying to eliminate rivals?

Two more women go missing during their stay so, in between enjoying the region’s attractions, their days are busier than anticipated: “Dot found it hard to sleep during the day, preferring healthful early nights to obtain her necessary recuperation. Phryne had heard of early nights but considered them hideously overrated.”

Phryne, amid spa and massage, vegetarian meals with herbal wines (all surprisingly good!) and seduction, and the ever-chaste Dot gather information by careful observation, judicious listening (or opportune eavesdropping) and shrewd questioning, and manage to satisfactorily solve several mysteries, save a horse and prevent a fourth murder, while keeping certain necessary secrets.

As well as lots of clever deduction, this instalment features Mr Butler’s dumb waiter, Dot arming herself against Phryne’s driving, a valerian-loving cat, an exploding outhouse and domestic slavery. Entertaining, as always.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 21st installment of the "Phryne Fisher Mystery" series was a wonderful three-ring circus of stories. Phryne and Dot have headed off to the country for a week's R&R after Phryne had received a letter of invitation to check out a sanitarium dedicated to World War I veterans struggling with PTSD. Detective Inspector Jack Robinson has been assigned to a high-risk/low possibility of succes case against a racketeer deep in politicians' pockets. Such pursuits have already ended the careers of a number of police personnel whether through death or being forced off the job. Jack's usual partner, Sergeant Hugh Collins, has been reassigned to assist a dolt of a man, Acting Detective Inspector Fraser. When a body surfaces in nearby waters, Fraser is quick to judgement and an unlikely person is accused of the crime. Hugh is troubled by Fraser's lack of procedural due process and quietly investigates on his own with the assistance of Phryne's three adoptees.

Meanwhile, back in the hinterlands, Phryne and Dot encounter hints of missing women, a few murders, folks keeping secrets and acting quite odd. There's no respite for Phryne and Dot until the troubles of Daylesford are resolved to Phryne's satisfaction.

As much as I have enjoyed the "Miss Fisher Mysteries" television episodes, I found the written stories so much richer in the telling than television can offer. The writing was deeply atmospheric with the subtlest of details placing the story firmly in Australia of the 1920s. The description of food and fashion was absolutely delicious. The sounds and signs of nature, out in the country, were absolutely charming. Wombats and kookaburras are little known in the northern hemisphere and their desciption adds an exotic element to the story. There are a number of red herrings and a passel of suspects. The tension is maintained evenly throughout the story. All in all, this was a pleasant and enjoyable cozy mystery.

I am grateful to author Kerry Greenwood and Poisoned Pen Press for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you A&U for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. I was drawn to this one as I just loved the cover image and as I have never read any Kerry Greenwood books (of which there are many) This was my chance to give it a go.

Unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed and found it a little lack-lustre.
This is a story in two halves, one being the murders of young men and the disappearances of women in Daylesford where Phryne Fisher and her loyal assistant are having a much needed break. The second part is the mystery behind the death of a young girl back in Phyrne's hometown which is investigated by not only the local police but Phyrne's two adopted daughters.

The story goes back and forth between the two stories with more characters than you can imagine which made for a confusing read. But more than that I really did get annoyed at the amount of time spent on the clothing worn by all the characters, especially Phyrne and the 'Hispano-Suiza'.

If more care was taken to draw me into the story and make me want to read and find out more, to make it more intriguing and exciting, I probably would have enjoyed it more. Even to the point of making the conclusion of each investigation less boring and predictable. The book was more about Phyrne than it was about the mystery deaths and disappearances.

I'm sad to say I won't be reading anymore Phyrne Fisher mysteries in future.

Death in Daylesford
Kerry Greenwood
Allen & Unwin Australia Pty. Ltd.

[Maine Colonial · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a temporary e-file of the book for advance review purposes from the publisher, via Netgalley.

I can’t believe it’s been eight years since the last book in this series. But as soon as this new book opens, we see the same characters, as Phryne is entertaining Lin Chung (and vice versa). The next day Phryne and her companion, Dot, are off to the country to see Captain Spencer, who runs a treatment/rest home for shell-shocked war veterans.

The Daylesford and Hepburn Spa area is beautiful and bountiful (check the area out online; it will make you want to visit), but almost no sooner do Phryne and Dot arrive than two men die, in apparent accidents. But there is a connection between them, and Phryne suspects murder. Is there a connection between these deaths and reports of recent disappearances of farmers’ wives from their homes?

Back in Melbourne, Hugh Collins has been assigned to work temporarily with DI Fraser, a rather dim and full-of-himself character. They are investigating the case of a young woman found drowned, who turns out to be a classmate of Phryne’s adopted daughters.

The cases in country and city are intriguing, there are mouth-watering descriptions of food and drink, some comic moments, and a real feeling of time and place in 1920s Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, and Melbourne. This is just the kind of charming period mystery with engaging characters that regular readers of the series expect.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever watched the Australian TV show based on the Miss Fisher Mysteries? I am a huge fan. I have been watching and reading these mysteries for years.

I am so excited to once again immerse myself back in the Jazz Age with the best dressed private investigator, Phryne Fisher along with her faithful companion Dot. Miss Fisher received a personal invitation from the handsome Captain Spencer to Daylesford, a spa retreat for WWI veterans in Victoria. Phryne gets caught in a string of mysterious disappearances and murders in one of the most complex cases yet.

The writing is simply divine as is Miss Fisher’s cunning wit and dry humor as she solves the mysteries in high fashion and high appeal!

I loved it!!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

And another superb addition to the Phryne Fisher series! I love that you can just get back into the series at any point and enjoy a perfectly crafted mystery with an intrepid, kick-ass heroine and a loveable supporting cast.

In this one, Phryne is asked by the owner of a spa for wounded soldiers to come and see his clinic. Intrigued, she and Dot set out to what promises to be an enjoyable short holiday. But what looks like paradise on earth soon reveals its darker side. Three men, all connected to the local beauty and angel of the village, rapidly die under mysterious circumstances, women seem to be disappearing one after another, and then a young girl goes missing. Phryne must keep her wits about her (and not get distracted by handsome strangers), and goes head to head with one of her biggest foes to date...

Meanwhile, back at home, Tinker stumbles into his own investigation when he finds the body of a young girl, who turns out to have gone to school with Ruth and Jane. Soon, the junior detectives are asked by Hugh Collins to help uncover the truth and try to emulate their idol Phryne by doing some sleuthing of their own.

As always, a highly enjoyable read full of loveable characters and a lot of mysteries. Strangely, it was never hard to keep track of who was who. I love how Greenwood can create such complex mysteries backed by meticulous research and you just soak it all up and revel in the perfection. These books are some of my go-to mysteries, and always provide a much-needed comfort read. You can never go wrong with them!

*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Greenwood has been writing Miss Fisher for the past 32 years, and it shows. It's only been a few months within the chronology of Phryne's world, but it feels like years have passed because they have. It's been seven years since Murder and Mendelssohn was published. Phryne's twenties no longer roar in this installment, they just kind of rumble along. I have read and re-read the previous books with a couple of notable exceptions--and those exceptions are always when Phryne is taken out of her Melbourne setting. Without her beautiful house, her clever friends, and the inimitable Mr Butler, the first thing to go missing is the spark, the sparkle, the wit and humour. There's nothing here that gives that satisfying 1920s feel. It all feels very superficial somehow. Even Phryne's trademark lovely clothes are gone--for some reason she consistently wears "trouser suits" in this book, which really weren't a thing yet for daily, non-beach or house wear. Why suddenly? Because she spends most of her time driving around? Lin Chung is given the briefest of scenes at the beginning of the book, and there are some notable changes to the bed and bath. Suddenly Phryne's famous moss green towels and sheets are gone, replaced by white towels and...scarlet sheets? Why, I wonder? They would clash dreadfully with the rest of the boudoir.
ETA: Upon my second reading, it feels as if someone else who has read the series as often as I have decided to try their hand at writing a followon, "with a few changes to bring it up to date." Except it's not supposed to be up to date, it's supposed to be 1929. I noticed a few far too modern idioms this time, such as when Phryne responds to someone by saying "Not so much"--an expression that became common 60 plus years later.

There are so many characters so loosely delineated that the story is extremely confusing. Unlike other reviewers, I don't care much that Ember is now "she", but there is a preponderance of female characters in the book, along with the obligatory-if-you're-Greenwood lesbian couple. (I always assumed that the "registered wizard" Greenwood lives with was a man. I begin to wonder.) I'm used to Phryne being very male-oriented, and yet the misandry in this book is hugely evident, from the rescued women thread to the way Phryne uses the man she went to see and then hands him off to someone else when she's done. When she's not openly criticising the men in Daylesford, she's mocking them, from the stolid policeman to the mentally lacking Vern.

Not up to Phryne's usual standard, but not as bad as some of the earlier novels I don't reread unless desperate. Part of the problem is locking the series into 1928-1929, which leads to the explanatory endnotes by the author, who must be very aware of her work's failings if she feels the need to explain them away. ETA: This book does NOT improve upon a second reading. If anything the errors in continuity and total lack of wit, as well as flat uninspired writing, are even more glaring.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

Well, do I feel stupid? I read this entire book not realising that Phryne Fisher is the Miss Fisher of the TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, D'oh! Although in my defence I don't think I've actually seen an episode.

Miss Fisher is a single wealthy woman. She lives in a large house in Melbourne with her cook, maid/companion Dot, and butler (Mr Butler) and two young school girls (Ruth and Jane) and a young man (Tinker) that she has adopted. She is modern and forward-thinking and is happy to be the concubine of a wealthy Chinese businessman.

In this novel Miss Fisher receives an invitation to visit a spa in the country, one that treats injured soldiers from WW1. Whilst Phryne and Dot are away in the country, Tink and the girls solve a mystery with the help of Dot's fiancé, Sergeant Hugh Collins.

Phryne and Dot arrive in the small town of Daylesford to find it a hotbed of mysteries and sexual tensions. Several women have disappeared over the years and their bodies have never been found. Soon after Miss Fisher arrives a man is killed at the Highland Gathering when he is hit by a misthrown caber. As the body count of young men mounts up, murdered under Miss Fisher's very nose in public, two more women disappear.

To start with, I found the way in which the author over-used adjectives and liked to use long words to be irritating, do I need to have Miss Fisher's turquoise silk robe referred to like that constantly? Can't it just be a robe the second and third time its mentioned? Also I found the scene between Phryne and her lover Lin Chung a little uncomfortable, along with other incidents/descriptions in the book, I don't know if I'm being overly sensitive and this is just Aussie plain-speaking, or just an attempt to be historically accurate.

However, I am glad I persevered because once Phryne and Dot got to Daylesford the story overtook the writing and the irritant factor dropped considerably. Having not read any of the previous 20 books in the series, I do wonder whether Kerry Greenwood is writing for the TV series (or with it in mind), as the descriptions of what Dot and Phryne are wearing seemed a bit excessive, especially since Dot only seems to wear combinations of brown and beige, ditto the recitation of what they have for breakfast every day! I also found it a bit disconcerting that the action shifted from Daylesford to Melbourne between one paragraph and another without any warning, one minute I was knee-deep in shell-shocked WW1 soldiers and the next Tink was fishing with his old mates in Melbourne.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the unravelling of each of the mysteries, some of them I guessed and some came to Phryne in a flash of inspiration. Any book that contains three murders, two attempted murders, a kidnapping, a drowning, and a secret baby can't be bad.

Overall, I would say I enjoyed this but I suspect the writing style might become repetitive if I read more in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.

[Grey853 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phryne and Dot go off to spa country at the invitation of a man who runs a home for shell-shocked soldiers. Once there Phryne discovers that women are disappearing from the town and then men are being murdered in crowds. There are a lot of characters to sort through and it takes Phryne a lot longer than usual to figure out what's really going on.

Meanwhile, back home Tinker, Ruth, and Jane are working on solving their own mystery. A school friend of the girls has been found dead floating in the harbor. They want to know what happened to their friend.

The problem I had with the book was that the suspense of one story kept being interrupted by switching back to the other. Tension never really got developed. Another problem is that there is no Jack to speak of in this novel.

It was an okay story, but it wasn't up to the usual entertainment factor of the previous books. Because so much of the book was about Tinker and the girls, I'm wondering if the author plans to start another series with those characters. Personally, I would've preferred the two mysteries to be in separate books. They just didn't seem to be related.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder and Mendelssohn, the most recent in this series featuring the Honorable Phryne Fisher, was published in 2013. I had sadly come to the conclusion that there would be no more when author Kerry Greenwood released No. 21, Death in Daylesford. Phryne fans, rejoice!

In this installment, Greenwood narrates two investigative threads: one features Tinker, Jane and Ruth join Sergeant Hugh Collins in investigating the death of a classmate. Meanwhile, Phryne and her maid Dot Williams have their hands full with the disappearance of women and a series of murders at the spa town of Daylesford, Victoria. Needless to say, Phryne figures it out, but what a lovely ride it proves. Highly recommended.

And Ms. Gteenwood, please don’t keep us waiting another eight years for No. 22!

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death in Daylesford by Kerry Greenwood is the 21st book in the Phryne Fisher Mystery series. Phryne travels to Hepbun Springs for a holiday after receiving a mysterious invitation and becomes involved in looking into the disappearance of several women as well as the deaths of several young men. Meanwhile, when one of their classmates is found dead, Tinker, Jane and Ruth investigate while Phryne is away. A superb instalment. I especially loved the setting, having holidayed there with my grandmother in my childhood when she would partake of the mineral water baths to help treat her arthritis. I loved that we managed to catch up with all the characters with the two investigations, even though it was briefly with some . An intriguing mystery and a very entertaiing and well written book.