The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions, Kerry Greenwood
A new collection of 17 short stories, 4 of which are previously unpublished, THE LADY WITH THE GUN ASKS THE QUESTIONS would be the perfect introduction point for anyone new to the Phryne Fisher series, or for those of us looking for a bit of diversion in unusual times.
It's hard not to warm immediately to a world in which the cocktails are perfect; Phryne's hair even more so; the cars, houses and clothing spectacular; and the murders so frequent a moment's pause would have you wondering how there were any later day generations to be going on with. But, as with Midsomer, the death count isn't the point, the resolution is, and resolve things The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher does, via her spectacular powers of observation and deduction, the occasional bit of dare-doing, and a lot of sass and sensuality.
Worth reading the introduction to this collection as well, as Kerry Greenwood shares a little of how Phryne came to be, along with a gentle reminder that there is a bit of difference between the books (of which there are now 21 in the series) and the excellent and highly-entertaining television series (again it's hard to avoid a bit of Midsomer comparison here).
If you've read the collection from 2008, A QUESTION OF DEATH, then a lot of these stories will be familiar, although edited to fit the chronology of this collection. Having done that I was pleasantly surprised to find that revisiting was just as enjoyable as the original read, and as always, peppered with dry wit, clever observations and a cool, calm, slightly detached singular disregard for fools and charlatans that's nicely refreshing in this age of ... well fools and charlatans at every turn.
Good fun as always, THE LADY WITH THE GUN ASKS THE QUESTIONS is the perfect collection for fans of the series, or maybe as intro for those new to it. It's definitely designed for a bit of dipping into and out of, ideally reclined on a couch with cocktail of one's own making in hand.
The elegant Miss Phryne Fisher returns in this scintillating collection, featuring four brand-new stories.
The Honourable Phryne Fisher - she of the Lulu bob, Cupid's Bow lips, diamante garters and pearl-handled pistol - is the 1920s' most elegant and irrepressible sleuth.
Miss Phryne Fisher is up to her stunning green eyes in intriguing crime in each of these entertaining, fun and compulsively readable stories. With the ever-loyal Dot, the ingenious Mr Butler and all of Phryne's friends and household, the action is as fast as Phryne's wit and logic.
Review | The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions, Kerry Greenwood | Karen Chisholm
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Friday, November 5, 2021 |