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georgieporgiepudding's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The latest Phryne Fisher book has Phryne and Dot go to rural Daylesford to visit a health spa for First World War victims.
In this town, they meet two hotels with women running them, two explained “accidental” deaths and missing women.
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Phryne’s family solve the unexplained death of a girl who goes to school with Ruth and Jane.
This book explores family relationships, loyalties, poor policing, and life in the 1920s.
Slightly slow, at the start I preferred the Melbourne story, but the Daylesford story became more gripping and exciting.
Good resolutions for both stories, would recommend.
In this town, they meet two hotels with women running them, two explained “accidental” deaths and missing women.
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Phryne’s family solve the unexplained death of a girl who goes to school with Ruth and Jane.
This book explores family relationships, loyalties, poor policing, and life in the 1920s.
Slightly slow, at the start I preferred the Melbourne story, but the Daylesford story became more gripping and exciting.
Good resolutions for both stories, would recommend.
skittleforge's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
esshgee's review against another edition
2.0
2 1/2 stars. It's been a long time since I read a Phyrne Fisher, and I enjoyed the setting, but the language seemed more flowery than I remember. Overexplanatory similes and Weird Capitalisation that I don't recall from her earlier writings. Hmmm...
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
4.0
First released in Australia in November 2020, DEATH IN DAYLESFORD is the 21st Phryne Fisher book, set in Victoria's Spa Country - between Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, in an area that's all too real, with some fictional places built into this story, as is the tendency with this very engaging series.
The first of Phryne Fisher novel was published in 1989, so this is one of the really long-standing, fictional crime series in Australia, relying heavily on a tone and style set way back then, and a central character that is memorable, frequently funny, and always very dashing. Whilst her readers may be 30 something years older, Miss Fisher is still plying her private investigator interests in 1920's Australia, with her faithful companion Dot at her side (eyes firmly closed whenever they take to the road in her glorious Hispano-Suiza car, or firmly cast sky or floor-ward to avoid glimpses of the frequent boudoir activities of her mistress), and a cast of supporting characters, work and home based, that fans of either the TV series, or the books will instantly recognise. In this outing, however, Inspector Jack is sidelined, and the entire household are back in Melbourne, investigating their own mysterious death, whilst Phryne and Dot are off in the Spa Country to meet a man running a retreat for returned servicemen, and of course, encountering a series of disappearances and murders of their own.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the earlier audio version of the Phryne Fisher novels, so the death of the original narrator was very sad, but the entire series is one of those sets of novels that I've dipped into and out of for years now, in no particular order, and never expecting anything other than a bit of good rollicking investigating, with a daring female central character, who is exactly what you'd hope of a poor girl, turned Hon., now of independent means, and mind, fully in touch with her own intelligence, desires and directions. Interestingly I've often found there is infrequent crossover between fans of Greenwood's other long running series - the Corinna Chapman books, and the Phryne Fisher novels, although I hasten to add there's nothing extensive or scientific about that observation. For the record, I've never really connected with the Chapman books.
On the entertaining side as always, the mystery in DEATH IN DAYLESFORD is also nicely twisty, with a sideline of disappearing women that would be particularly apt in current day Australia as well. The setting is well invoked as always, and it was particularly nice to spend some time with such old friends in such a beautiful part of the world.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/death-daylesford-kerry-greenwood
The first of Phryne Fisher novel was published in 1989, so this is one of the really long-standing, fictional crime series in Australia, relying heavily on a tone and style set way back then, and a central character that is memorable, frequently funny, and always very dashing. Whilst her readers may be 30 something years older, Miss Fisher is still plying her private investigator interests in 1920's Australia, with her faithful companion Dot at her side (eyes firmly closed whenever they take to the road in her glorious Hispano-Suiza car, or firmly cast sky or floor-ward to avoid glimpses of the frequent boudoir activities of her mistress), and a cast of supporting characters, work and home based, that fans of either the TV series, or the books will instantly recognise. In this outing, however, Inspector Jack is sidelined, and the entire household are back in Melbourne, investigating their own mysterious death, whilst Phryne and Dot are off in the Spa Country to meet a man running a retreat for returned servicemen, and of course, encountering a series of disappearances and murders of their own.
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the earlier audio version of the Phryne Fisher novels, so the death of the original narrator was very sad, but the entire series is one of those sets of novels that I've dipped into and out of for years now, in no particular order, and never expecting anything other than a bit of good rollicking investigating, with a daring female central character, who is exactly what you'd hope of a poor girl, turned Hon., now of independent means, and mind, fully in touch with her own intelligence, desires and directions. Interestingly I've often found there is infrequent crossover between fans of Greenwood's other long running series - the Corinna Chapman books, and the Phryne Fisher novels, although I hasten to add there's nothing extensive or scientific about that observation. For the record, I've never really connected with the Chapman books.
On the entertaining side as always, the mystery in DEATH IN DAYLESFORD is also nicely twisty, with a sideline of disappearing women that would be particularly apt in current day Australia as well. The setting is well invoked as always, and it was particularly nice to spend some time with such old friends in such a beautiful part of the world.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/death-daylesford-kerry-greenwood
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I'm a huge fan of the TV series and have wanted to read these books for years but I find them hard to get my little mittens on. To my to my joy my book app got this book in. But none of the other books in the series.. But I found it enjoyable anywho maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I was more caught up, don't know how closely the tv show was and it was years since I saw it. I would want to say I'll read more in the series as I don't know how I will get hold on them.. lovely book!
henrymarlene's review against another edition
3.0
Allen & Unwin gifted me an ARC of “Death in Daylesford” by Kerry Greenwood to reconnect with a long-standing crime buster with a pearl-handled pistol. The sass and sensualness of Phyrne Fisher hits you immediately: she is full of colour and vividness, in comparison to Dot, her quaint beige companion. Their short holiday in the ‘spa’ town of Daylesford draws them into investigating the disappearances of local women, while Phryne’s adopted children in Melbourne undertake some mystery solving of their own, with the discovery of Ruth’s school mate floating in the river. The detail is dripping in sheen and lustre, and there is a lot of effort to knit the characters and the scenes together to provide the feel of Melbourne in the 1900s. Kerry Greenwood certainly has a knack of weaving together a tight murder-mystery and colour it with all the element of Phryne Fisher’s life – her glitz and glamour, her generosity to others, her origins in poverty. Not to mention the richness of history of the 1920s, I am amazed at the amount of detail that sits within every page, and it was perfect to curl up with and plough through.
sixseasonsandamovie's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0