GREEN MILL MURDER

The irrepressible Phryne Fisher is at it again. Forty-seven hours into a dance marathon, Phryne and pal Charlie witness a murder. When Charlie then disappears, his distraught mother hires Phryne to find him—and her other son, Victor, a shell-shocked ex-soldier. Stephanie Daniel is perfect as the Jazz Age detective, providing plenty of fast-paced action and sly wisecracks. Taking a turn as a blind blues singer, however, Daniel is less convincing. Even so, as Phryne flies her Gypsy Moth across the Australian Alps; frolics in the Outback with a hermit, his dog, and a wombat; and solves the murder, Daniel is sensational. A brief interview with Kerry Greenwood offers fascinating insights into the inspirations for some of her characters. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2010]