Cannonball Read 13

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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> Genre: Fiction > Not as fluffy as the tv show but still a fun ride

Not as fluffy as the tv show but still a fun ride

Cocaine Blue by Kerry Greenwood

January 21, 2021 by pixifer 2 Comments

Needing some light entertainment, I decided to rewatch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. It’s a delightful show and the rewatch made me curious about the books. 

Phryne, carrying the cocktail, decanted it unobtrusively into a potted palm against which she had no personal grudge, and hoped that it would not give her away by dying too rapidly.

Content warning: the book, and my review, mention sexual assault. 

Cocaine Blues is the first book in the series. Miss Phryne Fisher is a wealthy socialite in 1920s England. When a diamond necklace is stolen at a dinner party, Phryne solves the case in five minutes flat. Impressed by her detective skills, another guest asks her to investigate his daughter’s illness. The daughter, Lydia, stays sickly but recovers dramatically when away from her husband. The man fears Lydia’s husband is poisoning her. Phryne accepts the case and returns to her native Melbourne to investigate. She quickly befriends a young woman named Dot, who she hires as her maid, and taxi drivers Burt and Cec. Through Burt and Cec, Phyrne becomes involved in the hunt for an abortionist named Butcher George, who rapes his clients before performing unsanitary abortions and dumping the women out on the street. Phryne’s investigation into Lydia’s illness introduces her to a ballet troupe searching for the “King of Snow” who is selling cocaine in Melbourne. Naturally, Phryne solves all three cases with aplomb. 

Now have I got everything…money, gun, cigarettes, lighter…yes. Goodbye, Dot. See you tomorrow—or sometime.’

The book is more serious than the show, which surprised me. There were moments when I wasn’t sure if the characters would escape unscathed. However, the writing is fairly light and airy. I’m not sure how to rate the character development because I have so much of their stories from the show already in my head. I feel like Phryne is fairly well developed for a first novel while Dot, Cec, and Burt are more like character sketches. While cozies aren’t known for being realistic, Phyrne’s ability to solve the mysteries, even with help, borders on ridiculous. Still, it was a delightful book and I’ll definitely read the next one. 

Filed Under: Fiction, Mystery Tagged With: 1920s, amateur detective, Australia, cozy mystery, historical ficiton, Kerry Greenwood, Miss Fisher's mysteries

pixifer's CBR13 Review No:3 · Genres: Fiction, Mystery · Tags: 1920s, amateur detective, Australia, cozy mystery, historical ficiton, Kerry Greenwood, Miss Fisher's mysteries ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

About pixifer

CBR13 participantCBR12 participant

I'm an avid reader working on my first official Cannonball. My favorite genres are mystery, horror, fantasy, and SciFi, but I'll read almost anything that won't make me cry. When I'm not reading, I'm probably being held down by cats. View pixifer's reviews»

Comments

  1. Bothari43 says

    January 22, 2021 at 10:03 am

    Oooh, I miss Phryne and Dot! I might have to check this out. Good to know the book is a bit heavier than the show – I will adjust my expectations.

    Reply
  2. Essie Dubs says

    January 22, 2021 at 9:51 pm

    My friends recommended the show to me recently, but now I wonder if I should check out the books first. Though my cozy tastes are decidedly less serious (ridiculous, I am fine with!), so maybe the show is more my speed.

    Reply

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