Title: Cocaine Blues
Author: Kerry Greenwood
Genre: Crime Fiction
Website: Phryne Fisher
Social Media: Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Blurb:
“Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher solves theft in 1920s London High Season society, and sets her clever courage to poisoning in Melbourne Australia. She – of green eyes, diamante garters and outstanding outfits – is embroiled in abortion, death, drugs, communist cabbies – plus erotic Russian dancer Sasha de Lisse. The steamy end finds them trapped in Turkish baths.”
About the Author:
Kerry Greenwood was born in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray and after wandering far and wide, she returned to live there. She has a degree in English and Law from Melbourne University and was admitted to the legal profession on the 1st April 1982, a day which she finds both soothing and significant.
Kerry has written twenty novels, a number of plays, including The Troubadours with Stephen D’Arcy, is an award-winning children’s writer and has edited and contributed to several anthologies. In 1996 she published a book of essays on female murderers called Things She Loves: Why women Kill.
The Phryne Fisher series (pronounced Fry-knee, to rhyme with briny) began in 1989 with Cocaine Blues which was a great success. Kerry has written thirteen books in this series with no sign yet of Miss Fisher hanging up her pearl-handled pistol. Kerry says that as long as people want to read them, she can keep writing them.
Things I liked:
*Interesting plot – I love Crime Fiction and the two strong cases being solved simultaneously was enjoyable to read. Though I confess I figured out the Villain early on, the ironic aspect of it all amused me.
*Well developed characters – They were all an interesting motley crew with believable motivations.
*Historical Setting: I enjoyed reading about 1920’s Melbourne, Australia, the city was a character all on it’s own.
Things I didn’t like:
*Slow Plot – While the sub-plots were interesting enough to keep the story moving forward, I would have preferred a faster pace to the main story-line.
*Lots of Characters: Like most first books in a series, there are lots of characters introduced, I found it difficult to distinguish the male characters from each other, with the exception of the Bert and Cerc.
Stars: 4 out of 5
Ambiguous Pieces 