The Green Mill Murder
A Phryne Fisher Mystery
Kerry Greenwood
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-240-3 (1590582403)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-240-4 (9781590582404)
Publication Date: April 2007
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Phryne Fisher is doing one of her favorite things
--dancing at the Green Mill (Melbourne's premier dance hall) to the
music of Tintagel Stone's Jazzmakers, the band who taught St Vitus how
to dance. And she's wearing a sparkling lobelia-coloured georgette
dress. Nothing can flap the unflappable Phryne--especially on a dance
floor with so many delectable partners. Nothing except death, that is.
The dance competition is trailing into its last hours when suddenly, in
the middle of "Bye Bye Blackbird" a figure slumps to the ground. No
shot was heard. Phryne, conscious of how narrowly the missile missed
her own bare shoulder, back, and dress, investigates.
This leads her into the dark smoky jazz clubs of Fitzroy, into the arms
of eloquent strangers, and finally into the the sky, as she follows a
complicated family tragedy of the great War and the damaged men who
came back from ANZAC cove.
Phryne flies her Gypsy Moth Rigel into the Australian Alps, where she
meets a hermit with a dog called Lucky and a wombat living under his
bunk....and risks her life on the love between brothers.
Review:
The Green Mill
Murder is, chronologically, the fifth mystery in the
Phryne Fisher series by Australian author Kerry Greenwood, though the
tenth published by Poisoned Pen Press.
It is the 1920s and the Great War is over. It is now the time for
laughter, music, dancing, beer and wacky cocktails. Phryne Fisher, an
anything goes lady, spends an evening at her favorite dance hall, The
Green Mill. There is a continuing dance marathon going on as she and
her escort dance to the music of Tintagel Stone’s Jazzmakers.
In view of the band, the marathoners and the casual dancers, one of the
dancers falls and is dead before hitting the floor. No one witnessed
the man being stabbed in his heart. The police are called but no one
can or will tell them anything. Phryne’s escort actually runs
away from the scene and goes into hiding. Because Phryne is an
investigator she is asked by the police to help solve this crime.
The mother of Charlie, Phryne’s escort, hires her to find
Charlie before the police do, and bring him home. While she’s
doing this, the mother tells her she has another son who ran away right
after the war and she would appreciate it if she would she look for
him. She doesn’t know where to look and she doesn’t
even know if he’s still alive or if he is dead.
So, Phryne has three mysteries to solve: who murdered the dancer, where
is Charlie, and where is his brother?
Kerry Greenwood makes Melbourne, Australia, come to life in the 1920s.
Phryne Fisher is a wealthy woman living in comfort with servants,
driving a very large car (actually she is chauffeured most of the
time), and a two seated airplane that she loves to fly herself. She
wears beautiful expensive dresses with shoes and hats to match. Her
jewelry is exquisite.
She has investigated and helped to solve a number of cases with the
police so the problem of the murder on the dance floor, plus the two
missing brothers is not unusual for her.
Phryne leaps into these mysteries with courage, intelligence and humor.
She is a funny, fun-loving lady, with just a tad of
“blue” humor. On the ground and in the air, Phryne
goes to any length to solve these cases.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Green Mill Murder and to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved.
Mysteries in this series (listed in order of their original publication in Australia; ISBNs and publication dates are for books available from Poisoned Pen Press) ...
Cocaine Blues
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), April 2006
ISBN: 1-59058-236-5 (1590582365)
Flying Too High
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), July 2006
ISBN: 1-59058-237-3 (1590582373)
Murder on the
Ballarat Train
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), October 2006
ISBN: 1-59058-241-1 (1590582411)
Death at
Victoria Dock
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), December 2006
ISBN-10: 1-59058-238-1 (1590582381)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-238-1 (9781590582381)
The Green Mill
Murder
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), April 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-240-3 (1590582403)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-240-4 (9781590582404)
Blood and
Circuses
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), July 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-235-7 (1590582357)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-235-0 (9781590582350)
Ruddy Gore
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), June 2005
ISBN: 1-59058-118-0 (1590581180)
Urn Burial
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), December 2005
ISBN: 1-59058-169-5 (1590581695)
Raisins and
Almonds
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), November 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-168-7 (1590581687)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-168-1 (9781590581681)
Death Before
Wicket
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), January 2008
ISBN-10: 1-59058-170-9 (1590581709)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-170-4 (9781590581704)
Away with the
Fairies
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), January 2005
ISBN: 1-59058-022-2 (1590580222)
Murder in
Monparnasse
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), June 2004
ISBN: 1-59058-042-7 (1590580427)
The Castlemaine
Murders
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), September 2004
ISBN: 1-59058-117-2 (1590581172)
Queen of the
Flowers
Death by Water
Murder in the
Dark
Omnimystery keywords for The Green Mill Murder ...
Location(s) referenced: Melbourne,
Australia.