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It's the end of the roaring twenties, and the exuberant and Honourable Phryne Fisher is dancing and gaming with gay abandon. But she becomes bored with London and the endless round of parties. In search of excitement, she sets her sights on a spot of detective work in Melbourne, Australia. And so mystery and the beautiful Russian dancer, Sasha de Lisse, appear in her life. From then on it's all cocaine and communism until her adventure reaches its steamy end in the Turkish baths of Little Lonsdale Street.
Baking is an alchemical process for Corinna Chapman. At four am she starts work at Earthly Delights, her bakery in Calico Alley. But one morning Corinna receives a threatening note saying "The wages of sin is death" and finds a syringe in her cat's paw. A blue-faced junkie has collapsed in the dark alley and a mysterious man with beautiful eyes appears with a plan for Corinna and her bread. Then it is Goths, dead drug addicts, witchcraft, a homeless boy and a missing girl and it seems she will never get those muffins cooked in time.
The first in a new crime series from M. B. Shaw, pen name of best-selling author Tilly Bagshawe. Murder at the Mill introduces listeners to portrait painter and amateur sleuth Iris Grey, who sees the truths of others while struggling to find her own way. Grey arrives at The Mill in Hampshire, commissioned to paint a portrait of Dominic Wetherby, a celebrated author. She quickly finds herself drawn into a world of village gossip, romantic intrigue, buried secrets and murder.
In September 1926, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher visits Sybil Sutherby, a school friend now living in Derbyshire as the confidential secretary to a novelist. Suspecting that something is seriously amiss, Sybil has asked Daisy to discretely investigate. Upon arrival, Daisy finds a household of relatives and would-be suitors living off the hospitality of Humphrey Birtwhistle, who had been supporting them through his thrice-yearly, pseudonymous Westerns. When he took ill, though, Sybil took over writing them while he recovered, only to see the sales increase. Now, she fears that someone in the household is poisoning Birtwhistle to keep him ill and Sybil writing the better-paying versions.
Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they've just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There's a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation...
In the late 1920s in England, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher is recruited to help her cousin Edgar - i.e. the Lord Dalrymple. About to turn 50, Lord Dalrymple decides it is time to find out who would be the heir to the viscountcy. With the help of the family lawyer, who advertises Empire-wide, they have come up with four potential claimants. For his fiftieth birthday, Edgar invites those would-be heirs - with Daisy and the rest of the family - to Fairacres, the family estate.
It's the end of the roaring twenties, and the exuberant and Honourable Phryne Fisher is dancing and gaming with gay abandon. But she becomes bored with London and the endless round of parties. In search of excitement, she sets her sights on a spot of detective work in Melbourne, Australia. And so mystery and the beautiful Russian dancer, Sasha de Lisse, appear in her life. From then on it's all cocaine and communism until her adventure reaches its steamy end in the Turkish baths of Little Lonsdale Street.
Baking is an alchemical process for Corinna Chapman. At four am she starts work at Earthly Delights, her bakery in Calico Alley. But one morning Corinna receives a threatening note saying "The wages of sin is death" and finds a syringe in her cat's paw. A blue-faced junkie has collapsed in the dark alley and a mysterious man with beautiful eyes appears with a plan for Corinna and her bread. Then it is Goths, dead drug addicts, witchcraft, a homeless boy and a missing girl and it seems she will never get those muffins cooked in time.
The first in a new crime series from M. B. Shaw, pen name of best-selling author Tilly Bagshawe. Murder at the Mill introduces listeners to portrait painter and amateur sleuth Iris Grey, who sees the truths of others while struggling to find her own way. Grey arrives at The Mill in Hampshire, commissioned to paint a portrait of Dominic Wetherby, a celebrated author. She quickly finds herself drawn into a world of village gossip, romantic intrigue, buried secrets and murder.
In September 1926, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher visits Sybil Sutherby, a school friend now living in Derbyshire as the confidential secretary to a novelist. Suspecting that something is seriously amiss, Sybil has asked Daisy to discretely investigate. Upon arrival, Daisy finds a household of relatives and would-be suitors living off the hospitality of Humphrey Birtwhistle, who had been supporting them through his thrice-yearly, pseudonymous Westerns. When he took ill, though, Sybil took over writing them while he recovered, only to see the sales increase. Now, she fears that someone in the household is poisoning Birtwhistle to keep him ill and Sybil writing the better-paying versions.
Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they've just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There's a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation...
In the late 1920s in England, the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher is recruited to help her cousin Edgar - i.e. the Lord Dalrymple. About to turn 50, Lord Dalrymple decides it is time to find out who would be the heir to the viscountcy. With the help of the family lawyer, who advertises Empire-wide, they have come up with four potential claimants. For his fiftieth birthday, Edgar invites those would-be heirs - with Daisy and the rest of the family - to Fairacres, the family estate.
With more than a dash of glamour and serious helpings of style, the witty and courageous Phryne Fisher returns. In 1928 St Kilda’s streets hang with fairy lights. Magic shows, marionettes, tea dances, tango competitions, life-saving demonstrations, lantern shows, and picnics on the beach are all part of the Flower Parade. And who else should be chosen to be Queen of the Flowers but the gorgeous, charming and terribly fashionable Hon Phryne Fisher? Phryne needs a new dress and a swimming costume but she also needs a lot of courage to confront her problems: a missing daughter, the return of an old lover, and a young woman found drowned at the beach at Elwood.
If you could sum up Queen of the Flowers in three words, what would they be?
Delightful, enthralling, evocative
Who was your favorite character and why?
Phryne Fisher, she is so accomplished, stylish and resourceful.
What about Stephanie Daniel’s performance did you like?
You concentrate on the story, not the delivery.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
One of Phryne's adopted daughters meets her mortally ill Mother.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Is there anything you would change about this book?
yes, please try and make accents used sound more authentic, it really distracts when they are laboured and don't sound right!
This novel is another installment in this lovely series. The focus is back on Phryne and her little family, and less on Lin and the chinese community. Many old friends from other books make happy cameos, and Phryne is at her fabulous best saving lives and sorting out messes. The theme of fathers and family is also explored in an interesting way.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I am going through all of the Miss Fisher Mysteries in order and I really liked the story in this one. All of them have been thoroughly enjoyable books and the performance by Stephanie Daniels is exceptional.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
In her 14th adventure, Phryne Fisher has been chosen Flower Queen of the 1928 St. Kilda's Annual Festival of Flowers, a sort of mixture of county fair, circus week, and mardi gras. Among the old friends who show up are a wonderful woman who does a circus act with 4 elephants who are more pets than working animals, and an ex-lover of Phryne's from one of the Orkney Islands.
In the midst of preparations for the Flower Parade, one of the Flower Maids disappears and is believed to be kidnapped, and then Phryne's adopted daughter Ruth disappears. With the help of Bert & Cec, other daughter Jane, the police and her circus friends, Phryne finds both missing girls and uncovers a whiteslave ring, of course all in the nick of time for the Flower Parade. In addition to all that action, Ruth identifies and meets her biological father.
In a very busy plot, Kerry Greenwood manages to keep her usual light approach and still to display all the spirit, elan, confidence, caring, and righteous anger the reader has come to expect from Phryne in any given situation. And Stephanie Daniel delivers all of those emotions and more with her usual skill and style. I would rate this as one of the best of the Phryne Fisher books.
Well worth a token and the time.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
If you could sum up Queen of the Flowers in three words, what would they be?
Fun, light, interesting
Would you recommend Queen of the Flowers to your friends? Why or why not?
Yes, if they like light mystery with a determined lead character
What does Stephanie Daniel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I've listened to just about all of the Phryne Fisher stories and Stephanie Daniels IS Phryne, so I can't imagine hearing anyone else!
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I enjoy Phyrne's growing relationships with her girls
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Where does Queen of the Flowers rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I listen and read to relax. This book is great for easy listening and enjoying a story. Ms. Fisher is what many of us women secretly wish we were. Confident, totally independent, apologising to no one for who she is.
What did you like best about this story?
It's dependability, and humor. Even discussing a very real and grusome situation it was still enjoyable and never became maudelin.
Have you listened to any of Stephanie Daniel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
She is great as Phrynie Fisher. I don't believe I have heard any other recordings of her work.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is one of Stephenie Daniel's best performances! the Orkney accents were beautiful, and she keeps up with Phryne very well. I loved the addition of the epistlary format interspersed throughout. It added a layer to the story that was interesting and heartbreaking at the same time.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This one is so sweet. One of my favorites. And, of course, so many great lines.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I enjoyed this book and the narrator was fabulous. Lighthearted and enjoyable. I will listen to more Phryne Fisher mysteries.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I like cozies, as opposed to hard-boiled mysteries, but Phryne is a bit too much for me. This book reminded me of the old "Motor Boys" series from the 1920's. The Motor Boys possessed an automobile, an aeroplane [sic], a boat and a balloon, and they had lovely adventures without inconvenient money worries or parental interference.
Phryne is a rich lady living in Australia in 1928 who adopts abused teenaged girls, rescues abused housemaids from evil masters, is beautiful, has a wealthy married lover whom she enjoys but does not wish to take any further, drinks fine champagne, eats wonderful food prepared by devoted servants, etc. She is always perfectly composed, competent and articulate, even in the face of danger.
It was just all a bit too unbelievable even for me, a known fantasist. The narration was excellent, however.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I really like the Phryne Fisher books and enjoy Stephanie Daniels performances but, please don't sing. And in this particular book, the droning monotone of the professor was very hard, for me, to get through.