Queen of the Flowers

The Delightful Phryne

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

Great Story

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

Old Friends Enliven Flower Festival

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

always enjoy a Phryne tale!

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

Fun read

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

Stephenie Daniel has outdone herself.

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

So Sweet

This one is so sweet. One of my favorites. And, of course, so many great lines.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fun summer read!

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

Maybe Too Cozy for Me

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

Please, Don't Sing!

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.