Cocaine Blues

I first heard of Kerry Greenwood a few years ago - her series of mystery books focusing on Phryne Fisher was presented amongst various cozy mysteries, this kind of mystery which prohibits swear words, sex or violence. I was then between two minds - ...more I first heard of Kerry Greenwood a few years ago - her series of mystery books focusing on Phryne Fisher was presented amongst various cozy mysteries, this kind of mystery which prohibits swear words, sex or violence. I was then between two minds - on the one hand, it seemed really I wasn't the target audience for this as I don't avoid all those things in my reading or indeed in real life (except for the violence part, obviously). On the other hand, I'm a huge fan of The Thin Man show more movie series which I suppose has elements of the cozy mystery (deaths are quick, you won't see Nora and Nick even sleeping in the same bed because of the Production Code and you won't hear them swear either (though I suspect Nora would). I didn't pick up Cocaine Blues then but it's always been at the back of my mind since.
Recently, I've been wanting to check what the mystery genre had to offer me and I once again, when researching books to read, stumbled upon Phryne Fisher. 1920s, a good cover, good website - let's just try, I thought, since it seems to tick so many of my boxes. I don't have to finish it after all if it's not good enough.

So happy I did! I was very pleasantly surprised by Cocaine Blues as it offered much more than I thought it would. We are introduced to Phryne Fisher, as I said, who's a rich woman who settles in Australia and solves mysteries. The book takes place in the 1920s and Phryne has all the elements of the flapper: she's high society, a great dancer and loves fashion. But there's more than that. Phryne Fisher is a free, unattached woman. In one scene she goes to church and is thoroughly bored by the sermons as she ponders that she's done a lot of what they say not to do and hasn't done a lot of what they tell people to do. She's not married and has some good times with a professional dancer. In another scene, she finds herself in the maternity ward of a hospital and explains to a nurse that she really doesn't want children - in a very funny moment, she holds a child's hand and tells him she hopes his mother will love him more than she does.
Phryne may be rolling in money but she actually comes from a very poor background, something which allows her to think about not only those whom society caters for, but also those who are left in the margins: very early in the book, while she's on her way to Australia on a boat, she explains that the wealthy are given the names of two hotels to stay in and she wonders 'where the steerage passengers are advised to stay'. Her strongest friendships are with characters who have to work to live.
In more ways than one, Phryne Fisher doesn't follow conventions and the setting of the 20s makes her modernity all the more believable.

However, Phryne isn't the only thing I was pleasantly surprised with. The plot touches on many unexpected things: while making a strong case for the need for safe, legal abortion, it also depicts back-alley abortions and their consequences in vivid detail, something I was not expecting in a cozy. The book also introduces characters such as women doctors and shows the need for better health care for women and while showing the limited choices they are provided with, it also gives examples of inspiring female characters who are amongst the best in the book.
The male characters are also very worthy of mention: one of them, a driver, provides some welcome commentary on class and assigned roles.

The mystery itself is engaging and way more thought-provoking than I thought it would be. Phryne is a wonderful character to follow and I absolutely fell in love with all the secondary characters who are very decent human beings. Cocaine Blues was overall a near-perfect book: it's fun and light in places, the setting is just right, the dresses are just so, and there is the right amount of stolen necklaces. On the other hand, it's also got some of the most politically conscious choices I've seen in a long while and I'm extremely happy it's the first in a series of books for I was absolutely taken aback by its brilliance.

In short - a fabulous read, Kerry Greenwood is an author after my own heart! show less

"The Princesse nudged Phryne in the ribs with an albow evidently especially sharpened for the purpose of compelling attention... She was the last person in the world whom Phryne could imagine selling any sort of drug. She was so oppressively healthy."

The Honourable Phryne Fisher is rather bored with London society and, having demonstrated some super sleuthing at a party, accepts the commission of a gentleman of wealth to check up on his daughter in Melbourne, who seems to be being poisoned by her husband. Little does Phryne expect the cavalcade of adventures awaiting her in her hometown.

The plot in this opening novel takes a little while to get going, and Greenwood is determined to keep a side-plot rumbling along; as we are being show more introduced to Phryne and her crew, the slower pace is fine. It took me a while to get into the mystery of the Russian dancers, but as the pace of the book does not permit impatience, one trundles along quite happily.

Phryne is a wonderful character; a dab hand at most things, but not perfect. She rather delights in causing scandal which is usually very funny. I have to say, I love Dot - Phryne rescues her from a bad situation which has made her harbour murderous intentions, and sets her back on the straight and narrow. Dot's a nervous creature but with a heart of gold, frequently concerned about Phryne's wellbeing and ethics, but clearly knows a friend when she sees one. The television series appears to stay truer to the spirit of Dot's character than to Phryne's (I suspect Phryne is edited on screen for ratings purposes!). Bert and Cec, Phryne's local henchmen, are also frequently a source of comedy and excellent foils for Phryne (especially the more stubborn Bert).

We are so very firmly in 1920s Melbourne here. The telephone is a source of mystery and fear for those who don't encounter it often, calling cards are left, Phryne resides at the Windsor hotel and drives the only Hispano-Suiza in Australia. Greenwood sets a compelling stage.

Highly enjoyable and definitely recommended for Australian fans of private investigator fiction and period drama. show less

Greenwood concocted a nice little mystery: I liked this story more for the ambiance, the characters and the description of the times than for the plot which is sometimes annoyingly breezy and tangled. The comments about feminism, communism and socialism, however, make this book interesting: a social commentary of the times, especially with the issues of abortion and drug abuse at the forefront.
I will be getting back to Phryne Fisher's adventures: her sprightliness and defiance of conventions are definitely attractive!

The first entry in the Miss Phryne Fisher mystery series sees Phryne return to her native Australia as a favour to a friend of her father's who is concerned that his daughter may be being poisoned by her husband. Upon her arrival at the swank Windsor Hotel in Melbourne, Phryne finds herself not only determining whether her target is being poisoned but she also finds herself pulled into a plan to damage the cocaine trade in the city. Much adventuring ensues, always in perfect flapper style.

I came into this series with minimal preconceptions of what the mystery or world would be like, having only seen a small chunk of the first episode of the television series adaptation. What I found utterly delighted me. Phryne is a fantastic woman to show more read about, the mystery is well-crafted, and the world is already filled with supporting characters of whom I'm fond. Plus the descriptions of 1920s Melbourne life and fashion is lush and thoroughly inviting. I'll definitely be continuing on with this series and recommend it to fans of historical mysteries with sassy heroines. show less

Cocaine Blues, the first Phryne Fisher mystery, throws you headfirst into the glamorous and dangerous world of 1920s Melbourne. Our protagonist, Phryne Fisher, is a wealthy heiress bored with English society. She embarks on a trip to Australia to investigate a possible poisoning, but soon finds herself tangled in a web of cocaine smuggling, illegal abortions, and hidden agendas.

This debut novel introduces Phryne's signature style – think flapper fashions, sharp wit, and a penchant for adventure. You'll also meet some of her future recurring companions, like the resourceful maid Dot. The historical setting adds a touch of authenticity, while the mystery itself keeps you guessing until the thrilling climax.

If you're looking for a fun, show more fast-paced read with a strong female lead, Cocaine Blues is a great place to start. show less

This is the first book in the Phryne Fisher series, and it's golden. The introduction is priceless, as the young lady puts Sherlock Holmes to shame in the instantaneous and almost offhand solving of the theft of a necklace.

The whole book is a bit like that, brisk and breezy and offhand. Phryne Fisher is a creature unto herself, unconcerned by anyone's opinion and a bit puzzled, if anything, if it comes to her attention that someone disapproves; she's the sort who, if disapproval is detected, will proceed to emphasize that trait or behavior being frowned upon. She was born independent, and has no more real need for anyone than a frog needs a harmonica.

Yet I liked her. Once I got used to her casual attitude toward sex and drugs (rock show more 'n' roll not having been invented yet), which were so not what I was expecting but which actually slotted into the time period well enough (there are reasons they were called the Roaring Twenties), I liked her. Not as much as I love Kerry Greenwood's other main heroine, Corinna, but I don't regret buying every single one of the books in the series. (Fortunately.) show less

This book introduces The Honourable Phryne Fisher, Lady Detective – except to those of us who discovered Phryne through the television series adapted from the books. Having loved the show, I decided to start reading the books and see how they compared.

In this first Miss Fisher novel, Phryne catches a thief at a dinner party and a couple there are so taken with her quick thinking and detection that they ask her to travel from her home in London to her native Australia; they believe that their daughter Lydia is being poisoned by her husband and wish Phryne to investigate. However, when Phryne arrives she discovers that things are far more complicated than they first seem, and also gets involved with tracking down an illegal abortionist. show more Busy she may be, but our indefatigable detective also manages to find time for a fling with a Russian dancer!

This book was highly enjoyable in many ways – Kerry Greenwood has an amusing turn of phrase and is very good at picking the humour out of any situation and relaying it to the reader. Given the subjects covered in the book, this is no mean feat! In all honesty the plot is a little bit clunky and gets a bit tied up in itself – it felt like there was maybe a bit too much going on, and the poisoning case was actually less interesting than the search for the illegal abortionist. However, it is the first book in the series and does a good job of introducing us to several characters who (as viewers of the show will know) become regulars in the storylines; Phryne’s maid Dot; the two cab drivers Bert and Cec; and of course Detective Inspector Jack Robinson – although for those viewers liked me who adored the chemistry between Phryne and Jack, well sorry to disappoint but there is absolutely no romance between the two in the book series, and Jack is actually very different to his on-screen incarnation.

Phryne Fisher is a delightfully almost-but-not-quite over the top creation, with charm and more than a touch of impish sauciness. Based on the first book, I can only say that despite it’s flaws, I’m really looking forward to reading more in the series. show less