Queen of the Flowers : A Phryne Fisher Mystery (Phryne Fisher Mysteries) [Large Print] [Paperback]

Kerry Greenwood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 10, 2008

The circus is in town, and St Kilda is having its first Flower Festival. And who should be Queen of said Flowers but the Honourable Phryne Fisher? She has dresses to purchase, cinemas to visit, and agreeable cocktails to drink. One of her flower maidens, however, has vanished. Phryne investigates the under-world with the help of Bert, Cec, her little beretta, and an old flame from Orkney, the owner of the most exclusive brothel in St Kilda, and several elephants. But then her own adopted daughter Ruth goes missing, and nothing will keep Phryne from retrieving her lost child. Kerry Greenwood is the author of more than 40 novels and six non-fiction books. Ms. Greenwood has received the Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement Award from the Crime Writers' Association of Australia.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Crime strikes close to home in this latest installment of Greenwood's charming series (The Castlemaine Murders, etc.) featuring 1920s Aussie amateur sleuth, Phryne Fisher. While the town of St. Kilda prepares for the 1928 Flower Parade, Phryne's adopted daughter, Ruth, disappears after learning her father's identity from her birthmother, Anna Ross. Phryne adds Ruth to her caseload, which coincidentally includes the search for another missing young woman, Rose Weston. As with other series entries, the solution to the mystery is secondary to the author's clever prose and gift for characterization. Phryne carries the action ably, even if her resourcefulness and unflappability sometimes border on the superhuman. The engaging cast of familiar supporting characters—including Phryne's maid, Dot, and her Chinese lover, Lin Chung—will delight longtime fans, but newcomers who like their crime on the lighter side can jump in without any trouble. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Australia, 1928. Phryne Fisher, the flamboyant flapper and amateur sleuth, has been chosen to be Queen of the Flowers for this year’s Flower Parade. But, as loyal readers of this long-running series know, Phryne can’t seem to do anything without landing herself in the midst of a mystery. This time she takes Rose, a troubled young woman, under her wing, and when Rose vanishes, Phryne embarks on a no-holds-barred campaign to find her. The charm of this series remains the way it connects the flapper era to contemporary life. Phryne is an outspoken, acid-tongued adventurer who won’t take lip from anyone. She’d be right at home in a novel set in the present day, but that wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. Here she stands out deliciously from her surroundings (but, given her flapper characterization, she does so believably, never seeming anachronistic). Her interactions with the more conventional characters who surround her give the stories humor and pizzazz. This is a consistently strong series that shows no signs of running out of steam. --David Pitt --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (July 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590583841
• ISBN-13: 978-1590583845
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,638,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent Australian historical mystery, July 12, 2008

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Queen of the Flowers: A Phryne Fisher Mystery (Hardcover)

In 1928 the townsfolk of St. Kilda are euphoric as they prepare for the annual Queen of the Flowers gala. Socialite Phryne Fisher is especially looking forward to the festival receiving the honor of being name the Queen of the event. This means spending time buying fancy dresses and dining in top restaurants, a hardship that Phryne will suffer with relish though the elephant may be a bit too much even for a woman who tries anything.

However, Phryne's adopted daughter, Ruth vanishes in search of her biological father after learning from her birthmother TB victim Anna Ross at the sanatorium who he is. Phryne has been hired by family friends in Melbourne to search for missing Rose Weston while she also plans to trace her adopted daughter. Her investigation proves stunning and shocking as she uncovers some horrific happenings.

As always with this excellent Australian historical mystery series, the characters especially the nonparallel Phryne make for a strong period piece. The investigations are fun to follow as the heroine begins to find horrific occurrences that shake even her. However, it is the heroine and her support cast who bring late 1920s Australia to life that makes QUEEN OF FLOWERS and the rest of the Fischer saga some of the best recurring lighthearted investigative tales.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite "Phryne" to date, October 29, 2008

By 

critters - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Queen of the Flowers: A Phryne Fisher Mystery (Hardcover)

I admit I'm not caught up on the whole "Phryne" series, but I think this is my favorite so far. There's a load of suspense, yet it seems a little more, um, gentle? than some others. We also get to learn a lot of history on more than one regular character, which is nice. I don't know how else to say it other than "Queen of the Flowers" hit the spot!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Libraries strong in mysteries will find it a thrilling addition, November 16, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Queen of the Flowers: A Phryne Fisher Mystery (Hardcover)

The circus is in town and St. Kilda is having its first Flower Festival parade, in which Phryne Fisher is to be Queen. The only problem at first is an unstable flower maiden but when malady spreads to include Phryne's own adopted daughter and the mystery deepens to something much more personal and dangerous, QUEEN OF THE FLOWERS really heats up. Libraries strong in mysteries will find it a thrilling addition.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch