Walking the wings of a Tiger Moth plane in full flight would be more than enough excitement for most people, but not for Phryne–amateur detective and woman of mystery, as delectable as the finest chocolate and as sharp as razor blades.In fact, the 1920s’ most talented and glamorous detective flies even higher here, handling a murder, a kidnapping, and the usual array of beautiful young men with … with style and consummate ease. And she does it all before it’s time to adjourn to the Queenscliff Hotel for breakfast. Whether she’s flying planes, clearing a friend of homicide charges, or saving a child, Phryne does everything with the same dash and elan with which she drives her red Hispano-Suiza.
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Love the Miss Fisher Mystery series!
I have so enjoyed watching the series on PBS and found one of the books at my local book store. Being able to spend time in Phryne’s world is a very satisfying pastime. Looking forward to reading all of the books!
Flying Too High earns 5/5 Gipsy Moths…Engaging, Fun & Pure Phryne!
I know and love how Miss Phryne Fisher is interpreted in the television series courtesy of Essie Davis, but is she the image Kerry Greenwood originally created in her novels? “Flying Too High” is the second book in her series, and not used to create one of the episodes…so I’m excited! Phryne has moved out of the Windsor Hotel and into a newly renovated residence she bought for its address—221; she’s brought Dot along as a personal maid and secretary hoping to mentor her out of her fears and phobias; with recent success revealing a killer, she’s started her own business: Miss Phryne Fisher, Investigations. One client, Mrs. McNaughton, worries the conflict between her husband and her son is about to turn murderous and hopes Phryne can uncover the truth. A flying school. Investment problems. Someone dead. However, woven into the drama is the disappearance of six-year-old Candida Maldon. She found threepence just enough to buy sweets at the lolly shop, but she’s approached, tries to rebuff the advances, then everything went “dark green.” Kidnapping. Ransom. Brilliant Plan. There is not a lack of business.
Greenwood’s writing is quite compelling: concise description, engaging banter, sprinkled with a bit more grit, and the same witty humor I love from the television show. Each chapter has a prelude quote, an element I like, and many phrases and references to fashion, objects, and typical issues pop up to illustrate the 1920’s era. However, some details, characters, and connections were just different enough to make this an entertaining twist to Phryne Fisher’s world. I loved it…every word, every page! Although Phryne exasperates a different lead detective, I was pleased that her relationship with DI Jack Robinson, introduced in book one, is still one in which she relies. He values her input knowing her unique perspective is often correct and is not adverse to the same “quid pro quo” as depicted in the series. He also is quick to remind her as usual to be careful and scold her if she crosses a line. But, he wasn’t a key figure in this story, and where’s Constable Hugh Collins? But, I loved Dot, Cec and Bert, Mr. Butler with his Mrs. Butler, and of course, the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher! Beware of possible blushing.
I understand the rebranding of the covers with Essie Davis’s image as Miss Fisher is one way to take advantage of the popularity of the television series and feature-length movie, but I so liked and miss the artistic, art nouveau-style covers with their bright colors and Miss Fisher depicted in glorious 1920s fashion.
If you liked the TV series, you’ll probably love the book. I certainly did. Miss Fisher is even more unconventional than the shows. She’s direct, daring, down-to-business, take-charge, and no-nonsense, yet charming and soft-spoken (usually). A role model for liberated but feminine women. In this book, she solves a murder and a kidnapping using her incredible powers of observation and logic to analyze the facts and the evidence. She is sort of an Australian Sherlock Holmes (whose home addresses, 221B, are the same), but with more generosity and empathy. The language, culture, fashion, and ambiance are very 1920s. I had to keep a Google search tab open to investigate some of the unfamiliar vocabulary.
Loved the book as much as I love the TV series.
I flew through this book. Pun intended. Such a fun cozy mystery.
Phryne Fisher is probably my favourite of all the cozy MCs. She so full of life. It’s a joy to read her adventures. I love all the characters. Each mystery is as exciting as the next.
The mystery in this one kept me going until the end. I was convinced I knew who the killer was only for the twist at the end to catch me by surprise.
Highly recommend.
Kerry Greenwood sets the stage for her Miss Fisher mystery in Australia between the World Wars. She does this with characters ‘s memories of wartime, descriptions of food, dress, and the country. The years between the war’s was a time of change for many, economically, morally, and socially.
Miss Fisher is a woman of independent means who sets about solving crime as a private detective. This time she has two cases to solve, a kidnapping and a murder.
That Phryne Fisher. Girl can multitask like no one’s business. Solving one murder is not enough to keep the Honorable Miss Fisher busy, so she takes on a kidnapping as well. For anyone worried that the TV show may have spoiled the end for this series after the 1st book, this book has no corresponding episode, so everything is unspoiled. While the subject matter of the crimes is heavy, Phryne sweeps you along in her wake and so you’re left standing to attention with all the other characters as she organizes the world around you. There’s a bit of fun with aviation in this, though not so much that a novice (like myself) gets bogged down in technicalities and ends up spending a lot of time wikapedia-ing jargon in order to follow along with the story. Instead, like a lot of Greenwood’s descriptions and lingo that she throws in, it adds to the flavor of the setting and convinces you that, yes, this is 1920’s Melbourne. Now, I am no expert, or even really knowledgeable at all about that era in that particular location, but, for me, Greenwood writes in such a way that I can easily believe that there was a real-life Miss Fisher solving crimes and raising hell in 1920’s Australia. Again, I know very little about Australian history, so I’m not sure I’d spot the more subtle historical inaccuracies if there are any, but to my layman’s eyes it’s excellently done. Side characters get a little more fleshed out in this sequel, and the book does a remarkable job of keeping you invested in Phryne and her world. Normally 2nd books end up being a bit of a wash, or at least the runt of the series, but this one stands on it’s own two feet and entertains. And in the end, all is sorted, Miss Fisher has set the world to rights, and there is, naturally, a party. In some respects this series does remind me of that feeling from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction novels- Agatha Christie or Henry Wade, or even Ellery Queen. It has a similar sort of morality and color that is characteristic of that era.
Miss Fisher books are so much fun. Love her spirit and personality. Nothing keeps her down. She’s the type of character you’d like to have for a friend in real life