Murder in Montparnasse" by Kerry Greenwood, transports readers to the vibrant streets of 1920s Paris, where intrigue and romance intertwine in a mesmerizing tale. With her trademark wit and charm, Greenwood introduces us to the intrepid Miss Phryne Fisher, whose keen intellect and flair for adventure make her an irresistible protagonist. Against the backdrop of bohemian Montparnasse, Phryne's investigations lead her into a web of secrets and deception, culminating in a thrilling climax that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Greenwood's evocative prose and vivid descriptions capture the essence of the era, immersing readers in a world of glamour and danger. "Murder in Montparnasse" is a delightful escapade that will leave readers longing for more.

I watched the Miss Fisher series on Acorn TV and loved spending time with this independent, feisty woman in early 20th century Australia. That series was based on the books written by Kerry Greenwood, of which this is one. The novels do not have to be read in order but they do feature recurring characters.

Murder in Montparnasse relates to something that happened in Paris in the past. The events of that time have led to the difficult situation in this novel. What happened? Will Phryne’s friends Bert and Cec survive the events in the present? Will Phryne? (You know that they will but that doesn’t meant that readers won’t find some suspense here.)

Read this novel to find out what happened and, while your doing so, get an update on Miss Fisher’s love life. For readers who enjoy historical mysteries and like finding series to read, this is definitely worth a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

So enjoy all the Phryne Fisher books.

Apologies for not posting review on here - I must have only done Goodreads at the time!

Phryne Fisher is an intriguing, colorful character, and is the protagonist of a long-running series by Kerry Greenwood. Murder in Montparnasse is the twelfth installment of the series (so far there are 20). The novel is set in 1920s Australia, with flashbacks to earlier times in Paris. Phryne is approached by some of her mates from the wharf; they were soldiers in 1918 in Paris, and with five other friends, inadvertently witnessed a murder during a night of drunken partying. Two of the friends have since died under suspicious circumstances, and her friends, Bert and Cec are worried that they are also being targeted. As a favor to her friends, Phryne gets involved in the investigation, and a fascinating story unfolds as she tries to get to the truth of the matter.

There is plenty of suspense that builds throughout the novel, and the author definitely captures the ambience of both Australia and Paris during that time, making the novel charming as well as suspenseful. Greenwood skillfully builds the story, and has inserted believable characters into believable (and factual) historical scenarios. Phryne is likeable, albeit loosely moraled, and will give readers another look at the1920 mores which are different from common stereotypes.

Readers who gravitate toward historical fiction will surely enjoy Phryne Fisher and Murder in Montparnasse. She is unique, and will motivate readers to pick up the remaining novels in the series. While not a cozy, the book has no graphic sex, language, or violence, (although there is sexual innuendo), so it is suitable for most ages.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

This is supposed to be one of the best novels in the entire Miss Fisher series. It is. I did enjoy it more than most I’ve read in the series.
We learn about a part of Phryne’s past, a time she spent in Paris at the end of WWI. Phryne had enlisted in the war against her father’s will, became an ambulance driver, and she gained the ‘honorable’ part of her name on the battlefield. In Paris at the end of the war, she again rebels to her father’s will and stays in Paris, where she lives with the bohemians.
WWI is pervasive in the case Phryne is investigating, involving her friends Bert and Cec. This case also brings back into her life her first lover, who she met in Paris, and this gives her an unusual sense of insecurity.
There’s lots of action and character building here. Both Hugh and Phryne’s adopted daughters gets a good chunk of action. Phryne’s story with Lin Chung also goes through an important evolution. There is a lot, on different levels, in this story.

And still, I think it could have been even better. There were indeed a few weaknesses that, especially at the end, spoiled my enjoyment of the novel.
I had the impression that a lot of tension was built around Phryne’s insecurities and the thread about her former lover so to sustain the flashbacks in Paris, which didn’t really have the strength to sustain themselves. These flashbacks were inserted in the plot quite forcefully, I never find any harmony in the way they existed inside the story. They were very long and frequent and while at the beginning I found them interesting, after a while they started to repeat themselves, so that in the end they became more annoying than enriching. The sensation became even stronger when the thread regarding Phryne’s lover in her present time basically ended up in nothing.
I was quite disappointed.

So, I suppose this was a good novel as it lasted, but could have ended more strongly.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Honourable Miss Fisher is back and this time for a story that considered one of the best.

Miss Phryne Fisher is approached by her two friends Cec and Bert to investigate the suspicious death of two of their army friends. Paris, 1918: Seven comrades walk through the station of Montparnasse after the war. Now, only five remain. When the number grows even smaller, it’s up to Miss Fisher to discover the truth of why they are getting silenced years later. Phyrne is forced to come face to face with her demons while investigating the disappearance of a young girl. Moreover, she might also need to find a new butler, as Mr Butler threats to leave if she doesn’t permanently cut ties with Mr Lin, who is about to get married. Does the life of a lady detective ever to be easy?

As I wrote on my previous Miss Fisher review, I’m a big fan of the TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and of Miss Fisher as a strong female character. Even so, I will not compare them, as they are a bit different.

The plots are well developed and integrated amongst each other. The main plot is the death of the two soldiers, followed by a mystery in Miss Fisher past and then the case of the missing girl. Kerry Greenwood did a great job in going back and forward in time and not losing track of characters and details. The historical details and the integration of known individuals give depth to the novel and add colour to it too.

The style of writing is simple but classy, just like everything else in this novel. It flows through the pages and the way the descriptions are made, for me it seemed like a painting on sale in the small streets next to the Seine. It’s charming by its simplicity.

The characters are, as always, the best part of the novel. Miss Fisher is an amazing character that stands out for her strength of character, her class and her ability to help anyone in need. She’s resourceful, completely unafraid to break the rules and, at the same time, she’s also vulnerable and afraid of the ghosts of her past. In this novel, the reader gets to have a glimpse of her difficult past. As she remembers her time during the war, we’re introduced to her time as an ambulance driver, to her lover and abuser that left deep scars about to get reopened. It’s an emotional part of the book that made me feel more connected to her than ever. She is truly one of the best female characters ever created for me.

I highly recommend this book to all the fans of Miss Fisher and/or of a strong charming lady detective.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

An excellent fast paced murder story. Ms. Grreenwood magistrally intertwined three different cases (or four or five depending upon the point of view of every reader) with backflashes of Miss Fisher life in the post war Paris of 1918.
This book would please any mysteries reader and, of course, all the Miss Fisher TV mysteries series.
I highly recommend this book.

Murder in Montparnasse

by Kerry Greenwood

It is said that one should order soup in a fine restaurant as it is a predictor of the quality of the meal to come. The first chapter of Murder in Montparnasse was my “soup.” I knew upon sampling the book, that the descriptive language was worth savoring on the tongue. The introduction of three major plot threads provided delicious flavors evocative of a mystery worth reading.

Phryne Fisher has her hands full in this fast-paced mystery which focuses on a group of Bert and Cec’s friends from the war who seem to be targeted for death, the disappearance of a young lady, and strange occurrences at a delightful French restaurant. Along the way, various other puzzling circumstances need to be examined. Phryne’s past also becomes important as her time spent in Paris in an art community returns to haunt her. Domestic issues involve the marriage of her Chinese lover and the employment termination of her beloved Mr. Butler. Phryne’s daughters, Jane and Ruth, are pleased to take on detective roles, and Constable Hugh Collins shows his skills in some independent police work. Murder in Montparnasse is an altogether satisfying mystery.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Notes: #12 in the Phryne Fisher Mystery Series

Publication: September 5, 2017—Poisoned Pen Press

Memorable Lines:

The remedy for anything short of an outbreak of cholera in a French kitchen was “Add more cream!”

The waiter, who had clearly graduated magna cum laude from Cheeky French Waiter School, made a face which suggested that a chef who had dinners to cook ought not to be slugging down cognac at lunch, but he slapped down another glass and the bottle of cognac. He then flounced away, turning an ostentatious back.

Dot always worried about Phryne. There had been raised male voices in the refined parlour, and Dot didn’t like it one bit. Raised male voices, in Dot’s experience, preceded raised male fists. And then Miss Phryne might have to hurt someone.

I hadn't heard of the Phryne Fisher until after seeing the tv series. I fell in love with the characters, especially Phryne. The books have some characters that aren't included in the tv series. It also fleshes out more of Phryne's relationship with her two adopted daughters.

This book is a fun, quick read. The covers are gorgeous and I love that they use images of the actress that plays Phryne because she is perfect in the role. I would recommend these books to fans of Elizabeth Peters and Jacqueline Winspear. Readers who love feisty, independent, confident, competent heroines who live life on their times and take no crap from anyone.

I've enjoyed the TV show, but the books are better. Nice story, with an intricate, well thought plot; likable characters. Gives the reader a glimpse of Phryne's background story and explains a lot about the way she is, Like the setting in place and time.

This is the best Phryne Fisher yet. I learned more about Phyrne's past in this book than any other, and I think this adventure found Phryne with more on her plate than ever before. A murderer is on the loose, and Bert or Cec could be next, a young girl is missing, Lin Chung is getting married, and Phyrne's orderly household is in turmoil. And, as if this weren't enough, a ghost from Phryne's past has returned, forcing her to face memories long-buried. Our heroine may need to be rescued herself before all the loose ends can be tied up! Definitely tops the list of my favorite Phryne Fisher mysteries.

A mystery in 1928 with its roots in Paris of WWI. Miss Fisher, now an established and successful private detective, is asked to find out who has murdered two men with ties to a murder in Paris - a period of Miss Fisher's past that brings back painful memories of an 18 year old living a happy go lucky life in Paris until she crosses paths with a very nasty sort. As she investigates the past murder and the present ones, we get to see the teenager who has become that sassy lady, Miss Phryne Fisher. Whether it is the very well done tv series or the physical books, these are not to be missed. Historical mysteries at their finest.

The Miss Fisher books are such a joy and delight to read! I had seen the very well-done TV show so when Netgalley offered this title I jumped on it. The novels are so much richer with depth and texture, intricately detailed characters and times. You are back in post war (WWI) Paris with Alice B. Toklas, the writers, the painters, entering the jazz age, drinking absinthe, smoking Gauloises, shaking off the terrors of the war. With exquisite attention to language and history, author Kerry Greenwood immerses you in the somewhat decadent and avant-garde life of The Hon. Phryne Fisher (which title she earned herself for heroism as an ambulance driver).

But this is a murder mystery, you say. Well, yes! You have at least three to choose from plus a missing heiress and any number of other subplots which interweave as Phryne and her cohorts seek to untangle them. Some you will figure out from the clues and the solution of others will likely surprise you as much as they do our heroine. Highly recommend!

I love Miss Fisher! Phryne and Dot are wonderful characters and this is a very well written, well thought out book. If you like the TV show, definitely give the Miss Fisher books a try. You'll be very glad you did!

Murder in Montparnasse takes us back to a time when Miss Fisher was more innocent and less worldly wise, despite her experience as an ambulance driver in WWI. Footloose in Paris, she is intimate with artistic and literary figures, earning her living as a much in demand artist's model, and generally enjoying her freedom. However, she meets a thoroughly evil individual named Rene DuBois and promptly falls for him. Despite warnings from her friends, Phyrne learns the hard way just how wicked Rene is. She escapes him, but the experience colors her memories of Paris ever after. Meantime, her future cronies in Australia, Cec and Bert, are also in Paris with five other soldiers. On a rowdy night, the seven soldiers witness a murder but are too drunk to do anything about it. Years later, two of the soldiers are dead in quick succession in Australia. The deaths are ruled accidents, but Cec and Bert know that can't be true. Phryne is working on another case, that of a kidnapped girl but also wants to help them. The intersection of the three cases brings about some rough Australian justice for all.

I am reading the Miss Fisher Mysteries wildly out of order, but it seems to me that each one can be read as a stand-alone. No doubt it helps that I have seen all the episodes of the TV series. There are differences but nothing that is problematic, at least not for me. Each is a romp through a different time and place, with an unforgettable and unconventional heroine. I particularly enjoyed the integration of real historical figures like Djuna Barnes, Sylvia Beach, and Pablo Picasso. This Phryne Fisher story is a little darker than others I have read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Poisoned Pen for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.


RATING- 4 Stars

1928 and a group of soldiers from the Great War believe they are being targeted by a murdrerer - two are already dead - and they need the help of Phryne to discover why and who. Meanwhile chef Anatole Bertrand asks Phryne to find his disappeared fiancee.
An easily read enjoyable mystery.

The Honorable Phryne Fisher isn't your typical detective - she's a sassy, smart and sophisticated private investigator. If you are new to her, her personality and lack of scruples might make you raise your eyebrows, and I particularly love it. Kerry Greenwood isn't shy to address feminist concerns from 1928 that many times apply for nowadays too.

With this book series, the main character is as important as the story: if you don't like Miss Fisher, I doubt you will enjoy the mysteries.

I love how romantic, decadent and interesting the setting of the books are, placed in Melbourne during the 1920s. In Murder in Montparnasse, there are a few storylines to follow: where is Elizabeth and who kidnapped her? Who is murdering Bert and Cec's friends? Will Mr. and Mrs. Butler leave? Each storyline is independent from each other and are equally intriguing, in my opinion.

There are a lot of flashbacks to Miss Fisher's memories of Paris post-war. Although very interesting to see her background story as a young woman who served in the war, drove ambulances and was a muse for famous painters, the transition between present and past was a little to unclear and too frequent for me. It broke the rhythm of the story. I was, however, very pleased with the mysteries and their conclusions, loved Greenwood's witty and sassy writing and the personality of each character. Despite being a light read, Greenwood doesn't make light of serious issues at all and doesn't romanticize poverty, abusive relationships and so on. And yet, that doesn't make the reading heavy at all - just matter-of-fact. I really enjoyed that!

The differences to the TV series rely on the characters as well as the plot: it's like seeing an alternate universe of the episode with slightly different people and slightly different things going on. Phryne is younger in the books, Inspector Jack Robinson is a happily married man who doesn't have a sharp jawline or smoldering looks, Hugh is a tall and strong guy, Mr. Butler has a wife who works in the house too, etc... 

I had a lot of fun with this novel, loved it a lot and this definitely convinced me to buy the books of my favorite stories from Miss Fisher.

Veredict: I recommend this book very much! It was a fun and engaging read, Miss Fisher has a vibrant, sassy personality and the 1920s in Australia is a wonderful setting. If you're interested in her novels, maybe start with another book though, as this one has many flashbacks to Phryne's past, which is more interesting if you're invested in the character already. Trigger warnings: abusive relationships. I don't indicate it for a young audience.

As a cozy mystery, "Murder in Montparnasse" indeed is an awesome mystery. By all means, I enjoyed reading it immensely- Fun, witty, well-written and entertaining. The plot is tight, fast moving with memorable characters. Set in Australia during the 20s makes the title standout among other cozy reads in the genre. Overall a great, fast paced novel.

I started book #11 and just finished reading #12 of the series. I might consider reading the previous releases when I have the time but will only borrow library copies. The reason I say "might" because there are better choices that I have set as my higher priorities. The Phryne Fisher series, as entertaining as it is, I would not follow each and every book religiously. Maybe the series is good for a weekend/beach read or a long-haul travailing companion.

Again, thanks Netgallery and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to review this fun title for my opinion and reading experience.

Murder in Montparnasse is the twelfth in Kerry Greenwood’s series featuring the insouciant Phryne Fisher. This story has many flashbacks to the end of World War I and Phryne’s time in Paris as an artist model when she was young and deeply in love. Through the memories, we learn that her love affair ended badly. Meanwhile, in the present in Australia, friends of Bert and Cec are being killed in clever “accidents” they are sure are murders. Phryne is also hired to solve a kidnapping, the young fiancée of a French chef at Cafe Anatole has disappeared. Her father is a less than licit horse breeder/racer whose activities suggest the kidnappers could have ulterior motives. There is a lot going on, in the past and in the present.

Of course, things are both more and less than they appear. Phryne untangles the many threads that knot these stories together and with the help of Inspector Jack Robinson, Constable Williams, Bert, Cec, and even her adoptive daughters, Phryne untangles the crimes of the past and the present and we learn much more about what drives her independent spirit.



I love Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher stories. They are pure wish fulfillment for me, a brilliant, beautiful, wealthy woman who can play Lady Bountiful, whose social conscience is as lively and “woke” as a present day activist, and who wears the most beautiful gowns ever made, there could be nothing better. Every once in a while, though, her books get overladen with her research. She does a tremendous amount of research in order to fully inhabit the time and place, but sometimes, I get the sense that having put so much time into the research, she can’t bear to leave it out. This is one of those books.

Frankly, I liked this least of Phryne’s novels. I enjoyed the kidnapping plot and its resolution. I loved the girls following the young suspect through the city. The murder plot is on one hand, incredibly complex and diabolical and on the other hand, completely obvious. I did enjoy Constable Collins moment of heroism and professional success and the side plots were enjoyable, but the main story and its connection to France stretched a very thin thread of plausibility past its breaking point. Add to that, the heavy weight of name-dropping and research-flaunting and it was just not up to Greenwood’s usual standard. Nonetheless, it’s still a good solid mystery and advances our understanding of Phryne and sets the stage for future stories.

Murder in Montparnasse will be released September 5th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

Murder in Montparnasse at Poisoned Pen Press
Kerry Greenwood author site

My second read of this investigative officer. Titled, quirky, clever and beautiful. The setting is Melbourne, again different and the time frame is the early 20th century.

Seven Australian soldiers unwittingly and unknowingly witnessed a murder in Paris. They were for the most drunk, never knew about it until one by one death stalks them in uncommon circumstances. Though made to look accidental two of them are sure there is something different about these deaths and Phyrne Fisher comes to the scene.

Unraveling it further, Phyrne discovers that it is closer to home than she thinks. These are not random killings and she has to go deep to discover why and how and where the next murder is going to take place. The who is told to us half way through. Again unusual.

The style of writing is old fashioned, the methodology old fashioned, accurate and never fails. Not an Agatha Christie style of mystery murder neither is it a Patterson or Baldacci but one in its own right very very good.

I liked the style of writing, the characterizations and the plots and only hope I will be able to get to the rest by this prolific author.

Goodreads and Amazon review up on 29/7/2017. Review on my blog 30/7/2017. Also linked to my FB page.