Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a number of Phryne Fisher books, but none since 2015, which is a long time ago! I don't know why I drifted away from the series - just on of those things that happens sometimes I guess. I only have so much tolerance for cosy mysteries. I didn't actually realise these were short stories until i opened the book, but that is my fault for not reading the description properly before rapidly clicking the "request" button.

It was an absolute pleasure to visit with Phryne again. to have a taste of her wit, her style and her charm. The mysteries are not really the point here (although she solves every one of them neatly) it's about the panache, the era and the attitude.
I wouldn't recommend this to those not already familiar with the series, since they are just bite sized tasters. And 17 of them can get a little samey. I'd recommend reading these in between other, ore substantial offerings.

Miss Fisher is such a great character and this collection is perfect as an introduction to her world and to fill in the gaps for the Phrynne enthusiast. Clever, well written and always with such amazing descriptions of the setting and people of the time, this will be a favourite with many,

The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions by Kerry Greenwood is a compendium of Phryne Fisher short stories, some little more than vignettes. As always Phryne is irreverent and has a clever mind that comes to conclusions very quickly. She is nearly a female Sherlock in that she observes and usually solves the crime from there. She is never short of outrageous clothing and beautiful young men in her bed, or people needing her help. Dot is evident in many of the stories as are Mr. Butler, Bert and Cec, and others Phryne fans have come to know. There are 17 stories contained herein, all different, all refreshing, and all with Phrynne solving a mystery in short order. I totally loved it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions by Poisoned Pen Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #poisonedpenpress #kerrygreenwood #theladywiththegunasksthequestions

In a Nutshell: An interesting collection of short stories featuring Phryne Fisher. There are a few decent stories here but none that blew my mind.

Let me begin with a disclaimer. I have never heard of this supposedly famous character prior to reading these stories. I don’t know anything about her, have never read her full-length cosy mysteries nor watched her NetFlix series. (I don’t know what rock I have been living under!) So this review is based on this book alone and not on any loyalty or fondness for this character. In other words, I might be disappointing some of you Phryne Fisher fans with my words. Apologies for that!

The collection begins with two very different types of author's notes: ‘Apologia’, which contains a little humorous note to the reader, and ‘On Phryne Fisher’, which details out the journey of this character, including how the idea for the book germinated. This latter section especially was a delight to read and set the right tone for the book, especially for ignoramuses such as me who knew nothing about the Phryne Fisher world. One line that stayed with me was: “Historical novels walk a fine line. Too much detail and the reader is bored. Too little and it fails to convince. The ideal state for the reader is one where she trusts the writer to tell her everything she needs to know.”

The anthology contains 17 short stories, each having Phryne Fisher demonstrating her intellect and her apathy towards social restrictions and societal constructs. I can see why she is such a well-known character. Her standoffishness is on the façade and underneath that rough-and-tough exterior lies a caring woman with a strong sense of loyalty. I quite liked the character. The late 1920s era also comes out well in the collection, though I am sure it would be even better in the full-length novels.

The stories, however, are a different matter. Some of the stories are built up well enough but others are too short to leave a mark. Though they contain elements of cosy mysteries, not all of them develop as traditional mysteries do. In some cases, the drama and the build-up get greater priority than the resolution. I enjoyed those stories where we get to see Phryne put her skills to best use and where the ending was unexpected.

Some of my favourites in this collection were:
Hotel Splendide - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 - (I would have loved this even more had the same plotline not been present in a recent book I read. This isn't plagiarised, as the author clarifies in the opening note about the story being based on an urban legend. But as I already knew what was to come, it spoilt my fun of discovery.)
Marrying the Bookie's Daughter - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 – Would have been a lower rated story were it not for the ending. It was nice to see an unexpected resolution to the main dilemma.
Overheard on a Balcony - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 – This was the best “mystery” in the book. Once again, the ending was my favourite part.
Death Shall Be Dead - 🌟🌟🌟🌟- I cant help feeling that there’s a Sherlock Holmes book with a similar modus operandi, but don’t recollect the name. Anyway, this was still a good story to read. Plus half a star for having a lovable dog.
Carnival - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 – Loved the characters in this one. Highlights societal prejudices very well.
Come, Sable Night - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 – Contained two of my favourite things: music/choirs and unexpected endings.

Thus, 6 of the 17 stories reached/breached the 4 star mark. However, as you can see, only one story reached 4.5 and none went to 5 stars. I guess this is mainly because none of the tales caused to me go open-mouthed in surprise. It was more on the lines of, “I read, I liked, I forgot”. Nothing memorable. But the character of Phryne Fisher intrigued me enough and if I get my hands on a full-length novel, I might still give it a go.

3.3 stars based on the average of my ratings for all the stories.

Note for fans: This is not a completely new collection but a reissue of “A Question of Death: An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Treasury”. The non-story elements have been taken out, and there are a couple of new stories.

PS: I love the title and the cover!

My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions: The Ultimate Miss Phryne Fisher Story Collection”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

estions
The Ultimate Miss Phryne Fisher Story Collection
by Kerry Greenwood

I have enjoyed getting to know Phryne, Dot, Jack, Phryne’s aunt and others over the course of this long series. I have read many of the books and also seen the TV program. Phryne is a woman ahead of her 1920’s time period; she is independent and feisty and…she also solves crimes.

Here is a treat for fans and those new to Phryne. There are fifteen stories in all. Be sure to read the introduction before dipping in. You will find Phryne’s origin story there.

Although I had not previously read them, all but four of the stories have been published previously. Still, readers may enjoy revisiting the stories while taking in the new ones. Each of the stories provides a lovely escape.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Note: This title is just $7.99 in its e book version

Differing from her usual style, Kerry Greenwood treats readers to a collection of short stories featuring the queen of 1920’s mystery, Phryne Fisher. In the foreword of the collection, Greenwood shares that these were ideas for full-length novels that didn’t quite make it. Her writing process starts with an area of research that interests her, she researches extensively, and then she describes the story as just “building up” within her during the research until it has to come out. These short stories didn’t make it because she didn’t know if the characters could put up with her for the time it took to write and edit the story. I love the way Greenwood has phrased that: the characters are there to be discovered, rather than a creation of hers.

In the foreword, Greenwood says she discovered Phryne in a similar fashion on a train ride; she had an idea of her heroine and details just bubbled up into Phryne. All in all, she says, it takes about three weeks to write a Miss Fisher novel! I can’t even imagine how her brain works for it to bubble up such a creation as a Phryne novel in only three weeks! I’d love to see what her results are on an IQ test.

If you’re as impressed as I am with the above information, you won’t be surprised to find that I’ve given The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions a rare five stars. Miss Fisher was the second historical mystery series I read after Amelia Peabody, and I hold a special place for her on my reading list. It was great to read some short stories to see some more of her history and how she solidified her reputation as a detective. As always, Miss Fisher is brilliant, witty, ethical, sexy, generous, and charming. Greenwood always strikes the perfect balance between amusing read and murder mystery. I find myself comparing any novel written in the same vein to Miss Fisher, and they usually come up short. If you haven’t tried her yet, start with Cocaine Blues to get a feel for the series and toss in The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions anywhere you like! I sincerely doubt that Phryne Fisher will disappoint you.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

A collection of Phryne Fisher short stories, including 4 new stories.

I don't usually care for historical cozies, but I am slightly obsessed with the Art Deco period/Roaring 20s, so I love Phryne and have read all the books and seen all the TV shows. I hadn't read any of Ms. Greenwood's short stories before, even though all but 4 had been published previously, so it was all new to me and I loved it.

Phryne Fisher is a strong, smart, independent woman, and yet still warm-hearted and caring, surrounded by found family that I adore.

For me, there wasn't a single bad story in this collection.

I NEED even more Phryne, please!

At 272 pages this is a great escape into the 1920's world of the indomitable Miss Phryne Fisher, the lady with the pearl handled pistol. This book contains both new and old short stories (4 new and 13 previously published) and would make the perfect introduction for anyone who hasn't made the Lady's acquaintance. For those of us who have followed Phryne from her debut in Cocaine Blues the 4 new stories are to be savored, seated in a comfy chair with a favorite beverage and the 'Do Not Disturb' sign prominently displayed.
All of the characters inhabiting Phryne's world are present The settings are so well described that the reader is watching it all unfold and, when finished....well it's with a satisfied sigh. More. please.
My thanks to the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Phryne returns with 4 new short stories. Included in the book are short stories that were previously released. If you haven’t read any Phryne books, this is a great place to start. Set in Australia, Phryne is a wealthy young woman with a penchant for style and crime-solving. Her friends and acquaintances cross all class lines. She has a delightful butler named of course, Mr. Butler who mixes excellent drinks and manages the household. She drives a fast car and occasionally flies a plane. She’s not the typical 1920’s woman. I love the Phryne stories for their eclectic mix of characters, Phryne’s love of detecting, and her life style. What better way to enjoy the evening than with a cocktail or cup of tea and Phryne.

The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions is a beautifully curated selection of Phryne Fisher short fiction by Kerry Greenwood. Released 17th May 2022 by the Poisoned Pen Press, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

The book contains 17 stories; 13 previously released and 4 new stories from 2019-2020, along with an informative and really enjoyable introduction by the author on Phryne, how she came about, and some behind the scenes glimpses into her (Greenwood's) working processes.

This is top shelf Phryne at her irrepressible best. One of the reasons I like anthologies and collections is that they're full of authors being allowed to test new techniques and plotting and story devices without the commitment of a full novel. I've always had a particular fondness for collections/anthologies because short fiction is spare and technically challenging, so you get a better feel for an author's expertise with the form. Short fiction is less of a time commitment as well, so if one story is not working for you, there's another piece readily available in a few pages. This is all of that and definitely a must-read for current fans of Ms. Fisher. Much of the info in the author's introductory essay was known to me, but I had somehow previously missed out on her background and genesis.

I loved that Ms. Greenwood says that:

"She blossomed from the moment I wrote the first line of Cocaine Blues, and after the first five chapters, I had no further control over her. I feel like I discovered Phryne, rather than invented her".

Four stars. Good stories, well written. This would make a super introduction to the characters and settings for new fans as well as a nostalgic read with bonus new content for current fans of the series. The stories and novels are really solid and there are 21 extant novels plus various shorter stories/novellas; a great candidate for binge reading. Phryne herself is refreshingly uninhibited and there are occasionally frank discussions of physical and carnal appetites in the canon.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Lady With The Gun Asks The Questions is a collection of short stories featuring Phryne Fisher.

This book contains thirteen lightly edited stories first published in 2007 and four new stories. Ms. Greenwood provides an introduction explaining how she came up with Phryne and why she visits various parts of Australia in the Phryne Fisher series. The book also contains a glossary defining various words and phrases common to the 1920s.

I have read all of the Fisher novels, watched many television shows, and have loved them all. This book is an excellent opportunity for those readers who have yet to read any Phryne Fisher novels to learn how Phryne solves the various mysteries she is presented with and learn Ms. Greenwood’s writing style.

I found all the stories exciting, well-written, and plotted. I particularly enjoyed Marrying the Bookies Daughter and The Bells of St. Pauls.

The series does provide the reader with several more characters that can’t always be fitted into a short story. I would suggest that those readers who are new to this series begin with book one so that the character development of Phryne and other recurring characters isn’t missed.

This is a collection of short stories featuring Phryne Fisher, a highly successful amateur sleuth. Each chapter is a complete story with a new cast of characters and some regulars thrown in. I like the fact that not every story focuses on death.
The first story was hard for me to engage in, but by the second I was enjoying this book very much. I spent a lot of time looking up words with which I was unfamiliar. I have read very few books set in Australia so I also found myself looking for cities mentioned on the map. I have added The first book in the series to my TBR list. I recommend this book.

Kerry Greenwood never disappoints and this collection of Phryne Fisher's short stories was a highly entertaining, compelling, and gripping read.
All the stories were new to me and filled some gaps, introduced new characters, and were a lot of fun to read.
I love this women and love her books.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions by Aussie author Kerry Greenwood is a delightful collection of stories set in 1928, Melbourne and featuring the irrepressible and enigmatic Miss Phryne Fisher, along with her loyal friends.

I loved the show so much, and still do, that I just had to get my hands on this book & I am so glad I did. Amazing collection. Will surely be purchasing this book for my own library.

I'm a huge Phryne Fisher fan, and this collection of short stories did not disappoint. Kerry Greenwood uses her fiction to illustrate social issues in Australia at the time, while also delivering rousing great stories. Highly recommended!

A collection of short stories set in the 1920's. The elegant Miss Phryne Fisher returns in this scintillating collection, featuring four brand-new stories.

The Honourable Phryne Fisher - she of the Lulu bob, Cupid's Bow lips, diamante garters and pearl-handled pistol - is the 1920s' most elegant and irrepressible sleuth.

Miss Phryne Fisher is up to her stunning green eyes in intriguing crime in each of these entertaining, fun and compulsively readable stories. With the ever-loyal Dot, the ingenious Mr Butler and all of Phryne's friends and household, the action is as fast as Phryne's wit and logic. This book is part of the Phryne Fisher series and is a good introduction to her stories. The characters are fun and well written and I like the short story format when I'm pressed for time. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Lady With the Gun Asks the Questions Earns 5+/5 Flappers…Engaging Fun!

Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher is the bee’s knees! This set of shorts is a reissued from 2007 with four more recently penned stories. Don’t avoid the Apologia and On Phryne Fisher that offers some fascinating insights or the Glossary furnishing definitions for some Aussie terms and 1920s/30s lingo. The book reenergized my love of Phryne Fisher with its new predicaments, surprises, and clever mysteries each introduced with an insightful quote. The seventeen cases deal with a traditional range of crimes from missing persons and theft to murder and more murder, and Phryne’s cleverness and theories are often in conflict to the details…a true Poirot mindset! She can always count on the support of DI Robinson, DS Hugh, Dot, Bert and Cec, Mr. and Mrs. Butler, or one of her many intimate partners. Throughout the seasons and set from Paris to Melbourne to Tasmania, Greenwood’s writing is descriptive highlighting food, fashion, and forensic details along with witty banter illustrating the diverse personalities of characters enjoyably different from the television adaptations. Although not every story has an arrest, each has a satisfying karmic conclusion. This book of shorts ranks high in the list of Phryne Fisher adventures…big contender for one of my top of 2022!

I just discovered the Phryne Fisher series last year and absolutely love it! This particular book features short stories, showcasing Phryne's unerring instincts for finding everything from stolen heirlooms to missing children. All of the characters from Phryne to her lovers to her household and friends are interesting and well developed while the plots are always smart.

I so enjoyed this collection and appreciate #NetGalley giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of #TheLadywiththeGunAskstheQuestions. I look forward to the next book!

3.8 Stars

One Liner: Entertaining and fun.

So this is one of those rare instances where I watched the shows before reading the book. Miss Fisher’s Mysteries was one of the two series I watched on Netflix. Needless to say, I loved the show. Essie Davis as Phryne and Nathan Page as ahem... Jack Robinson made my heart go aww with their onscreen chemistry…
Anyway... back to the book.
Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions is a collection of seventeen short stories or cases solved by Phryne. Most of them are short, cute, interesting, and entertaining. Some are dramatic and elaborate; it’s Phryne, after all!
The writing is easy to read and tinged with the kind of humor I love to read. Phryne being a no-nonsense investigator with loads of sass and smartness makes her a delightful personality. No ramblings or inner monologues.
The following are the cases I enjoyed. Most of them have a dominant human emotion as a theme, which becomes clear as the case is solved.

Hotel Splendide: The first story in the book, it introduces Phryne as she solves the case of a missing husband.
Marrying the Bookie’s Daughter: This one has a couple of layers and almost a parallel track. It shows the vulnerable side of Phyrne (though it doesn’t last long).
Puttin’ on the Ritz: This is a short case where simplicity wins over elaborate scheming. A fun piece too.
Overheard on a Balcony: This has a slightly more emotional quotient and some good drama. Phryne does what she does the best; make decisions based on people and the situation.
Death Shall be Dead: This one is a kind of brainy case with references to works from history and classic English Literature. Imagine my surprise to see Jack happily married and with kids. Gasp!
Carnival: This is an interesting case and full of drama by a rich brat. I wish this was slightly longer and more detailed.
The Camberwall Wonder: Yet another case that requires some brainy work, which Phryne solves with ease. This also shows how cultural appropriation was a thing even in the 1920s (and Australia). Sigh!
The Boxer: Mrs. Ragnell wants Phryne to find her missing granddaughter. But Phryne discovers there’s more to it. A bittersweet tale dealing with the dark side of society.
The Bells of St Paul’s: This story is more of the sweet kind than a criminal case. It’s rather cute, even if there is no big mystery as such. A happy ending to the collection of stories.

I have to mention that I loved reading the author’s note at the beginning of the book. She talks about how she created the character and the research that went into writing the books. My favorite part is when she said she wanted to create an assertive and confident female sleuth (very much unlike the anxious TSTL amateur sleuths we see in cozy mysteries).

To sum up, Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions is a light cozy mystery collection with Phryne Fisher solving one intriguing case after another. You’ll enjoy this if you are a fan of cozy mysteries and prefer a sensible heroine to handle the job.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley

*****
P.S: I did my best not to compare the book to the TV show (that would be unfair). But I did imagine the stories with the same characters, and that sure enriched my reading experience. Why not when the cast is so talented and good-looking? ;)

Being an absolute fan of Phryne Fisher, this book was a delight to read! The short mysteries were full of the spunk Ms. Fisher exudes.

I really enjoyed reading the foreword as well. Maybe I am biased, but definitely recommend picking this one up.

Thank you #NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read this!