Description (from cover): “The elegant Miss Phryne Fisher returns in this scintillating collection, featuring four new stories.

The Honourable Phryne Fisher–she of the Lulu bob, cupid’s bow lips, diamante garters, and pearl-handled pistol–is the 1920’s 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. Whether sniffing out the whereabouts of a priceless pilfered book, an heirloom locket, or a missing eight-year-old girl, Miss Fisher proves herself move than equal to the task–and always fashionably attired. 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.”

My Thoughts:

I was so happy to learn that there was a new Phryne Fisher mystery out and when I had the chance to request an advance reader copy through Netgalley, I didn’t even read the description, just clicked that I wanted to read it. To my disappointment, this is not a new book in the series, but a collection of short stories featuring our favorite detective Phryne Fisher. Apparently, there was a collection of short stories published previously by Greenwood and this book features those same stories, with some edits, and four new ones. While not exactly what I was hoping for, this story collection was fun to read nonetheless.

Phryne Fisher’s murder mysteries have become famous in their own right. The novels in the series are widely acclaimed and there is a television show, a movie and new there is even an a spin-off television show based all on Miss Fisher’s characters. A collection of short stories was well received by this reader, however, some of the stories were a little short and did not explain how Phryne reached her conclusions. I think any book featuring Phryne Fisher is a good read, but I was disappointed that this was not a new novel in the series.

I did like that the stories were short and I could read one when I had a few minutes at lunch or when I had some down time. The stories did feature some of the other beloved characters that we have come to love throughout the series, but overall there wasn’t a lot of substance to the stories that really contribute to the series as a whole. The author does write an introduction at the beginning of this collection, which outlines how she came up with the idea of Phryne Fisher as a character and for the novels in the series. Unfortunately, that probably was one of the more interesting parts of this collection.

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Author: Kerry Greenwood

Series: Phryne Fisher Short Story Collection

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

Pages: 272

Genre: Historical Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

I love the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries on Acorn. I thought this collection of short stories starring the Great Lady Detective, the Honourable Phryne Fisher, would be a perfect introduction to the series of books. I enjoyed some of the stories more than other but overall the collection was entertaining and all I had hoped it would be.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of this book for review.

I absolutely loved these short stories!

The foreword by the author was so interesting and made me really appreciate the stories that followed. I also thought her sign off about the author was amazing.

I've rediscovered the series having watched the TV show and will be reading the others shortly!

Thank you for the arc.

Oh my gosh, how I have missed Phryne Fisher! This was a lovely collection of short stories, mostly old but updated, with 4 new ones and all the stories were such fun. Kerry Greenwood always does a lovely job with Phryne’s outfits and you can’t help but wish you had a friend like her.

3.5 stars rounded up

It is always such a joy to read Kerry Greenwood's books. I love how Phryne will always fight for justice and ignore a few rules in pursuit of it. I envy her courage and style and how she enjoys every moment of her life without owning anyone an explanation. She does as she pleases, and absolutely nothing fazes her- unless someone does some else an injustice. Then the bad guys should run, because Phryne in pursuit of justice is a sight to behold. I also love how effortlessly all the meticulous research blends into the narrative. Greenwood has a wonderful way of making Phryne's Melbourne come to life, and it's always fun to lose yourself all over again in her glamorous, but also at times incredibly ugly, world.

That said, I don't always enjoy short Phryne novels or, in this case, short stories as mysteries. (And in fact, Greenwood explains in an author's note that she never really set out to write mysteries.) As I said, I am in awe of the world Greenwood created and love re-visiting it, but I don't read them for the mystery. I read them for Phryne. My problem is basically that the shorter the story, the less time is spent on the murder, and Phryne will ultimately just KNOW who the killer is. But as a reader, you're not given enough to figure it out yourself. It's an approach that still works for me, because as I said, I'm here for Phryne, but still. Also, it didn't help that most of these stories were adapted for the amazing TV show, and I enjoyed those a lot more. And yes, I know that the books and the show have very little in common, but when I read a story about characters I've already met and actually prefer what the TV show did with them? Oh well...

All in all, I still really enjoyed these stories and would say they make a nice introduction to Phryne's world for new readers, as they can be enjoyed without knowing more of the series. And for those of us already in love with Phryne, this is just a lovely collection to read on dreary afternoons when you just want to escape the outside world.

I have long been a fan of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher, so I was excited to get the opportunity to read this collection, though I was also a little worried--would the short stories match up to the novels? I needn't have worried. Each of these stories (and the fact that 4 are otherwise unpublished didn't matter to me--I haven't stumbled on any of her shorts before) is a little nugget. By the end, I realized I need to read these over for a lesson in the art of writing short mysteries, because Greenwood has crafted each of the 17 stories is an effective and complete mystery.

The stories are in chronological order (of Phryne's time in Melbourne; I'm not sure about when Greenwood wrote them all), though for the most part it doesn't matter. I wouldn't want to try to slot them in and around the novels--they are wholly free-standing and of necessity the list of characters is streamlined, though in a few you can see her trying out characters and settings that return in the novels.

The writing in the stories is tight, with just the right amount of scene setting (it's a little hard to be sure, because after 20 Phryne Fisher novels, I have the setting pretty firmly in mind). Phryne stays firmly in character, as do the other regulars--she certainly hasn't lost her interest in sex, though the short form prevents as much discussion of that as the novels contain. Greenwood also firmly indicates that this is the Phryne of the novels, not of the TV show--and that they aren't the same person, though she also says she loves the show, in an entertaining and edifying discussion about the origins of Phryne and her process for writing a novel. That, like the stories, is worth some study for a writer of mystery fiction.

My Recommendation:
Five stars. I was very satisfied by the stories, and the short-story format was perfect for me just now. It also allowed me to savor the book, rather than rushing through as I can't help doing with the novels. If you are at all a fan of historical fiction and/or tough female heroes, and aren't easily offended by what Greenwood refers to as a female James Bond (think about his relations to women and you'll get where I'm going), then read this! If you are already a fan, I don't have to tell you to read it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Who doesn’t love Miss Phryne Fisher?! I certainly do! She is sharp and witty, the story is enthralling, and the writing is hilarious and riveting. Absolutely superb!

The book will always be better than the TV series, of course, and I am just so happy to have them both in this world!

An absolutely fantastic collection of short stories that capture your reading time perfectly
Miss Fisher solves these mysteries like lightning and certainly before you have digested the information

Oh my goodness I am such a big fan of miss fishers mysteries tv show and film that I was delighted to have my request approved. A shortish phyrne novel which didn’t disappoint she’s back with all her power, sass and high fashion. Perfect for those who prefer some more cosy crime reading and now I want to read all the originals too!

This was a very enjoyable collection - a re-release from 2009 - of short stories set in 1928 about my favorite lady detective. The book Phryne is quite different from the TV/movie Phryne, which is quite ok (preferable, really, different mediums, twice the enjoyment). Most of these stories I'm familiar with the gist, maybe because of their earlier start? The author Kerry Greenwood added four new stories, all set in 1929. These is an excellent preface by Greenwood that "explains" Phyne Fisher; this alone makes it a sure thing for Reader's Advisory.
All of our favorite characters (not very much Ces & Bert) and a lot of villainous unsavories! Many of these stories remind me of Christie's Poirot, with much engagement of the little grey cells.
Phryne is only sort of a cozy, for me a comfort read. These trying times, I need some of that. Thanks, NetGalley, for this collection to brighten up my wintertime blues.

In this collection of detective stories, Phryne Fisher recovers missing jewelry and missing people, thwarts blackmailers, and cracks codes, all while remaining as cool and unflappable as ever.

I adore the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The author wrote a short note at the beginning of the book about how Miss Fisher came to be - she wanted to write a sort of female James Bond, with the glamour and the adventure and the romance, except better than James Bond because her books are not sexist or racist. But in a lot of ways Phryne reminds me of Flora Poste from Cold Comfort Farm as well, with all that cool competency.

That glamour and cool competency is on full display in this collection. The mysteries vary in tone and severity, from the macabre "Dead Shall Be Dead" to the playful "The Hours of Juana the Mad." I enjoyed this variety because reading death and dreariness repeatedly can become a bit of a downer. My favorite story was "Puttin' on the Ritz" because it quite made me laugh.

And important thing to note is that this collection is a reissue of a previous one, A Question of Death, with four new stories included. As I had not read the old collection, this was fine by me, but owners of A Question of Death would likely be better off with a library copy of this book. I also docked a star because some of the stories got a little convoluted in their unravelling of the solutions, making them a touch hard to follow.

Overall, a really enjoyable read and a good introduction into the world of Phryne Fisher.

Excellent collection of Phryne Fisher stories, great for any 1920s mystery fans and anyone who has seen the Phryne Fisher show as well.

I really wanted to like this as I really enjoyed the Netflix show and so went in knowing what sort of genre to expect. I think Kelly Greenwood really captures the spirit of the age and lots of the plots are very fun. However, often the stories are far too short, some only three or four pages for overly complicated plots and it feels like the resolution and the denouement of some are far too rushed than a final flourish and you're not given much sense of the logic or the cleverness of the puzzles. You barely have time to establish the facts before they've been quickly solved. I would definitely recommend trying a full novel as I think the writing is entertaining with good characters and unusual plots but the short stories are very skeletal.

I love a story collection, particularly for mysteries. This was a nice, light read with a delightful and broad cast of characters one expects from a Phryne Fisher set. The stories are great for returning readers and an easy introduction for new readers as well.

Miss Phryne Fisher is up to her stunning green eyes in intriguing crime in each of these entertaining, fun, and compulsively readable stories. Whether sniffing out the whereabouts of a priceless pilfered book, an heirloom locket, or a missing eight-year-old girl, Miss Fisher proves herself more than equal to the task—and always fashionably attired. 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. If you aren't familiar with the Phryne Fishers Mysteries tv show or books, this a great place to start. Ive been a huge fan for years and loved this book. The stories are very clever as is Phryne and its a lovely to discover her and her coterie of friends who assist her in solving crimes. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

I've read (and thoroughly enjoyed) all 21 of the full-length Miss Fisher mysteries and was quite excited to read a collection of her clever short stories. And what a delightful gem of a short story collection it is!!

While some of the stories involve deaths, most involve thefts and/or missing items. Some of the usual characters from the full-length stories are occasionally present but the focus is on Miss Fisher and her legendary crime-solving prowess.

Great characters, as usual, along with historical historical details about 1920's Australia. It helps to be familiar with Phryne Fisher and the other characters, but it's certainly not necessary to have read any of the full-length novels.

Highly entertaining and, of course, highly recommended!!

Female detectives and heroines come no more dynamic or more stylishly dressed than Phryne Fisher! I first fell in love with the character and her adventures while watching the TV shows, and if anyone is the same, then you will absolutely love The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions! Delightful and delectable.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC.

If you love Phryne Fisher, this book is for you. Each story is, to use one of Greenwood’s favored terms, a bijou. A clever, entertaining, mini-romp full of swish and swagger. You occasionally wonder how Phryne came to find herself in certain situations—particularly those that involve stepping out with highly off-putting men that she would not likely give the time of day. But in every mini-mystery here, she always discerns quickly what’s what and easily set things to rights.

The collection features both previously published but revised stories and four new stories. The book could possibly be read as a standalone, but you kind of have to already know Phryne to make sense of her in these. (In one story, she oddly comes off as a bit meanspirited, when she is normally a champion of the underdog.) Similarly, it helps to know the full cast of usual characters to appreciate their cameos in these tales. Greenwood, as always, is full of incisive observations, clever turns of phrase, and literary allusion. The stories—taken in installments or read all at once—will make time fly.

I never read any Phryne Fisher mysteries, though they´ve been on my list for a long time, and I watched several episodes of the series - which is of course different, as Kerry Greenwood explains at the beginning of this book. I liked these short stories, and hope they present a good introduction into her work. I like Phryne and Dot and the light and funny setting in the 20s. Though the mysteries are often a bit in the background - and thankfully the crime isn´t always murder -, I enjoyed the stories, and will definitely start one of her long mysteries soon.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The ultimate Miss Phryne Fisher story collection is a marvellous literary gift and the perfect introduction to the fascinating life of Australia's most glamorous and sophisticated fictional sleuth, Phryne Fisher.

Full of colorful characters, sparkling dialogues, humor, wit and historical details, these elegantly written and cleverly plotted stories offer us a compelling and colorful fictional tapestry of Australian society during the Roaring Twenties.

Highly recommended and to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen for this terrific ARC