I've just read my way through the entire Phryne Fisher Mysteries. They're wonderful!
I really enjoyed the glimpses into the past, the little things that make books special - the brand of perfume, the mode of dress, the type of car, Protestant versus Catholic, the political landscape, the rise of the union & the beginning of the global recession.
I love Greenwood's views on World War 1 - the war to end all wars. It didn't end anything, it set the groundwork for the next 100 years of war. We're still dealing with the fallout from the decisions made in the Versailles Treaty.
It's amazing how human Phryne's character is, with all her flaws and yet so strong and sincere at such a young age - the character is only 28, but she seems to think she is so old and mature, and back then she was.
Her sexual escapades are not for the prude-hearted, she takes on new lovers, discards old lovers and does not apologise for being who she is - a strong, independent, sexual woman of the 1920s, a time not known for women's liberation. I adore her. Phryne brings the 1920s Melbourne alive. I can almost see her as she drives her Hispano-Suiza down St. Kilda's streets, solving crimes and helping people.
I've watched some of the television episodes, but they do not compare to the books for storyline or detail. If you want to meet the real Phryne Fisher, read the books! With her pearl-handled pistol, her Gitanes and silk underwear, her love of cocktails and her belief in doing what is right - even if the law says it is wrong.
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