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Death in Daylesford–mysteries in Australia
Death in Daylesford
by Kerry Greenwood
The inimitable and exquisite Phryne Fisher, lady detective, stars in a new Phryne Fisher mystery. In Death in Daylesford, there are two main plots as Phryne is invited to visit a spa that helps soldiers recovering from shell shock with an end to soliciting her financial support. She and her constant companion, the very sweet Dot, enjoy a vacation in the area where there are many mysteries that find their way to Phryne’s attention.
Back at home in St. Kilda, a girl is found dead in the water. Jack Robinson has been assigned a temporary post in another town, and an incompetent detective inspector is taking his place. Dot’s boyfriend Detective Sergeant Hugh Collins recruits Phryne’s household to assist in his investigation. Phryne’s adopted daughters Jane and Ruth along with Tinker, a helpful youth Phryne has taken in, use their respective strengths to uncover the secrets that led to the girl’s death.
This is an intricate and well-played mystery with multiple surprises and twists along the way. Given that there are so many issues to be resolved, it is amazing how Phryne sorts through the mysteries which range from minor quirks to multiple murders that occur in plain sight of crowds of people. Yet no one sees anything.
In Daylesford there is a local bumbling officer whose “talents would be taxed to the limit by remembering his own name and address, or the number of digits on his extremities.” There is also a quite competent inspector brought in to work on the murder cases, and he respectfully solicits Phryne’s help and their collaboration, although dangerous, is successful.
Although sexual encounters of various types are referred to, they are not displayed in the book. Phryne is an unusual woman for her time. Her wealth allows her the freedom to challenge conventional norms while her background helps her understand the dark, seamier side of life.
There are a lot of characters in this novel, and at times I had to refer back to refresh my memory. The setting changes back and forth between storylines, but at no time do the two overlap.
I have enjoyed all the Phryne mystery novels and the movies made from them under the title Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. This book exceeded my high expectations for another complicated plot with a creative, sophisticated sleuth.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #21 in the Phryne Fisher Series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. There are references to various sexual preferences.
3. Set in Australia, it contains lots of Australian terms if you enjoy dabbling in linguistic differences.
Publication: June 1, 2021—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
“To save time and fuss I may as well tell you that your fame precedes you. And while I’m not gonna play Dumb Cop to your Aristocratic Detective, I need a result here and I’d be a fool if I didn’t use whatever help you can give me.” He blinked, and put his massive head on one side, looking now like a kookaburra eyeing off an unattended sausage at a barbecue.
“You do realize that the front door doesn’t lock, don’t you?” Al grunted. “S’orright, though. We got a dog. Burglars are scared of Bluey.” “Why is that, sir?” “On account of gettin’ slobbered on a lot. Nuthin’ worse than an overenthusiastic dog when yer tryin’ to rob a house.”
Now the smugness was unmistakable. Kelly could feel the conceit rising in the insolent young man like yeast in a bowl of dough.
The Walnut Creek Wish–freedom through forgiveness
The Walnut Creek Wish
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Rhonda and Jeff Davis are a financially successful couple living in a townhouse in Canton, Ohio, where she manages a hotel and he has his own restaurant. They love each other, but they have a fairly testy relationship often exchanging hurtful barbs. Neither wants anything to do with God because each had deep-felt prayers that had not been answered the way that they wanted them to be. Rhonda’s dad had affairs and eventually left his family behind. Jeff’s mom passed away when he was a teenager.
Rhonda and Jeff’s lives intersect with those of Orley and Lois who own an Amish antique store in rural Walnut Creek, Ohio, when the younger couple try to rejuvenate their marriage by purchasing a beautiful house and commuting to their jobs. Orley and Lois take every opportunity to encourage Rhonda and Jeff to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. A lot has to happen in the young couple’s lives before their hearts are opened to their need for God.
The Walnut Creek Wish is a quick and easy read, but it deals with some real issues—satisfaction, childlessness, abandonment, and forgiveness. The writing, especially the dialogue, in the first part of the book is somewhat stilted. Then the author breaks into a pace that is much more comfortable after the character backgrounds have been established and the action in the plot develops. It is a clean read with strong Christian themes involving both Amish and Englisch characters with interesting comparisons and contrasts of their lifestyles and their problems and how they react to them.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Barbour Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Christian, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #1 in the Creektown Discoveries series. I will be reading the next book in the series. I am interested to see if there is an overlap or continuation of characters and/or of setting and to see if the sudden improvement in style and pace in this book holds up in the next book.
2. Recipes for a cucumber dip and bacon cheese muffins are included.
3. There are questions for individual thought or book club discussions.
Publication: August 1, 2021—Barbour Publishing
Memorable Lines:
She and Jeff had been married twelve years, and all they had to show for it was a modern townhouse, an expensive sports car, a luxury SUV, and a chasm of disinterest between them.
“I don’t know all the reasons, but I’m sure the Lord directed that young man to our store for a purpose beyond looking at antiques.”
“Any time’s the right time to share God’s love and the redemption He offers because of His Son. Pray for the right words to say, and speak them from the heart with love.”
The Malt in Our Stars–investigation by a nosy parker
The Malt in Our Stars
by Sarah Fox
When Sadie Coleman steps out of her car at the historic Shady Creek Manor in Vermont, several dreams are about to come true. She will get to view first hand the beautiful and expensive renovations to the elegant, three-story home converted into a hotel and its extensive grounds. She will also get to meet one of her favorite authors, Linnea Bliss, who is scheduled for a talk and book signing at Sadie’s literary-themed pub, the Inkwell. Their initial meeting goes well, but life suddenly get complicated as a murder occurs on the hotel’s grounds. There are many characters with possible motives. Sadie, a self-proclaimed nosy parker, has an insatiable need to investigate.
Side issues to the plot include the May Masquerade Ball, a hot-tempered local historian, a production crew filming an episode about a local brewery, and a blossoming romance with the brewery’s owner. Also, Sadie’s Aunt Gilda has received a marriage proposal which, if accepted, would cause her aunt to move.
Although the plot of The Malt in our Stars is quite busy with lots of threads, including the possibility of hidden treasure, I was a little disappointed in some aspects. Sadie’s investigations are rather drawn out as she goes over and over her mental list of suspects nitpicking to get more information on each one, often coming up empty handed. She frequently puts herself in danger and steps over the bounds into what is certainly trespassing. I like food as much as the next person, but too much time is spent on what Sadie eats and her trips to get yet another fancy coffee when coffee is readily available at her bar.
My favorite part of the book is the gentle romance developing between the hesitant Sadie and the handsome, understanding Grayson who enjoys teasing her—always with a flirty twinkle in his eye. The best part of the plot is the exciting discovery and capture of the murderer.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #3 in The Literary Pub Mystery Series, but works as a standalone.
2. Cocktail recipes included at the end of the book.
Publication: November 24, 2020—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
Eleanor whipped around and her beady eyes landed on me. The glower she sent my way was almost intense enough to make me wilt right there on the sidewalk. She stormed up her front steps and into her house, slamming the door behind her.
Some people might have considered it too early in the day to eat chocolate cake, but I didn’t let that bother me. It was, as the saying went, five o’clock somewhere.
I really couldn’t tell if he was feeding her a load of donkey dust. He sounded so sincere. That ignited a flicker of worry inside of me. If he was lying to Eleanor so convincingly, how would I ever know if he was lying to me?
education pathways 