Murder on the Ballarat Train: A Phryne Fisher Mystery

Fun read ! Nancy Drew Mysteries on steroids ! If you were a fan of Nancy Drew when you were a child, and you enjoy Phryne Fisher Mysteries on PBS, you'll get hooked on these delightful, fast reading "Nancy Drew" Phryne mystery books for grownups ! Pure escapism....The Roaring Twenties setting is delightful.Phryne is an independent, daring, heroine who carries a gun (similar to Nancy Drew), not afraid to bend the rules and always has a temporary lover. The books are are not quite the same as the TV series, to which I am addicted to, but the pace and stories are just as much fun. You will find Bert, Cecil, Dot (introduced in Cocaine Blues”) and others. Inspector Robinson is older, and not potential love material, and not as endearing as depicted in the TV series. Each book I’ve read, the fascinating action immediately grabs your attention before the end of the 2nd page. Great summer reading, or when you need a break from more serious reading pursuits.So far, I have read 3 of the series, and "Murder on the Ballart Train" is my favorite to date (the first one I read, Cocaine Blues, for me, spent too much time on describing her clothes in detail.) In the "Murder on the Ballarat Train" you will be introduced to the orphan,"Jane", an amnesia child with her story of abuse, neglect and worse. In the 3 books I've read, besides the murder mystery, there has been other themes, either social or political in nature which sometimes introduces characters that will become familiar in future stories.I highly recommend "Raisins and Almonds". Ms Greenwood's stories certainly, remind me of the delightful hours I spent reading "Nancy Drew" mysteries when I was young (however I do not recommend them to impressionable youngsters 17 yrs old or younger, primarily for Ms Fisher's casual promiscuous love choices - perhaps that just reflects my fuddy-duddy age during the 40's, 50's era.)Do not expect a Dorothy Sayers or J.D. James mystery. Kerry Greenwood's, Phryne Fisher is a short fun romp of escapism, and enhances the colorful PBS series.

Published in 1991, Kerry Greenwood’s MURDER ON THE BALLARAT TRAIN is third in the author’s mystery series featuring Phryne Fisher—an incredibly wealthy young woman whose daredevil temperament leads her to work as a private detective in 1920s Australia. In this particular book, Phryne and her secretary-companion Dot are traveling by train when everyone in the car is chloroformed. One of the passengers is missing and is later discovered dead, and Phryne is employed by her daughter to seek out the truth. At the same time, a girl is discovered as a stowaway on the train, but she has no memory of who she is or why she is there. Phryne undertakes to find out.Greenwood seems to have a tendency to run parallel plots, something I find mildly annoying—it feels very formula, and it reminds me a bit of the teen reader Nancy Drew series, in which Nancy and her father typically conduct overlapping investigations. In this instance, however, both plots are unexpectedly well realized, and although Greenwood’s notions about hypnotism are more than a little silly, they read extremely well. This particular book was the basis for the second episode in the Miss Fisher Mysteries television series, but fans who come to the book from that series are likely to be shocked: the stories are quite a bit harsher in print than they were on the screen. Recommended.GFT, Amazon ReviewerPosted August 2018

Phryne Fisher, the gorgeous, sensuous, charming, witty, intelligent and alluringly-modern gal of 1920s Melbourne is one of the most captivating characters in literature. She takes on lovers unabasedly, and is never judged about this by Dot who adores her, or by Mr. & Mrs. Butler who run her house and who totally respect her. And she has estsblished herself as a private detective, a profession for a single young woman unheard of at that time. She also is a licensed pilot and is quite daring in her exploits in a plane.In "Murder on the Ballarat Train," Phryne is traveling with her beloved companion Dot to Melbourne and to her new home. Phryne smells chloroform and runs to one of the private compartments to find a young woman unconscious. When the young woman, Eunice Henderson, is revived, she is frantic because her mother is missing. A search is made, and eventually her mother is found, dead--murdered. Eunice hires Phryne to investigate and find who killed her mother. Also on the train, was a young girl of about 13 years of age who cannot remember her name. Phryne takes her under her wing, and calls her Jane. Phryne puts Jane's photo in the paper, hoping someone will identify her. However, when a disreputable woman appears at her new home claiming to be Jane's aunt, and Jane becomes extremely frightened in her presence, Phryne refuses to let Jane go, and tells the woman she must show proof of guardianship in court. Phryne continues to investigate the murder of Eunice's mother, and, of course, uncovers the murderer. Phryne also uncovers the dastardly circumstances under which Jane was living with her so-called aunt. Throughout, Phryne has a somewhat agreeable working relationship with Detective Jack of the Melbourne, Homicide Division.The Phryne Fisher mysteries are simply marvelous. Ms. Greenwood has created a delightful creature in Phryne. In fact, my first introduction to Phryne Fisher was on YouTube with the videos of the Melbourne adaptations of the "Miss Fisher Mysteries" starring the gorgeous Essie Davis as Phryne, who captures the essence of Phryne. Perfect casting! I then went to Amazon Kindle to order some of these wonderful books, and I will continue to read Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mysteries. They're excellent.

Still the fascinating Phryne Fisher as of the first book - abolutely greatly written. Storyline, characters all well and adorable.Loved it

After having seen the series I was keen to read the origin of the inspiration for the series. And i was not disappointed. So many details were different in the series and book. It is like two separate thread of the story are being slowly but surely being knotted together to a make an attractive fabric. A modern heroine who has panache, and numerous lovers that is replicated only by James Bond. Can't put it down once you start reading....

Great product

I love all Kerry Greenwood cds, I am working my way through this collection. Miss Fryne Fisher is so different, the stories are full of characters which make the stories , interesting, you as you get to understand them all. It is set in Australia in the 1920's , really fun recommend them all so far.

A five star thriller. Good complicated plot. Miss Fisher does not shirk from the seedy sleazy side of life so we have underage girls being procured, vile Madams, decent chaps...all too willing to fall into sexy Phryne's sea green bed...The whole told graphically but with a sense of the goodness that can emerge when the right things are done. In Miss Fisher's world the evil get their just deserts. Very satisfactory. Brilliant writing, conveying time, place, and social ethics without preaching....and with a wry sense of humour to lighten the undoubted horrors. Highly recommended.