Cocaine Blues (Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, 1) - Softcover

To all the ladies of indeterminate age I have offended - I proffer this apology. Well most of an apology. Definitely in the realm of thirty percent of an apology? For several years now I have been recommending the Phryne Fisher series to ladies of indeterminate age. The flaw in this recommendation is not in the books themselves, but in basing my recommendation on a review by someone who I thought was trustworthy in their assessments of books (I am seriously readdressing my confidence in their judgment). Meaning? Up until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn't read Cocaine Blues myself―Man, I didn't know what I was missing! These books are great fun! Cocaine Blues, the first in series, is wonderful. When we meet Miss Fisher, she is approached by an anxious father and mother (family acquaintances) who are worried about their daughter. They think that their daughter's husband might be poisoning her in order to inherit her money. Miss Fisher, who is at loose ends in England, agrees to the commission and sails to Melbourne (Australia in case you are geography challenged) to investigate. And investigate she does! Uncovering communists, corrupt cops and cocaine in the execution of her commission - it was one wild ride! Now this is where I must offer up at least twenty-five percent of an apology. I was under the impression that these books were written in the traditional English cozy style (think Agatha Christie only in Australia), a subgenre famous for its lack of onstage violence or sex and strong language. Well, those of you who have read Miss Fisher must be giggling a little by now - since Miss Fisher breaks all these rules! She has few qualms with following the investigation (or her own fancy) wherever it may lead, whether it is letting a Russian dancer seduce her, perpetrating revenge or cracking a smuggling ring - she does it all on her own terms. Which is great fun to read! There is swearing, drinking, sex, violence and much more―and yet these books are charming. Greenwood does a great job of dancing on and around the line keeping them both tasteful and shocking - without becoming gratuitous. The main mystery itself is well worked and plotted, perhaps as a veteran reader it is a hair obvious, however all the smaller mysteries are a bit more obscure and well executed. Greenwood also does a great job in creating an array of people whom you become interested in reading about and getting to know better in future installments. I managed to devour the first five of the series in rapid succession before I had to forcibly slow myself down or I would read them too fast! Here's where I am offering fifteen percent of an apology to all the relatives and to the ladies themselves (of indeterminate age) who came in looking for nice soft cozies, books where "ah shucks!" is the strongest epithet used and a peck on the cheek considered scandalous. Readers who might have been a bit shocked when they started reading about Miss Fisher's exploits. Now that I have read these delightful, well polished mysteries I have a hard time even offering up ten percent of an apology! Especially since I find myself in a position where my formerly uninformed opinion of the books was good, now that I have read them my good opinion has been strengthen to great! So here it is - To all the ladies of indeterminate age & their families I have offended by offering an excellent book (Cocaine Blues) which did not follow the conventions of the fiction I thought I was suggesting - I offer five percent of an apology and the assurance that in the future I will place a caveat (ie. telling them its lack of coziness) on this great series when I place Cocaine Blues in their hands and tell them they should read it! (Edelweiss)

But in every other way, the novel is as entertaining and satisfying as the TV series, and it will delight new readers as well as long-time fans of the irrepressible, intrepid Miss Fisher. (Historical Novel Society)

Cocaine Blues is a whodunnit with racy bits and a nod to fashion history. (MurderByTheBook)