Kerry Greenwood’s final Phryne Fisher novel is joyous, witty and fun
Credit:
CRIME
Murder in the Cathedral
Kerry Greenwood
Allen and Unwin, $32.99
First 50 pages Murder in the CathedralKerry Greenwood’s 23rd Miss Fisher adventure had me laughing out loud. The last one made me cry; Not that it’s a bad thing, but, as Kerry himself would say, “excellent” and a fitting conclusion to this always entertaining historical crime series.
Unfortunately, Kerry died in March this year and there will be no new Phryne adventures to be had in the bath over a glass of champagne. This is how Kerry once declared to a rapt audience that he dreamed his books could be read.
Looking at Miss Fisher’s career, it becomes clear that while its creator has become more confident, relaxed, and humorous over the years, there is also a determination to tackle serious issues from a feminist perspective. Cocaine Blues, The first of the series, published in 1989, shed light on backstreet abortions in 1928 Melbourne. Meanwhile, Phryne, in pursuit of her own amorous encounters, easily took advantage of Marie Stopes’ birth control device.
All the adventures in this series take place in the same time period, against the backdrop of a different landscape that motivates the plot, and Murder in the Cathedral is no exception. On this occasion, we travel to the city of Bendigo, where Phryne’s wartime friend Lionel is about to ascend to the throne as bishop. “This is a joke,” an enthusiastic Lionel cheerfully informs Phryne in his invitation letter.
But ‘jokey’ is not quite what it promises as Phryne and her maid Dot travel by train across the dreary ‘flat basalt plains’ of Melbourne’s northwest. Arriving in the glorious gold town, they are transported to the Shamrock Hotel in Lionel’s Bentley, with Phryne perched precariously on the steps as her luggage takes up most of the room. This isn’t surprising since Phryne travels with an outfit just in case.
The late Kerry Greenwood is in his garden.Credit: david gregg
But first there’s lunch. Suspicious of the wine list, Phryne orders a pitcher of beer accompanied by roast beef and vegetables, a dessert of baked apples and raisin tart “largely drenched with fresh cream,” followed by a rather nice tawny port. Inevitably a nap is needed before Phryne gets dressed for dinner. This time lamb with buttery “exemplary” green beans, strawberry tart and “a pretty good dessert wine.” As always, every sumptuous meal has its own Enid Blyton flavor.
Another ongoing pleasure is the fashion notes. Along with her usual Erté and Patou, Phryne is wearing a new emerald green dress with diamond edges by Callot Soeurs. (After Googling this French fashion house, I spent a happy hour exploring the history of the three sisters who run it and their gorgeous dresses.)
