Cocaine Blues

This is the first book of the Phryne Fisher Mysteries.

Phryne is a 1920s flapper who was a nurse in World War 1 and has now started her own detective agency in Melbourne, Australia. It’s a fascinating period and location, and the books bring both to life. I also love the main character: She’s a liberated woman who’s in constant conflict with a society that doesn’t know what to make of her.

If you’re reading this list, you probably already know who Phryne Fisher is—but you might not have taken the time to read the novels that inspired the cult classic television series and its crowdfunded feature film.

Kerry Greenwood’s books, believe it or not, are even nerdier than the TV show. If you don’t have a working knowledge of publishing houses, orchestra halls, and circus tents—not to mention anatomy, theology, mathematics, and the fundamentals of good home cooking—you’ll want to read these books with a search engine by your side.

You’ll also want to get yourself a box of Clever Chocolates,… show more.

Witty, sharp, and absolutely fabulous. Kerry gives you a sense of the Australian 1920s as if you were standing right there in the magic of that swinging era. The book is full of twists and turns  and will keep you guessing until the end, but it also leaves you with a strong sense of certain threads being deliberately unresolved. If you're a fan of historical mysteries and strong female characters, Cocaine Blues is a must-read.  

Phryne Fisher’s 21 mysteries take place in Australia, which means they lack the extra criminal/cultural dimension that Prohibition gave the US in the 1920s. However, while Australia did not prohibit alcohol consumption, there was still plenty of crime, gangsters, jazz, and flapper fashion to spice up every murder investigation. Miss Fisher, who through accident has inherited both title and fortune, stylishly sleuths her way through Melbourne’s underworld. Her adventures are relatively short and a fast read, but if you tire of reading, you can watch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on television. I enjoy comparing books to movies—which is better? For… show more.