Away with the Fairies

A Phryne Fisher Mystery

By: Kerry Greenwood

Narrated by: Stephanie Daniel

Phryne Fisher - dangerous, passionate, kind, clever and seductive. She drinks cocktails, dances the tango, is the companion of wharfies, and is expert at conducting an elegant dalliance.

It's the 1920s in Melbourne and Phryne is asked to investigate the puzzling death of a famous author and illustrator of fairy stories. To do so, Phryne takes a job within the women's magazine that employed the victim and finds herself enmeshed in her colleagues' deceptions. But while Phryne is learning the ins and outs of magazine publishing first hand, her personal life is thrown into chaos. Impatient for her lover Lin Chung's imminent return from a silk-buying expedition to China, she instead receives an unusual summons from Lin Chung's family followed by a series of mysterious assaults and warnings.

©2001 Kerry Greenwood (P)2003 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

"Greenwood manages to evoke the elegance of the era in this charming tale, which dwells as much on the wardrobe of the heroine as the morbid details of murder and mayhem." (Vogue)

"Phryne Fisher sparkles with wit and champagne elegance. Stephanie Daniel performs with genteel ease. Her upper-class Australian accents and her wild assortment of reputable and disreputable characters are truly amazing. Kerry Greenwood's 'Agatha-Christie meets-Indiana-Jones' plotting and Daniel's energetic reading make this must listening." (AudioFile Magazine)

One of the best Miss Fisher Mysteries!

Have listened to most of the Miss Fisher series and this installment stands out as one of the best. Stellar mystery; incredibly bright and witty writing; and exceptional insights in to our heroine and the world.

Two great plots entwined

In addition to solving a murder, Miss Fisher must also rescue her lover from Chinese pirates. Neither plot is simple and Phryne is aided by her usual friends to solve the murder and rescue Lin Chung. Great stories!

Fantastically written, a bit slurpyily read

For the love of all that is holy Miss Daniel, will you PLEASE EDIT your audio of swallows, slurps and wet mouth smacks?! PLEASE.
Otherwise beautifully performed.

Not the television version

This, as with all the Phryne Fisher series, is well researched and written. I love reading the books upon which the tv series was based. Of course, 'the book is always better' holds true for this series. The fleshing out of characters and their personalities is so good! As is the subplot which the television series never touched on. This is one that I will listen to many times.

Phryne has a job??

Phryne joins the ranks of the employed to solve a case. Well, for Phryne anyway. I love the 20's era the stories are set in. The depression hasn't hit yet, things are tough but not so tough. The plot is very good. Phryne seems to have more interactions with the suspects in this book, at least to me. I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Another hit!

There is something about this series and this narrator that makes me sad when the book is coming to a conclusion. Not because I didn’t enjoy, more because I enjoyed it so much. I adore this series and Ms Daniel absolutely brings the character to life.

as usual, great fun

loved it! holds my ate tin and doesn't just end abruptly, as many novels do.

away with the fairies

this book was a really good one in the series. They have have a special flavour all of their own, sort of Agatha Christie with a twist aussie style. I love all the books I have read so far. intend to read them all. Kerry Greenwood is tops in my world.
The reader keeps you moving along it is hard to stop listening

Romance at its Heart

Phryne is always fun, but it was the subtle heart ache weaved through this book gave it depth that sometimes the irreverent Phryne lacks. In the last book, she rescued her lover from pirates. Now, his arranged bride arrives. And while both Camelia and Lin Chung’s grandmother consent to he and Phryne continuing their relationship, through reliving her own abuse relationship Phryne begins to question what continuing her love affair rally means for both herself and Lin Chungs young bride.

Non stop action

Two mysteries solved by the end of the book! The first mystery involves the death of a fairy books writer and illustrator who has turned quite blue upon her death and the death of her bird who turned from blue to pink...small details no one noticed at first...The second involves pirates sending Phryne the severed ear of her beloved Lin Chun. Phryne must deal with the formidable matriarch of the Lin family known as the dragon lady in order to affect a rescue attempt of her lover Lin... amazingly precise efforts produce results in both mysteries...great plots intertwined successfully to satisfying conclusions!