Ruddy Gore

A Phryne Fisher Mystery, Book 7

By: Kerry Greenwood

Narrated by: Stephanie Daniel

The glorious Phryne Fisher returns to the spotlight in her seventh adventure. Fisher is an independent, unconventional PI with competence, unflappability and flamboyance in equal measures.

Running late to the Hinkler gala performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore, she meets some thugs in a dark alley and handles them convincingly before they can ruin her silver dress. Phryne then finds that she has rescued a gorgeous Chinese, Lin Chung, and his grandmother, and is briefly mistaken for a deity. Denying divinity but accepting cognac, she later continues safely to the theater. But it's an unexpected evening as her night is again interrupted by a most bizarre death onstage.

What links can Phryne possibly find between the ridiculously entertaining plot of Ruddigore, the city's Chinese community, and the actors treading the boards of His Majesty's Theatre? Drawn backstage and onstage, Phryne must solve an old murder and find a new murderer, and, of course, banish the theater's ghost, who seems likely to kill again.

©2006 Kerry Greenwood; 2006 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"Scented, dangerous, and highly enjoyable." ( The Weekend Australian)

"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." ( AudioFile)

I enjoyed this immensly

This read is much better than the television adaptation. I enjoyed this immensely. This story is a particular favorite of mine because of the character Lin Chung. I watched the television series first and I much appreciate the book version better. This is the first audible book I ever listened to. I'm glad I bought another one.

Excellent story, well researched, talented reader

Any additional comments?

I enjoy all of Kerry Greenwoods books. they are well researched, and exceptionally well written when it comes to clearly imagining the story in the various settings, with accurate historical details, maintaining the audience's/reader's attention with an engaging pace and enticing, well-developed, believable characters. The voice performance artist, Stephanie Daniel, is energetic, versatile, able to bring pitch and tone variations to the many characters, as well as diverse and accurate accents to her performance of them consistently throughout the story. The only area of performance that might be considered for modification in future is Ms Daniel's singing, she might consider lyrically reading the dialgue of the song versus trying to sing the songs off key, otherwise an exceptionally talented performing voice artist. Thank you both, so much, for sharing your talents

A great story

One of my favorites of the series. This book introduces a new key character to the series. I don’t want to give anything away, so please listen.

Great fun!

What a marvelous book! Lovely story and I learned SO much. I didn't even know that Gilbert and Sullivan had written a play called Ruddigore. I learned about it, about Australia in the 1920's and had a marvelous murder mystery to boot!

If you're into sex, suspense and sadistic gore, this is NOT the book for you, but if you love old-fashioned whodunits, download this book today!

The narrator is wonderful and she even sings! (Quite well, too!). More Phrynie Fisher please!! She's wonderful!

I could've done without Stephanie Daniel's singing

I've thoroughly enjoyed the first six books in the series. I just got the 8th, and I'll probably get the 9th, the 10th, ...

My only complaint with the stories is that sometimes the ways the villains commit their crimes seem more than a little contrived, although I very much like Kerry Greenwood's attention to detail, and I do like Phryne, so this is ample compensation.

I normally deeply appreciate Stephanie Daniel's narration. She does more than read the story. She gives a first-rate performance. I really could've done without her singing, however. I wish I could've found an easy way to skip over it. She may've put me off Gilbert and Sullivan forever...

Ruddy Gore

This book was really interesting. I binged it when I was at work it is so good.

You can't beat Miss Fisher!

An unusual series, an unusual main character, and of course, the intricate mysteries make this series
irresistible! Greenwood has a knack of making the reader relate to her characters, and Miss Fisher
is unique among lady sleuths in her strong, almost feminist (before there were feminists) view.
Although I enjoy the television series, the books are much better, more complex and laugh out loud
situations. Highly recommended.

Gilbert & Sullivan with Murder: Superb!

In her seventh adventure, Phryne attends a stage performance of G&S's *Ruddigore,* and sees an actor drop dead on stage in Act 1 and another actor pass out in Act 2. The manager of the theatre company is an old friend from Phryne's London days, so naturally she is involved in the case from the beginning. Current events seem to be all mixed up with the suicide (murder?) some 20 years earlier of a beautiful star in the Savoy Theatre company. As the investigation proceeds, we learn about the background and past of each of the actors, hands and technical workers in the theatre.

While she is involved in the investigation, Phryne also experiences a significant occurrence in her life. When she intervenes to foil an attack by several men upon one man and an elderly woman, Phryne meets, and is very much taken with, Lin Chung, a beautiful young Chinese man. Mr. Lin will appear frequently in future books of this series.

*Ruddy Gore* has all the elements that readers love in this series. Phryne is as beautiful, care free, confident, capable and smart as always. Inspector Jack Robinson is as stolid, upright, and determined as usual. Dot, the Butlers, Jane and Ruth, and Bert and Cec all behave as expected and provide assistance to Phryne when needed. And Stephanie Daniel once again does her usual marvelous job of bringing Phryne and all the other characters to life, and even does a credible job of singing snatches of Gilbert and Sullivan tunes when called for.

All in all, another wonderful adventure. I highly recommend it.

Love the story, not a fan of the singing

Had to knock off a star - Stephanie Daniel isn't meant for G&S. Heartily missed the interview between narrator and author at the end of this one.

Love it

I love all Phryne Fisher books, and keep the ones I enjoy the most. They are well written with lots of period color and detail, and the plots are adventurous and fun. The worst thing about the series is her lack of faithfulness. In her multiple lovers. In one book she even cheats with her clients intended! However in this one and following is the invent of a China man lover. The author’s own desire to paint the people as good shadows the truth. The Chinese were excluded, true, and many were not welcome. But some fault lies with them. The abore other cultures, which are beneath them, and all during the 1800s the heir to the throne tried several times to eliminate all non Chinese from China. Many died. Many times. Further, any Chinese who liked and helped us were also killed, if any taught their ways to us, they were killed. They were not the down trod people portrayed here. If we became racist, it began with them.