Tamam Shud: A Phryne Fisher Mystery

By: Kerry Greenwood

Narrated by: Kirsty Gillmore

1948. After serving with the French Resistance during the Second World War, codenamed La Chatte Noire, Phryne Fisher escaped to Australia in search of sunshine, butter and peace. So she’s furious when tragedy intrudes upon her newfound tranquillity and she discovers a dead man on Somerton Beach - well-dressed, good-looking and with a secret smile on his lips. The police are baffled as to his identity and cause of death - not to mention the scrap of paper bearing the words TAMAM SHUD found upon him, and the coded message in the book from which it was torn. But WPC Hammond knows Phryne’s fame as a detective. And Phryne telephones her old friend Bernard Cooper, who spent the war at a place called Bletchley, doing something awfully top secret involving codes....

©2012 Kerry Greenwood (P)2021 Aurora Audio Books

Post WW2

I disliked how short this book is, the verista tiny taste. Come on, Kerry! More, more!

The narrator's accent distracts

I enjoyed the content and flow of this short story. I found myself wondering about the whereabouts of Hugh and Dot, Jack and his family, as well as Cec and Bert and the Butlers. I want to know about Jane and Ruth. Perhaps in future works. (Blatant HINT!)
I found the narrator's accent to be rough and lack the polish I have come to expect from Phrynne, who could adapt to all occasions; especially given the excellent German and French the narrator displayed.
This leads me to wonder if the accent is the result of accent or characterization and to hope the characterization of Phrynne improves.

Love Phryne at any age!

Phryne is middle aged, has seen too much violence in the war but still spunky and sharp. I've missed her. Looking forward to the short story collection coming soon. Yum!

Always intriguing

Kerry Greenwood always knows how to speak about the pathos of war, helping us know just how painful and unnecessary it is. While also helping us see how to live a good life in the midst of all the mysteries.

Really missed Stephanie Daniel’s Narration

A good story, but it lacked some of the sparkle and fun of the novels. The narrator left a lot to be desired.

Not bad, but I missed the old characters

It was nice to meet an older Phryne but to me, these stories are not only about her but about the marvelous cast of characters that were slowly introduced in the early novels, and they weren't there. Does Dot have children? Where are Bert and Cec? Where are Phryne adopted daughters? What happened to Lin Chung and Camellia? There's no trace of them and it was sad. Please Miss Greenwood, revisit this time and let us know!

Ended Too Abruptly

WHY isn't "Death in Daylesford" available on Audible???!!! Dying for more Phryne!
Anyway, this book started great, Phryne finds a body on the beach, and it stirs memories of her wartime experiences, in particular the death of a young German soldier. A young female police officer (whose male supervisors want to keep her down) has heard of Phryne's crime-solving abilities and is savy enough to ask Phryne to help her on the case. Phryne's investigation involves contacting folks from her wartime past. There's a romantic interlude. Phryne asks a former wartime contact to help the police officer advance, and when he "borrows" her from her glad-to-be-rid-of-her sergeant, the woman impresses him with her memory and other skills. The book ends rather too abruptly, but of course I didn't want it to be over!

Taman

Good book. It was great to read another Partner Crushed mystery. It was great that she is older and still one of the best private investors.

Very disappointing.

I was delighted to see a new title that wasn’t a collection of short stories and I didn’t look at the length. This is not a book. It’s barely a novelette. It feels more like an intro to a novel that was born prematurely. No character development, no building suspense, just an introduction and an abrupt, disappointing conclusion. The mature Phryne appears to be too much for the author.

disappointed

Love the Phryne Fisher series, but not this one. too short, wrong voice, and odd ending.