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tregina's review against another edition
2.0
Sorry, this one really strained credulity, on many levels, which I might have been more willing to accept if the usual players hadn't been all but sidelined again.
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Murder in the Dark by Kerry Greenwood is sixteenth book in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. It is Christmastime much to Jane and Ruth’s delight. The Butler’s, Dot, Bert, and Cec will be spending Christmas Day with their families. Phryne’s sister, Eliza and her companion will be spending the day with Phryne and the girls. Phryne has received an invitation to Gerald and Isabella Templar’s The Last Best Party of 1928. After receiving a threatening Christmas card warning her off from the party, Phryne decides to attend. The next day the family is opening gifts and there is one last gift for Phryne that had been left on the front porch. There is a lovely cuff inside with a venomous snake wrapped around it. Thankfully, Ember (the cat) kills the slimy creature before it can harm anyone. Phryne is dropped off at the party, and she sets out to explore. It is a massive affair that will last from December 27 through January 1 with costumed events each evening along with music (Nerine is with us once again), polo matches, cocktails and other recreational (lascivious) activities. Gerald requests to speak with Phryne privately. He has been receiving threatening letters and needs her assistance discovering this perpetrator’s identity. Later Phryne discovers that Gerald and Isabella adopted children and Isabella’s adoptive daughter, Marigold has disappeared. It is assumed that she ran away. But one evening, Tarquin, Gerald’s adoptive son, goes for drinks and disappears. Phryne investigates and finds that Tarquin has been taken. But, the evildoer has left a riddle behind on a luggage tag. Phryne must unravel each riddle in this scavenger hunt to find the next clue. Will Phryne get to the end in time to save the victims?
Murder in the Dark is set at Christmas. We are told that it is Phryne’s first Christmas in Australia. Then everything that has transpired in the first fifteen books has occurred in less than twelve months. Does anyone else find this a little odd? I did like that we caught a glimpse into the lives of Bert, Cec, Dot, and the Butler’s away from Miss Fisher’s household. The party is an over-the-top affair with many varied activities. Readers need to remember that the story is set in 1928 when recreational drugs flowed freely and were not illegal. The mystery was complex, and I do not believe many readers will figure out the whole solution (I am being cryptic on purpose). I particularly enjoyed the riddles. They were fun to decipher. I give Murder in the Dark 3 out of 5 stars. I did feel that the book was a slightly too long. The book needed more focus and editing (it would have certainly helped with the books slow pacing). Kerry Greenwood was rather wordy. We are given descriptions of the clothes, food, costumes, house, grounds, tents, games, erotic scenes and so on. Several recitations and songs are also included in the story (I skimmed through them). I wish there had been less focus on the party with its varied activities. Since Murder in the Dark was a Christmas novel, I would have liked it to be more Christmas themed (instead of a hedonistic party). I did find the solution to the twin’s financial woes to be creative but unrealistic (might have been some eye rolling). I did like the afterward included by the author.
Murder in the Dark is set at Christmas. We are told that it is Phryne’s first Christmas in Australia. Then everything that has transpired in the first fifteen books has occurred in less than twelve months. Does anyone else find this a little odd? I did like that we caught a glimpse into the lives of Bert, Cec, Dot, and the Butler’s away from Miss Fisher’s household. The party is an over-the-top affair with many varied activities. Readers need to remember that the story is set in 1928 when recreational drugs flowed freely and were not illegal. The mystery was complex, and I do not believe many readers will figure out the whole solution (I am being cryptic on purpose). I particularly enjoyed the riddles. They were fun to decipher. I give Murder in the Dark 3 out of 5 stars. I did feel that the book was a slightly too long. The book needed more focus and editing (it would have certainly helped with the books slow pacing). Kerry Greenwood was rather wordy. We are given descriptions of the clothes, food, costumes, house, grounds, tents, games, erotic scenes and so on. Several recitations and songs are also included in the story (I skimmed through them). I wish there had been less focus on the party with its varied activities. Since Murder in the Dark was a Christmas novel, I would have liked it to be more Christmas themed (instead of a hedonistic party). I did find the solution to the twin’s financial woes to be creative but unrealistic (might have been some eye rolling). I did like the afterward included by the author.
lorireads2much's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sophiereads21's review against another edition
3.0
It is the last best party of 1928 and Phryne has been invited to Werribee where old friends from Paris are having a huge send off! They are also Templars and have group of acolytes which follow them around adoringly. Children go missing, a psycho leaves clues and Phyrne gets solving
I think this book serves as an excellent contrast to how Phyne could be- she is fabulously wealthy after all, she could spend her entire existence at parties playing charades and drinking. I kind of loved the mystery, it was something a bit different than we've seen before!
But what brought this down for me were the Templars, I had no idea that this was also a (relatively) modern thing?? I found many of the wealthy characters annoying as well. And while I really like Stephanie Daniels as an audiobook narrator, omg please just skip the singing, please I am begging. This book had everything from poetry to medieval madrigals and it set my teeth on edge every time!
I think this book serves as an excellent contrast to how Phyne could be- she is fabulously wealthy after all, she could spend her entire existence at parties playing charades and drinking. I kind of loved the mystery, it was something a bit different than we've seen before!
But what brought this down for me were the Templars, I had no idea that this was also a (relatively) modern thing?? I found many of the wealthy characters annoying as well. And while I really like Stephanie Daniels as an audiobook narrator, omg please just skip the singing, please I am begging. This book had everything from poetry to medieval madrigals and it set my teeth on edge every time!
mjporterauthor's review against another edition
4.0
I received a free E Arc from Netgalley.
This is the fourth Miss Fisher book I've read and by far the longest. That said, it's still a quick, and intriguing read and I did very much enjoy it.
The descriptions of the very elaborate party she attends are not quite as long and tedious as other reviewers have complained, although there is quite a lot of poetry which is irrelevant. That said, it's all scene setting - showing the ridiculously opulent lifestyle of the brother and sister at the heart of the story, and the way that the very rich choose to amuse themselves when they decided to have a party. That said, it's very much Miss Fisher's associates who complete the story, the cook, the maid, the 'strongmen' and the eventual appearance of good old Jack Robinson, not to mention Dot, her daughters and indeed, her sister.
I particularly enjoyed the brief scenes where Miss Fisher is reading the latest Agatha Christie novel, and determining who Hercule Poirot has decided is guilty of the crime. In its own way, this serves to highlight the differences between the hedonistic lifestyle of the party givers, Miss Fisher, and the far more sedate, Hercule.
Miss Fisher manages to solve the mystery, as always, and if the 'happy' ending is a little silly, then it is fiction - and why not allow the characters, who admittedly aren't that likeable, to profit from their misfortune. It was a neat solution to the problem of the cast forever onwards being stuck in Miss Fisher's circle of friends.
This is the fourth Miss Fisher book I've read and by far the longest. That said, it's still a quick, and intriguing read and I did very much enjoy it.
The descriptions of the very elaborate party she attends are not quite as long and tedious as other reviewers have complained, although there is quite a lot of poetry which is irrelevant. That said, it's all scene setting - showing the ridiculously opulent lifestyle of the brother and sister at the heart of the story, and the way that the very rich choose to amuse themselves when they decided to have a party. That said, it's very much Miss Fisher's associates who complete the story, the cook, the maid, the 'strongmen' and the eventual appearance of good old Jack Robinson, not to mention Dot, her daughters and indeed, her sister.
I particularly enjoyed the brief scenes where Miss Fisher is reading the latest Agatha Christie novel, and determining who Hercule Poirot has decided is guilty of the crime. In its own way, this serves to highlight the differences between the hedonistic lifestyle of the party givers, Miss Fisher, and the far more sedate, Hercule.
Miss Fisher manages to solve the mystery, as always, and if the 'happy' ending is a little silly, then it is fiction - and why not allow the characters, who admittedly aren't that likeable, to profit from their misfortune. It was a neat solution to the problem of the cast forever onwards being stuck in Miss Fisher's circle of friends.
lisab1991's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
warriorwitchwillow's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.75
nikshelby's review against another edition
4.0
Coleridge (Love) "All thoughts, all passions, all delights, whatever stirs this mortal frame, all are ministers of Love and feed his sacred flame."
Quote "Yet each man kills the thing he loves. By each let it be heard. Some do it with a bitter look, some with a flattering word. The coward does it with a kiss, the brave man with a sword...
Oscar Wilde: "I can resist anything except temptation."
Edward Fitzgerald (The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam of Naishapur) "And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in the Nothing all Things end in - Yes - Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what You shalt be - Nothing - Thou shalt not be less."
>>> "I mean it. Reason why I never believe the commos when they talk about conspiracies by the state is that the state isn't any better at conspiracies than the rest of us. Worse, even. The state couldn't find its backside with both hand. There's always someone who will blow the secret."
>>> "She ate more ice cream. Ice cream was reliable. Young men were not."
>>> "You still tell a very funny story, my dear old thing."
'Well, to get into the best society nowadays you have to either feed people or amuse people or shock people,' He replied seriously. 'She feeds them, he shocks them, and I amuse them. It's a fair bargain."
Quote "Yet each man kills the thing he loves. By each let it be heard. Some do it with a bitter look, some with a flattering word. The coward does it with a kiss, the brave man with a sword...
Oscar Wilde: "I can resist anything except temptation."
Edward Fitzgerald (The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam of Naishapur) "And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in the Nothing all Things end in - Yes - Then fancy while Thou art, Thou art but what You shalt be - Nothing - Thou shalt not be less."
>>> "I mean it. Reason why I never believe the commos when they talk about conspiracies by the state is that the state isn't any better at conspiracies than the rest of us. Worse, even. The state couldn't find its backside with both hand. There's always someone who will blow the secret."
>>> "She ate more ice cream. Ice cream was reliable. Young men were not."
>>> "You still tell a very funny story, my dear old thing."
'Well, to get into the best society nowadays you have to either feed people or amuse people or shock people,' He replied seriously. 'She feeds them, he shocks them, and I amuse them. It's a fair bargain."
coffeesnob's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
beebooknook's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5