Cocaine Blues

the entire series is great

Silly and unconvincing, cutesy but not charming

Phryne Fisher is a likeable, charming and vibrant individual. She's kind and generous to those she meets, smart and logical when faced with problems or obstacles and adventurous in her dislike of boredom. She is brave and tenacious and brutal when faced with injustice.

A few deaths of distant relatives were all that stood between her life of poverty and her ascent into luxury at the age of 12 and she never takes her wealth and social standing for granted. The result of which is a kind and generous soul who is always willing to speak up for the victims, the downtrodden or the underdogs and one who relishes fine food, fine clothes and the myriad of pursuits open to her. Her open mindedness leads to an unique and vibrant cast pulled from all walks of life.

Being an Aussie and a proud Melbournian - the Melbourne setting was a highlight. Recognising the street names and places was fun. And Melbournians will understand the delight in recognising how strange our weather is to outsiders.

As far as the genre goes, I don't know if I'd really say it was crime or historical. I mean it is a historical period but it felt kind of modern. The crime was good but it was interspersed with character relationships. There was romance but none of it was meaningful or relevant. It was too lowbrow to be literary and too much reality to be chick lit. It's an odd mix that was an enjoyable read but likely not for everyone.

For all I've had the first book on my shelf for a number of years (after picking it up at Dirt Cheap Books) and regardless of how much I've enjoyed the tv show - I've never gotten around to picking this series up. But I'm glad I did. There was a lot to be liked in this start to the series with few problems. It is fairly different from the tv show (and she's a lot younger in the books) but the main elements are present - like Phryne's love of clothes, her humour, confidence and loveable charming personality.

Plot wise, I enjoyed the twists and turns and the intricate setup of the crime. I adored the way women were portrayed. I loved that all the female characters were strong willed and fierce and able to look after themselves - even when it didn't always seem like it. I also really liked how the cops weren't written as useless or inept - but rather unable to significantly help without someone willing to speak up and testify.

For the characters, I loved them all. Phryne, Dot, Dr Elizabeth MacMillan, WPC Jones, Inspector Robinson, Bert and Cec, they were all fantastic and had me giggling throughout. An enjoyable read, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

Until I read this book, I didn't realize how well I remember the TV series and this particular episode. I'm not sure what to think about all the changes the screenwriters of the show made. Some of them turned out to be good, and others not necessarily.

Phryne is a complex and multi-dimensional character and we can clearly see that in this one book. I think I would like her even if I wasn't a TV series fan. Although, while reading this book, I have often wondered where she acquired all these remarkable skills during her rather short life.

The other characters are fine too. Dot is completely different than in the tv show, definitely more resourceful and self-confident. I wonder how her character will develop in the next books. Cec is much more silent, but I understand why that wouldn't work on TV. In general, we already meet most of the interesting group of characters in this book.

I remembered the suspense part quite well so it was no surprise to me. However, I think it was much easier and faster to discover who the villain is in the book. I wish it wasn't that obvious.

Last year I read the newest addition to this series and it was fine. I think one day I will read a second book. But I am not convinced that this will be one of my favorite series. I guess I preferred the tv show after all.