The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions by Kerry Greenwood

Opening: Dear Reader, Thank you very much for buying this book (and if you haven't bought it yet, please do so—I have cats to feed…

Only Kerry Greenwood could make an "Apologia" as interesting and delightful to read as the actual stories.  I do recommend readers start with there, and not skip "On Phryne Fisher" which is the author's introduction. From there, one jumps into the wonderful world of 17 wonderful short stories. There is also a very helpful Glossary at the end.

It is known that short stories are the hardest to write, yet Greenwood does it delightfully well.  Still, one always has favorites.

- "Hotel Splendide," a case of a missing husband and a missing hotel room, starts off with the perfect amount of information as to Phryne's background, her style, her ability to take charge, and her enviable sangfroid.
- "The Body in the Library" pairs Phryne and DI Jack Robinson and a not-so-pious reverend.
- "Death Shall be Dead" includes DI Jack Robinson and a dog. How can one resist that? and
- "The Bells of St. Paul's" begins with a tea at the Windsor that leaves one salivating and includes a message in the bells.

One rather wishes a few of the stories were expanded into novellas. A couple of them would make wonderful full-length novels.

For readers new to Phryne, this is an excellent way to experience her and her world. A slight criticism is there is not a lot of introduction to the secondary characters, and the settings and the times at which the stories occur jump around a bit which can be confusing.  However, for those who already love Phryne, there is still the overwhelming desire to be her when one grows up. 

THE LADY WITH THE GUN ASKS THE QUESTIONS is a treat. Some stories were published previously, some have been reworked slightly, and four are brand new. They are piquant, thoroughly entertaining, and not overly complicated. One may read one, a few, or all of them at a sitting as reading them may have the effect of potato chips; one just isn't enough.

THE LADY WITH THE GUN ASKS THE QUESTIONS (SS-Phryne Fisher-Australia-1920s) EX
Greenwood, Kerry – Short Story Collection
Poisoned Pen Press, May 2022, 272 pp.

Dying Fall by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

First Sentence:  'I thought after all this time I'd know everywhere in Shepherd's Bush,' said Slider.

An anonymous call leads the police to a house where a woman lays dead at the bottom of the stairs.  The first glace indicates a suicide and Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Bill Slider agrees.  Without an initial identity of the victim, witnesses, or motive, it's a hard case for the Shephard's Bush homicide team to solve.  The more they learn, the more complex the case becomes and the harder it is to prove.

From the first chapter heading, one is treated to Harrod-Eagles' skill with words. Her unique descriptions—"Shepherd's Bush Green was littered with sun worshippers, the men stripped to the waist—the glare off their blue-white bodies could have brought a plane down."—and her humor.  The description of characters is unique yet brings a visual image immediately to mind.  Phrases such as--"Atherton moved like a cat, except that he did not spray the furniture as he passed."—make her writing such a pleasure to read. And who but Bill Slider would quote Tennyson at a murder scene.

Bill Slider's relationship with his family is realistic without overshadowing the plot. Slider's wife, Joanna, is in a position common to many women, a mother with her own career. The family adds dimension to Slider and contrasts with his second-in-command, confirmed bachelor and ladies man, Detective Sergeant Inspector(DSI) Atherton. 

One of the best things about the book is that it is a true mystery with an ensemble cast. Each member of Slider's team is fully developed and plays an important role. Also appreciated is the loyalty Slider's boss, Detective Superintendent (DS) shows for his men.

The case is unusual and interesting. Clues are tracked down by learning the victim's identity, piecing together her associates, bit-by-bit learning the motive, eliminating suspects, and finally identifying the killer.  A young man plays a significant role in the plotline and Slider's interactions with him are both sensitive and extremely well done.  There are excellent twists when the team uncovers a second, and possibly a third death, which were also thought to be suicides.  This forces the team to go back and investigate the past.

DYING FALL is a first-rate police procedural/mystery based on a murder and what is needed to solve the crime.  There are no car chases or gunfights, just a hard, nose-down investigation with twists, humor, and an excellent cast of characters.  

DYING FALL (PolProc-DCI Bill Slider-London-Contemp) – VG+
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - 23^rd in series
Severn House, Feb 2022, 256 pp.

Something Wicked by David Housewright

First Sentence: "Jenness Crawford's voice trembled with rage"

Rushmore McKenzie may have retired from the police force, but when a friend of his wife, Nina, asks for help, McKenzie can't refuse. Jenness believes someone murdered her grandmother despite a lack of evidence. However, her biggest concern is that her siblings want to sell their 1883 home, hotel, and restaurant, struggling since the pandemic, to developers. The Sons of Europa, a group calling for the preservation of white families, want her to sell so zoning laws might be changed, and no one wants that.

Housewright can be relied upon for an excellent sense of time and place, and wonderful dialogue. His realistic inclusion of life in the time of COVID was very well done. He deals with the issues of white supremacy, racism, greed, deceptiveness, infidelity, and more while being objective and non-preachy.

McKenzie, Nina, and the town's sheriff Deb are the ones who hold the story together and maintain our interest. There is a danger inherent with a plot that centers on a family rivalry; the characters tend to be unpleasant. That was certainly the case here. While Jenness was likable enough, she was overshadowed by the other characters who were not.

There were significant weaknesses to the book. Exposition can be interesting but unless it moves the plot forward, it's filler. Highly dramatic points at 50 percent and 75 percent make one think of "Midsomer Murders"; it becomes predictable rather than suspenseful. An ending that tells, rather than shows, seems lazy. Classifying this story as a "locked-room mystery" is misleading, and a major loose thread, even when acknowledged in the epilogue, wonders why it was there. Housewright is usually better than this. It appeared his heart just wasn't into this book.

SOMETHING WICKED relies on the strength of its principal characters and they don't disappoint. A protagonist with a strong, committed, supportive relationship is such a pleasure. It may not overcome everything but serves as the core for a decent way to spend a day.

SOMETHING WICKED (UnlInv-Rushmore McKenzie-Minnesota-Contemp) – Okay
Housewright, David – 19th in series
Minotaur Books, May 2022, 336 pp.