Murder on the Ballarat Train. by Kerry Greenwood

I started reading the Phryne Fisher series when a friend gave me the first title recently and I haven't been able to stop! This is yet another creative and entertaining installment in the series. What a blast to read about a heroine who is earthy, intelligent, independent, open-minded and successful - all in the 1920's!

The third installment of the Phryne Fisher series 'Murder on the Ballarat Train' begins quite literally, with a bang, when Phryne decides to leave Melbourne with her trusty and reliable companion Dot, and travels by train leaving behind her beautiful, fast Hispano-Suiza. Some sinister plot is afoot and Phryne has to shoot out the window of a train compartment to save the passengers. Thus begins the highly amusing investigation into an old lady's murder and a child's background suffering from amnesia and now given into Phryne's care. As the previous books, the story is vastly entertaining and Phryne solves the cases with her usual flair and common sense. The cast of secondary characters is growing and they are immensely likable, as is the heroine. I would definitely recommend reading the series in their publishing order as each of the characters becomes more rounded and a full picture begins to build.

Love this series. It's always something new but Phyrne and her 'gang' are always reliable. Kerry Greenwod captures the spirit of this character and you become submersed in the caper.

in the third of the series, phyrne solves a murder, rescues two children and a cat, and proves once again that she is the most admirable fictional character in any genre. of course, any fan of golden age mysteries will be entertained by references and hallowed plots (which ms. greenwood makes completely her own). the writing is not merely grammatical (a major plus after too many american mysteries apparently written by authors new to the language), it is funny, sarcastic in the inimitable aussie style, revealing, wonderfully descriptive, in all ways entertaining. occassionally enlightening. the plot, as usual, has lovely twists and red herrings. i have come to think of her in the same terms as i think of patrick o'brian--a superlative writer with a secure grasp on her time period and an excellent, even uncanny, insight. and, of course, the food, drinks, fashions and phyrne's pets are always fun.

In Australia, the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher is on the train to Ballaret to visit some cousins when she wakes up in her compartment to the smell of chloroform. She starts opening the window reviving herself and her maid Dot. They open the windows in the other three compartments in first class. One elderly woman, Mrs. Henderson is missing until her body is found thirty feet from the track. Her daughter Eunice hires Phryrne to find out who killed her mother. Another mystery on the train presents itself in the form of a young child suffering from amnesia. Phryrne calls her Jane and takes her home with her and has her examined by her doctor who tells her the child was sexually molested. Phryrne is determined to find out who did this to the child and who killed Mrs. Henderson; because of her reputation, she has the full support of the Melbourne police who are in awe of the indomitable Miss Fisher. In chronological order, the third Phryne Fisher mystery is as exciting as the rest of the books in this fabulous series. Taking place inin Australia in the 1920's where women are gaining more freedom, the heroine is in the forefront of the equality under the law movement. She is independent, stubborn and generous to those she cares about. The killer hides in plane sight and for a time, much to Phryrne's chagrin, fools the intrepid heroine. Harriet Klausner