Death Before Wicket

Even though much of the time I could not make sense of the cricket action, I loved this entry in the Phryne Fisher series. The contrast between the over-civilized university and the brutal degradation of the Melbourne slums was wonderfully depicted.

The further adventures of the Hon. Phryne Fisher take place in Sydney where she and her maid, Dorothy, go for a "vacation." Phryne promises Dot `no murders on this trip.' Instead, she does undertake to solve two mysteries. Two young men, university students, implore her to solve a theft from the university safe in the Dean's office of a number of items, including an ancient Egyptian papyrus, so that a friend of theirs can be absolved of the thievery. Then there is the matter of Dot's sister, who is missing. Each involves usual circumstances, enabling the author to demonstrate Phryne's unusual tastes and ability to intuit, as well as to use a wide range of uncanny knowledge of ancient lore and rituals. The novel is the 10th in chronological order in the series' original publication sequence. PPP has published 12 of these in no particular order. Each, so far, has been very much worth the while of the reader.

Phryne Fisher accompanied by her maid Dorothy "Dot" Williams takes the train to Sydney for a vacation. The wealthy independent woman looks forward to seeing the Harbour Bridge construction and a few cricket matches though the national team seems older this year than usual. She also plans to have some champagne with the University Vice Chancellor Charles Waterhouse and squeeze in some time with renowned young modernist Chas Nutall. However, Dot panics when her sister Joan vanishes without a trace. Although a nasty rumor insists she ran off to party with a man, Dot swears her sibling would never abandon her children especially to be left with her ever angry ironmonger husband. Dot feels a bit better although still worried when Phryne says she will investigate starting by dancing at the nightclubs in the wild Darlinghurst section of town; the most likely place Joan would have gone if she did decamp. At about the same time, two university students Jocelyn "Joss" Hart and Clarence Ottery beg Phryne to learn who broke into the Dean of Arts' safe and stole several articles as an innocent scholarship student Adam Harcourt is being accused. DEATH BEFORE WICKET is a terrific entry in one of the best historical mystery series on the market today. Phryne remains a fresh unique heroine as she does what she wants in 1920s Australia. This time besides touring Sydney, she works on both cases in her classy but tough style. Readers will appreciate this humorous thriller as the heroine when she is not watching cricket or picking up men deals with cultists and an oafish spouse. Harriet Klausner