Christyn's Reviews > A Question of Death: An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Anthology

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful - I loved this collection of short Phryne Fisher stories. I admit I was growing a bit tired of the series (a moment of temporary insanity, I believe), but this got me enthusiastic about it all over again. Containing a total of 13 short stories and 17 full-page, full color illustrations it's the perfect addition to any longtime fan's collection, or as an introduction to the Phryne Fisher series. While not as detailed as the full-length Phryne Fisher books, there is enough to keep mystery (and Phryne) fans entertained.

The 13 stories are as follows (since I'm not sure if this counts as spoilers I'll mark it just to be safe):

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1) Hotel Splendide - In which a young man on his honeymoon, along with his hotel room mysteriously disappear.

2) The Voice is Jacob's Voice - Twin brothers at odds face the same fate.

3) Marrying the Bookie's Daughter - Marriage is the theme here, along with weddings, missing jewels and close-kept secrets.

4)The Vanishing of Jack McHale's Hat - In which a football coach's lucky hat mysteriously vanishes from church.

5) Puttin' On The Ritz - In which a male aquantince's inheritance is "missing".

6) The Body in the Library - This one pretty much speaks for itself.

7) The Miracle of St Mungo - This title makes sense once you read the story, I'll say there is blackmail, clever deduction, and a 'miracle'.

8) Overheard on a Balcony - For longtime fans, this one rings of Urn Burial. For new readers, secret's aplenty, murder of an unlamented bully, second chances and secret identities.

9) The Hours of Juana the Mad - A missing book, a locked safe, and Latin clues.

10) Death Shall be Dead - Bad guys, murder and hidden 'treasure' abound.

11) Carnival - For long time readers they'll probably recognize the characters from Blood and Circuses. For new readers - a sneaky plot by a conniving rat, 'missing' pearls and unwanted (and some wanted) advances.

12) The Camberwell Wonder - In which a "Joke" goes terribly awry for someone.

13) Come, Sable Night - All I have to say is "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." - William Congreve

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If that's not enough there are the gorgeous illustrations (which some, Phryne fans may recognize). There are recipes and interesting Phryne facts. Not to mention the appearances of quite a few well-recognized series regulars. The short stories are entertaining and amusing, most are relatively light-hearted (without murders or 'heavy' issues), some are a little more serious (though not as deeply serious as the full-length books can get). Overall, I really enjoyed it - the only issue I had with the book - wasn't actually with the book itself. I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but for those in the U.S. that want to get their hands on a copy, I recommend your local library (this is how I got a chance to read it). I really want to buy a copy for my personal collection but as it's no longer in print and I don't have the kind of cash sellers are asking (as of Nov 4, 2013 - the cheapest I saw for the print book on a well known retail site that I'm not sure I can mention from a seller was 229.95) it's simply not an option. That's the only thing, the only practical way to read the book if you didn't get a copy when it was in print is to borrow it (at least where I am).

But I really enjoyed reading it, the short stories are easy to follow, amusing and fun to read. Simpler and less detailed than the full-length books but great for fans and for newcomers to the series alike. 5 stars.