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Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: "The appeal of this story is the glimpse it provides into the 1920s theater world and the opportunity it affords to observe Phryne and Lin Chung's romance from its inception." �Booklist Running late to the Hinkler gala performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore, Phryne Fisher meets some thugs in a dark alley and handles them convincingly before they can ruin her silver dress. Phryne then finds that she has rescued the handsome Lin Chung and his grandmother and is briefly mistaken for a deity. Denying divinity but accepting cognac, she later continues safely to the theatre. But the unexpected continues as the performance is interrupted by a most bizarre death onstage. What links can Phryne possibly find between the ridiculously entertaining plot of Ruddigore, the Chinese community of Little Bourke Street, and the actors treading the boards of His Majesty's Theatre? Drawn backstage and onstage, Phryne must solve an old murder, find a new murderer and of course, banish the theatre's ghost�who seems likely to kill again..… (more)
User reviews
The books are set in Australia during the 1920s. Phryne Fisher is a private investigator who gets involved in a case when the lead of the operetta she is
The mystery is set in the playhouse of the Melbourne Gilbert and Sullivan company. The show they are putting up is Ruddigore, and Kerry Greenwood manages to work lines and events from the operetta into the plot of her book. Since all the suspects and witnesses are among the actors, dressers, and stagehands, most interactions are necessarily very dramatic and emotional. Not knowing much about that world, I can’t speak of its accurate portrayal, but it was entertaining. It was also interesting to be able to explore the relationships between the dressers and their actors, a topic which I never really thought about. The fact that she could work in clever references to Gilbert and Sullivan and Ruddigore throughout the book was just an added bonus. But overall, the best part was the character Phryne Fisher. She is an unflappable woman with a good sense of humor, but she is also very much a lady.
The mystery was light—not much suspense and no gore as the title might lead you to believe. But it was a good amusement, and sometimes that is exactly what I am looking for in a book.
Phryne's night at the operetta gets complicated- both by a mysterious attempted abduction in which she intervenes before the show, and by the mysterious collapses of 2 of the leading men in G&S's "Ruddigore". She looks into the first
Most of the series regulars have only brief moments in this one, but that's made up for by all the characters involved with the theater. As always, Greenwood does a superb job of bringing even very minor characters alive and making them distinct individuals. I am especially impressed with the way several of the actors were, in real life, at least as petty and venal as the characters they portrayed. (For all the pretty music and clever lyrics, Gilbert in particular had a very cynical view of human nature.) I especially liked some of the G&S trivia included... and I would love to see a production of "Ruddigore"!
While most of the book depicts the theater mysteries and complications, there's also a fascinating look at a Chinese community and some of the struggles they had after moving to Australia.
Very recommended for fans! And this one could probably be a place to start if you don't want to start from the beginning; it's not based as much on past events as several of the others.
Synopsis: On their way to a Gilbert and Sullivan musical, Phryne and her friend, Bunji, see an elderly Chinese woman being attacked. They rush to help her and find themselves enmeshed in a squabble caused by the conflict between duty and love. During the musical, Phryne notices that one of the actors is playing a fainting scene a little too well. The manager of the troupe calls on her detecting talents to find out who is poisoning his cast and to determine if there really is a ghost haunting the playhouse.
Review: Well written, and with a wicked sense of humor, this story transforms from straight detective fiction into a Gilbert and Sullivan style tale. The dialog is interesting, as are the characters. The treatment of minorities, particularly those successful in business, is one of the themes as is romantic relationships between ethnicity. The ending made me smile.
I love Phryne, particularly the TV series and I can see how Greenwood uses the tropes of the inter-war era to great result here. The mystery is in fact mysteries and they interlink in interesting ways.
Ruddy Gore by author Kerry Greenwood is the seventh in her Phryne Fisher series of cosy mysteries and it is as just as convoluted as any Gilbert and Sullivan play, something that even Phryne points out herself:
Dot, I have the strangest feeling that I’m caught up in a Gilbert and Sullivan plot
But like Gilbert and Sullivan, although the story demands a very hefty suspension of disbelief, that does not mean it isn’t great fun to read and most of what makes this series incredibly addicting is Phyrne herself. Private detective isn’t exactly a typical job for a woman in 1920s Melbourne Australia but then Phryne Fisher isn’t your typical 1920s woman. There’s no way normal early20th c. gender restraints are going to keep her down whether it’s regarding sex, marriage, or mystery. This is the perfect read for that time when you just want a nice enjoyable undemanding hour or two to destress from real life.
Thanks to Edelweiss and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Ruddy Gore is an entertaining novel. It is always delightful to revisit the vivacious Phryne Fisher. The story starts out a little slow while Phryne is enjoying Ruddigore, but the pace picks up after the performance. The book has an overabundance of characters. Readers are introduced to the cast of the play and the people who work behind the scenes at the theater. I do wish there had not been so many characters to weed through and that some of the core characters had been included in Ruddy Gore (Bert, Cec, Dot, Ruth, Jane, the Butlers). In addition, I missed Phryne’s over-the-top personality. She was more subdued in this novel. Lin Chung is a nice addition to the series, and I am sure we will see him again in the future. I give Ruddy Gore 3.5 out of 5 stars. I found the mysteries (there is a thirty-year-old one too) entertaining, but they can be solved (if you pay close attention). It was interesting to see the differences between the book and the show by the same name. Personally, I was more a fan of the show. It had more focus. If you are not a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan, I do not recommend Ruddy Gore. Information about the play and characters are discussed in length. While reading Ruddy Gore, you need to remember that the book is set in 1928. People’s views towards Chinese were very different than they are today. If you are a fan of Miss Fisher and her antics, you will enjoy this seventh installment in the series. Those who have not read the earlier books in the series may not enjoy Ruddy Gore.
Later, while at the
Along with solving the cause of the collapses, Phryne is also told of a ghost who is supposedly haunting the theatre. It is thought to be the original actress who had the lead in the play when it was first produced. Various cast members claim they have seen it.
The cast of characters is large and the secrets that they each have seems to be many! At times I wasn't sure who was who and had to back track.
While Phryne is dealing with the theatre crowd, she is also learning about the world of the Chinese through her new acquaintance Lin Chung.
I enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. I am looking forward to the next adventure of Phryne Fisher, detective!
A few deaths of distant
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.
It's also 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.
Character wise, I love them all! Phryne, Dot, Dr Elizabeth MacMillan, WPC Jones, Inspector Robinson, Bert and Cec, Mr and Mrs. Butler, they were all fantastic and had me giggling throughout. And I adore the way women are portrayed in this series. I love that all the female characters are strong willed and fierce and able to look after themselves - even when it doesn't always seem like it. I also really like how the cops aren't written as useless or inept - but rather unable to significantly help without someone willing to speak up and testify.
This was interesting. I liked the theatre setting and having been to Her Majesty's it was easy to imagine. The characters were dramatic and the plot twisted around. I didn't like the hint of supernatural elements in it - I prefer to keep my crime and fantasy separate and in my crime have the supernatural be firmly shot down if it appears. I was also disappointed, once again, not to see much of Dot, Bert, Cec or the Butlers. Hopefully the next book will rectify that. 3 stars.
Phryne is attending the latest performance of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta Ruddy Gore, when the star actor collapses on stage. Her friend, and theater producer asks her to investigate.
I like Phryne as a character. She is her own woman and quite modern in her thinking. She’s independent, curious, observant and can take care of herself. She’s also beautiful and wealthy. And she quite enjoys time in the bedroom with a gentleman. Brava, Phryne!