Death Before Wicket (Phryne Fisher Mystery) by Kerry Greenwood

Phryne goes off to help a young man accused of stealing exam papers, and ends up solving more mysteries that she thought possible.  In Sydney Phryne only has Dot, who is a mess because her sister is missing, and has to find new sources of information to solve multiple mysteries.

Phryne manages to find a “pet” at the bottom of a well, meaning that Phryne is Phryne no matter where she goes.  Promising Dot she will not be solving a murder, Phryne heads to Sydney to help a young man accused of stealing exams and other items from the university’s safe. While the cast of characters grow so do the mysteries. Phryne starts piecing everything together, when she is kidnapped and tossed into a well. As she frees herself and her new “pet” Phryne realizes how to finish solving the puzzles she is faced with.

The characters in this book are fun to read about and hopefully only in this book, because as Phryne puts it academic life should not be forced on anyone.  Phryne has left her mark on the people at the university and Sydney’s occult and world of vice in typical Phryne fashion. While this book is not one of my favorite in this series it is still an enjoyable read.