The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood

With no new books in this series, the love of the characters may make a reader pause between books to help let the series linger. Phryne is once again protecting her flock, when someone tries to run down Dot, and solving murders while also keeping a lover, her house staff happy, and trying to raise two adopted daughters. This time Phryne’s sister is also in the mix as their father has sent her to Australia without money after she refuses to marry the man he picked for her. While taking her sister, daughters, Dot, and her lover to a carnival Phryne discovers a real dead body not a joke skeleton. Lin Chung, Phryne’s lover, is settling a decades old feud with another Chinese family thanks to his marriage. His wife has been kind enough to plant a garden for Phryne, as Phryne knows she will have to no longer have Lin Chung as a lover when the family obligation becomes a priority (a deal Phyrne made with Lin’s grandmother). Both the decades old feud and the body relate back to the gold mining town of Castlemaine. Eliza, Phryne’s sister, has become prone to fainting and isn’t telling Phryne her secret. After an explosive device is sent to the house Mr. Butler and Lin Chung’s bodyguard are tasked with keeping the girls, Eliza, and Dot in the house and safe when they are outside. Phryne asks Dot to see if she can get Eliza to open up and talk about her secret while Phryne is away. Lin Chung goes to Castlemaine to see what the family business is doing there and help Phryne investigate. Lin finds the gold that was thought stolen and Phryne finds out what the real motive for murder is and why Eliza’s best friend and brute of a man their father picked for Eliza to marry are in Australia. Of course both the stolen gold, that was not stolen, and the man Eliza refuses to marry are all connected. Phryne manages to get herself and two men who were unfortunate in who they were related to out of harms way. These books are such a great read and can take the reader to a world action and adventure with the best lady detective in Australia. 

 

 

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