How to Read the Phryne Fisher Series
If you want to experience the evolution of the Honourable Phryne Fisher and her household, the best path is simple: read the books in publication order. While most of Kerry Greenwood's novels are self-contained mysteries that can be enjoyed as standalones, Phryne’s personal life, her household of adopted children, and her relationships with recurring characters—such as her maid Dot, her helpers Bert and Cec, and Detective Inspector Jack Robinson—develop chronologically from book to book.
Starting at the beginning allows you to watch Phryne build her Melbourne home and see her family grow. Below is the complete publication order of the main novels as well as the short story collections that round out her adventures.
The Phryne Fisher Book List in Publication Order
- Cocaine Blues (1989) - Also published as Death by Misadventure or Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates. Phryne arrives in Melbourne and tackles a drug ring.
- Flying Too High (1990) - Phryne deals with kidnapping and murder, and even walks on the wing of a biplane.
- Murder on the Ballarat Train (1991) - A train journey goes horribly wrong, forcing Phryne to step in.
- Death at Victoria Dock (1992) - Phryne rescues a young anarchist and investigates a shooting.
- The Green Mill Murder (1993) - A dance marathon at the Green Mill leads to a jazz-age murder.
- Blood and Circuses (1994) - Phryne goes undercover at a circus to solve a bizarre crime.
- Ruddy Gore (1995) - A theatrical curse leads to real deaths during a staging of Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore.
- Urn Burial (1996) - A gothic mystery at a grand mansion in the Australian bush.
- Raisins and Almonds (1997) - A murder in Melbourne's Jewish community draws Phryne into alchemy and politics.
- Death Before Wicket (1999) - Phryne travels to Sydney, solving a mystery at a university.
- Away with the Fairies (2001) - Investigating the death of a children's book illustrator.
- Murder in Montparnasse (2002) - A flashback to Phryne’s post-WWI bohemian days in Paris.
- The Castlemaine Murders (2003) - A mystery involving a ghost train and gold mines in a historic town.
- Queen of the Flowers (2004) - A young girl goes missing during the annual St. Kilda Rose Festival.
- Death by Water (2005) - Phryne boards a luxury cruise ship only to encounter jewel thieves and murder.
- Murder in the Dark (2006) - A wild party at a country house turns into a deadly scavenger hunt.
- Murder on a Midsummer Night (2008) - Phryne investigates the suspicious death of a health-food magnate.
- Dead Man's Chest (2010) - A seaside holiday turns dangerous when a house is ransacked and a body disappears.
- Unnatural Habits (2012) - Phryne hunts for missing girls and confronts the dark side of 1920s institutions.
- Murder and Mendelssohn (2013) - A musical mystery involving a choir, a pipe organ, and international espionage.
- Death in Daylesford (2020) - Phryne visits a spa resort for soldiers and uncovers local secrets.
- Murder in Williamstown (2022) - Phryne faces anonymous threats and handles complex relationships in Melbourne's port suburb.
The Short Story Collections
If you want to read the shorter adventures of Phryne Fisher, Kerry Greenwood published two collections. These stories fit loosely throughout the timeline of the series and are best read after you are familiar with the characters:
- A Question of Death: An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Treasury (2007) - Contains short stories, character profiles, recipes, and trivia.
- The Lady with the Gun Asks the Questions (2022) - An updated and expanded collection featuring all of Greenwood's Phryne Fisher short stories.
What to Know Before You Start
Phryne Fisher is a refreshing departure from traditional detective tropes. Born into poverty in Melbourne, she inherited vast wealth and a title after World War I, transforming her into an independent, stylish aristocrat. She is unapologetically feminist, flies planes, drives fast cars, and has a sex-positive lifestyle that contrasts with many traditional cozy mystery protagonists.
While the books are lighthearted and filled with glamour, Greenwood did not shy away from the real-world grit of the 1920s. The novels address serious social issues of the era, including reproductive rights, class inequality, and post-war trauma. Additionally, readers should note that the books differ slightly from the popular television adaptation, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. In the books, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson is an ally but not Phryne’s primary romantic partner; Phryne maintains a much more open and varied love life, particularly with her recurring partner Lin Chung.
Spin-offs and Adaptations
The success of the books led to the beloved television series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries starring Essie Davis. The show adaptation is highly praised for capturing the books' aesthetic, though it remixes many book plots and places a stronger focus on the slow-burn romance between Phryne and Jack.
A television spin-off, Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, set in the 1960s, follows Phryne's niece Peregrine Fisher. While not written by Kerry Greenwood, the TV show has been adapted into novelizations by author Katherine Kovacic, such as Just Murdered.