#Kerry Greenwood

[hgeeky]

My year in books 2024 - book series

Over the year I managed to read 140 books (including audiobooks), not including the 4 I started and still have on the go, and 3 that I started and abandoned.

I read quite a few series, here are some thoughts on those (spoiler free). I'll probably follow up with another post or two for other fiction and non-fiction.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaranovitch

I've now read all 9 of the main novels (although I read the first two in 2023), plus Tales from the Folly and What Abigail Did That Summer, all as audiobooks.

Kobna Hollbrook-Smith is an incredible narrator

I absolutely adore the blend of magic, folklore and police bureaucracy. The acronyms and procedure are set out in a way that feels so true to life - with all the quirks that come with how these things translate into practice. And it makes the magic somehow more believable. Plus the characters are so often charming.

I'm looking forward to working my way through the novellas and graphic novels while I wait for the next instalment.

The Aubreyad/Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian

I managed all 20 of the completed novels, my first complete circumnavigation (at some point I'll try to get my hands on the unfinished 21st book)

This is very much thanks to @elodieunderglass posting about it here, which encouraged me to seek out the audiobooks (my library has the Ric Jerrom ones)

I had attempted Master & Commander once, many years ago, because a lot of my family like the books. My grandfather especially liked them, and I wish I had known him better (he died in 2000). But I couldn't cope with the naval jargon at the time and gave up.

I did enjoy the film, and I've enjoyed Hornblower on TV and the Sharpe books, so I do generally enjoy that sort of thing and the audiobooks turned out to be perfect for me.

Ric Jerrom does a wonderful job with the characters and I could let a lot of the naval jargon wash over me (occasionally I did look things up to try to get a better handle on things).

Jack and Stephen are now my blorbos for sure.

And I absoutely love how much O'Brian managed to fit into these books - the natural history, the mores of the time, even the politics, as well as the action, adventure and romance.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

I find these books rather moving, as well as fun

The combination works wonderfully for perking me up, helping me embrace life and find the joy in it, and that's always worth something

In fact it's remarkably impressive

The blend of characters is wonderful, the range of perspectives and personalities really helps me look at the world afresh, and not take things for granted so much.

Jackson Brodie by Kate Atkinson

I read the first one in 2023, and 2-5 in 2024

I've long adored Kate Atkinson's books, and I've read at least two of the Jackson Brodie books before (1 and 4) but thought I'd give the whole series a go

Perhaps not entirely as successful as some of her other books, I did still enjoy them all. I think Big Sky (number 5) was my favourite.

Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood

I really enjoyed the TV adaptation a few years ago so I thought I'd give the audiobooks a go when I saw that my library has them

They are light and easy-going, with grate narration by Stephanie Daniel

I read the first one last year, and got through 2-8 this year. I particularly enjoyed 3 (Muder on the Ballarat Train), 4 (Death at Victoria Dock), 5 (The Green Mil Murder) and 8 (Urn Burial). I didn't mind a bit that I could remember some of the plots from the TV show.

The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir

I gave Gideon the Ninth a go after seeing a lot of posts about it on here, and finding I could get it through Audible plus (which I get occasionally when I can get a discount)

It was an absolute headfuck of a fever dream for most of it and I loved it

Eventually I used some credits to get Harrow and Nona and loved them too. Harrow was also a headfuck but I think I'd got slightly more into the swing of things for Nona.

I went back to relisten to Gideon to see what I made of it, after having more context and it was good in a different way. I enjoyed having more things make sense and I appreciated many of the characters a lot more.

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein

When I found out my library had the audiobooks read by Andy Serkis, I thought it would be rude not to borrow them

I enjoyed The Hobbit the most.

I found Return of the King a bit of a slog. It all felt too ponderous when it was focused on humans, elves or dwarves, but fortunately the hobbits, ents and orcs gave it a lot more life and helped get me through.

Edit: Oops I forgot The World of the White Rat!

World of the White Rat - T Kingfisher

I didn't start at the beginning and I've not read everything

I gave the books a go thanks to Audible Plus and now I'm in love with them

Swordheart is my favourite, I've now listened to it twice

I've also covered the first 3 Saint of Steel books and have number 4 ready and waiting

I've also listened to quite a few other T Kingfisher books which aren't in the same world (or at least, not obviously) and loved those too - more on those in a separate post (if I manage it)

[do-you-know-this-queer-character]

Do you know this queer character?

Mac is a Lesbian and uses she/her pronouns!

[adventuressclubamericas]

Kerry Greenwood in Blood and Circuses

[clockworkcanary]

Polyamorous folk, have you read the Miss Fisher mysteries by Kerry Greenwood?

I don’t mean the streamed series which had a slow burn romance.

The books are *different*

The books are better, if you want a resourceful heroine who builds an ensemble of resourceful experts, the kind of story that books tell better because they trust you to love all the characters!

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[askwhatsforlunch]

Phryne Fisher's Winter Cookbook

When the skies are grey, and there's a definite chill in the air, I'm bound to find comfort in old favourites, be they dishes or books, and I often make time to cosy up in my velvet chair with a dog-eared murder mystery. On the occasions the novel in question is a Phryne Fisher adventure, I would mix myself a cocktail from Mr. Butler's grimoire and happily sip and read to my heart's content. I thought I would share, as it is getting chillier every day, Phryne Fisher's Winter Cookbook, inspired by the dinners, suppers, teas and tipples the St. Kilda household enjoys in the colder months!

Mr. Butler's Thawing Tipples

Mr. Butler’s Phryne 

Mr Butler’s Special 

Mrs Butler’s Whisky Toddy 

Phryne’s Hot Chocolate and Raisin Toast 

Mrs. Butler's Warming Mains

Mrs. Butler’s Salmon Petits Bateaux 

Mrs. Butler’s Chicken and Chives Petits Bateaux 

Bacon and Egg Pies

Mrs. Butler’s Welsh Rarebit

Ruth and Jane's Comforting Cakes

Mrs Rosenbaum’s Jam and Cream Chocolate Cake 

[foxspirit1928]

Happy birthday, Miss Kerry Greenwood! Thank you for giving us Phryne Fisher.

********************

Did you know that Kerry Greenwood made a cameo in S1E11 Blood and Circuses? I love this behind the scenes photo.

(Posted 17-Jun-2023)

[flavia8]

Collaboration I did with one of my little sisters!! She drew the Middle, based on the book cover and I drew the left, based on both! I love my sisters version, it's very geometric and fun!

Bonus (Fence!):

[margysmusings]

Phryne was getting out of the car. Dot closed her eyes. Miss Fisher was about to happen to someone again.

Kerry Greenwood, Dead Man's Chest

[thesarahshay]

"When he was seven years old, he got caught with a bucket of stolen peaches... his father whipped him soundly, but he never told anyone I was still up that tree."

I'm rewatching Miss Fisher for the first time in years -- since I finished filling all the gaps in my Sayers reading and re-read the books multiple times, in fact. I knew before that there were *some* Lord Peter references, but mostly I just knew about her using character names like Lavender and Prout. But "The Blood of Juana the Mad" not only has similarities to Whose Body (in the opening), but the murderer's motive was also borrowed from Gaudy Night. And now, a "Talboys" reference in the very next episode!

I haven't read the Miss Fisher books, but if this many references made their way into the show then the source material must be full to bursting!

[living400lbs]

Miss Fisher books are set in the late 1920s.

"If I ever want to gamble, I will go to Monte Carlo and try my luck there. Just to set your mind at ease, all my money is invested in a mixture of government securities and companies that manufacture food staples. And beer. If it all goes bang, people will still want to eat and drink."

- from Murder In Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood

[everyladydetectiveneedsahobby]

I finally organized my Phryne Fisher books by “tv tie-in” and “art” covers. The only book I’m still missing in either format is Blood and Circuses. I’m getting closer to having a full set of both editions. I just wish my art cover ones were all the same size.

[meeghanreads]

Top 5 books with baked goods

Hello friends!! Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday!! This week’s topic is top 5 books with baked goods!! This Thursday, 14 March is International Pi Day. Something about 3.14… maths, circles, other math/sciency things. Look, I read a lot of fantasy and romance. I don’t need to understand how to calculate a circumference. So, instead of picking 5 books that have something to do with math or STEM (let’s be…

[adventuressclubamericas]

Wishing a belated very happy birthday to Kerry Greenwood!

[elgallinero]

Lerne Deutsch

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[bargainsleuthbooks]

#CocaineBlues #PhryneFisher#1 by #KerryGreenwood #BookReview #TVReview #AudiobookReview #HistoricalMystery #Australia

I adore #MissFishersMurderMysteries on TV and decided to compare the book series to the episodes. #CocaineBlues is the first volume. #PhrynneFisher #kerrygreenwood #PBS #ABC1 #Bookreview #audiobookreview #poisonedpenpress #bolinda #mystery #Australia