Review by Booklist Review
Phryne Fisher, the Australian flapper-era bon vivant and amateur sleuth, is in a bit of a rut. Everything in her life, from her house to her man, is just the way it should be; and Fisher, who thrives on excitement and a certain amount of disorder, is quietly going nuts. So it's something of a relief, in a weird sort of way, when a group of people from the carnival show up at her door, asking her to investigate some strange goings-on--tortured animals, sabotaged props, and murder. Fisher decides there's only one way to solve the mystery: go undercover at the carnival. But when it sinks in that she has given up her own identity, and that she has no friends among the carnies, she begins to realize that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But--as fans of this very popular series will expect--Phryne keeps her wits about her and her spirits up. A top-notch entry in this witty, hugely entertaining series. --David Pitt Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Australian author Greenwood?s light-hearted Phryne Fisher mystery, the sixth chronologically and 11th to be published in the U.S. (after 2006?s Murder in the Dark), isn?t one of the series high points. Flapper sleuth Fisher goes undercover in a circus after Alan Lee, a former love interest, asks for her help identifying the person or persons behind a series of attacks connected to the circus, which culmi-nate in the murder of company member Mr. Christopher. Fisher and Det. Insp. Jack Robinson must ferret out the information needed to keep Miss Parkes from being hanged as the killer. Fisher?s loyal retinue, who served her well in other exploits, play less of a role this time. The writing is less humorous than in some of Greenwood?s other Fisher books, and the far-fetched solution may leave fans disappointed. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
The feisty flapper goes undercover in a sabotaged circus in her 11th Australian caper. Greenwood lives Down Under. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Under the big top, socialite detective Phryne Fisher (The Green Hill Murder, 2007, etc.) falls for a clown, learns to love a bear and solves a case of sabotage. When her former lover, half-gypsy carnival worker Alan Lee, asks for help in discovering who's sabotaging Farrell's Circus, Phryne is up for the challenge. Because a horse has been poisoned and a rider injured, Phryne is able to apply for a job as a trick rider. Meanwhile, a hermaphrodite who worked at the circus is found murdered in a Melbourne rooming house. Miss Parkes, a killer just released from prison, is arrested, but Constable Harris thinks she's innocent, and DI Robinson agrees. Robinson, realizing that a murder involving rival gangs is somehow connected with the circus, becomes concerned for Phryne, for whom the circus is a whole new world. At length she learns to do the equestrian tricks well enough to be in the show. Meantime, she makes both new friends and new enemies in the rigid circus society. Her affair with one of the clowns raises eyebrows. But disapproval is the least of her worries as she tries to discover the identity of the saboteur. When her case collides with the police investigation, the consequences are perilous. Circus oddities and exciting men produce a thrilling series of challenges for Phryne. Above-average for the series. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
