Murder on a Midsummer Night: A Phryne Fisher Mystery.

Murder on a Midsummer Night is the seventeenth book in the popular Phryne Fisher series by Australian author, Kerry Greenwood. As 1929 begins with a very hot spell, Phryne is asked by her sister, Eliza to investigate a death the police believe a suicide. Mrs Manifold is convinced her son, Augustine did not take his own life. An Old Wares dealer who was much loved by clients, friends and staff, Augustine was excited about a discovery that would buy his beloved mother a house and see him independent very soon. Certain irregularities in the pathology report have Phryne intrigued. A group of obnoxious and rather dangerous Bright Young Things that Phryne encounters at Augustine’s funeral head her list of suspects. At the same time, Phryne is visited by a barrister for a well-to-do family whose matriarch has left a puzzling will. Phryne is engaged to find a possible heir to the estate hitherto unknown. This excellent instalment features a Harley rider with a grudge, a Professor of languages, Cec’s cousin Cedric, a haughty butler, a failing businessman, some ageing thespians, a nun, a cache of gold coins and a blackmailer. Phyrne attends a Requiem mass, holds a séance, reads a diary written in code, escapes a bunch of kif smokers, visits a funeral parlour and hosts a birthday party. As usual, Mr and Mrs Butler provide at-home support while Dot, Jane, Eliza and her friend, Lady Alice, Bert and Cec, Jack and Lin Chung all take an active part in the various investigations. Another excellent dose of Phryne mystery.