The Castlemaine Murders

 The Castlemaine Murders (2003) by Kerry Greenwood

Phryne's sister the Hon. Eliza (Elizabeth; Beth) Fisher has arrived in Australia and there's an air of mystery about it. Phryne doesn't quite know what's happened to her and doesn't want to push her, but she does want her little sister back--and the young woman who has shown up isn't quite right. In an effort to help Beth settle in, Phryne, Dot, and the girls (Jane & Ruth) decide that a day a Luna Park will be just the ticket to loosen up this rather stiff visitor. They ride the carousel, visit the River Caves, and ride the Scenic Railway. They have ice cream. And then they decide to ride the Ghost Train--where an actual dead man awaits....

Inside the papier mache and dusty, ragged clothing of a "ghost" cowboy, is the mummified body of a man. A man who had been shot in the forehead. An examination reveals a tattoo in the shape of British heraldry. Phryne senses a mystery, but isn't too keen on digging up the dusty past until an explosive (literally) envelope arrives with a message "STAY AWAY FROM THE CORPSE OR BECOME ONE" and a motorcyclist tries to run down Dot. Obviously, someone from the present day doesn't want Miss Phryne Fisher poking her nose into the business of the past. And, just as obviously, Phryne is determined to find the miscreant who tried to deprive her of her dear companion. And when she does...she plans to make him pay.

Meanwhile, Phryne's lover Lin Chung is taking up the responsibilities as head of the family. His grandmother, the iron-willed matriarch, is reluctant to let go of the reins, but Lin Chung has made his first important decisions--seeking a feud settlement with the long-hated Hu family. The list of grievances is long, but the two family heads work their way amicably through them--carefully make reparations even so honor is retained and no face is lost. And then they get to the big one. In July 1857 couriers from the Lin family, carrying 400 ounces of gold, disappeared near the Hu holdings. It was always recorded that the Hu family had ambushed and murdered the couriers and stolen the gold. But the Hu family has no record of the even (unlike all the others...). Lin Chung must accept that his family history was faulty (after all, there was no proof, no eye witnesses)--but if the Hu family was not responsible, who was?

It becomes clear that Lin Chung must go to the gold fields area near Castlemaine and investigate. But after all these years, will he be able to settle his family's history? Phryne's mummified man leads her to the same area...and it begins to look like her mystery, her sister's secrets, and the Lin family's missing couriers may all be connected. But will Phryne be able to solve the mysteries before the person behind the explosive warning makes good on his threat?

There is an incredible amount of coincidences in this one, but that doesn't make it any less fun. I'm reading these (as my own copies) after having read them all when they came out. It's been a while since Lin Chung has made a substantial appearance and it was nice to reacquaint myself with Li Pen (Lin Chung's bodyguard who is left to guard Phryne's household). The mild-looking monk could take out a small army before they had time to so much as blink. It was also enjoyable to see Lin Chung do a bit of detective work of his own and satisfying to watch him ride to the rescue when Phryne is nabbed by the baddies--only to find her sitting on top of the hog-tied culprit and calmly smoking one of his cigarettes. Great fun and adventurous. It wasn't difficult to spot the bad guys--but puzzle plotting isn't the point. Action, adventure, and enjoyment is. ★★★★

First line: Phryne Fisher was watching and unprecedented spectacle.

Last line: From the papers in his pocket, the man seems to have been called Joseph Smith. (Continued on page 5...)
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Deaths = 3 (one shot; one strangled; one fell from height)