Murder on the Ballarat Train is the third Phryne Fisher
mystery by Kerry Greenwood. These stories take place in Australia in the late 1920s.
Phryne is audacious and fun,
and she finds creative ways of solving mysteries and helping people in need. She's a bit promiscuous, but she's so charming and kind to her lovers that it all just seems like good fun.
If
you are looking for an entertaining evening curled up on the sofa, try one of
these action-filled stories.
A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentill is the first in a
series that takes place in Australia during the Great Depression—a time of
unrest there as in many other parts of the world. I enjoyed learning a lot about Australian history while reading this story.
The main character, Rowland
Sinclair, is a wealthy artist from a conservative family who shares his house with a group of impoverished, radical friends. There are lots of entertaining characters as well as plenty of
conflict, action and suspense. I will read more of this series, too.
The first in the Quaker Midwife mysteries, Delivering the
Truth by Edith Maxwell takes place in Massachusetts in 1888.
It’s a good, solid
mystery, and there’s lots of interesting historical info; I particularly enjoyed learning more about the Quakers. John Greenleaf
Whittier, the Quaker poet, is a minor character. There were some sad bits,
infant mortality being so much more common back then.
All in all, though, a
lovely story, and I’ll be sure to go back for more.
That's it for now...
Barbara