Greenwood, Kerry – URN BURIAL

[LJ Roberts]

URN BURIAL (Private Investigator-Australia-1920s) – G+ Greenwood, Kerry – 7th in series
Poisoned Pen Press, 2005- Trade Paperback

Phryne Fisher, her maid, Dorothy, lover, Lin Chung and his man, Li, are headed for a holiday at Cave House in the Austrialian countryside. One the way, they hear a rifleshot and find a hysterical maid who has been molested. Later, Phryne finds the maid dead, but when she returns with help, the body is gone. Phryne discovers each of the houseguests has a secret and the host is receiving threatening letters.

This is a delightful book with an equally delightful and capable protagonist. Phryne can fly her own plane, shoot, and ride and take lovers with delight. She's also clever and solves crimes through skill and observation. Greenwood does a wonderful job of creating strong, interesting characters, excellent dialogue and tight plots. She also teaches me something in each book--in this case, it's the geology of caves--without beating me over the head or slowing down the story. There is even a delightful homage to Agatha Christie in this book. While this entry may not be quite as strong as others in the series, it was still very enjoyable.