Cocaine Blues (novel)

Cocaine Blues is a crime novel by Kerry Greenwood, first published in Australia in 1989 by McPhee Gribble and in the United States in 1991 under the title of Death By Misadventure by Fawcett Publications. It is the first novel featuring Phryne Fisher.

Plot introduction

After the Honourable Phryne Fisher solves a country-house jewel robbery in record time, she is asked by Colonel and Mrs. Andrews to look into the matter of their daughter in Australia, who they fear may be being poisoned by her husband. Having grown bored with English social life, Phryne is happy to have an excuse to put off making decisions about her future for the next few months or so, and promptly relocates to Melbourne.

Characters in Cocaine Blues

• the Honourable Phryne Fisher
• Lydia Andrews, a well-off young married woman who falls ill whenever her husband is around
• John Andrews, a bully
• Butcher George, back-alley abortionist and rapist
• Alice Greenham, latest victim of Butcher George
• Bert (Albert Johnson), cabbie, friend of Cec, communist
• Dr. Elizabeth MacMillan, surgeon at the Queen Victoria Hospital for Women
• the Honourable Bobby Matthews, an amateur cricketer
• Detective-Inspector Jack Robinson, Melbourne police
• Dorothy (Dot), hired by Phryne as confidential maid and social secretary
• Cec (Cecil Yates), friend of Bert and truck driver, soft-hearted and known for taking in strays of all kinds

References

• Greenwood, Kerry (2006). Cocaine Blues. London: Poisoned Pen Press. ISBN 1-59058-236-5. 

External links

• Phryne Fisher