Synopsis (from the publisher): Phryne Fisher is on holiday. She means to take the train to Sydney (where the harbour bridge is being built), go to a few cricket matches, dine with the Chancellor of the university and perhaps go to the Arts Ball with that celebrated young modernist, Chas Nutall. She has the costume of a lifetime and she's not afraid to use it.

When she arrives there, however, her maid Dot finds that her extremely respectable married sister Joan has vanished, leaving her small children to the neglectful care of a resentful husband. She rescues the children, but what has become of Joan, who would never leave her babies? Surely she hasn’t run away with a lover, as gossip suggests?

Phryne must trawl the nightclubs and bloodtubs of Darlinghurst to find out. And while Phryne is visiting the university, two very pretty young men, Joss and Clarence, ask her to find out who has broken into the Dean's safe and stolen a number of things, including the Dean's wife's garnets and an irreplaceable illuminated book called the Hours of Juana the Mad. An innocent student has been blamed.

So there is no rest for the wicked, and Phryne girds up her loins, loads her pearl handled .32 Beretta, and sallies forth to find mayhem, murder, black magic, and perhaps a really good cocktail at the Hotel Australia.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Selected by KLL from the OzVBB, enjoy!

Received in the post today - thanks very much!!

I think this is about the third Phryne Fisher novel I've read, and I continue to find them enjoyable, if not as good a mystery as, say, an Agatha Christie. Still there's lots of interest to be had in 'Death Before Wicket' - it's set in Sydney as the Harbour Bridge is being built, and there's a lot of action at the University of Sydney so there's a nice insight into how Universities have traditionally operated (sans women, for the most part!). I did feel some of the more esoteric themes - magic and mesmerism - were a bit much, however. There's a lot going on in this mystery. Phryne still feels to me to be almost superhumanly capable, but I do appreciate that Greenwood giving her the same sort of 'superpowers' that a male detective would have in her place. Her sexual outlook remains very liberal, though it still feels forced and a bit exaggerated - to make a point perhaps, rather than a completely believable character trait. But maybe that's just me :-)

I'm now sending this book to the most recent winner of the Happy Smile Day RACBK. I'm picking this book because she did have a Kerry Greenwood book on her list, if not this exact one... Hope you enjoy!!

Thanks KLL. I do enjoy Phryne's antics :0)

Enjoyable as ever.

Sent to Carole888 from the OzVBB.

Thanks a lot cats!! I have recieved this safely. Love the cover ... so bright and exciting!! I am looking forward to reading it and will let you know how it goes :)

I do enjoy these Phryne Fisher books. Lovely, light and fun to read. Thank you so much for sharing! I look forward to reading more.

Taken to share at our bookcrossing meet-up at Feast Cafe in Wembley. I hope the next reader has as much fun reading this book as I did. Thank you to catsalive and everyone else :)

ps KLL we missed you today!