Murder in Williamstown: A Miss Phryne Fisher Mystery

The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher is up to her elegant eyebrows in mystery once again! When threatening letters begin appearing in her letterbox, warning her to "REPENT" and that "THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH," she enlists her unflappable apprentice Tinker to investigate. But soon her lover Lin Chung becomes another target, and a shocking tragedy at a magnificent party leaves Phryne racing against time to save a pair of young lovers from disgrace and death. Accustomed to both murder and dalliance, Australia's favourite detective returns in a case that will test her courage and judgement to the full.

What is Murder in Williamstown about?
Awakening unusually early one morning, Phryne Fisher finds herself with a rare stretch of free time. After dropping her daughters off for their school-sponsored charity work at the Blind Institute, she visits a university professor whose acquaintance she'd made on a prior case. At lunch, the smitten professor invites Phryne to dine at his home in Williamstown later that week.

Bookending her pleasant dinner, Phryne makes two disturbing discoveries: first, a discarded opium pipe in the park, and later the body of a Chinese man on the beach - cause of death not apparent, yet ultimately ruled a homicide. Shortly thereafter, the teenaged sister-in-law of Phryne's longtime lover Lin Chung disappears from her home. And when one of the professor's colleagues is murdered in front of a houseful of guests at a Chinese-themed party he is hosting, Phryne can't help but wonder - are the incidents all related somehow?

Three mysteries unfold in parallel:

• Phryne's investigation: Tracking down the author of the threatening missives and unraveling the connection between the opium pipe, the body on the beach, and the party murder
• Ruth and Jane's mystery: Phryne's clever daughters begin their own investigation into suspiciously dwindling funds at the Blind Institute
• Tinker's mission: Phryne's unflappable apprentice helps uncover who has been leaving the threatening notes

Meanwhile, Dot begins to fear that her fiancé, newly promoted Sergeant Hugh Collins, has gone cold on their wedding. With all these threads weaving together, Phryne must gather all of her unerring brilliance to track down the miscreants.

Who should read this book?
If you love historical mysteries, glamorous 1920s settings, and a fiercely intelligent heroine with a pearl-handled pistol, this is for you. This is the 22nd adventure in the beloved Phryne Fisher series - perfect for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Dive into the world that inspired the hit TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.