Fisher, the waspishly slim, ever-fashionable and cunning detective, is endowed with looks as deadly as her pearl-handled Beretta. Despite holding a high social ranking in 1920s Melbourne, she enjoys breaking societal rules as much as author Kerry Greenwood does generic ones (using an unconventional figure as her heroine). If she were male, Fisher’s drinking, smoking, casual sex and choice of profession would be a less entertaining stereotype. Aficionados of the series will enjoy the latest misconstrual of Fisher’s behaviour and femininity: a male character always manages to underestimate her abilities, intelligence or openness to all members of society.

In Murder in the Dark, Fisher investigates an abduction during the Last Best Party, a lavish five-day production held at Werribee Mansion at the end of 1928. It differs from most Phryne Fisher novels in that she finds herself embroiled in a complex game of clue finding, but is reliant on another player who holds all the aces. This is a significant change: Fisher usually runs rings around all those who attempt to trick her, and has always been the cat after the mouse, backed up by her loyal army of wharfies, policemen and Dot, her inestimable maid.

Best enjoyed with a White Lady: two parts gin, one part cointreau and one part lemon juice, shaken vigorously with a dash of egg white (recipe on page thirty-four, with others scattered throughout the novel).