Phryne Fisher meets Underbelly in an arch, out-of-the-box debut historical crime caper.A centuries-old curse, a house of secrets and a young woman determined to find out the truth.Sydney, 1930: In a well-heeled corner of Paddington, just a short distance from the razor gangs of Darlinghurst and Kings Cross, sits La Maison des Fleurs, an upscale brothel run by the indomitable Madame. The star of La Maison is Violet Kelly be...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLEY AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT CRIME FICTIONPhryne Fisher meets Underbelly in an arch, out-of-the-box debut historical crime caper.A centuries-old curse, a house of secrets, and one young woman determined to find out the truth.Sydney, 1930: In a well-heeled corner of Paddington, just a short distance from the razor gangs of Darlinghurst and Kings Cross, sits Maison des Fleurs, an upscale brothel run by the indomitable Madame. The star of Maison ...

Romeo and Juliet is the play which, in English literature at least, effectively invented the modern love story. Its charm and its power derive from the romantic setting (Verona, an Italian Renaissance city), the youthful innocence and ardour of the lovers, and (perhaps crucially) the excitement and drama created by the opposition which they have to contend with, an opposition which does not simply stem from the older generation but which is starkly present in the feud between their two fam...