Modernly independent yet fashionable woman Phryne Fisher comes to late 1920s Melbourne, Australia, where she soon finds murder and illegal activity mysteries to unravel.
A disagreeable woman vanishes from a moving train, later found slain, with a scared girl in possession of her jewelry. Miss Fisher aims to help, much to Insp. Robinson's professional annoyance.
Phryne Fisher is on the scene when a young man is found dead in a bookshop. Miss Fisher is willing to bet her hat that it is a case of poisoning. Phryne investigates murder, alchemy, and Zionism alongside Detective Inspector Jack Robinson.
An outing to the theater as Dot's birthday present turns into a case involving murder, addiction, hatred and the supposed ghost of a long dead suicidal actress.
Two days prior to Phryne's licentious cousin's engagement party, Aunt P. finds her teenage chambermaid floating dead in the swimming pool, but the party goes on, nonetheless.
