Meet Kerry Greenwood

Anne here, introducing Kerry Greenwood, best-selling and award-winning Australian author of the Phryne Fisher crime novel series, set in the 1920's, and the Corinna Chapman cosy mysteries (contemporary), both set in Melbourne (my home town), as well as the Delphic Women historical novels, set in ancient Greece. (Photo by Harjono Djoyobisono)

Kerry's written more than forty novels and several plays, and still finds time to offer her services one day a week as a legal aid barrister. Kerry, thank you for visiting the Word Wenches. Did you always want to be a writer?

Kerry: Ever since I wrote my first sentence. Which was 'the world is round and spins in space.' An important truth.

Anne: Indeed, and not a bad opening line for a seven-year-old, as well. So, onto the novels. Let's start with the Phryne (pronounced fry-nee) Fisher series. The first book, which was your first novel, COCAINE BLUES, came out in 1989. You're now up to book #19 in the series and Phryne is still going stronger than ever. Tell us about Phryne.

Kerry: She walked into my life in 1988 when I was trying to find a character for the two book contract I was holding in my hand (it practically required surgery to get me to let go of it). She is the perfect 1928 hero. Clever, ruthless, ambitious, with a strong sense of justice and none of entitlement. Phryne does exactly as she wishes and her philosophy could be summed up by "do as the nice lady says and no one will get hurt''. She is, by the way, NOT me. 

Anne: Phryne's a lot of fun, and she's no pushover. Here's a short excerpt from FLYING TOO HIGH.

 "How do you do. My name is Phryne Fisher. I undertake investigations and I have been retained by the McNaughton family to act for them in this matter."    
    The policeman took up a commanding position at the mantlepiece and glanced quizzically at Phryne.
    "There is no room for amateurs in murder, Miss Fisher," said the policeman condescendingly. "But I am sure that you will be a comfort to the ladies."
    "I hope that I shall," replied Phryne with all the sweetness of a chocolate-coated razor-blade. 

 Anne: This best-selling series grew from your very first novel. If you could do it all again, would you do anything different?

Kerry: If I could do it all over again, I'd have her come to Australia earlier in the year. Of course if I wrote the earlier books now, they'd be different, because I am different, but I still love them as they are.

Anne: Phryne's adventures are set in 1920's Melbourne, a time of great social change. Your historical research is meticulous and, as with any research for a novel, only the tip of the iceberg shows. Do you start with the story idea, and then research it, or has some of your research sparked stories? 

Kerry: Oddly enough, I just wait to get curious about something and then research it and the story arises out of that. I am, at the moment, writing the 20th Phryne novel, and I am researching soldier-settlers, convents, brothels, and eugenics. I will be fascinated to find out how THAT lot fit together. 

Anne: Sounds fabulous. Phryne Fisher is soon to appear on our TV screens, which is very exciting. How did that come about?

Kerry: The books were often optioned, but I held out for my conditions: I get to pick the actress for Phryne and I get to vet all the scripts for historical accuracy. No one would agree to that until the ABC and Film Australia decided to fund Everycloud Productions and they agreed to my conditions. And Essie Davis is PERFECT as Phryne and the set designs and the dialect is wonderful. 

Anne: Yes, that's Essie Davis on the left and with a 1920's bob, I can easily imagine her as Phryne. It certainly sounds like a quality production, an ABC (Australia's version of the BBC) production with some top quality people leading the team. I believe you've been quite closely involved in the production.  How does it feel to have your characters come to life? 

Kerry: I just went to see Farrell's Circus, and I walked into my own imagination, which was a very strange experience.

I had a cameo part as a fortune teller. I had my picture taken with most of the crew, who are all Phryne fans. I met the designer, Robbie Perkins, who went through the books with a pencil and found, for instance, Phryne had Lalique glass birds, and even the American Refrigerating machine for her kitchen or - this impressed me most - an eighteenth century French flower painting. I could not remember mentioning this, then recalled that at the end of one book Phryne is given a bunch of white roses, which she arranges in the manner of Beverley Nichols and Fantin-Latour, and there was a Fantin-Latour of white roses. You have to admire that attention to detail.

He had also done the fairies for Away With The Fairies and the big canvas banners for the circus, including the Sherlock Holmes joke, The Giant Rat of Sumatra. It was a very believable Giant Rat. And a very good bearded lady, who asked David my wizard partner for advice on not getting crumbs in beards.The only thing wrong with the circus was that it did not smell of frying and fairy floss (cotton candy).

I had a wonderful time. I was convinced to do the cameo by the director telling me I was better looking that Hitchock. True, but so is everyone...

Anne: I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Phryne is something of a fashion icon — her clothes are described quite lusciously in the books — and I'm looking forward to seeing them on the screen. They've also become a feature of the covers — a great improvement on the early editions of your books, which had covers with guns and bullets and champagne — though I do like the one with the blindfold Teddy. I believe you "design" Phryne's dresses.

Kerry: With my mother, who has excellent design skills. We have a lot of fun with it. 

Anne: I love the way Phryne always chooses the perfect clothes for the effect she wants. Usually she dresses for seduction and to please herself, but here's another short excerpt from FLYING TOO HIGH where she has donned Serious Lady Private Detective clothes:

Physically, Phryne had been described by the redoubtable Lady Rose as ' small, thin, with black hair cut in what I am told is a bob, disconcerting green eyes and porcelain skin. Looks like a Dutch Doll'. Phryne admitted this was a fair description.
    For the interview with Mrs McNaughton, she had selecred a beige dress of mannish cut, which she felt made her look like the directress of a women's prison, and matching taupe shoes and stockings. Her cloche hat was of a quiet dusty pink felt.

Anne: I've been reading Phryne since the books first came out, and I also have your excellent Delphic Women series, but somehow I missed your Corinna Chapman series, set in contemporary Melbourne in the central laneways/arcades area. I read the first one after the conference and have devoured all six in the series since. I've also sent the first, EARTHLY DELIGHTS (coming soon to the USA), to several friends overseas, who I know will love the delightful mix of intriguing characters, quirky mystery, yummy food and cats with personality. What brought this series about?

Kerry: Corinna came about because I was tired of the contemp. female detectives obsessing about their weight, and I thought, why not just have a fat lady (ie, me) who isn't ashamed etc of being fat (note that this predates Precious Ramotswe). I wanted to write a modern day cosy crime series which didn't insult the reader's intelligence, and I always liked apartment house soaps, and books based on a trade. I was a baker when I was a student (the hours are a killer). So Corinna is a baker and she lives in a real building in Melbourne with a selection of my favourite friends and cats.  They all get a huge kick out the next Corinna, identifying each other. Each books begins with a variation on '4 a.m. Who invented four a.m.?' which is what I always thought at that hour. 

Anne: They're wonderful books and I look forward to reading many more. (I've blogged about them here, too.) What's next on the agenda for Kerry Greenwood?

Kerry: A new Phryne and a true crime book on a very strange murder in Adelaide in 1949, which will also be a memoir of my father.  I like keeping busy...
cordially
Kerry

Anne: Thanks so much for visiting the word wenches, Kerry. Kerry will be giving away a book to some lucky person who leaves a comment. And here's a question for discussion: What qualities do you admire in a female investigator/detective?

Comments

[Elle Fynllay]

Hi Annie and Kerry,
Phryne Fisher sounds absolutely fascinating.
I have a picure of my aunt dressed as a flapper from that period, she would have fitted right in with Phryne's world. As an ex Melbourne person it would be intriguing to read about the under current of life at that time. And now to the question for discussion:
female detectives. Being fortunate to catch Julia Hunter, the FBI agent, give her discourses on body language in Melbourne at the conference, the qualities I would admire would be how not to look like a FBI agent or a female detective. Short, round , happy and bubbly is how I would describe Julia Hunter and this is what made her so successful -she did not look dangerous at all, but a mind like a steel trap.

[Kelly Hunter]

Phryne's a glamorous and savvy lady, but contemporary Corinna's my fave. She eats, bakes and enjoys - thank you, Kerry - and I love her Melbourne world and her fellow apartment dwellers, employees, nearby shopkeepers, cats, dogs and Meroe. Throw in a gorgeous Israeli companion and a mystery to solve and I'm all set. What was the question again?

[Keziah Hill]

Love, love, love Phyrne. The 20's were such a fascinating period. All that hedonism after the War to end all Wars. And the covers on these editions are fabulous (and done by my reading group mate Beth Norling). Corinna is next on my tbr list.

[Kelly Hunter]

Keziah, I adore the Phryne covers. Thank you Beth!

[wendyleslie]

Thank you Anne and thank you Kerry. The era, the heroine and her adventures - it should be compulsory reading in Australian History.

[Carol C]

Hi Kerry
I'm glad you stood your ground on the portrayal of Phryne and historical accuracy for the TV series. I'm really looking forward to seeing her come to life on screen. Such a daring young lady!

[C.J. Archer]

I adore the Phryne books and am so excited to find out they've been made into a TV series. I can't wait to see it. Thanks for bringing such a vibrant, interesting time period to my bookshelf, Kerry. Now I'll have to hunt down the Corinna Chapman books too.

[Trish Morey]

Oh wow, Kerry, I feel like someone just switched on a lightbulb in a section of the bookstore I hadn't noticed before.

And then you mentioned Adelaide and it got even brighter...

Thank you so much Anne, for bringing this fabulous author to my attention, so very much appreciated! (And you can explain later why you didn't do it before:-))

I love the sound of your stories, Kerry. As for the qualities I love in female inveigators/ detectives, it would have to be that constant supply of chocolate coated razor blades. Necessary for dealing with the plods of the times and oh, so lethal:)

[Anne Gracie]

Elle, there's nothing like a true-life heroine, is there?
Kelly, that's about how I feel, too. Phryne's a lot of fun, but Corinna's the gal for me. Keziah, I think you'll enjoy Corinna.

Wendy, I always think making things compulsory goes against the intent. But if you banned Phryne Fisher people would probably read her in droves. (heh heh)

Carol, it looks to be such a quality production, doesn't it? And I'm sure a heap of people who haven't read the books will snap them up after they've seen the program. And then I want a Corinna TV series next.

[Malvina Yock]

Sigh. More books to go on my reading list. Phryne Fisher sounds so fabulous! What I really love in a female investigator is the ability to not do stupid things like go down the alley in her nightgown in the dark and say, bravely, 'Is anyone there?' They should be smart, savvy, witty and make me want to be them.
Malvina

[Mary Jo Putney]

Welcome to the Word Wenches, Kerry! When Anne came onto our private Wench loop and said she'd like to invite you and described your books, I promptly went to the thebookdepository.com and was happy to find the three volume Phryne starter set. *g* She is a scary hoot, and there's such a wonderful sense of place. I've never been to Melbourne, but this feels absolutely authentic, and it's a great time period.

Now I'm looking forward to my first Corinna, and wondering when the TV show will be aired and when I can get it in the US.

[Janga]

I loved the interview and am delighted to have a new mystery author to check out. I've already ordered Cocaine Blues.

I am fascinated by the idea of the Delphic Women series, but they seem to be available only as used books at prices well above my budget. And neither my local public library nor my university library has them. I did find A Different Sort of Real : The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, Melbourne 1918-1919 in the uni lib holdings. It sounds interesting too.

[Liz]

With family now in Melbourne, and a Greek husband, I'm glad to have this introduction to Kerry Greenwood and her series. Best wishes for continued success.

As to admirable qualities in a female investigator/detective, I would say intelligence, rationality, and compassion.

[Liz the Librarian]

I love both the Phryne and Corinna series, but I want to live in Corinna's building and hang out with her friends and neighbors. And the food...

[Janni Nell]

Essie Davis is such a wonderful actress. Great choice to play Phryne.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Okay, I just received my copy of EARTHLY DELIGHTS, the first Corinna Chapman book, and was laughing by the end of the second paragraph. *g* This is a woman who Knows Cats! I'm alread depressed that there are only 4 books in the series. One can hope for more...

[Anne Gracie]

Mary Jo I KNEW you'd love the cats, and there are more of them in the series, as a litter of kittens is distributed. And there are, in fact 6 books in the series — they probably haven't all been listed in the US yet, but the 6th one is just out in Australia.

I think Jo would enjoy the setting — when she and Barbara Samuel were in Melbourne, they loved exploring this area of Melbourne. I've put a few pics on my own blog.

[Marie]

I love female detectives that are fallible, I don't want them to be perfect the more "regular girl" they are the more fun they are for me to read. Somehow knowing that they are subject to the same fears and anxieties I am makes me root all the more for them. I look forward to reading the first Corinna Chapman Book!

[Kerri]

I've just received the 6th Corrina book from a friend whose just come back to the UK from visiting Australia and it was awesome.

Really love both series and so happy that Phryne is being made into a tv series. Now if only they'd make a Corinna one too...

[Michelle Douglas]

Oh, how have I not met Phryne before now? I love the 1920s and have been gobbling up the Mrs Bradley Mysteries on TV -- for the wit and for the clothes (which are OMG, to die for). Hence, a wicked wit, a fabulous dress sense and perfect manners are the qualities I'd love to see in a female sleuth -- they each reveal and hide so much.

Thanks for the fabulous interview, Kerry and Anne!

[Dee]

Wow, these books (all) sound so amazing. I have never heard of Kerry Greenwood but I will be making up for that failing. As for female detectives, I admire a sense of humor.

[Andrea Penrose]

Anne and Kerry, Thanks so much for a delightful interview! Kerry, I'm fascinated by the 1920s, and your books sound absolutely fabulous! What fun to discover a new new-to-me author—can't wait to get my hands on them!

[Betty Hamilton]

The books sounds so interesting. I would love to win one!!

[Heartbeatoz]

I always buy myself a Kerry Greenwood Book for Christmas wrap it up and put under the Tree, can hardly wait for the TV Series to Screen and being an Adelaidean look forward to the Adelaide Mystery.

When I visit Melbourne I love walking down the Arcades trying to Picture where the Insula may be located. I hope Kerry keeps on writing and writing as she is one of my Favourites up there with Agatha Christie and Carolyn Hart.

[Malvina Yock]

Folks, I just wanted to say a million thankyous for winning one of Kerry's fabulous books. I've never read her before... but that's certainly about to change. Yes, I know the rest of you are all green with envy - but I'm dancing in the aisles here. :) My day just became lovelier. Thanks to Kerry and to Word Wenches for a great blog. You rock.

[Lesley Cookman]

I've just been introduced to the Corrina books by one of the friends to whom Anne sent a copy, and was delighted see some of the comments above before I start reading! I've been a fan of the Phryne series for some time, and I do hope we get to see the TV series over here in the UK.

[Anne Gracie]

Malvina, I'm so pleased that you're so pleased. :) I'm sure you'll enjoy Kerry's book.

Lesley, I know you'll enjoy the Corinna books, too. And I'm sure the Phryne Fisher series will come to UK TV.
One of the friends to whom I sent the first Corinna book, Earthly Delights blogged about it here:
http://www.jennyhaddon.com/?p=479

[Lesley Cookman]

Thanks for reposting this, Anne. Now I've read the five available online in the UK I can say how much I enjoy them. I've now decided I need to write another series - an apartment block in the UK??? x