I found this deeply, deeply entertaining, and it was entirely down to the main character. Phryne Fisher is amazing, and I like everything about her. It's not very often you get a character who is so horribly, amusingly aware of everything going on around her. I love her obsession with clothes, and the fact that she picks up strays and finds them employment at any given opportunity. I think that's the key to describing her really - she's an opportunist on every level, and I'm excited to read more of the series, though I do wonder just how much crime there can possible be in the Melbourne of the time. The supporting characters are also very likeable, coming from a range of backgrounds as they do. The only fault that I could find is that it was obvious to me who was running the cocaine ring a lot earlier than the text revealed it, but when there's abusive back-alley abortionists to catch, I can certainly understand a minor lack of focus from the heroine. Some things, after all, are more important.