Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have not read the Kerry Greenwood books so can only review this as a television show. It's the 1920s and the Honorable Phryne Fisher has just returned to Melbourne after a long period of traveling. Soon after her arrival, a relative is found murdered. The police determine that it was ingesting arsenic that killed him. The thoroughly modern and confident Phryne decides to investigate, much to the chagrin of police Detective Jack Robinson. Soon drug smuggling and an illegal abortion operation come to light. The penalty for procuring an abortion is 10 to 15 years in prison (yikes) and as Detective Robinson says "the ones who die can't talk and the ones who don't, won't." The supporting characters of Dot, Cec, Bert and Robinson add great value to the show but Phryne takes some getting use to although it is refreshing to see such an independent and self confident (but not arrogant) woman of the 1920s. The ending is a bit far fetched but that's okay. The production values are excellent and although the plot is a bit wobbly, the first episode is good enough to warrant watching succeeding episodes.