The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher, extravagantly wealthy daughter of a baron, returns to her native Melbourne after some 15-20 years abroad. But when her very first social event, courtesy of her dearly tolerated Aunt Prudence, is called off due to an unexpected and very suspicious death, Phryne decides to turn her natural curiosity towards crime-solving.
The dead man is John Andrews, husband to Lydia, apparently a longstanding Fisher family friend. Phryne's impromptu investigations quickly attract the attention of the policemen investigating the murder: dour Detective Inspector Jack Robinson and naive Constable Hugh Collins.
Meanwhile, Andrews household maid Alice, who we saw leave the house in some distress earlier, turns up pale and gravely injured in a Melbourne street. She is rescued by cab drivers and best friends Bert and Cec, who rush her to the hospital. Dr. Elizabeth Macmillan, one of Phryne's closest friends, has little difficulty figuring out the medical issue: Alice has had an illegal abortion, recently. On hearing that Cec might be able to identify one of the men involved in the abortion scheme, Phryne brings them to Melbourne City South police station to look through their rogues' gallery. Cec, who's formed an attachment to Alice, fingers "Butcher George" Fletcher as the ringleader, but Jack notes that he can't arrest him without more evidence.
Phryne questions Lydia about the circumstances of Alice's departure. Lydia claims Alice was caught stealing—but then why the glowing reference that Phryne found in Alice's purse? John's business associate Madame Breda, owner of a Turkish bath, hints that all was not well between John and Lydia, possibly due to Lydia's more... interesting... friends, such as handsome Russian dancer Sasha de Lisse.
Sparks fly between Sasha and Phryne, but the murder investigation intervenes when Jack arrives to question the remaining Andrews maid, gentle Dot Williams, over her role in John's death. Phryne, sensing a possible railroading, tells Dot to call her if she needs help.
Phryne pursues Sasha, who stole her earrings during their dance, to a dangerous area of town and confronts him over the theft. Sasha reveals that his beloved sister recently killed herself over an out-of-control cocaine habit, and he is determined to take down Melbourne's "King of Snow"... if he can find him.
The next morning, Dot turns up at Phryne's hotel room. Because Dot wouldn't lie to the police about John's womanizing, Lydia has fired Dot without a reference. Phryne quickly realizes that Dot, aside from her integrity and loyalty, is also observant, intelligent, and a talented housekeeper, and offers her a job as her maid... and accomplice.
Phryne sends Dot to find the illegal abortionist, under the guise of being another of John's victims. But the instructions Dot is given include the delivery of a package of mysterious "nerve powder" to the abortionist, proving that the cocaine trade and the underground abortion ring are linked.
Tropes
- Back-Alley Doctor: Butcher George.
- Establishing Character Moment: Aunt Prudence demands to know why Phryne feels she can go haring off after a thief:Phryne: [nonchalant] Because I'm carrying a gun!
- Fingertip Drug Analysis: The "nerve powder," which turns out to be pure cocaine. Phryne and Mac both "test" it, and even take second helpings.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Discussed. Neither Phryne nor Mac (who cares for one of the abortionist's victims at the women's hospital) has any particular objection to the procedure itself, but rather the fact that women are forced to resort to it in illegal and frequently deadly circumstances, instead of being taught proper birth control in the first place.
- I Have to Go Iron My Dog: Used sarcastically by Dr. Mac after Phryne receives a lunch invitation:
- Phryne: A luncheon. Today! With Lydia Andrews, how lovely. [disappointed] Oh, and Aunt Prudence.
Mac: Shame I have to perform an urgent bowel operation.
- Instant Sedation: Dot is very nearly a victim of it in the climax.
- Sauna of Death: The climax takes place in one.
- Topless From The Back: After her night with Sasha, Phryne is shown in bed with the sheets pulled down about halfway down her back. Given the night before, she probably wasn't just topless, though.
