Urn Burial

Praise for Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher series

‘Phryne Fisher is gutsy and adventurous, and also well endowed with plenty of grey matter. She has it over Robicheaux and Poirot because she’s drop-dead gorgeous.’ West Australian

‘Fisher is a sexy, sassy and singularly modish character. Her 1920s Melbourne is racy, liberal and a city where crime occurs on its shadowy, largely unlit streets.’ Canberra Times

‘Greenwood is the class act of local crime writing.’

Weekend Australian

‘A joy to read.’ Newcastle Herald

‘Snappy one-liners and the ability to fight like a wildcat are appealing in a central character.’ City Weekly

‘Greenwood’s prose has a dagger in its garter; her hero is raunchy and promiscuous in the best sense.’ Weekend Australian

‘Manners and attitude maketh the PI, and Phryne is, as always, perfect.’ The Book Bulletin

‘Greenwood is a gifted storyteller with a light, sharp touch.’ Australian Book Review

‘Smart, sharp, incredibly stylish, fearless individual and completely irresistible—and that’s just the heroine!’ The Geelong Times

KERRY GREENWOOD is the author of nineteen novels and the editor of two collections. Other mysteries in the Phryne Fisher series are Cocaine Blues, Flying too High, Murder on the Ballarat Train, Death at Victoria Dock, The Green Mill Murder, Blood and Circuses, Ruddy Gore, Raisins and Almonds, Death Before Wicket, Away with the Fairies, Murder in Montparnasse and The Castlemaine Murders. Urn Burial is the eighth title in the series. She is also the author of several books for young adults and the Delphic Women series.

When she is not writing she is an advocate in Magistrates’ Courts for the Legal Aid Commission. She is not married, has no children and lives with a registered Wizard.

URN

BURIAL

A Phryne Fisher

Mystery

Kerry Greenwood

This edition published in 2003

First published in 1996 by Penguin Books Australia

Copyright © Kerry Greenwood 1996

All rights reserved.

This book is dedicated to my sister

Amanda Butcher, dear Sam.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With thanks to Jean Greenwood, Lesley Greagg, Jenny Pausacker, David Greagg, Richard Revill, the staff and students of Lowther Hall, Susan Tonkin as always, my Sisters in Crime and Agatha Christie. Also AWG for the Beretta, John Russell for the hat and Corrie and Garry de Klijn for the lamp.

In loving memory of Tom (The Comm) Hills, most courageous of red-raggers and most honoured comrade.

NOTE: Buchan Caves are as described, but the named caves were closed some years ago because of environmental degradation.

CAST LIST

TOM REYNOLDS, a publisher, owner of Cave House.

EVELYN REYNOLDS, his wife.

THE HON. PHRYNE FISHER, an amazing woman.

MISS DOROTHY (DOT) WILLIAMS, her maid and companion.

MR LIN CHUNG, Phryne’s lover.

MR LI PEN, his manservant and bodyguard.

MAJOR WILLIAM LUTTRELL, a military bully.

MRS LETTY LUTTRELL, his faded and frightened wife.

MISS CYNTHIA MEDENHAM, a novelist and Vamp.

MR GERALD RANDALL, a young flannelled fool, slim with curly dark hair.

MR JACK LUCAS, another, but taller and blond.

MISS JUDITH FLETCHER, a hearty young damsel, brought as a mate for Gerald by Joan Fletcher.

MRS JOAN FLETCHER, a society dame with lots of money.

DOCTOR GEORGE FRANKLIN, a fashionable practitioner with nerve trouble.

MISS SAPPHIRA CRAY, devoted to good works, a knitting friend of Miss Mead.

MISS MARY MEAD, a spinster.

MR TADEUSZ LODZ, a Polish poet.

STAFF

MR JOHN JONES, the houseman.

MR PAUL BLACK, the mechanic and driver.

MISS LINA WRIGHT, the parlourmaid.

MRS DAISY CROFT, the cook.

MR ALBERT HINCHCLIFF, the butler.

MRS BELINDA HINCHCLIFF, the housekeeper.

MR TERENCE WILLIS, the stableman.

DINGO HARRY, a wandering and extremely eccentric swagman who knows all about the caves.

DOREEN, the chambermaid.