This book...oh man. I've read pretty much all of the Phryne Fisher novels, and most of them are quite enjoyable! Tight pacing, good plot structure, intriguing side characters, the works.

This one, though. Not so much. This book was Too Much. It really could have used another pass with the editor to tighten it up. Too many meandering side plots, too many side characters who were difficult to keep track of, and somehow, with every death and disappearance, the book just...stagnated.

If it were me, I'd have cut the entire subplot with our friends in St. Kilda. It didn't add anything to the book and actually made it a bit worse. Within the Phryne side of the book, I wish Greenwood had either picked the DV plot or the health spa plot but both was confusing and honestly made the book more of a slog.

The main murder plot was fine? but it felt thin and underdeveloped, with too many unlikely suspects and not enough character development to justify it. I liked the ending wrap-up alright, but it just wasn't a very satisfying read.

the whole ending bomb plot felt more like a Seriously? We're doing THIS now? than an actually exciting climax imo

Overall, this book had potential to be better, but not without some serious editing and trimming major elements of the book.