Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Seven o'clock, Ariel.

Home time.

There you go.

Ariel!

Mm, morning, Dot.

Morning, Miss.

Didn't you used to know the editors at the Women's Choice Magazine?

What do you mean, used to?

I just heard the news on the wireless.

Miss Lavender has died.

Oh, dear. When?

This morning, they said.

And all her wonderful stories.

Now we'll never know if Hilda and the Blue Fairies

were rescued from Marvin.

Marvin who?

Marvin the Malevolent Monitor Lizard.

Miss Fisher!

We tried to keep any suspicious circumstances away from the press.

And you did a first-rate job, Constable.

I wasn't suspicious at all until I saw you.

Hello, Jack.

Sorry, sir.

Phryne! How appalling this all is.

I'm so sorry, I only just heard. What happened?

If you'd both like to vacate this office,

we might find out. Now please.

If I could just have a quick look at her...

Not yet, Miss Charlesworth, please.

Ladies?

Blue as a cornflower and cold as ice, Stephen said.

Well it wouldn't have been her heart.

We all know she didn't have one.

Come on, everyone. No time for the vapours.

We still have a deadline to meet.

Do the police know how she died?

Not that they're telling me. These are my tireless workers.

I'm sure you've all heard of the honourable Miss Phryne Fisher?

My former pupil, now dear friend.

This is Mrs Helen Opie, in charge of domestic and cooking pages.

Miss Letitia Prout, fashion and social calendar.

And Mr John Bell, our concession to manhood,

who does the gardening section.

It's a pleasure to put faces to bylines,

in spite of the circumstances.

But where's Stephen?

The one who phoned poor Miss Lavender?

Stephen Opie is my husband.

He's the office caretaker.

And he's managed to fix those damn pipes, I see.

We have running water again.

Only took him three days.

Perhaps you'd like to make the first pot of tea, Miss Prout?

Come on, Phryne, let's take some air.

Is there anything I can do to help, Miss Charlesworth?

Georgina.

I can't bring myself to call a teacher by their first name,

and Miss Lavender would never condone such a thing.

Poor Marcella. She did love her formalities.

I was surprised when I heard you left the Argus to start Woman's Choice.

I thought newspaper journalism was more your style?

But how many women read the newspapers?

If I have to run 100 new recipes and dress patterns

for just one article on women's health

or education that may change a life, then I'm happy.

No wonder my father didn't stand a chance against you.

He was wrong, I was right.

One clever, grubby little girl

gets to stay at school and look what you end up with.

Sad truth is, though,

most of our readers are waiting with bated breath

for the next instalment of the Blue Fairies.

Which hasn't been written?

It has, but it's now off limits in Marcella's office.

And if we don't meet the printer's deadline for the next edition,

I don't know how I'm going to pay this fortnight's wages.

You know I can loan you the money.

Don't you dare.

I couldn't accept it.

In that case, Miss Charlesworth, may I be excused?

I'd better try and retrieve your story.

Now tell me, Jack.

Does that new furrow in your brow

have anything to do with kissing me the other night?

I didn't kiss you. I was trying to protect you.

All in the line of duty?

You were looking a gunman in the eye and I had to distract you.

I'm sorry if you think I took a liberty.

Jack, you kissed me. Let's call a spade a spade.

You kissed me back.

And I'm not here to apologise.

Then why are you here?

I need a favour for Miss Charlesworth.

I've already asked her to wait.

I promise I won't touch anything.

Technically brilliant, but not particularly avant-garde.

Obviously her blue period.

Blue seems to have been her colour till the bitter end.

I would have guessed a thrombosis

if I didn't suspect somebody had it in for her.

I think that classifies as touching something.

Would you like me to slip on some gloves?

No. Just the desk drawer...

Goodbye, Miss Fisher.

If you happen to find that story...

It may be relevant to the case.

Hilda and the Blue Fairies versus Marvin the Monitor Lizard?

I'll let you know later today.

Do you have any idea who might want to hurt Miss Lavender?

Well I don't think this is just about Marcella.

There was a brick through the door last night.

We've been harassed before.

There was a dead possum dumped on the doorstep,

a prank phone call and another break-in or two.

Did you report them to the police?

Mindless vandalism, they called it, but I wasn't convinced.

A bunch of women with opinions. Not everyone likes that.

No.

It may sound fanciful,

but I'm convinced someone has it in for the magazine.

Then I'll make it my business to help find out who.

Fifty uses around the home for lemon juice,

how to make the perfect Yorkshire pudding every time,

and four whole pages devoted to needlework.

Who on earth wants an embroidered lavatory seat cover, anyway?

But there was a story on women going to university in the last edition.

And in August, they had an article on family planning.

My mother returned it and asked for her money back.

Who's Artemis?

She solves everyone's problems.

My friend, you know Alice, she wrote to her and asked about

whether she and Cec should get engaged.

And what was the advice?

She said she could do better for herself.

But it was too late by then.

And you can't do better than Cec. Except for Hugh.

Excuse me. Detective Inspector Robinson is here.

Hello, Jack.

Marvin the Monitor Lizard gets his just desserts

and Hilda saves the day.

Jack! You've ruined it for Dot now.

Oh, no, I read it for my nieces.

Oh, be my guest. We found it in a box of files

we took back to the station, but it's definitely not evidence.

Not unless Miss Lavender was poisoned

by a band of five-year-olds.

Well, I will just take it upstairs, then.

Poisoned?

The Coroner seems convinced even before the autopsy.

It was Prussic acid poisoning.

Cyanide? How was it administered?

No idea at present.

She'd been dead since early evening the night before.

What time did she usually leave? I noticed she was wearing her coat.

Very good. Seven o'clock every night on the dot.

I heard Miss Lavender taught you at school.

What kind of woman was she?

Cold as a halibut on ice.

Are you wooing me for information, Inspector?

Miss Fisher, another visitor.

Lin!

My apologies for the intrusion. Detective Inspector.

Nice to see you again, Mr Lin. Come and join us.

I'll call for some tea. No, I was just leaving.

If you could just make sure Miss Charlesworth receives that envelope.

Thank you.

I'm not surprised about Miss Lavender.

The old trout made more enemies in a month

than Genghis Khan in a lifetime.

Any chance of joining you on police rounds?

I'd kill to come along.

No need for that, Miss Prout.

And I'm in no doubt about your enthusiasm.

We found this in Miss Lavender's files.

It's only a carbon copy, but I'm sure you've seen the original.

It's a letter of warning, addressed to you.

Please, come in.

She found out I was trying to moonlight.

And threatened to sack you?

She had the nerve to tell the newspaper

that I was being dishonest.

All I did was submit some articles which were damn good.

It was none of her business.

So you and Miss Lavender didn't see eye to eye?

Miss Charlesworth didn't agree with her, either.

You should have heard their rows. Miss C's a serious journalist.

Started at the Argus. Now that she's the boss,

I'm sure things will change for the better.

I've missed you, silver lady.

Likewise, beautiful man.

Now tell me why you're here.

I thought you had a whole Chinese dynasty to appease.

Ah, my engagement has been indefinitely postponed.

What happened?

Grandmother feels Camellia is not demure enough

to be her daughter-in-law.

She's answering her back.

I like the sound of Camellia.

Grandmother questioned her chastity

and she refused a medical examination.