An Interview with Phryne Fisher

This interview is taken from A Question of Death: An Illustrated Phryne Fisher Treasury by Kerry Greenwood:


FAVOURITE FOOD?
White peaches. I could bathe in them.

FAVOURITE COLOUR?
Expensive.

FAVOURITE SCENT?
Jicky or Cinq-à-Sept by Guerlain.

FAVOURITE DESIGNER?
Erté, Dior, Worth.

READING RECENTLY?
Miss Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey books, and Beverley Nichols, such a clever young man and
very sound on cats. Also Geoffrey Chaucer and Herodotus, quite the best guide to the ancient world.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Green chartreuse.

WHAT DEPRESSES YOU?
The obstinate failure of the revolution to arrive.

BEST PIECE OF LIFE ADVICE?
Don’t die. While there’s life, there’s Château Mouton Rothschild.

FAVOURITE CASE?
The Spanish Ambassador’s son’s kitten. It was a very charming, if grave, kitten. Come to think of it, so
was the Ambassador.

WORD OR PHRASE FOR WHICH BEST KNOWN?
‘Mr Butler, could we have another cocktail?’

GREATEST REGRET?
The hobble skirt.

GREATEST PLEASURE?
I could say, while wearing a new dress, drinking Veuve Clicquot and eating truffled quails’ eggs and
Beluga caviar with lemon and rye-bread toast in excellent company with dancing to follow, but that
sounds trite. Everything is a pleasure, except politicians.

ADVICE FOR TRAVELLERS?
A smile, a song and a wad of the local currency will get you most of the things you may require abroad,
except English tea.