Winning Phryne

Winning Phryne

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Cast of Characters and Introduction

Winning Phryne

This is a work of fan fiction from the series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.  It is an Australian program and can be seen on some American PBS stations, the first series (season to Americans) on Netflix and both series on Acorn TV, which is similar to Netflix for British and Australian programs.  They begin filming the third series in October of this year, so it will be a while before any more air.  The series is based on the books of Kerry Greenwood, although they are a bit different than the series.  Still, Ms. Greenwood has my undying thanks for giving us such a lush pallet of characters to work with.  

My story starts in 1929, in Melbourne, Australia.  It takes place after the series 2 episode 12.  It sticks to canon up until that point.  Since the third series hasn't been made yet, who knows where the series will take us.  I only know what I want to happen, so this is my continuation of the program.  If you are a fan of the series, I think it will make a lot of sense to you.  If you haven't seen both series, you need to know that this story is full of spoilers, so beware!  Read at your own risk. If you haven't seen any of the series, I think you'll be able to follow along fairly well.  And if you can't, don't hesitate to ask questions!  For the first few weeks I'll post once a week and then increase the frequency.  The first chapter will be posted on Monday of next week.  A new feature on Blogger (at least for me) allows you to sign up your email and get notification when a new post is made.  I think that is kind of cool, myself.

As is usual for my stories, I'll throw in original characters and my own to hopefully blend into a delightful story that you will like.  This is mostly a PG rated story, although there will be times it ventures into R and I will warn you about that, for those of you who don't care for that. 

Below are the cast of characters from the program.  I will add to that as I add my own characters, along with a bit of information about them.  As always in my stories, there will be music added, as well as photos that I hope Moonlightlover60 will help create.  She created the beautiful story banner which inspired me!   Her work is so wonderful.

So, I hope you'll enjoy Winning Phryne, the tale that tells what might happen if Phryne and Jack had to start from scratch in their relationship.  










Phryne Fisher, late of England but born in the Antipodes or in other words, Australia into a small, poor neighborhood called Collingwood.  For the purpose of this story she is about 30.  She was in an Ambulance Unit in the Great War (WWI) and has a great capacity for opening her heart and home to those in need. She has gathered a 'family' around her who are all as loyal to her as she is to them.  Her family was extremely poor as a young child but during the war her father inherited a title and the money to go with it, so Phryne is more than comfortably well-off now.   Phryne has a penchant for men and is terribly flirtatious.  She has vowed to never be committed to a man, mostly due to an abusive relationship after the war in France.  Phryne is an independent woman, versed in all the necessary skills, as she deems them.  Birth control (which was illegal then), driving cars, carrying a gun and a knife in her garter, she feels ready to handle practically anything.  Until she meets Jack that is!






Jack Robinson is a Senior Detective Inspector for the Victoria Police, Melbourne, Australia.  He is a veteran who fought in the Great War and has been a police officer before the war and since.  He is respected, and usually obeyed by those police officers who serve below him. He is also a deeply private man with a very traditional attitude to many things, but he also sees that discrimination, where ever it rears it's head is wrong.  He respects Phryne's acute sense of warning when things are going wrong, but whole heartedly wishes she would listen to him and keep herself and others out of danger.  However, no matter how he tries, he cannot get Miss Fisher to behave!  He appreciates her sense of adventure and would never ask her to change, but sometimes its difficult to stand by without his heart breaking.  Jack was divorced in series (season) 1 after his wife moved out of their home to live with her sister. His former father in love is the Chief Commissioner of Police in Melbourne. He is very guarded about his life, but Miss Fisher has brought him out a great deal, however reluctantly that might have been.  Jack is a true Shakespeare man and often quotes the bard and recommends the prose to Hugh, who can sometimes be a bit timid with words.






Dorothy Williams is a good Catholic girl who has learned a lot from Miss Fisher! Dot is Phryne's companion and accompanies her often to crime scenes and everywhere else.  Much to her priest's disfavor in fact.  She has helped Miss Fisher in many escapades including posing as an unwed mother to catch an abortionist, and making an ostrich feather fan for her miss who was posing undercover at a gentleman's club.  She had to overcome her fear of electricity and especially telephones when she came to live and work with Phryne.  Her priest had told her that electricity would blow the world up; she's since learned that wasn't true.  She has a sister named Nell or Lola as she is called in the Imperial Club and is a 'hostess' there.  The love of Dot's life is Hugh and she tends him with pure devotion.  Her main fear is riding in Miss Fisher's Hispano Suiza automobile, which is always driven much too fast.






Constable Hugh Collins works with Jack and adores Dot.  They are engaged, although it's a long engagement since Dot has become a bit of a modern woman since living with Miss Fisher.  Still, Hugh works hard at his job and is trying to understand his Dottie.  Like a typical man, he often gets it wrong, but he always perseveres! Miss Fisher loaned him a copy of Erotica of the Far East, in an effort to help him learn a bit more about the fairer sex.  Hugh read the chapter on kissing (a whole chapter!) and eagerly waited his chance to try the new moves out on his Dot.  Hugh is not a Catholic and dating one does not make his mother happy, but he has decided to convert for Dot, who isn't quite comfortable with that idea and how if will hurt his mother.  His father was killed when he was a young boy, which left him feeling the need to mentor other young men.







Jane Ross is Phryne's ward.  Her mother has been in an asylum for years and many of those Jane lived on the streets using her wits and pick pocket skills to survive.  One of Phryne's rescued loved ones, Jane once proclaimed to Phryne that she wasn't a 'nice' girl when Phryne said that she couldn't give her up.  Phryne told Jane that it was fine because she wasn't a 'nice' girl either.   Aunt Prudence helped to get Jane into an excellent school, where Jane has turned into an avid learner.  Phryne sent her on a tour of the continent for a bit which distressed Dot a good deal.  Learning from Phryne, Jane is growing into a strong, independent young woman herself, but still holds an incredible amount of charm and innocence.







Prudence Stanley, Phryne's mother's sister is one of Melbourne's elite society.  Aunt P is on the board of many charitable institutions in Melbourne and always ready to step in to interfere in Phryne's life, much to her niece's discomfort and angst.  No matter what though, she loves her niece and might even be slowly getting used to the Inspector, much to her own chagrin.  She has two sons, Guy, the eldest who resides in London and Arthur who is mentally handicapped.  Phryne adores both her cousins and shower's Arthur with gifts when she sees him.







Doctor Elisabeth MacMillian, or Mac as she is called is Phryne's oldest friend.  They served together in the Ambulance Unit during the war and forged a bond that is unbreakable.  Mac is a lesbian, which doesn't concern Phryne at all although she wishes that Mac could find someone to be with because she knows her friend is lonely.  Mac was in love with a young woman who was killed in a factory where she worked and where Mac helped the women with 'family planning' which was against the law during those times.  Mac is a loyal to Phryne as Phryne is to her; the women share an unbreakable bond and a love for The Women's Adventurers Club, of which they are both members.








Mr. Tobias Butler, often referred to as 'Mr. B' is Phryne's faithful manservant and runs the household.  Since he is Cordon Bleu trained, his meals are in high demand, especially by Jack who is usually hungry.  Mr. B lost a bit of his faith when he lost Mrs. B, but he is steadfast in his care of Phryne's household.  He has a fondness for the racetrack and having served in the war as well makes him good and handy to have around.  Mr. B adores Miss Jane and Dot as well and often offers very sensible advice, with his dry wit and intellect.  He is also a bit of a psychic, always ready for that glass of whiskey or delicious cocktail, usually even before you need it.








Bert, aka Albert Johnson is part of the cabbie team of Cec and Bert that Miss Fisher has adopted.  He is a single guy that will be there to back up Phryne whenever needed.  He also served in the war and was nearly killed 10 years later by Rene Dubois, a French painter who was briefly in Phryne's life.  Bert and two mates saw Rene murder Pierre Sarcelle by pushing him onto a train track at Montparnasse Station in Paris.  Rene was after a painting that Pierre had done of Phryne.  Luckily, Jack and Phryne figured out what Rene was up to before Bert was killed as well.  Bert is known as a 'red-ragger' or communist by the authorities.  Jack has to learn a little tolerance for him as he and Cec are two of Phryne's adopted family.








Much of Cec's story (short for Cecil and pronounced Ces) is the same as Bert's.  Cec, or Cecil Yates is much like Phryne and has a soft heart and Bert has accused him of taking in stray puppies and then Alice, whom Cec eventually married.  Alice and Dot worked at the same home in the first episode of the series.  When Alice was forced to have sex with her employer she got pregnant and sought an abortion.  Afterwards, the men who did it put her into Bert and Cec's cab, which is how they met.  Cec is much quieter than Bert, but very loyal to his adopted family and no matter what Miss Fisher asks, is always ready to help.








Hiram Matlock is the newest Chief Commissioner for Victoria Police.  He was appointed after George Sanderson (Jack's former father in law) was caught in a plan to sell young girls into the foreign slave trade.  He is a man that stands for justice and works tirelessly for it, but he is also a man with a heart and looks for the best in people.  He is married to Marie, his love for the last 35 years and he still finds her enchanting.




George Sanderson is the former Chief Commissioner for Victoria Police and Jack's former father in law.  He was corrupted by Sidney Fletcher who has lately become engaged to his daughter Rosie.  George had been and honest and respected Constable until Sidney Fletcher blackmailed him.







Sidney Fletcher and Rosie Sanderson became engaged soon after her divorce from Jack.  Sidney didn't waste any time in securing her affections, despite protestations from George Sanderson.  Sidney comes from a rich and socially approved family in Melbourne and because of that is questioned little about his endeavors.  George Sanderson is his god father and he has figured out a way to get George to do as he's told.  Rosie's marriage to Jack fell apart after the Great War (WWI), but in reality it might not have been that strong to begin with as George propelled her into because of his approval of Jack.  She loved Jack but in part it was an effort to appease her father.  Jack, being unable to express the hurt and pain he had suffered in the war changed their marriage and she moved in with her sister long before the divorce.









Annabelle Barrington, Rosie's sister.  Annabelle is married to John, who is a boyhood friend of Jacks.  She and Rosie are the only children of George Sanderson.  Although Rosie currently lives with Annabelle, the sisters have a difficult relationship at times, particularly when it comes to Rosie's attraction to Sidney Fletcher, who Annabelle knows from past experience has a very bad influence on Rosie.








John Barrington is a childhood friend of Jack's.  The two men fought in the war together as well which helped to form an unbreakable bond between them.  Both men suffered great trauma during the war and came home lost and having to deal with the after effects of it all.  John had the faithful and loving support of Annabelle and it helped to make his world good again.  Both he and Annabelle watched as Jack and Rosie's marriage floundered due to the lack of communication between them.  










6 comments:

  1. This page looks beautiful. I'm taking my computer with me so I'll watch for updates this week. BTW hubby has a new nickname for you. He's calling you Wichita Cyndy. Sounds like a biker name to me.

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  2. LOL, I like that guy. Never been a biker, but reputations are good for our images, right?

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  3. I'm intrigued! I'm not familiar with the story, but that may have to change.... How do you pronounce Phryne? FRIN like GRIN?

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  4. Hey mum! It is pronounced Fry-nee. Strange, I know. I think you'll like it, Jack is a very intriguing man. ;)

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  5. Ok, I've re-read the cast and am still missing the hints. LOL on another note, I've finished watching Season 2

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    1. Well, you know me well, Reddbean, I don't give anything away easily! But the characterizations do shed a few clues on to things. Now, wasn't series 2 delicious?

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