Blood and Circuses Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries #6 by Kerry Greenwood

Phryne is bored.  When a person from her past knocks on the door and asks her to look into the various "accidents" at the circus, she's not sure she wants to.  He asks her if she'd bored, she says yes.  Then she says yes to going undercover at the circus.  It will be very different for her.  She's rich, has servants,  has beautiful cothes and a wonderful home.  She'll be transitioning to a life where she owns nothing, not even her name.  She's going to become a horseback rider in the circus...

Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and is available now.

I found it fascinating to read about the circus life.  When a young man is killed in a boarding house, his murder seems impossible.  He's locked in his room and there is no way to access it except through the window.  The window is high and the police officer almost falls off when he tries to peep in the window.  The lady with him saves him.  She used to be an acrobat.  The cops decide she must have been the one to kill the man.  Then the man turns out to be part woman.  Mr. Christopher was in the circus, too.

Phryne's teacher was Mr. Christopher's love and she's mourning her loss.  She has no friends, no one around knows who or what she is.  Phryne has the morals of an alley cat.  It isn't long until she's sleeping with two of the men at the circus.  She needs them as friends, though.  She's heard too much and has figured out how the circus is being used.  When they capture her, it appears death is near.

With gangs in the city, hidden plans at the circus and lots of odd characters, you have plenty to take in and sort out.  The plot is complex and interesting.  This was a good mystery, even if Phryne has too many fellows.