Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2019), directed by Tony Tilse

Phryne Fisher is in Jerusalem, searching for missing Bedouin girl Shirin. The British Palestine authorities have jailed her for trying to raise questions about what happened to her tribe 10 years earlier. Several costume changes later, the action transfers to England, where the ‘guardian angel’ who saved Shirin from the desert massacre holds the key to the crypt of tears and a curse that must be broken. The rapid action largely charges past the many plot improbabilities, paused only to continue the unnecessary and uncharacteristic romance that the TV series annoyingly departs from the Kerry Greenwood books. The costumes are gorgeous and Essie Davis is impeccable as the supremely competent Miss Fisher. The supporting cast includes a slightly creepy turn from John Waters as one of Phryne’s many exes and John Stanton as the dodgy butler. Nicole Chamoun is mesmerising in a small non-speaking part. It’s pretty silly stuff, but all good fun.