42) As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

Hard on the heels of the return of her mother’s body from the frozen reaches of the Himalayas, Flavia, for her indiscretions, is banished from her home at Buckshaw and shipped across the ocean to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, her mother’s alma mater, there to be inducted into a mysterious organization known as the Nide.

No sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school.

My Thoughts :

Flavia de Luce is taken out of her comfort zone in this seventh and latest installment in the mystery series.  The young girl who has already solved her fair share of mysteries is packed off to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada.  A place her mother spent her time studying and a faraway place from her home of Bishop's Lacey.

I won't give much away about the plot because this installment only released in January so it is pretty new compared to the rest of the series that has dominated my Audio book listening for the last couple of months.  There are some very interesting twists and turns in this murder mystery and as things progress it is hard to keep all the new characters in their place.  Luckily it was pretty easy to deduce the events that took place and led to the body finding its way into the chimney.  Which was very cleverly plotted out storywise.

Miss Bodycote's Female Academy was a nice location change and it was interesting to see how Flavia dealt being away from Buckshaw.  I thought by the end that she wasted her time a little because she didn't really take the time to see anything of Toronto or really get to know it well.  I guess her homesickness was well hidden but shown in a different way.  I certainly missed the characters of Buckshaw and Bishop's Lacey and hope that the next book will bring things back into the lovely England countryside.

I found it hard to know how long Flavia was investigating this mystery.  This was an aspect of the story that I didn't like.  Flavia sometimes made it sound like she had been in the school for months but most of the time it felt like it only a week or two had passed.  However the story, as always, was wonderful to listen to and Flavia was a delight to follow through the adventure.  Her ideas, musings and general outlook on things is not only refreshing but adult like.

This is a series I have throughly enjoyed so far and I am really excited to say that I am now up-to-date with Flavia's mysteries.  I look forward to more and hope that some more time will have passed between this and the next installment so that Flavia gets just a little bit older.  Also I am hoping that that the author has plans for Flavia to continue her lessons with the teacher she was last seen with in this book.  She really does deserve to learn more from such a clever woman.

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39) The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

Murder! the letter says, Come at once. Anson House, Greyminster, Staircase No. 3. How can Flavia de Luce resist such an urgent plea? After all, examining a dead body sounds like a perfectly splendid way to spend a Sunday. So Flavia hops upon her trusted bicycle, Gladys, whose rubber tires hiss happily along the rainy road, and arrives at her father’s mist-shrouded old school.

There, a terrified boy leads her to the loo where, sitting in a bathtub, is what appears to be a statue. But, no: To Flavia’s surprise, the thing is in fact a naked dead man. Save his face, he seems to have been carved out of copper. Never one to shy away from the macabre, Flavia gets to work—only to find that when an investigation begins with a metallic cadaver, ever more curious twists are to be expected.

My Thoughts :

I have been throughly enjoying the Flavia de Luce series and this short story was next up.  To make sure I didn't miss anything important I made sure that I read this one in the order it is placed but have to admit I am now slightly disappointed because this short story could be read at any time in the series.  It doesn't mention anything that would spoil the series as a whole and is actually quite dull.

The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse only shows that Flavia de Luce's amazing talents and unusual ways, can not be confined to a novella.  There was no room in this story to show how great this young lady is at what she does and she has no chance to shine.  There is hardly a story to read in this short offering and if you have read the blurb then you can skip the first half of the book.

This is not a good novella to try the series before heading to the full length versions.  This short installment offers no good impression of the special characters the author has been working on for years.  The plot is nothing compared to the stories already told and there is no Bishop's Lacey or Buckshaw delights.

Also this was my first time reading anything from the series on another format other than Audio book.  I have to say I doubt I would be enjoying the series half as much if I was reading it on Kindle.  The audio version really brings things to life and this story may have been better in an audio format but I highly doubt it.  Quite disappointing but it won't be putting me off the series!

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37) The Dead and Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

On a spring morning in 1951, eleven-year-old chemist and aspiring detective Flavia de Luce gathers with her family at the railway station, awaiting the return of her long-lost mother, Harriet. Yet upon the train's arrival in the English village of Bishop's Lacey, Flavia is approached by a tall stranger who whispers a cryptic message into her ear.

Moments later, he is dead, mysteriously pushed under the train by someone in the crowd...

Who was this man, what did his words mean, and why were they intended for Flavia? Back home at Buckshaw, the de Luces' crumbling estate, Flavia puts her sleuthing skills to the test.

Following a trail of clues sparked by the discovery of a reel of film stashed away in the attic, she unravels the deepest secrets of the de Luce clan, involving none other than Winston Churchill himself.

Surrounded by family, friends, and a famous pathologist from the Home Office - and making spectacular use of Harriet's beloved Gypsy Moth plane, Blithe Spirit - Flavia will do anything, even take to the skies, to land a killer.

My Thoughts :

I am addicted to Flavia de Luce but only the audio versions.  I am nearly up to date with the series and admit I already used my new Audible credits to download the latest addition to the series.

Installment #6 and there is a certain wow factor to this one that I can't believe anyone saw coming!  The Dead and their Vaulted Arches brings a twist to the series that will change the future of Flavia de Luce as well as everyone in Buckshaw and quite possibly Bishop's Lacey.  I knew how things would begin despite the cliffhanger ending of the previous book leaving things open.  There were other possibilities so it came as no surprise that Harriet had come back home the way she did.

At first I was quite annoyed at the events which left everything rather boring and depressing.  There were some new faces and a few interesting developments such as de Luce cousins coming to visit and the appearance of Winston Churchill in Bishop's Lacey but Gladys hardly got mud in her spokes and Flavia was given a very short leash in this book.

Despite the seemingly dull start there was some extremely exciting revelations by the end of this book.  The twist this story has made me, if possible, love the series even more.  It was obvious that something pretty big would need to happen due to the problems at Buckshaw but everything that came to light in this sixth book made sense and totally changed the dynamic of the series.

I can't wait to listen to book seven.  Flavia is a delight to sleuth along with and the narrator does an amazing job bringing her to life.  The young lady has some more tales to tell and I am eager to find out what affect her new direction in life will have on her and everyone else.  So expect the next book to be read very soon!

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34) Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

"A churchyard in the March moonlight should be enough to give anyone the ging-gang-goolies, but not this girl." Chemist Flavia de Luce 11 finds masked body of angelic church organist Mr Collicott hidden in the tomb of St Tancred. Magistrate Quentin Ridley-Smith, adult son Jocelyn damaged, tries to stop the opening. Adam Tradescant Sowerby is a helpful flora-archaelogist.

My Thoughts :

I have been spending quite a bit of time with Flavia de Luce of late.  I even find myself talking like her!  She is a very special child who is wise beyond her years and more smart that an university degree holder.  Flavia's love of mysteries and poisons often get her into trouble and this time a Saint is involved.

As always the plot was interesting and well written.  The events that take place in Speaking from Among the Bones see the whole story of the de Luce's and Bishop Lacey progressing along with some nice twists and turns.  There is a very surprising cliffhanger ending that has left me very eager to download the sixth installment straight away.  The series is very addictive and the unusual mixture of young girl, mystery and location actually works wonderfully.

I am not usually a fan of books set in another era but this post World War Two UK is not too overwhelming and a lot of fun to spend time in.  While this series is told from the perspective of an eleven year old girl there is no girly talk and certainly no childlike events (unless Flavia is using her age to her advantage).

This is a series that you have to try and decide.  It has so many different aspects and too many great attributes that it is hard for me to even describe how good it is.  However despite this not looking like it would be my cup of tea, I am now ready to listen to book six!  I am totally and utterly hooked!  Although I have to say the narrator is amazing and I may have not bothered with the series if I was reading it.  Jayne Entwhistle has brought Flavia and the whole series to life like no other could!

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27) I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

Precocious Flavia de Luce — an eleven-year-old sleuth with a passion for chemistry and a penchant for crime-solving — is tucked away in her laboratory, whipping up a concoction to ensnare Saint Nick. Amid a blizzard, the village gathers at Buckshaw to watch famed Phyllis Wyvern perform. After midnight, a body is found strangled by film. Flavia investigates.

My Thoughts :

In my attempt to get up to date with the many series I have either started and not yet managed to continue or have started and somehow not managed to continue, I decided to keep going with the Flavia de Luce mysteries.

This fourth installment takes place over the Christmas holidays and for once the mystery, as well as the many characters involved, are all stuck at Buckshaw and can't leave.  A lovely twist that many a mystery has used in the past and not at all boring or unbelievable.

There isn't much point in me going into details about the cunning plot but will say that this was just as delightful and intriguing as the previous books.  Flavia is a quirky character of a girl who is at most times more intelligent than the adults in her life even if she can sometimes be a little naive.  This is a series you really have to try and then decide if it is something you will like.  There isn't anything else that comes close to being as unusual and brilliant than Flavia de Luce and her stories.

I can highly recommend listening to this book via Audible.  The narrator, Jayne Entwhistle, really brings Flavia to life and does a wonderful job portraying the characters.  Her Flavia almost always sounds like she is smiling to herself and makes the story even more fun.

The next book in the series will definitely be listened to soon!  I can't wait to see what other mysterious messes Flavia manages to get herself involved with.  She is a very clever sleuth who isn't just well gifted but also sees things from a younger perspective.

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21) A Red Herring without Mustard by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

Award-winning author Alan Bradley returns with another beguiling novel starring the insidiously clever and unflappable eleven-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce. The precocious chemist with a passion for poisons uncovers a fresh slew of misdeeds in the hamlet of Bishop's Lacey--mysteries involving a missing tot, a fortune-teller, and a corpse in Flavia's own backyard.

Flavia had asked the old Gypsy woman to tell her fortune, but never expected to stumble across the poor soul, bludgeoned in the wee hours in her own caravan. Was this an act of retribution by those convinced that the soothsayer had abducted a local child years ago? Certainly Flavia understands the bliss of settling scores; revenge is a delightful pastime when one has two odious older sisters. But how could this crime be connected to the missing baby? Had it something to do with the weird sect who met at the river to practice their secret rites? While still pondering the possibilities, Flavia stumbles upon another corpse--that of a notorious layabout who had been caught prowling about the de Luce's drawing room.

Pedaling Gladys, her faithful bicycle, across the countryside in search of clues to both crimes, Flavia uncovers some odd new twists. Most intriguing is her introduction to an elegant artist with a very special object in her possession--a portrait that sheds light on the biggest mystery of all: Who is Flavia?

As the red herrings pile up, Flavia must sort through clues fishy and foul to untangle dark deeds and dangerous secrets.

My Thoughts :

I haven't taken a visit to Bishop's Lacey for a while and it was high time that I caught up with Flavia de Luce.  I am only on book #3 in the series but I am determined to get up to date with this one this year.  Listening to the books are a joy and I don't think I would actually of even got past book one if I had read them.  The narrator brings Flavia to life and really puts a lot of effort into the voices, accents and mannerisms.  I couldn't visit this series any other way!

This is a series of complicated plots, lots of characters and the workings of an eleven year old who sometimes acts more like a thirty year old.  It is a wonderful combination and sometimes a frustrating one but always enjoyable.  A Red Herring without Mustard keeps to the form and manages to send Flavia gallivanting all over the place on her bike called Gladys,  All the sleuthing only takes place over a period of a few days but it feels like weeks have passed as she attempts to solve everything!

Flavia is a very special girl who knows so much and yet knows so little.  She is lovely and also somewhat frustrating while being extremely clever and also blind to whats really going on.  She manages to piece everything together in the end but the easy solutions pass her by.  However she is only a child and obviously striving to educate herself to a high degree without learning the lower levels.

I really like the series.  It is a Cozy Mystery but also a Historical while also being a Young Adult.  A strange mix that works very well.  The mystery is also well written and well thought out while the Historical aspect is obviously well researched and very interesting at times.  The Young Adult part is mainly due to Flavia's age but the books are more aimed for adult readers.

Well worth reading but definitely one for the audio listeners!  This may not be everyone's cup of tea but it is very English, quite exciting and altogether delicious.

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72) The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley

The Blurb :

Flavia de Luce, a dangerously brilliant eleven-year-old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders. This time, Flavia finds herself untangling two deaths—separated by time but linked by the unlikeliest of threads.

Flavia thinks that her days of crime-solving in the bucolic English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacy are over—and then Rupert Porson has an unfortunate rendezvous with electricity. The beloved puppeteer has had his own strings sizzled, but who’d do such a thing and why? For Flavia, the questions are intriguing enough to make her put aside her chemistry experiments and schemes of vengeance against her insufferable big sisters. Astride Gladys, her trusty bicycle, Flavia sets out from the de Luces’ crumbling family mansion in search of Bishop’s Lacey’s deadliest secrets.

Does the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood know more than she’s letting on? What of the vicar’s odd ministrations to the catatonic woman in the dovecote? Then there’s a German pilot obsessed with the Brontë sisters, a reproachful spinster aunt, and even a box of poisoned chocolates. Most troubling of all is Porson’s assistant, the charming but erratic Nialla. All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local constables can’t solve—without Flavia’s help. But in getting so close to who’s secretly pulling the strings of this dance of death, has our precocious heroine finally gotten in way over her head?

My Thoughts :

I was very impressed by the first book in this series and immediately purchased the second part to listen to.  The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie didn't take long to make its mystery known but this sequel frustrated me slightly as nothing of real interest became apparent at first.  No dead bodies and no scandal as such.  However there was the promise of something and I kept with it and finally about halfway into things the crime was committed!

Flavia De Luce may only be eleven years old but she is more intelligent and resourceful as the majority of the adults you know.  Her view of the world is interesting and sometimes childish but she knows how to get involved in a good mystery and solve it.  Her leaps in deduction can sometimes mean she goes down the wrong path for a while but sometimes her diversions actually help her in the long run.

The tales she tells between her sleuthing are just as entertaining as her chemistry lessons and Flavia really is a character you can find yourself liking even if she is only a child.  The Young Adult aspect of this cozy mystery series may put off some people but the 50's English countryside location is more than enough to make you ignore the age of the main character.  Afterall there is something very fascinating about this age after the world wars and how the country was surviving.

I am looking forward to listening to the rest of this series soon.  However I am going to take a short break from Flavia and listen to something else inbetween.  Not because I am not enjoying this series but more because I find myself thinking and talking like the child.  Her influence is rather disturbing :)  More to come from the great Flavia soon!  I am looking forward to seeing what mischief the girl gets herself into next and how her family continue to evolve.

Try this series and be prepared to be surprised.  I was!

 

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