The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery

First Sentence: It was as black in the closet as old blood. Flavia de Luce is a highly intelligent, 11-year-old who is fascinated by chemistry. Her specialty: poisons. Events begin when a dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp impaled upon its beak. That evening, she hears her father arguing with someone in his library. The following morning, Flavia literally stumbles across a body in the cucumber patch. Although she and her father are not close, Flavia will not see him tried for murder and is determined to find the killer herself. This was a delightful book yet a bit hard to explain what makes it so. Certainly the character of Flavia is the most important factor. It would have been so easy for the author to go over the top with Flavia and make her too...smart, good, precocious, many other adjectives, but he avoided those traps. She is all those things, as well as independent and strong, but she's not obnoxious and you understand that many of her traits are because her circumstances have required her to be. There is a freedom and innocence about her, but Delacorte ensures you feel the wounds she has felt growing up as well. The time in which the book is set contributes greatly. The story is set in rural England in 1950; post-War, industrial age but pre-technology, for the most part. Even that her father doesn't trust the telephone, adds to the charm, and Flavia has her trusty bicycle, Gladys. The plotting is done very well. Because the story is told from Flavia's point of view, you go through the investigation with her; both its steps and missteps. You also see the logical and emotional process at work, and how she dealt with the twists and turns as she uncovered information along the way.. I was pleased to learn this is the beginning of a six (so far) book series. This book won the Dagger award, and justifiably so. I highly recommend it. SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE (Ama. Sleuth-Flavia de Luce-England-Cont) - VG+ Bradley, Alan - 1st in series Delacorte Press, 2009, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780385342308

Set in the English countryside near the village of Bishop's Lacey in 1950, eleven year old Flavia deLuce lives with two older sisters and her father, the family factotum Dogger and the part-time housekeeper and cook Mrs. Mullet at a decaying manor home called Buckshaw. Flavia's dad passes most of his time alone, collecting stamps and listening to music. Ophelia, the eldest sister, prides herself on her appearance, and then there's Daphne, who always has her nose stuck in a book. Flavia's mother died during a mountain-climbing trip in Tibet when Flavia was still very small, but her dad manages to hold the family together even though money is tight and the home needs major repairs. As the story opens, Mrs. Mullet discovers a dead bird with an antique stamp through its beak, and shortly thereafter, Flavia discovers a dying man in the garden. After all is said and done, Mr. deLuce is arrested, and Flavia's detective career begins in order to clear him. What makes this story work is both the character of Flavia and the author's writing. It's often hard to remember sometimes that Flavia is only eleven, and the word precocious hardly begins to describe her. Because she's 11, people tend not to pay attention to her, and she's the most scheming little thing you can imagine. Her mind never stops working, she is as relentless as a pit bull when she's on to something, and she's brilliant -- she's a master of chemistry at her tender young age, and she sees all facets of the world around her in ways adults cannot. She has this wonderful gift of being able to make pretty much anyone tell her anything. At the same time, you get little glimpses into Flavia the little girl, such as when her sisters tease her, or when she thinks about her mother. As far as the author's writing, even though his main character is this precocious 11-year old girl, he still hangs on to the realities of post-war England. Dogger, for example, suffers what we would call post-traumatic stress disorder, after suffering through the atrocities of a POW camp. The family home, Buckshaw, once a beautiful and elegant manor, has seen better days. Bradley's characterizations are excellent, each person with his or her own voice and clearly-defined place in this story.And, most importantly, this story does not devolve into the realm of "cutesy" or sickeningly sweet at all. It's fun and yet at the same time, it's intelligent. As far as the mystery goes, the whodunit is a bit transparent, but you really won't care because this book is so well written. You end up being engrossed in the world of Bishop's Lacey and in the deLuce family, and especially in Flavia, so while the core murder mystery is good, there's so much more going on that takes you over as a reader. I can highly recommend this book to anyone -- definitely one of my favorites for this reading year.

I want to introduce my husband to this delightful series. I had forgotten that I began this series with a book from the library, so I needed to purchase this first book to complete my collection. This is enjoyable for both older children and older adults (such as myself).

Now, I am a big fan of Flavia de Luce. She has convince me about her expertise in chemistry and also in social life. Yes, she is really empathic, otherwise she would not have solved the mystery about the crime in the cucumber patch. Although, she does not often show this ability to others but I like this. The writing style was simply great and entertaining, especially the thoughts and remarks of Flavia. The plotline was clear, logical and really exciting, although there was a little length in the middle of the story. The other characters were likeable or unsympathetic as well, they simply fit into the story. What I particularly liked was the fact that the reader could also puzzle over the crime because the hints were always given to the reader and that make reading really fun. Thank you very much, Mister Bradley, for such a great book. I will keep on reading this sequel.

This made a welcome change to the majority of novels I’ve read; it’s different, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable. My sister loved it too.

I can’t put this book down! It’s one of the best mysteries I have read. Flavia is exceedingly smart with a strong character. She knows how to pick a lock, untie her hands behind her back and she knows all her poisons !

The article arrived in time and it's corresponding to my expectations. I will read it as soon as possible. Thank's

Delightful