Bradley, Alan The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag
Delacorte see Random 2010 364p 24.00
978-0-385-34231-5 hs/adult Mystery/Detective VG
Flavia de Luce once again uses her considerable intellect and vast chemical knowledge to solve another murder. This time there seem to be links to a child’s mysterious death many years before.
Bradley’s spunky heroine once again saves the day. The Debut Dagger (for Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) Award winning author weaves a delciously entangled story, involving a German prison of war, a grieving mother, a famous television personality with multiple love affairs, a puppet stage with electrical problems and a meddling aunt.
Flavia is not above telling a few white lies and breaking into the periodical storage area of the public library to get to the bottom of this case, and that may bother some readers. Whereas Bradley’s last story had nothing objectionable for middle school readers, this tale does contain sexual references, an unwanted pregnancy and a farmer growing cannabis. Still nothing is overt or graphic, and the 11-year-old heroine solves the mystery by linking clues surrounding those plot revelations, so they are essential to the plot.
The meddling aunt does provide family background and a little emotional life for Flavia, but seems to be dropped too quickly. One can only hope that that area is explored in future novels. The historical setting (immediately post World War II) is essential to certain elements of the story, but does not hinder enjoyment of the mystery for mystery’s sake. Again, a thoroughly delightful read.
Although the language and literary nature of the novel, as well as the sexual references and cannabis, may make it unsuitable for younger audiences, high school readers and adults will enjoy this light-hearted murder mystery. Naismith(3), Pat
Murder mystery with historical setting
Showing posts with label Bradley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bradley. Show all posts
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Bradley, Alan The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Bradley, Alan The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Delacorte see Random 2009 373p 23.00 978-0-385-34230-8 hs/adult
11-year-old Flavia deLuce uses her passion for chemistry and knowledge of poisons to catch a murderer and clear her father’s name. Winner of the Debut Dagger Award from Canada’s Crime Writers’ Association, this delightful and irreverent mystery features a precocious 11-year-old sleuth. Set in the period following World War II, Flavia is the youngest of three sisters. She has a passion for chemistry, inherited from her adventurous late mother, and a special interest in poisons. When a dead bird with a stamp impaled on its beak, and later a dead man, shows up in her garden, Flavia sets out to solve this mystery, and clear her father’s name.
This delightful novel will probably appeal more to adults than teens, as Flavia employs an extraordinary vocabulary, as well as exceptional deductive skills. However, there is nothing in this novel that will make this unsuitable for middle and high school readers. And there is much to love about this 11-year-old Sherlock Holmes, and her powers of deduction, that include researching old newspapers in her town library. A period piece that is out and out fun to read, exciting and clever, with a gripping encounter with the killer, in the library outbuilding, that will leave readers breathless. Only the British setting, the literary illusions and vocabulary limit the universal appeal and keep this novel from Books of Note. PN
Delacorte see Random 2009 373p 23.00 978-0-385-34230-8 hs/adult
11-year-old Flavia deLuce uses her passion for chemistry and knowledge of poisons to catch a murderer and clear her father’s name. Winner of the Debut Dagger Award from Canada’s Crime Writers’ Association, this delightful and irreverent mystery features a precocious 11-year-old sleuth. Set in the period following World War II, Flavia is the youngest of three sisters. She has a passion for chemistry, inherited from her adventurous late mother, and a special interest in poisons. When a dead bird with a stamp impaled on its beak, and later a dead man, shows up in her garden, Flavia sets out to solve this mystery, and clear her father’s name.
This delightful novel will probably appeal more to adults than teens, as Flavia employs an extraordinary vocabulary, as well as exceptional deductive skills. However, there is nothing in this novel that will make this unsuitable for middle and high school readers. And there is much to love about this 11-year-old Sherlock Holmes, and her powers of deduction, that include researching old newspapers in her town library. A period piece that is out and out fun to read, exciting and clever, with a gripping encounter with the killer, in the library outbuilding, that will leave readers breathless. Only the British setting, the literary illusions and vocabulary limit the universal appeal and keep this novel from Books of Note. PN
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Bradley, Alan. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.
Delacorte see Random 2009 373p 23.00 978-0-385-34230-8 hs/adult
11-year-old Flavia deLuce uses her passion for chemistry and knowledge of poisons to catch a murderer and clear her father's name. Winner of the Debut Dagger Award from Canada's Crime Writers' Association, this delightful and irreverent mystery features a precocious 11-year-old sleuth. Set in the period following World War II, Flavia is the youngest of three sisters. She has a passion for chemistry, inherited from her adventurous late mother, and a special interest in poisons. When a dead bird with a stamp impaled on its beak, and later a dead man, shows up in her garden, Flavia sets out to solve this mystery, and clear her father's name.
This delightful novel will probably appeal more to adults than teens, as Flavia employs an extraordinary vocabulary, as well as exceptional deductive skills. However, there is nothing in this novel that will make this unsuitable for middle and high school readers. And there is much to love about this 11-year-old Sherlock Holmes, and her powers of deduction that includes researching old newspapers in her town library. A period piece that is out and out fun to read, exciting and clever, with a gripping encounter with the killer, in the library outbuilding that will leave readers breathless. Only the British setting, the literary illusions and vocabulary limit the universal appeal and keep this novel from Books of Note. PN
Delacorte see Random 2009 373p 23.00 978-0-385-34230-8 hs/adult
11-year-old Flavia deLuce uses her passion for chemistry and knowledge of poisons to catch a murderer and clear her father's name. Winner of the Debut Dagger Award from Canada's Crime Writers' Association, this delightful and irreverent mystery features a precocious 11-year-old sleuth. Set in the period following World War II, Flavia is the youngest of three sisters. She has a passion for chemistry, inherited from her adventurous late mother, and a special interest in poisons. When a dead bird with a stamp impaled on its beak, and later a dead man, shows up in her garden, Flavia sets out to solve this mystery, and clear her father's name.
This delightful novel will probably appeal more to adults than teens, as Flavia employs an extraordinary vocabulary, as well as exceptional deductive skills. However, there is nothing in this novel that will make this unsuitable for middle and high school readers. And there is much to love about this 11-year-old Sherlock Holmes, and her powers of deduction that includes researching old newspapers in her town library. A period piece that is out and out fun to read, exciting and clever, with a gripping encounter with the killer, in the library outbuilding that will leave readers breathless. Only the British setting, the literary illusions and vocabulary limit the universal appeal and keep this novel from Books of Note. PN
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