Alan Bradley
Doubleday, 2011
288 pages
Oh the deliciousness of a new Flavia de Luce mystery! In this four installment of Bradley's series, it is Christmas time and our 11 year old chemist and detective in training is brewing a concoction to prove once and for all the St. Nicholas does indeed exist, no matter how often her sisters claim the contrary. Flavia's experiment is soon interrupted as a film crew arrives at Buckshaw - her father has rented their home to attempt to find an income for the family. Flavia is immediately drawn to the leading lady in this production - much to the chagrin of her older sisters - and is thrilled at the prospect of Buckshaw hosting a small production on Christmas Eve for the townsfolk. But murder is afoot after the curtain comes down, and the killer is snowed-in with the rest of the villagers! Can Flavia help the detectives solve the murder before she herself becomes the next victim?
Set in 1950s England, Bradley's books are absolutely magnificent - the portrayal of post-WWII England through the eyes of an 11 year old child is mesmerizing and the mysteries as Holmesian as one could wish for. While each book contains one complete mystery, Bradley continues to give us pieces of insight into Flavia's family - how her Father and Dogger are reliant upon each other because of the war, the mystery behind Flavia's mother's death, and why her older sisters seem to hate her with such intensity. New readers to this series should start with book one The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie as Flavia's adventures are too wonderful to miss!
Book Count: 33
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