This 6th installment about the escapades of young Flavia de Luce, who is enamored with chemistry and all things poison – is a departure from the previous Flavia de Luce books. This one, unlike its predecessors, centers on grief and bereavement when Flavia’s mother Harriett returns to Bishop’s Lacey.
In the first few pages, we become privy to a sotto voce cryptic message from a stranger who just happens to be on the train platform where the de Luces’ await Harriett, and who, after whispering said message to Flavia, ’falls’ off the platform in front of the train.
While there is indeed a mysterious death, we’re led to uncover underlying truths we sometimes suspected but were never quite sure of regarding Buckshaw, Colonel Haviland and Dogger.
I enjoyed this book. And I especially liked reading the words that created the pictures in my head that have taken me to the ‘next level’ of Flavia de Luce.
Delacorte Press, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group 2014
YA Mystery Fiction – hardcover 310 pages
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