The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

The Dead in the Vaulted Arches

A Flavia De Luce Mystery

by Alan Bradley

Genre: Mystery, series

Review: The whole village waits beside Flavia, Daphne, Ophelia, and Father at Buckshaw Halt train station for the arrival of Harriet, Flavia's long lost mother.  Suspicious cousin Lena appears on the scene, and Aunt Felicity reveals secrets of the past. Flavia has a dream to bring her mother back to life, and she finds out more about her mother's life and her own. 

Although the story has elements of mystery, this novel is more character-driven and more emotionally resonant than the other books in the mystery series, and I loved it. The novel subtly shows how Flavia's relationship with her family changes. 

Christmas Comes to Buckshaw! Flavia's Back!

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows

By Alan Bradley

About the Book: This book is the fourth in the Flavia de Luce series, and my favorite so far. The series is listed as Adult Mystery, but YA and middle grades readers 11 and up would enjoy as well, because Flavia is an 11 year old sleuth who loves chemistry and is bullied by her sisters. Flavia is witty and fearless as usual!

The Review: Christmas at Buckshaw brings a film crew making a movie (Father is trying to pay off debt and hold onto the family estate). All of Bishop’s Lacey village is snowed in for two days after attending a charity play of Romeo and Juliet. Meanwhile, Flavia has a plan to trap Father Christmas and prove once and for all that he exists. As the village sleeps in the foyer, Flavia creeps to chat with the star actress, who she has befriended, but she finds her, guess what, murdered. She must enlist the help of her dreaded sister Daphne to solve the mystery.

Fun Facts: Don't worry, the next book in the series (still untitled) is due to be released in March 2013! The sixth book in the series, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, will be published in 2014. The title of the book comes from the epigraph, an excerpt from the famous poem about The Lady of Shalott.

Song to Read By: Toccatta by Paradisi (Flavia's favorite song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vihM0HbuiPI

What do a Gypsy’s crystal ball, fishy smell, and a lobster pick have in common?

A Red Herring without Mustard

By Alan Bradley

What do a Gypsy’s crystal ball, fishy smell, and a lobster pick have in common?

They are all clues in the third murder-mystery to be solved by the incomparable Flavia de Luce. Remember, I recommend this book for mystery lovers of all ages, 11 and up. That includes MG, YA, and adult mystery lovers!

Review: I loved returning to Bishop’s Lacey and the local eccentrics, from Father the Stamp Collector to Dogger the Gardener. Flavia wanders further afield and almost gets confined to her house during this investigation, but she finds out more about Harriet, her deceased mother, when she visits the house of a portrait painter. This book seemed the longest of the Flavia books—towards the end, I just wanted to find out what happened, though I enjoyed her foray into an underground tunnel. Maybe I was just overly excited to start the fourth book, where a film uses Buckshaw for a set.

Song to Read By: Flavia mentions that her sister Ophelia plays this song on piano for Porcelain. Anton Dvorak's Gypsy Song, Opus 55 number 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cm3niF97T0

The 2nd in the Series Doesn't Disappoint

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag

By Alan Bradley

Flavia de Luce returns and doesn't disappoint. A genius puppeteer arrives, and Flavia helps him set up a puppet show at the local church. Suspicions stir at the Ingleby Farm (where son Robin was hung in mysterious circumstances in Gibbet wood years before). This book delves into Flavia's character, her loneliness, feelings about her deceased and adventurous mother Harriet, her distracted father, and evil older sisters. 


Performance Day brings more than entertainment--murder and mystery, what else? We get to know the town of Bishop's Lacey even better. But with such a long list of suspects, will Flavia ever solve the mystery?


Fun Fact: The setting is so well-developed, I almost didn't believe it when I found out that author Alan Bradley had never set foot in England before writing the first book. 


Song to Read By: "End Title" Shawshank Redemption Soundtrack composed by Thomas Newman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTeE4wdfEVY