Saturday, February 15, 2014

BOOK: Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, by Alan Bradley, 294 pages

book 6 in the Flavia de Luce series

Flavia de Luce, eleven year old chemist, poison-aficionado, amateur detective. Such an original character that Alan Bradley has developed, but it felt like our little Flavia was growing up, and becoming a little less self-centered, a little more aware of her surroundings.

The previous book, Speaking From Among the Bones, left us on a tremendous cliff-hanger, which is thankfully explained very early in this novel. In this one, ... no, wait. If you haven't read the previous books, you don't want to read a review or summary of this book. If you have read the previous books, then keep reading the series! A lot of back stories are wrapped up, and 'mysteries' are solved but careful reading left most of us knowing Dogger's true background. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches is exactly what you would expect from a Flavia book, an excellent book in a fun series.

Summary - Flavia is as delightful as always. Bradley writes cozy mysteries set in 1950s England, still feeling the effects of the Second World War.  I'm not sure if the series is continuing - it is possible but if it does, I think the books will be quite different. I'll keep reading them.