Questions About The Grave's a Fine and Private Place (Flavia de Luce, #9)

by Alan Bradley (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (11)

Can this book be read without having read the previous ones? I've just seen this one in my local bookshop but had never seen the previous books before. Thank you.

Jason Stenger I think as a mystery novel, it could stand on its own but there is so much of a rich backstory that to really understand the characters and their moti…moreI think as a mystery novel, it could stand on its own but there is so much of a rich backstory that to really understand the characters and their motivations you really should start at the beginning. Besides there are so many dizzying up and downs and wonderful threads woven in you really must read the whole story from the beginning.(less)

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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Nicki

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)[Here is what I managed to distill from the ending - but I must be missing something?

Murder of the 3 Graces: Orlando was hallucinating because of his addiction and he poisoned the Three Graces. His father was a martyr and knew Orlando did it, but took the blame. This doesn't explain his lack of reaction when they all keeled over in church, but fine. Another inconsistency was that some characters said Orlando was estranged from his father. Others said that everyone, including Canon Whitbread, loved him.

The secret poetry book: The innkeeper's wife, who was secretly a best-selling poet, had an affair with Orlando. This was just a red herring plot. But who was blackmailing her? And why wouldn't she want Orlando's murder solved (rather than bribe Flavia to stop investigating it)?

Poppy Mandrake: Poppy was shown in Hob's photo near the scene of the crime, hiding behind a gravestone even though she allegedly couldn't get out of her chair. Orlando had a bruise in the back of his head that matched her walking stick. I thought that Poppy was jealous of her protege, Orlando's, talents, so she killed him. But based on the below, I guess she wasn't involved? But then why was she hiding in Hob's photo?

Poison: Orlando took cyanide to kill himself?? Because of his guilt and addiction?

The Undertaker: Last but certainly not least, the undertaker was in gambling debt and no one had died in a while so he, coincidentally the same time that Orlando took poison, pushed him in the water to drown?

Inspector Hewitt: What was the point of the Inspector's line of questioning in the end - he basically asks whether it was definitely the undertaker who grabbed Flavia (she was grabbed from behind so we don't know) and what would cause him to try to suffocate her to death on the spot? And THEN, Dogger said that the undertaker was sitting and having TEA with Feely and Dieter. Why would they be having tea with Flavia's would-be murderer?

Officer Otter: I thought this was going to come around to the fact that it was actually Otter in cahoots with the undertaker or Poppy or something, but nope, the book just ended instead. I guess the only fishy thing about the officer was that he was ambitious and therefore didn't want to do anything that would dampen his perceived success in investigating the Three Graces' murders. (hide spoiler)]

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It says the publication date is Sept 2017, but I'm only finding pre-orders for Jan 2018. Has anyone found one online that's released in Sept?

Elyse It will finally be released Jan 30.

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Was the title influenced by the work of Peter S. Beagle?

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads More likely by the poetic lines: "The grave's a fine and private place/But none I think do there embrace." (The poem is "To his Coy Mistress," by Andr…moreMore likely by the poetic lines: "The grave's a fine and private place/But none I think do there embrace." (The poem is "To his Coy Mistress," by Andrew Marvell.)(less)

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Does anyone know how many books there are in this series?