The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1) in WACKY READING CHALLENGES

Aug 06, 2011 Book Concierge rated it really liked it

Shelves: cozy-mystery, audio, england, library, concierge, science, series

Flavia de Luce is unlike any other “detective” in literature; she’s a bit like a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew. In 1950 Britain, a precocious, 11-year-old girl, Flavia, lives with her sisters and her father on the family estate, Buckshaw. When she finds a body in the cucumber patch just outside her window, she feels she must get involved in solving the crime, and in saving her father from a murder charge!

What I like about her is her intelligence and her unstoppable curiosity. I’v ...more

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Jan 04, 2024 Olivermagnus rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: england, historical-mystery, mystery, zjan-2024, 2024

I am a huge fan of Flavia de Luce, a precocious eleven-year-old English chemistry buff, who has a passion for chemistry......and poison.

The story revolves around a dead man found in the de Luce's cucumber garden and a famous stamp, known as the Orange One Penny. It looks like the death might be connected to a dark event involving Flavia's father during his boarding school days. The widowed Colonel de Luce passes most of his time locked alone in his study, collecting stamps and listening to musi I am a huge fan of Flavia de Luce, a precocious eleven-year-old English chemistry buff, who has a passion for chemistry......and poison.

The story revolves around a dead man found in the de Luce's cucumber garden and a famous stamp, known as the Orange One Penny. It looks like the death might be connected to a dark event involving Flavia's father during his boarding school days. The widowed Colonel de Luce passes most of his time locked alone in his study, collecting stamps and listening to music.

Unfortunately the dead man had been seen arguing with Flavia's father. When Col. de Luce is arrested, Flavia decides the police aren't up the the job and she starts her own investigation, with the help of Dogger, the family gardener and a grounding influence in her life. She has determination, perseverance and the thought process of a young Sherlock Holmes. I absolutely loved her relationship with Inspector Hewitt.

Alan Bradley does a great job of bringing all the quirky characters alive. The story is set in rural England in the early 1950s. Flavia lives in a decaying mansion called Buckshaw with her older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne. Her mother was killed in a mountain climbing incident in a Tibet when Flavia was a baby.

I loved Flavia. The story is told from her perspective and some of the scenes will really make you laugh. Anyone who has brothers and sisters will love the sections where she takes revenge on her older sisters. Her elaborate vocabulary and obsession with all things chemistry make this a very witty mystery.

If you are in the mood for a gritty police procedural or a psychological thriller, this is definitely not the book for you. I thought this was a fun and engaging mystery and if you enjoy audios, this is masterfully narrated by Jayne Entwhistle. Just when Flavia was getting a little too precocious and over the top with some of her vocabulary and knowledge, something happens to make her shift back to the lonely little girl whose only parent ignores her.

When this book was recommended to me years ago, I thought it was a book for children. While young people would certainly enjoy it, the level of vocabulary makes it obvious this was written toward an adult audience. I highly recommend The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie in audio. ...more

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Aug 16, 2014 Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

This book was a lot of fun. I listened to the audio version narrated by Jayne Entwistle and she is fabulous. Definitely a different sort of mystery premise; the detective, one Flavia De Luce, is just eleven years old and runs rings around the local constabulary. The story was interesting with plenty of twists and turns and a good deal of humor. Flavia is, perhaps, a bit precocious for an 11 year old and should certainly be better supervised, but where's the fun in that? ...more

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Feb 27, 2013 jingles rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014

Flavia de Luce is a precocious, yet adorable 11 year old sleuth who must find a killer in order to save her father from being framed for murder. Flavia is an unusual child with a love for chemistry, a witty personality, and wise beyond her years. She can be lovable one minute and exasperating the next. While it doesn't take long to figure out who did it, it's the getting there that's fun.

What I liked: Flavia! I loved this adorable 11 year old! She made me laugh, tugged at my heart strings, yet e ...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Elle rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-fiction, mystery

Once again, a rating thwarted by Goodreads's lack of half-stars. I actually rated this one at 4.5 stars. The narration is awesome and the feel of the book reminded me a little of Lemony Snicket. Flavia is very precocious for her age and there are a lot of ten-dollar words at work. It's very light-hearted and whimsical for a mystery and that made it all the more fun. I also really liked all of the chemistry references sprinkled throughout the plot. I'm just nerdy like that. ...more

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