From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Speaking from Among the Bones (Flavia de Luce, #5)

Alan Bradley

Start date: November 13, 2021

Finish date: December 6, 2021

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Next in our series of Flavia de Luce buddy reads.
[close] Next in our series of Flavia de Luce buddy reads.

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What Members Thought

Nov 04, 2021 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: currently-re-reading, favorites, reread, tbr-with-gr-groups, audiobook, library-book, my-library

November 2021 reread - 4.5 stars - This was a reread for me, I avidly read every book in this series when first published, and have been a great fan of Flavia. I couldn’t find my original review of this book from back in 2013 when it was published, then I realized I reviewed the hardcover edition. I finally found my original review, cut and pasted below.

Rereading this series with the Reading the Detectives group, I sometimes think Bradley could have used an editor to tighten things up, especial November 2021 reread - 4.5 stars - This was a reread for me, I avidly read every book in this series when first published, and have been a great fan of Flavia. I couldn’t find my original review of this book from back in 2013 when it was published, then I realized I reviewed the hardcover edition. I finally found my original review, cut and pasted below.

Rereading this series with the Reading the Detectives group, I sometimes think Bradley could have used an editor to tighten things up, especially in this book, where Flavia seems to be going in many directions all at once - there is a lot going on - but it would be tough to cut anything, she’s so delightfully entertaining!

This book opens just before Easter, as St. Tancred’s tomb in the village church of Bishop’s Lacey is about to be opened. Flavia is very excited and plans to be right on the spot, but to everyone’s shock it’s not the remains of the saint that are found in the tomb, but the body of missing organist, Mr. Collicutt. He is wearing his choir robe and a gas mask; Flavia, of course, becomes engrossed in solving the murder mystery.

But there is a lot going on in her life, including the possible sale of her family’s crumbling estate Buckshaw. There’s always so much going on in these stories - part adventure, part mystery, part coming-of-age drama, and this one is no exception. Despite being a genius with chemicals and poisons, Flavia is an 11-year-old girl trying to navigate heartbreaking issues, like the mountain-climbing death of her mother when she was a baby, her emotionally distant father and older sisters, her family’s financial issues - the estate belonged to her mother, who died without a will.

At the very end, there is a gobsmacking cliffhanger; I felt like several important points were left hanging, and this book, while great fun, seemed bloated and overlong. I took off half a star from my previous rating for that. I do recall this was the first book in this favorite series that left me frustrated with the ending, and feeling that perhaps Flavia had bitten off more than she could chew, and the author overdid it - still great fun (especially listening to the audiobook this time, brilliantly narrated by Jane Entwhistle) but too many loose ends.

Nov. 2012 original review:
"MY cup of crime runneth over." That's what our heroine, Flavia de Luce, thinks to herself as the long-suffering Inspector Hewitt tries to warn her of the dangers of tangling with the murderer on the loose in Bishop's Lacey toward the end of this, her fifth outing.

As an avid fan of this delicious, charming, cozy but never cutesie mystery series I had to agree; as with every new Flavia adventure, the story opens by grabbing the reader's attention and never lets go! Sometimes I find myself stopping mid-sentence as Flavia and I are tearing along a country road on Gladys, her trusty bike, or creeping through an underground crypt in the middle of the night, and I ask myself, "wait a minute, is this still the same day in which Flavia confronted Inspector Hewitt, rode to a neighboring village to follow a tenuous and seemingly unconnected lead, got locked in a place and had to escape, AND had a painful, nasty fight with one of her mean older sisters?!" and I realize yes, it's still the same day - that's just the roller coaster pace of Alan Bradley's exciting and quirky series, and you have to just strap yourself in and go along for the exhilarating ride!

As this book begins Easter is just around the corner and Feeley, Flavia's eldest sister, is preparing to make her debut as organist for their church, St. Tancred's; she has been asked to perform following the unexplained disappearance of Mr. Collicutt, the church organist. If that mystery wasn't enough to excite Flavia's dormant detecting instincts, archeologists are about to descend on the village to disinter the remains of St. Tancred, buried beneath the church, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of his death. Loyal Flavia fans know our girl will do whatever it takes to be on hand when the tomb is opened, but even Flavia is surprised when she manages to be the first to look into the tomb and finds herself staring into the gas mask-clad - and very dead - face of Mr. Collicutt...

As Flavia tears around Bishop Lacey questioning the quirky, fascinating characters Bradley writes so well, she's also piecing together more tantalizing bits of the puzzle that is her family history. Devoted fans of the series get plenty of time with beloved "regulars" like Colonel de Luce, Feeley, Daffy, Dogger, Mrs. Mullett, and the vicar, and Bradley gives us more fascinating glimpses into the de Luce family relationships as they deal with their continuing financial hardships (will they lose Buckshaw, the family estate, or won't they?) He also drops a bombshell at the very end of the book (no spoilers) but I am already excited about where the next entry in the series will take us! Highly recommended, but I would start with the first book in this funny, smart series to fully appreciate Flavia and this wonderful cast of characters. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 21, 2012 Susan in NC rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Nov. 2021 reread: 4.5 stars - This was a reread for me, I avidly read every book in this series when first published, and have been a great fan of Flavia. I couldn’t find my original review, as that was the hardcover edition, this time I reread my paperback ARC from the Amazon Vine program - I hate when GR separates editions, as an average reader, I don’t care or notice, so end up losing reviews! So, I added my opening paragraph of new review to my old one. Rereading this series with the Reading Nov. 2021 reread: 4.5 stars - This was a reread for me, I avidly read every book in this series when first published, and have been a great fan of Flavia. I couldn’t find my original review, as that was the hardcover edition, this time I reread my paperback ARC from the Amazon Vine program - I hate when GR separates editions, as an average reader, I don’t care or notice, so end up losing reviews! So, I added my opening paragraph of new review to my old one. Rereading this series with the Reading the Detectives group, I sometimes think Bradley could have used an editor to tighten things up, especially in this book, where Flavia seems to be going in many directions all at once - there is a lot going on - but it would be tough to cut anything, she’s so delightfully entertaining!

Nov. 2012 original review:
"MY cup of crime runneth over." That's what our heroine, Flavia de Luce, thinks to herself as the long-suffering Inspector Hewitt tries to warn her of the dangers of tangling with the murderer on the loose in Bishop's Lacey toward the end of this, her fifth outing.

As an avid fan of this delicious, charming, cozy but never cutesie mystery series I had to agree; as with every new Flavia adventure, the story opens by grabbing the reader's attention and never lets go! Sometimes I find myself stopping mid-sentence as Flavia and I are tearing along a country road on Gladys, her trusty bike, or creeping through an underground crypt in the middle of the night, and I ask myself, "wait a minute, is this still the same day in which Flavia confronted Inspector Hewitt, rode to a neighboring village to follow a tenuous and seemingly unconnected lead, got locked in a place and had to escape, AND had a painful, nasty fight with one of her mean older sisters?!" and I realize yes, it's still the same day - that's just the roller coaster pace of Alan Bradley's exciting and quirky series, and you have to just strap yourself in and go along for the exhilarating ride!

As this book begins Easter is just around the corner and Feeley, Flavia's eldest sister, is preparing to make her debut as organist for their church, St. Tancred's; she has been asked to perform following the unexplained disappearance of Mr. Collicutt, the church organist. If that mystery wasn't enough to excite Flavia's dormant detecting instincts, archeologists are about to descend on the village to disinter the remains of St. Tancred, buried beneath the church, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of his death. Loyal Flavia fans know our girl will do whatever it takes to be on hand when the tomb is opened, but even Flavia is surprised when she manages to be the first to look into the tomb and finds herself staring into the gas mask-clad - and very dead - face of Mr. Collicutt...

As Flavia tears around Bishop Lacey questioning the quirky, fascinating characters Bradley writes so well, she's also piecing together more tantalizing bits of the puzzle that is her family history. Devoted fans of the series get plenty of time with beloved "regulars" like Colonel de Luce, Feeley, Daffy, Dogger, Mrs. Mullett, and the vicar, and Bradley gives us more fascinating glimpses into the de Luce family relationships as they deal with their continuing financial hardships (will they lose Buckshaw, the family estate, or won't they?) He also drops a bombshell at the very end of the book (no spoilers) but I am already excited about where the next entry in the series will take us! Highly recommended, but I would start with the first book in this funny, smart series to fully appreciate Flavia and this wonderful cast of characters.

I read an advanced uncorrected copy of this book through the Amazon Vine Program. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2014 Wendy rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014-reads

Loved it! This has everything a great mystery should have including plot twists and turns (ummm...that last sentence was a doozy!), suspicious characters, murder, poison, a creepy graveyard, etc. I want to go to Buckshaw and be Flavia's friend. I just love the relationship between her and Dogger too. Even the scenes where the family is choking down Mrs Mullet's terrible food is funny and endearing. These mysteries are just so fun to read, and after the last sentence in the book, I'm going to qui ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Becky rated it liked it

Shelves: readin2013

I've enjoyed each of the Flavia de Luce mysteries written by Alan Bradley. This young detective is quite original, though her mystery novels have, in a way, become more predictable. I mean that readers know almost exactly what to expect of the series, of the main characters, of the writing. (Not the details of the actual mysteries, the murder mysteries.) If you love the character of Flavia de Luce, it can be a good thing--comforting, satisfying--to know that nothing ever changes. Still, a little ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Feb 17, 2014 Jenn Estepp rated it really liked it

Shelves: sleuths-and-gumshoes, kindling, read-on-vacation

I admit I'd been growing a little less-than-charmed with Flavia lately, but I thought this was a super strong entry in the series and my affection is solidly back on track. ...more

Like · see review