SOLVED. mystery - precocious young girl who has a laboratory and a pet chicken. Set in England. [s]

[Denise]

Main character is a young girl. Has an older sister (or sisters) & a father who sort of checked out from life after wife's death. The book begins with the mother's body being found, she had died in a mountaineering accident, and returned to the family for burial. The girl tries to use her science knowledge and her laboratory to resurrect the mother.She tries to figure out who a mystery man in photo is. Mother was a spy and was murdered. Spying runs in the family and the girl is chosen to carry on in the business. In the end the girl is sent to a boarding school. It is a series. I read this book early this year or late last (2014).

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Is it YA? Published recently, or long ago?

[Cheryl A]

Most of the points sound like the Flavia deLuce series by Alan Bradley, with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie being the first in the series. The plot points mentioned mostly come from the sixth book in the series - The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches.

[Tab]

I agree with Cheryl A. It sounds like the Flavia DeLuce series.

[Sharni]

Flavia!

[Denise]

That's it. Thanks, Cheryl! I wanted to go back to the beginning of the series but I forgot to jot down the author's name.