(Listopia) I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley - 4 stars

[annapi]

Cross-posted to PBT Decathlon and Listopia

Precocious 11-year-old amateur chemist and sleuth Flavia de Luce is working on a scheme to prove once and for all whether Father Christmas really exists or is a fable as her older sisters claim. But the household routine is disrupted by a film crew that has leased their home for the filming of a movie, with the famous star Phyllis Wyvern. On the vicar's pleading, the star has consented to put on a small performance at the mansion, which half the town comes eagerly to see. But a blizzard that evening forces all visitors to spend the night, and it is in this chaos that Phyllis is murdered. Naturally Flavia sets out to solve the crime herself.

I read this to satisfy three reading challenges (monthly tag, PBT Decathlon and Listopia), and was not expecting much. I had tried reading book 1 of this series and never finished it, because I just could not connect with Flavia or like her very much. So it was a pleasant surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed this. I will have to revisit the earlier books in the series and give Flavia a second chance!

[Anita]

Ha ha, one book addressed all three challenges? I appreciate that you went out on a limb and read a book where you didn't even like the first in the series just to get those challenges nailed! That's dedication.

Glad it turned out well for you!

[annapi]

I'm going to try to do this each month. Crossing fingers the tags work out!

[Book Concierge]

I love this series. The audios are VERY good.