Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Orion (2015), 400 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � Flavia de Luce��part Harriet the Spy, part Violet Baudelaire from Lemony Snicket�s A Series of Unfortunate Events� (The New York Times Book Review)�takes her remarkable sleuthing prowess to the unexpectedly unsavory world of Canadian boarding schools in this captivating mystery. Banished! is how twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce laments her predicament, when her father and Aunt Felicity ship her off to Miss Bodycote�s Female Academy, the boarding school that her mother, Harriet, once attended across the sea in Canada. The sun has not yet risen on Flavia�s first day in captivity when a gift lands at her feet. Flavia being Flavia, a budding chemist and sleuth, that gift is a charred and mummified body, which tumbles out of a bedroom chimney. Now, while attending classes, making friends (and enemies), and assessing the school�s stern headmistress and faculty (one of whom is an acquitted murderess), Flavia is on the hunt for the victim�s identity and time of death, as well as suspects, motives, and means. Rumors swirl that Miss Bodycote�s is haunted, and that several girls have disappeared without a trace. When it comes to solving multiple mysteries, Flavia is up to the task�but her true destiny has yet to be revealed. Praise for As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust �Flavia de Luce [is] perhaps contemporary crime fiction�s most original character�to say she is Pippi Longstocking with a Ph.D. in chemistry (speciality: poisons) barely begins to describe her.��Maclean�s �Another treat for readers of all ages . . . [As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust] maintains the high standards Bradley set from the start.��Booklist �Exceptional . . . [The] intriguing setup only gets better, and Bradley makes Miss Bodycote�s a suitably Gothic setting for Flavia�s sleuthing. Through it all, her morbid narrative voice continues to charm.��Publishers Weekly (starred review) �Even after all these years, Flavia de Luce is still the world�s greatest adolescent British chemist/busybody/sleuth.��The Seattle Times �Plot twists come faster than Canadian snowfall. . . . Bradley�s sense of observation is as keen as gung-ho scientist Flavia�s. . . . The results so far are seven sparkling Flavia de Luce mysteries.��Library Journal.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Schatje
In this, the seventh Flavia de Luce mystery, Flavia comes to Canada to attend Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy. On her first night, a mummified corpse is dislodged from the chimney of her room. The sleuthing begins.
I have read all of the books in this series, but was disappointed with this one.
In some ways, the entire purpose of Flavia’s time at the school seems to be to remove her from her home where everything and everyone is familiar. When she arrives she knows no one, and one of the rules of the school makes it difficult to get to know people: “It had been made quite clear to me that one must not, under any circumstances, ask questions of any girl at Miss Bodycote’s about herself, or about any other girl.” Is the experience a test to see how she will manage in an alien environment in which she is repeatedly told to trust no one? Flavia realizes that what she would like to do is “’To become famous in my own way.’ . . . I did not want to be Harriet. I wanted to be myself. Flavia de Luce. Full stop.” Is her time at the school intended to give her an opportunity to be herself?
The characters who reside at Buckshaw are missing in this book. Instead, many new characters are introduced, primarily students and faculty of the academy. The problem is that these characters are not developed in any depth, so keeping track of who is who is difficult. The reader is left, like Flavia, feeling homesick for Bishop’s Lacey.
There are problems with the plot, problems that aren’t properly addressed. The mummified body was in the chimney for quite some time, but it was never discovered even though fires were lit to heat the room? Is it logical that someone can disguise herself so well that not even her own sister recognizes her? There are so many unanswered questions. Perhaps much will be explained in the eighth book?
What I did enjoy is the writing style. The figurative language is wonderful: “[She] unfolded herself from the machine like a stork from an eggshell. . . She was wrapped in a dress of turquoise silk, with a matching scarf on her head and far too much magenta lipstick on her mouth. Need I say more?” and “Her voice was as sharp as elderly cheese.”
Though I did not enjoy this book as much as the others in the series, I know I will read the next one, if only to find out if the purpose of this Canadian interlude will be made clearer. I would definitely not recommend that anyone read this mystery if he/she has not read the earlier books.
I have read all of the books in this series, but was disappointed with this one.
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Flavia was sent to her late mother’s alma mater to be inducted into a mysterious organization known as the Nide; she speaks of being “chosen for a life of service.” It is unclear, however, how her time there is supposedly helping in her training. What does she learn? Certainly she doesn’t attend regular classes, and there is no indication of skills being honed during her investigation. In some ways, the entire purpose of Flavia’s time at the school seems to be to remove her from her home where everything and everyone is familiar. When she arrives she knows no one, and one of the rules of the school makes it difficult to get to know people: “It had been made quite clear to me that one must not, under any circumstances, ask questions of any girl at Miss Bodycote’s about herself, or about any other girl.” Is the experience a test to see how she will manage in an alien environment in which she is repeatedly told to trust no one? Flavia realizes that what she would like to do is “’To become famous in my own way.’ . . . I did not want to be Harriet. I wanted to be myself. Flavia de Luce. Full stop.” Is her time at the school intended to give her an opportunity to be herself?
The characters who reside at Buckshaw are missing in this book. Instead, many new characters are introduced, primarily students and faculty of the academy. The problem is that these characters are not developed in any depth, so keeping track of who is who is difficult. The reader is left, like Flavia, feeling homesick for Bishop’s Lacey.
There are problems with the plot, problems that aren’t properly addressed. The mummified body was in the chimney for quite some time, but it was never discovered even though fires were lit to heat the room? Is it logical that someone can disguise herself so well that not even her own sister recognizes her? There are so many unanswered questions. Perhaps much will be explained in the eighth book?
What I did enjoy is the writing style. The figurative language is wonderful: “[She] unfolded herself from the machine like a stork from an eggshell. . . She was wrapped in a dress of turquoise silk, with a matching scarf on her head and far too much magenta lipstick on her mouth. Need I say more?” and “Her voice was as sharp as elderly cheese.”
Though I did not enjoy this book as much as the others in the series, I know I will read the next one, if only to find out if the purpose of this Canadian interlude will be made clearer. I would definitely not recommend that anyone read this mystery if he/she has not read the earlier books.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
Alan Bradley had originally said the Flavia de Luce series would be five books long. Since I enjoy them, I was pleased to see he had re-thought that position, although a little nervous about an author carrying on a series he had originally finished in his mind. So many authors go back to the well
Let's say ¾ of a pail. Flavia, herself, was as enjoyable as ever but I missed her interactions with her father, Dogger, Feely & Daffy and the rest of the inhabitants of Bishop's Lacey. The relationships with the students and teachers at Miss Bodycote's Female Academy simply weren't as rich.
(Minor Spoiler)
Moreover, since most of them aren't to continue and we barely met the ones that might do so, the pro forma nature of these interactions came across as marking time with the reader rather than the productive introduction of new cast members. I do hope that the next book brings us back on track.
If you like Flavia's stories and plan to continue with the series, you'll need to read this one but it's the least of the six full-length volumes written so far, in my opinion.
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and come up with only half a pail of water. Let's say ¾ of a pail. Flavia, herself, was as enjoyable as ever but I missed her interactions with her father, Dogger, Feely & Daffy and the rest of the inhabitants of Bishop's Lacey. The relationships with the students and teachers at Miss Bodycote's Female Academy simply weren't as rich.
(Minor Spoiler)
Moreover, since most of them aren't to continue and we barely met the ones that might do so, the pro forma nature of these interactions came across as marking time with the reader rather than the productive introduction of new cast members. I do hope that the next book brings us back on track.
If you like Flavia's stories and plan to continue with the series, you'll need to read this one but it's the least of the six full-length volumes written so far, in my opinion.
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LibraryThing member dpappas
There are choices in life which you are aware, even as you make them, cannot be undone; choices after which, once made, things will never be the same.
I'm not exactly sure what this was supposed to add to the series except for to serve as a reminder of just how much I loved the secondary characters
None of the secondary characters were interesting enough for me to care about them. I really thought that Mrs. Bannerman was going to be a stand out but she fell just as flat as the other characters. I just couldn't take all their secrecy and once the big reveal happened at the end I didn't feel that all that secrecy was called for. I am extremely happy with where Flavia was headed at the end. Quite frankly this pales in comparison to the other books in the series and is my least favorite (if you couldn't already tell from this review). Here's to hoping that the series gets the same magic back that I loved from the previous books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.
I'm not exactly sure what this was supposed to add to the series except for to serve as a reminder of just how much I loved the secondary characters
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of the previous books. All of the characters, excepting Flavia of course, that you have grown to love or love to hate (Feely and Daffy) are not in this book. Dogger does make a teeny tiny appearance via letter but it was not enough to satisfy. This of course causes both Flavia and readers to have homesickness for Buckshaw. I do love Flavia, but to send her off to the wilderness of Canada (just exaggerating, don't send me hate mail) by herself and pretty much shun her didn't sit well with me. Flavia seemed a bit different in this book and was pretty much the only character I cared about.None of the secondary characters were interesting enough for me to care about them. I really thought that Mrs. Bannerman was going to be a stand out but she fell just as flat as the other characters. I just couldn't take all their secrecy and once the big reveal happened at the end I didn't feel that all that secrecy was called for. I am extremely happy with where Flavia was headed at the end. Quite frankly this pales in comparison to the other books in the series and is my least favorite (if you couldn't already tell from this review). Here's to hoping that the series gets the same magic back that I loved from the previous books.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.
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LibraryThing member mountie9
The Good Stuff
Another devilishly fun mystery with my favorite little scamp, Flavia. This time the little imp heads to Canada and hijinks ensue.
Addition of new delightfully unusual secondary characters
Especially loved all the familiar mentions of Toronto places.
Plenty or red herrings in trying
Little imp is growing up - but not to fast thank god
The setting of the school was positively brilliant and a perfect place for that little minx Flavia - this could lead to so many more stories than Bishop's Lacey
Love her inner monologues
Plenty of dark humour and smart dialogue
I've said it before I wish these books were around when I was growing up as they make chemistry sound totally fascinating - could have made a difference in this girls disinterest with science in school. Damn Flavia would be an awesome teacher
The Not So Good Stuff
A tad disappointed at the ending (but cannot tell you why as it would be a major spoilers)
I did miss my favorites from Bishops Lacey
Some things did not add up
Favorite Quotes/Passages (As usual with Bradley, I cannot choose only 3)
"I could succeed at whatever I chose. I could, for instance, become an undertaker. Or a pathologist. A detective, a gravedigger, a tombstone maker, or even the world's greatest murderer.
Suddenly the world was my oyster--even if it was a dead one.”
“I was proud of my strategy. It was one I had been saving for just such an occasion as this. Who can say no to a personal matter? Even God is curious about such things, which is why He listens to our prayers.”
One of the things I dread about becoming an adult is that sooner or later you begin letting sentimentality get in the way of simple logic. False feelings are allowed to clog the works like raw honey poured into the tiny wheels of a fine timepiece.”
"By the end of the third shelf I had begun to see why librarians are sometimes able to achieve such pinnacles of crankiness: It's because they are in agony. If only publishers could be persuaded, I though, to stamp all book tiles horizontally instead of vertically, a great deal of unpleasantness could be avoided all round. Chiropractors and opticians would be out of business, librarians cheerier, and the world would be a better place."
4.5 Dewey's
I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review
Another devilishly fun mystery with my favorite little scamp, Flavia. This time the little imp heads to Canada and hijinks ensue.
Addition of new delightfully unusual secondary characters
Especially loved all the familiar mentions of Toronto places.
Plenty or red herrings in trying
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to figure out whodunit (not to mention who the body actually belongs to) Little imp is growing up - but not to fast thank god
The setting of the school was positively brilliant and a perfect place for that little minx Flavia - this could lead to so many more stories than Bishop's Lacey
Love her inner monologues
Plenty of dark humour and smart dialogue
I've said it before I wish these books were around when I was growing up as they make chemistry sound totally fascinating - could have made a difference in this girls disinterest with science in school. Damn Flavia would be an awesome teacher
The Not So Good Stuff
A tad disappointed at the ending (but cannot tell you why as it would be a major spoilers)
I did miss my favorites from Bishops Lacey
Some things did not add up
Favorite Quotes/Passages (As usual with Bradley, I cannot choose only 3)
"I could succeed at whatever I chose. I could, for instance, become an undertaker. Or a pathologist. A detective, a gravedigger, a tombstone maker, or even the world's greatest murderer.
Suddenly the world was my oyster--even if it was a dead one.”
“I was proud of my strategy. It was one I had been saving for just such an occasion as this. Who can say no to a personal matter? Even God is curious about such things, which is why He listens to our prayers.”
One of the things I dread about becoming an adult is that sooner or later you begin letting sentimentality get in the way of simple logic. False feelings are allowed to clog the works like raw honey poured into the tiny wheels of a fine timepiece.”
"By the end of the third shelf I had begun to see why librarians are sometimes able to achieve such pinnacles of crankiness: It's because they are in agony. If only publishers could be persuaded, I though, to stamp all book tiles horizontally instead of vertically, a great deal of unpleasantness could be avoided all round. Chiropractors and opticians would be out of business, librarians cheerier, and the world would be a better place."
4.5 Dewey's
I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
“Banished!”
There is no other word Flavia can use for her predicament in the latest in the Flavia de Luce series by author Alan Bradley. Flavia has been unceremoniously bundled up by her father and aunt and banished to the hinterlands, the far reaches of the British Empire, to attend Miss
Young Flavia is once again on the hunt for a possible killer and she soon discovers, not only many possible suspects and victims, but that Miss Bodycote’s is not what it seems; it harbours many more secrets than the one hidden in her chimney – it is a veritable treasure trove of possible malfeasance for a young smart chemist like Flavia.
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust is the seventh in the series and it contains all the humour, mystery, and just plain fun of the previous books. The new characters may be unfamiliar but they are just as eccentric and entertaining as those from past entries in the series. Flavia is at her indomitable best as a stranger in a strange land - she solves not one but several mysteries while braving the shoals of this far-off corner of the globe, attending classes, trying, admittedly mostly unsuccessfully, to make friends, interrogating suspects, and suffering the pangs of homesickness. Being away from home allows Flavia to grow as a character. As in the previous books, the mystery is tied up neatly and there are hints at a new phase in Flavia’s future endeavours as our young heroine continues to solve mysteries while stealing the hearts of readers both young and old everywhere.
There is no other word Flavia can use for her predicament in the latest in the Flavia de Luce series by author Alan Bradley. Flavia has been unceremoniously bundled up by her father and aunt and banished to the hinterlands, the far reaches of the British Empire, to attend Miss
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Bodycote’s Female Academy, the same school Harriet had attended in her youth. Fortunately, within her first day of enforced banishment, a wonderful thing happens – a charred body wrapped in a union jack flag tumbles out of her chimney. Oh happy day!Young Flavia is once again on the hunt for a possible killer and she soon discovers, not only many possible suspects and victims, but that Miss Bodycote’s is not what it seems; it harbours many more secrets than the one hidden in her chimney – it is a veritable treasure trove of possible malfeasance for a young smart chemist like Flavia.
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust is the seventh in the series and it contains all the humour, mystery, and just plain fun of the previous books. The new characters may be unfamiliar but they are just as eccentric and entertaining as those from past entries in the series. Flavia is at her indomitable best as a stranger in a strange land - she solves not one but several mysteries while braving the shoals of this far-off corner of the globe, attending classes, trying, admittedly mostly unsuccessfully, to make friends, interrogating suspects, and suffering the pangs of homesickness. Being away from home allows Flavia to grow as a character. As in the previous books, the mystery is tied up neatly and there are hints at a new phase in Flavia’s future endeavours as our young heroine continues to solve mysteries while stealing the hearts of readers both young and old everywhere.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Flavia de Luce's seventh outing finds her en route to Toronto to enroll in a boarding school. Before she has time to settle in, a body is discovered in her room's chimney. Flavia is on the case. She uses her status as a new arrival to nose around and ask questions. She soon learns about other
I was worried that the series might be heading in a different direction. My fears were needless. The Flavia I've grown to love in her Buckshaw chemical laboratory is the same Flavia in Toronto. The boarding school setting allows Flavia to test the skills she has acquired in her prior investigations, and it provides her with a new set of people with whom to match wits. Flavia hasn't forgotten her family and friends in Bishop's Lacey. I'm not sure who misses them more – Flavia or me. I hope there's a happy reunion in store.
This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
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mysterious happenings at the school, including the unexplained disappearances of several students. When Flavia concludes she can't trust either her fellow students or the adults in the school to tell her the truth, she draws on her formidable detection skills to discover the identity of the body and the killer.I was worried that the series might be heading in a different direction. My fears were needless. The Flavia I've grown to love in her Buckshaw chemical laboratory is the same Flavia in Toronto. The boarding school setting allows Flavia to test the skills she has acquired in her prior investigations, and it provides her with a new set of people with whom to match wits. Flavia hasn't forgotten her family and friends in Bishop's Lacey. I'm not sure who misses them more – Flavia or me. I hope there's a happy reunion in store.
This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member richardderus
Rating: 3.75* of five
The Publisher Says: Hard on the heels of the return of her mother’s body from the frozen reaches of the Himalayas, Flavia, for her indiscretions, is banished from her home at Buckshaw and shipped across the ocean to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, her mother’s
No sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school.
My Review: We all know by now what the deal is when we pick up a Bradley mystery: We're suspending disbelief in the premise of a school-girl who also happens to be a gifted forensic chemist, possessed of a fully stocked laboratory, and the youngest member of an astonishingly oblivious and neglectful family who leave the child alone to get on with her solving of the many murders that occur in her remote village home.
Yeah, right. Not even in postwar England (1950-ish) would a kid have that kind of freedom. But without that, the whole house of cards comes tumbling down. Where's the fun in that? Go with it. Surf on Bradley's wave and the reward is a mother of all waves keeping you sharp and alert lest you miss the wave's chicane.
It was fun, and while I'm no convert to the idea of more books set in Toronto (a flimsy drop-curtain illusion of Toronto as the setting was), I understand why we had to be there for this story to unwind. The mystery itself, not for the first time, failed to generate much suspense in me. I suppose this is a far-reaching effect of following a long-term series, since I see it setting in on almost all my fellow series fans. The difference for me, in this series' case, is that I am still charmed by the idea of a kid solving adult crimes, and satisfied by Bradley's humor and whimsy. Seven books and counting....
The Publisher Says: Hard on the heels of the return of her mother’s body from the frozen reaches of the Himalayas, Flavia, for her indiscretions, is banished from her home at Buckshaw and shipped across the ocean to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, her mother’s
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alma mater, there to be inducted into a mysterious organization known as the Nide.No sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school.
My Review: We all know by now what the deal is when we pick up a Bradley mystery: We're suspending disbelief in the premise of a school-girl who also happens to be a gifted forensic chemist, possessed of a fully stocked laboratory, and the youngest member of an astonishingly oblivious and neglectful family who leave the child alone to get on with her solving of the many murders that occur in her remote village home.
Yeah, right. Not even in postwar England (1950-ish) would a kid have that kind of freedom. But without that, the whole house of cards comes tumbling down. Where's the fun in that? Go with it. Surf on Bradley's wave and the reward is a mother of all waves keeping you sharp and alert lest you miss the wave's chicane.
It was fun, and while I'm no convert to the idea of more books set in Toronto (a flimsy drop-curtain illusion of Toronto as the setting was), I understand why we had to be there for this story to unwind. The mystery itself, not for the first time, failed to generate much suspense in me. I suppose this is a far-reaching effect of following a long-term series, since I see it setting in on almost all my fellow series fans. The difference for me, in this series' case, is that I am still charmed by the idea of a kid solving adult crimes, and satisfied by Bradley's humor and whimsy. Seven books and counting....
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LibraryThing member BoundTogetherForGood
I have pretty much loved all of the previous six books in Alan Bradley's Flavia De Luce book series. This seventh book fell flat, though.
Upon closing the book and going to sleep I was left thinking, "What? What just happened?” I could not reconcile how he had chosen to wrap up the story. I was
So, Flavia is thrown into life at a boarding school in Canada. Relationships among the girls never develop; neither do great antagonisms, though one would expect both. The Headmistress is never fully fleshed out either, I suppose in an attempt to keep up the mysteries of The Nide. But, here Flavia is to begin her training. Shouldn’t we learn something about the mysterious society? Wait a minute…shouldn’t FLAVIA at least learn something about it?
I had difficulty understanding how three different people were involved in the dead woman’s untimely demise in two different and separate instances (at least that’s how I am understanding it). Are we to believe that no one smelled the body as it decayed? There was a murder. No one was up in arms over it. Are we expected to care about it?
Brazenose’s disappearance and her undercover return amongst her schoolmates and sister were perplexing to say the least and I still can’t figure out the reason for any of that. Are we to believe that her sister didn’t recognize her voice, her features; that no one I the busy boarding school ever happened upon her with her makeup removed?
Bradley didn't develop any of Flavia’s mother’s amazing history though he could have. A foray into her mother’s past would have given him the ability to weave an engaging story within a story. As it is, the torch was never really passed to Flavia. We are left with her feeling unusually insecure and with the thought that she will be returning to home in England. None of this fits with what I've come to expect from Bradley’s writing. I am disappointed.
Upon closing the book and going to sleep I was left thinking, "What? What just happened?” I could not reconcile how he had chosen to wrap up the story. I was
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bewildered by many points.So, Flavia is thrown into life at a boarding school in Canada. Relationships among the girls never develop; neither do great antagonisms, though one would expect both. The Headmistress is never fully fleshed out either, I suppose in an attempt to keep up the mysteries of The Nide. But, here Flavia is to begin her training. Shouldn’t we learn something about the mysterious society? Wait a minute…shouldn’t FLAVIA at least learn something about it?
I had difficulty understanding how three different people were involved in the dead woman’s untimely demise in two different and separate instances (at least that’s how I am understanding it). Are we to believe that no one smelled the body as it decayed? There was a murder. No one was up in arms over it. Are we expected to care about it?
Brazenose’s disappearance and her undercover return amongst her schoolmates and sister were perplexing to say the least and I still can’t figure out the reason for any of that. Are we to believe that her sister didn’t recognize her voice, her features; that no one I the busy boarding school ever happened upon her with her makeup removed?
Bradley didn't develop any of Flavia’s mother’s amazing history though he could have. A foray into her mother’s past would have given him the ability to weave an engaging story within a story. As it is, the torch was never really passed to Flavia. We are left with her feeling unusually insecure and with the thought that she will be returning to home in England. None of this fits with what I've come to expect from Bradley’s writing. I am disappointed.
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LibraryThing member mamzel
In this episode, Flavia is shipped off to boarding school in Canada in the company of the school's chairman and wife. To say she is not happy is an understatement. It doesn't take long, however, before things get interesting. A girl breaks into her room hiding from a pursuer and a desiccated and
Having been twelve years old for 7 books now, it's time for her to grow up a little. Moving away from her family gives her an opportunity to test her independence and she is also given a chance to learn more about the mother she never knew.
As I read this book I found she brought to mind a favorite heroine from my childhood, Eloise, who can't help but stick her nose in where it isn't wanted and is totally comfortable dealing with adults as equals.
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decapitated body falls down from the chimney. Now things are looking up for the girl sleuth. Having been twelve years old for 7 books now, it's time for her to grow up a little. Moving away from her family gives her an opportunity to test her independence and she is also given a chance to learn more about the mother she never knew.
As I read this book I found she brought to mind a favorite heroine from my childhood, Eloise, who can't help but stick her nose in where it isn't wanted and is totally comfortable dealing with adults as equals.
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LibraryThing member marsap
Flavia is at it again—this time on a new continent—Northern America and Canada. Following her last adventure, when her mother’s body has been returned to Buckshaw, Flavia (because of a number of issues) is banished and sent to her mother’s alma mater, Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in
However, no sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school. While in this new environment Flavia does learn about her mother and the work (and secret society) she eventually becomes involved with. The major disappointment of this book is that many of my favorite characters of this series were missing, Flavia’s sisters and her father, the Inspector and his wife and the always wonderful Dogger. Flavia does not seem the same without them. Not my favorite of the Flavia series—but still worth the read. 3 out of 5 stars.
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Toronto. However, no sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school. While in this new environment Flavia does learn about her mother and the work (and secret society) she eventually becomes involved with. The major disappointment of this book is that many of my favorite characters of this series were missing, Flavia’s sisters and her father, the Inspector and his wife and the always wonderful Dogger. Flavia does not seem the same without them. Not my favorite of the Flavia series—but still worth the read. 3 out of 5 stars.
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LibraryThing member Matke
Flavia remains a delightful p, if not completely believable character: self-aware, sharply intelligent, and with a quirky sense of humor. Since she’s the main draw of this series, rather than the murders, this book was a decent read.
But I was disappointed. I know that Flavia’s involvement in,
Flavia shines through this book, but you’ve got to love her to put up with the story.
But I was disappointed. I know that Flavia’s involvement in,
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even her unseemly and unlikely help with, mysterious deaths is the whole reason for the books. But this one stretches even my easy-going “oh well, it is fiction, after all,” acceptance of impossible things to its breaking point. The central idea of the Canadian school is simply incredible, and the school atmosphere, one of my favorite settings for mysteries, is poorly developed.Flavia shines through this book, but you’ve got to love her to put up with the story.
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LibraryThing member Twink
From the opening pages of the very first book, I have been a fervent fan of Alan Bradley's absolutely wonderful series that features one of the most captivating, intrepid sleuths I've ever encountered - twelve year old Flavia de Luce. ("The first syllable rhymes with 'brave' and 'grave'.") As
Faithful readers have been eagerly waiting for this book - after several revelations in the last book, Flavia is on her way from England to Canada to attend Miss Bodycote's Female Academy - "where I was to be trained to assume some ancient and hereditary role of which I was still kept mostly in ignorance." (Canadians take note - it's located just off the Danforth)
But Flavia being Flavia....yes, there's a dead body involved (okay, more than one). But along with that body, there's a whole new cast of characters to meet, a new setting and Flavia's mysterious legacy to unravel. There are numerous storylines running concurrently and the reader is kept busy alongside Flavia.
Flavia's descriptions and dialogue are a constant source of delight...
"The hours trudged by with chains on their ankles."
"I must state here that I have no fear whatsoever of being in a room in the dark with a corpse. In fact, quite the contrary. The little shiver I experience is one of excitement, not of fear."
"The hands are the canaries in one's own personal coal-mine: They need to be watched carefully and obeyed. A fidget demands attention, and a full-blown not-knowing-what-to-do-with-them means 'Vamoose'!"
Flavia's curiosity, her keen observations and her disarming view of life utterly enchant me. I so wanted to be Nancy Drew growing up - having discovered Flavia, it's still great fun to imagine being a girl gumshoe.
Despite her exceptional powers of deduction, her skill with poisons and her insatiable curiosity, she is still a young girl far from home. Will she ever see her beloved bicycle Gladys again? Her chemistry lab? Her dratted sisters, taciturn father, the enigmatic Dogger and the other assorted residents of the village of Bishop's Lacey? (I too, missed them!)
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust was great read for me (but devoured too quickly). I'll will be eagerly waiting for the eighth book!
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Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust is the seventh book.Faithful readers have been eagerly waiting for this book - after several revelations in the last book, Flavia is on her way from England to Canada to attend Miss Bodycote's Female Academy - "where I was to be trained to assume some ancient and hereditary role of which I was still kept mostly in ignorance." (Canadians take note - it's located just off the Danforth)
But Flavia being Flavia....yes, there's a dead body involved (okay, more than one). But along with that body, there's a whole new cast of characters to meet, a new setting and Flavia's mysterious legacy to unravel. There are numerous storylines running concurrently and the reader is kept busy alongside Flavia.
Flavia's descriptions and dialogue are a constant source of delight...
"The hours trudged by with chains on their ankles."
"I must state here that I have no fear whatsoever of being in a room in the dark with a corpse. In fact, quite the contrary. The little shiver I experience is one of excitement, not of fear."
"The hands are the canaries in one's own personal coal-mine: They need to be watched carefully and obeyed. A fidget demands attention, and a full-blown not-knowing-what-to-do-with-them means 'Vamoose'!"
Flavia's curiosity, her keen observations and her disarming view of life utterly enchant me. I so wanted to be Nancy Drew growing up - having discovered Flavia, it's still great fun to imagine being a girl gumshoe.
Despite her exceptional powers of deduction, her skill with poisons and her insatiable curiosity, she is still a young girl far from home. Will she ever see her beloved bicycle Gladys again? Her chemistry lab? Her dratted sisters, taciturn father, the enigmatic Dogger and the other assorted residents of the village of Bishop's Lacey? (I too, missed them!)
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust was great read for me (but devoured too quickly). I'll will be eagerly waiting for the eighth book!
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an early electronic copy of this book through NetGalley.
I love the Flavia de Luce series very much, but I couldn't help but approach this volume with trepidation. I knew Flavia would be leaving behind her beloved Buckshaw estate, her eccentric family, and her murder-filled village as she
The good news is that Bradley does an amazing job of evoking Canada and a new cast of characters in a vivid way. The murder mystery kicks off as soon as Flavia arrives at her boarding school, and things get more complicated from there. Bradley's previous books are so good that it makes it hard to live up to that standard. This one does not. I really did miss Buckshaw and everyone back in England (Dogger! Gladys!). That said, it's still a fabulous mystery novel and still much better than many other books I've read this year.
Even more, I still have faith in the series and I'm very happy with the turn of events. I'm eager to read the next book, and frustrated that it means another year of wait. Sigh.
I love the Flavia de Luce series very much, but I couldn't help but approach this volume with trepidation. I knew Flavia would be leaving behind her beloved Buckshaw estate, her eccentric family, and her murder-filled village as she
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ventured to a boarding school in Canada. So much of the appeal of the book is in Bradley's vivid settings and Flavia's rambles across the countryside on her bicycle, Gladys, and her experiments in her laboratory.The good news is that Bradley does an amazing job of evoking Canada and a new cast of characters in a vivid way. The murder mystery kicks off as soon as Flavia arrives at her boarding school, and things get more complicated from there. Bradley's previous books are so good that it makes it hard to live up to that standard. This one does not. I really did miss Buckshaw and everyone back in England (Dogger! Gladys!). That said, it's still a fabulous mystery novel and still much better than many other books I've read this year.
Even more, I still have faith in the series and I'm very happy with the turn of events. I'm eager to read the next book, and frustrated that it means another year of wait. Sigh.
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LibraryThing member dreplogle
First off, I love the character Flavia, and she stays true to form in this book. She's been shipped off to Toronto, Canada to attend her mother's boarding school, and finds a burned corpse stuffed up the chimney of her room. Once again she searches out the clues, and finds out who the corpse is and
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who murdered her. I actually really enjoyed this book except for two things: First, Flavia has been informed by her aunt (in the last book) that her mother was a type of secret agent, and the school the Flavia has been sent to is her training ground to also become a secret agent. All the boarders are in-training, and the day girls don't know anything about it. I can suspend belief for just about anything, but this just doesn't work. It seems too orchestrated, too far-fetched. The second thing is that once Flavia solves the case, she is shipped back to England. Unless there is some further development in the next book, her trip to Canada is really just a waste of time. She's come all that way, and now she's going back? Oh well, I enjoyed it anyway and am looking forward to the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member abealy
Exiled, unwillingly, across the sea to the wild New World is the best thing that could have happened to Flavia de Luce, and surely a bonus to the reader. After six books of wandering the limited acres of Buckshaw, the family estate and the village of Bishops Lacey, seemingly solving grisly
Deposited, thanks to her convenient chaperone, the mysterious Ryerson Rainsmith and his eccentric wife Dorsey, at Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, Flavia is soon embroiled in murder and mayhem that is as cozy and appealing as brandy and a good cigar before an open fire — or hot chocolate and marshmallows if you prefer.
The supporting cast is as eccentric and archetypal as ever and the mystery quickly accelerates with the discovery of a mummified child wrapped in ancient swaddling and stuffed up the fireplace chimney. Flavia needs to call on all her chemistry brilliance to solve the case. The intriguing subtext of the series, the super spy network overseen by her Aunt Felicity continues to drive the arch of the narrative.
I’m left hungry for the next installment — a sure indicator of a hit series.
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mysterious murders every other month, Flavia has been pluck from the ancestral home and shepherded to a young ladies finishing school in Canada. For Flavia, this means new murder, mystery and humor. For the reader, it is a blessed release from an increasingly more improbably year at home! Deposited, thanks to her convenient chaperone, the mysterious Ryerson Rainsmith and his eccentric wife Dorsey, at Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, Flavia is soon embroiled in murder and mayhem that is as cozy and appealing as brandy and a good cigar before an open fire — or hot chocolate and marshmallows if you prefer.
The supporting cast is as eccentric and archetypal as ever and the mystery quickly accelerates with the discovery of a mummified child wrapped in ancient swaddling and stuffed up the fireplace chimney. Flavia needs to call on all her chemistry brilliance to solve the case. The intriguing subtext of the series, the super spy network overseen by her Aunt Felicity continues to drive the arch of the narrative.
I’m left hungry for the next installment — a sure indicator of a hit series.
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LibraryThing member GarySeverance
Alan Bradley’s latest “Flavia de Luce” novel is the seventh book in the series featuring the now 12 year old detective. Flavia is a precocious girl who lives in a small village in post-WWII England with her father and two sisters. In As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust, Flavia is "banished" from
Flavia is a very bright young person who has taken an interest in chemistry and poisons at home, encouraged by her aunt and a faithful family retainer named Dogger. She puts her chemical knowledge and love of solving mysteries to good use at the Academy when a startling event happens in her assigned individual room when she first arrives. The reader gets a good idea of Flavia's intelligence and irreverence toward authority (within limits) of her personality.
As a mystery story, this novel is a good one with many a twist and turn as Flavia pursues clues related to a an unidentified corpse found in her room. She is only 12, however, and homesickness is an emotional distraction she keeps at bay for most of the time. This shows strength of her personality and her determination as a junior detective to tackle difficult problems. After all, Flavia thinks, everything may be just a matter of chemistry.
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (title a quote from Shakespeare) is the first novel I have read in the Flavia Deluce series, but I can see it would have great appeal to young female readers and even adult mystery fans. Alan Bradley skillfully provides information about Flavia's background, so the novel can be read without prior knowledge of anything about the first 6 series novels. I believe reading it would interest readers in the character so much that they would enjoy going back in time and reading the preceding adventures. I give it my highest recommendation.
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her home in 1951 and sent to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy, a boarding school in Canada where she meets and interacts with an interesting cast of student and faculty characters.Flavia is a very bright young person who has taken an interest in chemistry and poisons at home, encouraged by her aunt and a faithful family retainer named Dogger. She puts her chemical knowledge and love of solving mysteries to good use at the Academy when a startling event happens in her assigned individual room when she first arrives. The reader gets a good idea of Flavia's intelligence and irreverence toward authority (within limits) of her personality.
As a mystery story, this novel is a good one with many a twist and turn as Flavia pursues clues related to a an unidentified corpse found in her room. She is only 12, however, and homesickness is an emotional distraction she keeps at bay for most of the time. This shows strength of her personality and her determination as a junior detective to tackle difficult problems. After all, Flavia thinks, everything may be just a matter of chemistry.
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (title a quote from Shakespeare) is the first novel I have read in the Flavia Deluce series, but I can see it would have great appeal to young female readers and even adult mystery fans. Alan Bradley skillfully provides information about Flavia's background, so the novel can be read without prior knowledge of anything about the first 6 series novels. I believe reading it would interest readers in the character so much that they would enjoy going back in time and reading the preceding adventures. I give it my highest recommendation.
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LibraryThing member julie.billing
Ahhh, dear Flavia. She’s left Buckshaw – well, been banished in her words – to attend boarding school in Canada. I admit I was a bit concerned about her fate when they sent her off to the school that her mother attended, but Flavia’s not only a survivor but a spunky one and navigates the
While getting to see Flavia interact with other girls her age, which is probably necessary to her growth as a character, I found I really missed her interactions with her sisters, father, Mrs Mullet and Dogger. That said her observations about the other students and teachers are point on and as usual so astute that I think I know someone just like them. And of course we learn a little chemistry along the way. Always sorry to see the last page of Alan Bradley’s magical mysteries.
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halls of Ms Bodycote’s Female Academy and the surrounding town as adroitly as always. Within hours of arriving she’s yet again stumbled on a body – or rather there for when a tumbled body appears – and is out to find who it is that was unfortunate enough to be stuffed in the chimney, why they might be there, and of course who committed murder. While getting to see Flavia interact with other girls her age, which is probably necessary to her growth as a character, I found I really missed her interactions with her sisters, father, Mrs Mullet and Dogger. That said her observations about the other students and teachers are point on and as usual so astute that I think I know someone just like them. And of course we learn a little chemistry along the way. Always sorry to see the last page of Alan Bradley’s magical mysteries.
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LibraryThing member librarian1204
I was expecting good things to come from Flavia's exile to Ms Bodycote's school in Canada. I was not disappointed. I loved the setting in England of the prior books in this series, but I did realize that something new was needed. This is the perfect addition. New setting, lots of new characters and
Read from NetGalley
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the unrest Flavia faces, not knowing friend from enemy, homesickness, and of course what is this path that is said to be her destiny. Can't wait to see what happens from here. And what a surprise the ending proves to be.Read from NetGalley
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LibraryThing member melaniehope
Well the Flavia series continues. I love the character, so am perfectly happy to continue following along in the young sleuth's sagas.
Flavia is now at a boarding school in Canada. Here the reader discovers lots of sinister and a super secret society at this school.
Some of the situations seem far
I definitely see more books judging by the ending. This seems to be just the start of a new chapter in Flavia's life. Don't expect to get answers to "pheasant sandwiches" just yet.
I highly recommend this book and all books about Flavia de Luce.
Flavia is now at a boarding school in Canada. Here the reader discovers lots of sinister and a super secret society at this school.
Some of the situations seem far
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fetched and unbelievable, but I am a complete fan of Flavia.I definitely see more books judging by the ending. This seems to be just the start of a new chapter in Flavia's life. Don't expect to get answers to "pheasant sandwiches" just yet.
I highly recommend this book and all books about Flavia de Luce.
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LibraryThing member vancouverdeb
Fans of Alan Bradley's " Flavia de Luce" series will not be disappointed by the latest installment" As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust. "
I was initially a bit anxious as Flavia has been shipped away from her family home in Bishops Lacey, Britain, to 1950's Toronto Canada. But Flavia's Toronto's
I very much enjoyed this engaging and delightful cozy mystery. And , yes, Alan Bradley to continue the series and I'll be pre - ordering my copy!
Wonderful fun for Flavia de Luce fans!
4.5 stars
I was initially a bit anxious as Flavia has been shipped away from her family home in Bishops Lacey, Britain, to 1950's Toronto Canada. But Flavia's Toronto's
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boarding school, Mrs Bodycote's Female Academy proves to be full of mysterious characters, both among the students and the instructors. The academy is rumoured to be haunted and tales swirl of former students that have gone missing. But is Flavia superstitious or easily taken in? No, young Flavia , budding scientist and sleuth, quickly lands on her feet. The very night she arrives at the boarding school, a charred body slides out of the chimney in her appointed room. I very much enjoyed this engaging and delightful cozy mystery. And , yes, Alan Bradley to continue the series and I'll be pre - ordering my copy!
Wonderful fun for Flavia de Luce fans!
4.5 stars
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LibraryThing member Neale
Another good story and I enjoyed the book. In terms of the mystery it wasn't as good as others in the series. If you like the others in the series you will like this book too.
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
Flavia de Luce has barely had time to grieve her mother's death when she is rushed off to a school in Canada. Flavia feels as if she has been banished from her beloved Buckshaw and is missing all that is familiar, including her sisters Daphne and Ophelia, not to mention Dogger and her beloved
I've said it before and have to say it again I thoroughly enjoy reading about Flavia's adventures. Flavia comes across as a mixture of Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, and Monk all rolled up in one neat little package. Although she hasn't reached the age of puberty, Flavia has the uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time to discover bodies and mysteries. But now Flavia is in an unknown environment without her usual support network and, as a result, isn't quite sure who to trust. She is somewhat leery of her headmistress, Miss Fawlthorne, and of her fellow students. The only teacher she seems to like is her chemistry professor, an acquitted murder suspect, Mrs. Bannerman. She doesn't like or trust the trustees that chaperoned her trip from England to Canada, the Drs. Rainsmith. Is it possible for Flavia to solve the crime of the headless corpse from the chimney with minimal clues and limited access to a lab? Can she determine what has happened to the missing girls without asking too many questions and putting herself in peril?
I found As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust an engaging and fast-paced read. This installment in the Flavia series showed a more emotional young girl. Flavia cries in grief over the loss of her mother and feels a sense of isolation by her "banishment" to a school far, far away from home. The only contact she has from home are the occasional letters from Dogger and her cousin Undine. The lack of contact from her immediate family only adds to her sense of being forgotten and banished. The Flavia revealed in this book is more thoughtful and not as prone to retaliation or pranks. She's much more analytical in her thinking and doesn't rely upon chemistry as much as she has in the past. (Yes she still uses chemistry but in a slightly different manner.) There are a lot of questions raised and answered in As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust, but questions still remain about the Nide, their purpose, and Flavia's role within this group. I look forward to reading more Flavia stories in the future and can't wait for her to return to England. If you want to know if Flavia solves the crimes and finds answers to the questions raised you'll have to read the book and find out for yourself.
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bicycle Gladys. What can a poor girl do when she is left alone in a foreign land? Well if that girl is Flavia the only answer is to solve a crime and she is provided the perfect opportunity when a body falls out of the chimney in her room at Miss Bodycote's Female Academy on her first night in Toronto. If that wasn't enough to deal with, she is warned about girls going missing when they ask too many questions.I've said it before and have to say it again I thoroughly enjoy reading about Flavia's adventures. Flavia comes across as a mixture of Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, and Monk all rolled up in one neat little package. Although she hasn't reached the age of puberty, Flavia has the uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time to discover bodies and mysteries. But now Flavia is in an unknown environment without her usual support network and, as a result, isn't quite sure who to trust. She is somewhat leery of her headmistress, Miss Fawlthorne, and of her fellow students. The only teacher she seems to like is her chemistry professor, an acquitted murder suspect, Mrs. Bannerman. She doesn't like or trust the trustees that chaperoned her trip from England to Canada, the Drs. Rainsmith. Is it possible for Flavia to solve the crime of the headless corpse from the chimney with minimal clues and limited access to a lab? Can she determine what has happened to the missing girls without asking too many questions and putting herself in peril?
I found As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust an engaging and fast-paced read. This installment in the Flavia series showed a more emotional young girl. Flavia cries in grief over the loss of her mother and feels a sense of isolation by her "banishment" to a school far, far away from home. The only contact she has from home are the occasional letters from Dogger and her cousin Undine. The lack of contact from her immediate family only adds to her sense of being forgotten and banished. The Flavia revealed in this book is more thoughtful and not as prone to retaliation or pranks. She's much more analytical in her thinking and doesn't rely upon chemistry as much as she has in the past. (Yes she still uses chemistry but in a slightly different manner.) There are a lot of questions raised and answered in As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust, but questions still remain about the Nide, their purpose, and Flavia's role within this group. I look forward to reading more Flavia stories in the future and can't wait for her to return to England. If you want to know if Flavia solves the crimes and finds answers to the questions raised you'll have to read the book and find out for yourself.
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LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Flavia is banished to her mother's old school in Canada. Being Flavia,she is assigned to a residence room and a body falls out of the fireplace chimney. She is immediately on the case with strangers in this strange land, Not even Gladys is available as a sounding board and transportation. Sorting
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the ally's from the enemies; this school has more secret societies than Yale, takes up a large part of the book. Flavia does seem destined to be deemed FF(Failed to Flourish) but instead wins through to finish with a flourish. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
Flavia, "banished" from Buckshaw and sent by Aunt Felicity to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Toronto, is thrown into a new and strange world - North America! Listening to narrator Jayne Entwistle tackle the flat dialect and movie-driven vocabulary of young girls in the 1950s is amusing and her
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voice for Flavia remains spot-on perfect. The story is far-fetched (even more so than usual!) and readers of the series, like Flavia, will miss Dogger, Feely, and Daph too much to really enjoy this installment. I thought I would enjoy Flavia's new adventures in a foreign land but I prefer her at Buckshaw. Developments at the end of the book hold promise though I'm not sure how much longer Bradley can stick with this character - a teenage Flavia de Luce boggles the mind! - but I hope we get to see Flavia back in her own laboratory in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
The newest book in the Flavia de Luce series takes place far from Buckshaw and the tiny town of Bishop’s Lacey. Flavia is off to Canada to attend Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy, the same boarding school her mother Harriet attended.
Though she’s loath to admit it, she’s a bit homesick and is
She once again mentions that her father was in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during WWII and I couldn't help but think of the movie and book Unbroken. I can’t imagine how horrible her father’s experience must have been. No child could understand that, but it makes sense that he's more detached with his children.
More than the other Flavia books, this one lost me a bit as it tried to juggle the different cords of the plot. I felt like a few things we left unresolved. (*SPOILER* For Example: why was the body’s throat slit before it was shoved up the chimney? Why did no one recognize the missing girl, even her own sister, just because she just had a wig on? *SPOILERS OVER*)
I also felt like there were a few tangents that could have been cut to simplify things. But regardless I still loved it. I particularly enjoyed seeing Flavia interact with other clever girls her own age, who weren't her sisters! It was refreshing to get out of Bishop’s Lacey for a bit. There was also a fun nod to the Nancy Drew series.
I was a big fan of the reporter character. I thought it was hilarious that he was willing to share info with Flavia even though he didn't know her. He’d do anything to get more details! I'm glad Flavia is finally getting into her role as a spy. She's been pursuing it on her own for so long and now she can get real guidance.
BOTTOM LINE: A fun chance to see Flavia outside of her normal setting. The novel works well at moving the story forward. A must read for anyone who has read the first six books in the series.
*Jayne Entwhistle narrates the audio as she has done for the whole series and she’s just perfect.
“Pride in a parent often takes strange forms.”
“There is a mystery in silence that can never be matched by mere words. Silence is power.”
Though she’s loath to admit it, she’s a bit homesick and is
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missing some of the people who she dearly loves like the vicar’s wife, Dogger and even her sisters and father. She is still as irascible as ever, with a short fuse and a wicked sense of humor.She once again mentions that her father was in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during WWII and I couldn't help but think of the movie and book Unbroken. I can’t imagine how horrible her father’s experience must have been. No child could understand that, but it makes sense that he's more detached with his children.
More than the other Flavia books, this one lost me a bit as it tried to juggle the different cords of the plot. I felt like a few things we left unresolved. (*SPOILER* For Example: why was the body’s throat slit before it was shoved up the chimney? Why did no one recognize the missing girl, even her own sister, just because she just had a wig on? *SPOILERS OVER*)
I also felt like there were a few tangents that could have been cut to simplify things. But regardless I still loved it. I particularly enjoyed seeing Flavia interact with other clever girls her own age, who weren't her sisters! It was refreshing to get out of Bishop’s Lacey for a bit. There was also a fun nod to the Nancy Drew series.
I was a big fan of the reporter character. I thought it was hilarious that he was willing to share info with Flavia even though he didn't know her. He’d do anything to get more details! I'm glad Flavia is finally getting into her role as a spy. She's been pursuing it on her own for so long and now she can get real guidance.
BOTTOM LINE: A fun chance to see Flavia outside of her normal setting. The novel works well at moving the story forward. A must read for anyone who has read the first six books in the series.
*Jayne Entwhistle narrates the audio as she has done for the whole series and she’s just perfect.
“Pride in a parent often takes strange forms.”
“There is a mystery in silence that can never be matched by mere words. Silence is power.”
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Language
Original publication date
2015-01-06
Physical description
8.74 inches
ISBN
1409149439 / 9781409149439
Local notes
Flavia de Luce finds herself expelled from the familiar confines of Bishop's Lacey and her beloved family home, Buckshaw, and 'packed off', as she puts it, to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada. With its forbidding headmistress and bizarre rules, adapting to Miss Bodycote's is quite a challenge. But Flavia is soon on familiar ground, when, on her first night, a mummified body is dislodged from a chimney, and she is presented with a gruesome puzzle to solve.
Ex-library copy.
Ex-library copy.