In 1950, in the village of Bishop's Lady in a once grand mansion named Buckshaw,
eleven-year-old aspiring chemist Flavia deLuce lives with her reclusive father, a stamp collector,
and her two older sisters. She has inherited a lab from her deceased eccentric uncle. She is
obsessed with poisons.
When she discovers a murdered stranger in the cucumber patch she decides to solve the case
herself. There is a puzzling clue that appears in the form of a dead bird found on the doorstep
with a postage stamp pierced to its beak. There are mysteries in the past to be resolved: the
theft of a rare stamp, her father's possible involvement in the suicide death of a school mate...
Or was it suicide? Then there is her mother's mysterious, tragic death during a mountain climbing
expedition. These are all challenges for the young girl.
This is an entertaining read. It is filled with interesting and in
some cases wacky village characters. It is well written and filled
with period details. There are unexpected twists and turns which
keep the reader on his (or her) toes. There are no explicit sexual
situations, no explicit violence. The narrative is filled with humor.
We cannot help but love and admire this English Nancy Drew. Will
we be seeing more of her in the future?
Reviews
of other titles in this series
The
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie #1 [review]
The Weed That Swings the Hangman's Bag #2 [review]
A Red Herring Without Mustard #3 [review]
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows #4 [review]
The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches #6 [review]