The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Book No: 22
Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Author: Alan Bradley
Genre: Mystery
Completed: 5/20/09
No. of Pages: 373
Rating: 4/5*****

Ladies and Gentleman meet Flavia Sabina De Luce, the most precocious, obnoxious and at times funniest eleven year old you will ever have the pleasure to meet. It’s 1950, England and Flavia lives in her slightly rundown estate Buckshaw. Surrounded by an eccentric cast of characters, her family and extended family/staff, Flavia spends most of her time in her chemistry laboratory, a leftover from one of her ancestors who died in the lab 20 years earlier. Untouched since then it has become Flavia’s escape from her two sisters, who barely tolerate her existence and her father who rarely acknowledges her. When Flavia discovers a body in the cucumber patch one night and her father is arrested for murder Flavia decides to solve the crime.

This book was a cross between I Capture the Castle and Nancy Drew. Mixing murder, kidnapping, magic and stamp collecting it was a clever mystery with a truly original protagonist. Flavia knows her way around poison, it may be risky to have tea with her. She has an appetite for revenge on the sisters who largely ignore her, including one delicious little bit including lipstick and poison ivy. At times you don’t know whether you want to shake her or give her a hug. Trust me by the end of the book you will be a little in love with Flavia and looking forward to another one of her adventures.