This was a new cozy series to me and unfortunately it is the last in series. It was delightful in many ways, wonderfully quirky and humorous.
Flavia is growing up fast after the death of her father. Now her oldest sister getting married, She and her good friend Dogger are busy and excited to set up their own investigative agency. Something in Bishop's Lacey is not altogether right and when a finger appears in the wedding cake she is delighted to investigate. . Her and Dogger are a great team and soon clues abound . This was a fun read, a really cute book I enjoyed reading . it has quirky charcters and fun repartee. I look forward to exploring the earlier books in the series. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.

I was provided a ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I can't say enough how much I love this series. Everything you love in a book. This one is especially funny, odd, and pungent.

Love Flavia and this series! Mr. Bradley created another gem to this story. I adore reading about this family and the mystery in each book.

The Flavia de Luce series is one of my favorites to get lost in. I love the character, her interactions, reactions, and personality are so real. The mystery is always engaging and the solution is unexpected.

The only criticism that I am noticing lately is that in the last few books, she doesn't seem to be the leading force for the detection. She seems to be getting replaced by Dogger. She is deferring to him more and more. She seems to be losing the voice that makes these books a "must-read". I hope she rediscovers her confidence before the next mystery.

Gladys is well-oiled and quietly carrying Flavia around Bishop's Lacey for another adventure. These books haven't lost any of their magic for me. I adore the slowly aging Flavia, girl detective and chemist who now has some respectability for all her nosiness by partnering with Dogger in an investigation business. And Dogger's continued good health, after suffering so much during the war, is a wonderful sight to see. Things are changing at Buckshaw, with Flavia's sister Ophelia marrying Dieter at last. With all the hubbub of the wedding and reception, it's easy for Flavia to try to gaslight Ophelia into thinking she didn't really see a finger in the wedding cake during their first cut. The finger leads to several threads of sleuthing for Flavia and Dogger. A trip to Brookwood cemetery, with its' military section was interesting--my grandmother's cousin is buried there. Although the family is changing, Undine makes her presence known in the household even as Flavia's other sisters take on more reserved roles.

I have been a fan of Flavia de Luce series because I am fond of the young, plucky, and bright protagonist! However, this novel didn’t thrill me. The mystery was very simple, predictable, and mostly in the background. Still, I adored Flavia and her companion Dogger. I also love how the novel begins at a wedding and had a light-hearted feel to it. However, I just wish the mystery was more well-done as the other novels in the series. Still, I recommend this for those that love cozy mysteries.

“Aside from that – except for the human remains – it was a beautiful occasion.” Flavia de Luce is at it again! This time her investigation begins due to the presence of the afore-mentioned human remains compromising her sister Ophelia’s wedding cake. It is also the first investigation for the newly minted Arthur W. Dogger and Associates investigative business. Flavia and Dogger set about their inquiry and uncover a sordid business involving alternative medicine and the charlatans that often peddle such snake oil “cures.”

I’m a fan of this series as Flavia de Luce is as engaging as she is precocious. However, after the events of the last book (The Grave’s A Fine and Private Place) I worried that Flavia’s irrepressible spirit wouldn’t recover. It’s lovely to see the continuing adventures of Flavia (and Dogger) as this intrepid duo prove all mysteries can be solved given time, logic and a scientist’s method of inquiry. As Flavia is quite young there is a part of me that sincerely hopes we continue to see more from author Alan Bradley. I would dearly love to see Flavia’s character as she grows and matures.

Golden Tresses of the Dead opens with the wedding of Flavia’s sister Ophelia. As typical in the life of Flavia, it does not go as planned. It was going along well enough until when cutting the cake, Ophelia screams, turns pale and has to be escorted away. Flavia makes her way quickly to the wedding cake, only to discover a human finger! And with that, the next adventure of Flavia de Luce is underway.

It’s been a little bit of time since I read my last Flavia novel, but it’s like stepping back into a comfortable pair of shoes. I love everything about these books, even though I am usually confused through most of them, only figuring things out at the very end.

In this story, Flavia (not your average 12 year old girl) has set up shop with Dogger, the estate gardener (not your average gardener) for investigations. Even the local constable has to grudgingly accept their help. They are quick on their feet, observant, and hyper intelligent.

As with all they other novels, this one did not disappoint. It’s part cozy mystery, part chemistry lesson, and filled with dry humor.

I received an ARC of the book.

It's autumn 1952, and although Flavia de Luce and her sisters, Feely (Ophelia) and Daffy (Daphne) are still distraught over the loss of their father less than a year ago, the Buckshaw household is getting ready for Feely's marriage to Dieter. Dieter, you may remember, was a former prisoner of war, a German pilot shot down over England by RAF pilot Reggie Mould. Now, Reggie is Dieter's best man at his nuptials.

All goes well at the wedding until Feely makes the first cut of her wedding cake, and discovers a severed human finger where the slice used to be. Feely's subsequent hysterics naturally gives Flavia a chance to wrap the finger in a napkin and whisk it away to her laboratory upstairs, where she is soon joined by Dogger, who had previously been her father's valet and loyal family's servant. You may recall that at the end of Book #9, The Grave's a Fine and Private Place, Flavia and Dogger had gone professional, establishing Arthur W. Dogger & Associates, Discreet Investigations. Needless to say, they immediately begin investigating the finger and lose no time in identifying it as belonging to a famous guitarist, Mme. Adriana Castelnuovo.

Before they get too far with the mystery of how Mme. Castelnuovo's severed finger ended up in Feely's wedding cake, they are hired by a Mrs. Anastasia Prill. Mrs. Prill believes that several letters of a delicate nature have been stolen from her home. Her father, Dr. Augustus Brocken had been a homeopathic practitioner and the developer of Brocken's Balsamic Electuary, a miracle cure all balm, which made him oodles of money. Now, though, the elderly Dr. Brocken has been living in an unresponsive state in Gollingford Abbey, a very expensive private hospital. But no sooner do they begin piecing together the clues to the missing letters then Mrs. Prill is found dead in her home, a suspicious cup of coffee nearby.

In the middle of all this, Flavia's friend and wife of the vicar, Cynthia Richardson, asks if two missionaries from Africa, Miss Doris Pursemaker and Miss Ardella Stonebrook, can stay at Buckshaw for a while, a request to which Flavia grudging agrees. It doesn't take long for Flavia and Dogger to wonder if the severed finger, the Brocken family's intrigues and the two missionaries are somehow connected to each other.

Flavia, who has been acutely feeling Feely's departure from Buckshaw, "Feely, with whom I had been engaged in an eternal joust since the day of my birth; Feely whom I always loved; Feely whom I sometimes hated" (pg 32), stoically throws herself into investigating these new mysteries as a way of avoiding this new loss in her life.

And Bradley writes this novel with the same zeal with which he has always approached his Flavia novels. And now he has given Flavia a foil in the form of Undine, her younger orphaned cousin now living in Buckshaw. Undine has always felt like an intruder there, treated more like an annoyance than someone who might have some good detection ideas, and she has been trying to prove herself to Flavia the whole time she has been living in Buckshaw. Will she ever get Flavia's respect?

Bradley has a way of incorporating interesting bits of trivia into his novels and this one is no different. I found the idea of the London Necropolis Company fascinating and I suspect fans of Flavia will too. And riding the same rails from Waterloo Station to Brookwood that this one famous funeral train traveled on is the first official act of Arthur W. Dogger & Associates and seems just so absolutely appropriate.

The Golden Tresses of the Dead is as delightful to read as all the previous books. It is supposed to be the last Flavia de Luce novel, but boy, it sure doesn't feel that way and let's hope it isn't.

This book is recommended for readers age 12+
This book is an EARC received from NetGalley

Feely is finally getting married, but on cutting into her wedding cake almost faints. While the guests attend to the bride, Flavia attends to the cake. And so begins, another charming, fun Flavia de Luce mystery. Flavia and her now partner, Dogger, who needed a new purpose in life after the death of Flavia's father have a new case and this one is a doozy! Plot twists abound and the reader is kept smiling throughout this read.

As with all the Flavia books, this is one fun mystery! The characters remain, the death is new, the dialog (internal and expressed) is a delight.

Despite her recent heartaches and troubles Flavia remains her usual precocious self. She is one of my very favorite fictional characters. Life is changing for her, and in this installment her sister Feely is getting married. The festivities grinds to a halt when a severed finger is found in the wedding cake. Of course, Flavia is delighted at this turn of events and she and Dogger have a new case for their fledging business, Arthur W. Dogger & Associates.

I'm delighted that she and Dogger have joined forces, as they are my two favorite characters. Dogger is able to gently channel Flavia's impulsivity and they make a fabulous team. Honestly, the mysteries interest me less than the interactions between the characters. I did miss the sarcasm and wit between Flavia and her sisters but Flavia has met her match in her cousin Undine. I hope we will be seeing more of Undine in future books.

There has been conflicting information on whether this is the final book in the series and I hope it isn't. I can see quite a future for Flavia and Dogger in their working relationship as private investigators. The series is fun, humorous, and charming.

After years of trouble and sorrow, the de Luce family is ready for some joy as Ophelia marries Dieter. But the festivities take a turn when the bride cuts into her cake and discovers a severed finger. Her younger sister Flavia is thrilled to have another mystery to solve and takes the finger to her laboratory. Since she has recently joined the detective business with the family's devoted valet Dogger, figuring out whose finger it is and how it got into the cake seems like an excellent first case.

Ophelia and Dieter's wedding is the perfect occasion for our characters to take stock of their shared history and the possibilities of their future. While Flavia is brilliant, she is still a twelve year-old girl whose parents have died and whose sister is leaving the family home. One of the highlights of this book in particular is seeing how relationships have grown throughout the series, as Flavia works alongside Dogger, interacts with her neighbors in the village of Bishop's Lacey, and discovers the new dynamics of the de Luce estate with some family members gone and a new addition there to stay.

In some of the later books, I haven't found the mysteries themselves to be that compelling and I'm hard-pressed to tell you a few weeks later who committed the crime or why. But following Flavia and her family on a new adventure is always a good use of a few hours. Author Alan Bradley stated that this might be the last book in the series, so we shall see if this is Flavia's swan song or if she insists on coming back for a few more mysteries on our bookshelves.

For my thoughts on earlier Flavia de Luce stories, hop over here.

The Golden Tresses of the Dead
Flavia de Luce #10
By Alan Bradley
Bantam January 2019
352 pages
Read via Netgalley

What a delightful addition to the Flavia de Luce series. This is book 10 and I love watching Flavia grow both physically and mentally. Now 12 years old, Flavia is happy her sister Ophelia is getting married. When they find a finger in the cake at the wedding she and Dogger have their first official case for their detection business. You could read this as a stand alone book but you will enjoy it more as you watch Flavia grow over the course of the series. This series is slightly historic, set in the 1950's English countryside it's a fun read. It's amazing how women and children were treated in society. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Flavia de Luce is back! Alan Bradley has successfully entertained us again with his latest novel. A great cast of characters, some who are old friends for those who have been following the series. For those readers who are new to Flavia, no fear, Bradley does a wonderful job of introducing just enough information so you will not be lost.
Such a joy to join Flavia and Dogger on another marvelous mystery adventure! What fun!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alan Bradley, and Delacorte Press for granting me the opportunity to read and review this delightful novel!

Flavia is just the best companion! I have enjoyed this series for a long time and this installment was just as fun. Fans of this series will be happy and delighted by this new adventure.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

This was another wonderful chapter in the Flavia de Luce series! The novel starts with Ophelia finally marrying and the family is in a bustle getting things ready for the wedding with exotic flowers even in the autumn. As the wedding continues on and Flavia is trying to ensure her cousin Undine does not cause any problems, a problem pops up on it's own as Feely cuts into her wedding cake....and sees a human finger! Flavia immediately jumps in and she and Dogger decide to begin to investigate!

I absolutely love these novels and I appreciate how intelligent Flavia is and how she figures things out, with no formal bit of schooling. It is funny to look at the times of this novel and how Flavia is an orphan and yet no one has tried to figure out who the adult is for this 12-year old, nor her younger cousin Undine. However, Mrs. Mullet and Dogger, and really the whole village, have picked up the parental slack. The only thing that I am concerned about this novel is that it seemed to have a very final feeling with the ending....are we not to enjoy anymore adventures of Flavia?!?! I sure hope there is most mysteries for her to solve!

Bradley's intriguing mystery serves up surprises in nearly every chapter; I was over halfway through this startling whodunit and enjoying every last detail (and Bradley pulls readers into this suspenseful framed story with his flair for the most intricate details), when I began reading the latest Eve Dallas detective story by Nora Roberts, aka JD Robb which promises to be an amazing reading experience. I dare say the two are provocative readings!
Flavia de Luca, the teenage protagonist whose a burgeoning ace detective in Golden Tresses is determined to solve this key mystery: whose female finger is it enfolded in the iceing of Flavia's beloved older sister's 3-tiered wedding cake baked on the premises? Could it be a dancer's or a concert musician's finger? A relative's that held a grudge?
Flavia is like a fledgling Eve Dallas because she, alongside her fond friend and veteran business partner in their PI agency Dogger, is fearlessly determined, despite the mounting tension and growing number of corpses, to solve this very personal case for the benefit of the newlyweds and for the invitees--to the most grandest wedding for this surrounding closeknit English village in a long while!
Bradley deftly weaves this Flavia de Luca mystery together and this is shown early on; stick your heels in and get ready for a highly enjoyable ride, because you just don't know what lies ahead, chapter to chapter, Flavia is about to say something peculiar, but listen closely because she is a bright star with a unique brand of humor!
This reminds me of another bright character, a female from the NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas. She has one might say a Flavian brand of humor...or is it the other way around?
Readers you decide for yourself, both novels are proving to be provocative, and entertaining!

I must start this review by fully admitting that I love this series. I get so happy every time a new one is coming out, and The Golden Tresses of the Dead did not disappoint at all.

I really appreciate how Bradley has managed to take the series in a really intriguing new direction while still holding true to the characters he has developed and their unique personalities. This mystery starts with a finger in a wedding cake, and doesn't let up from there. Flavia is such a great, unique character, and I love seeing even more of Dogger.

These are incredibly clever, fun, original mysteries that I cannot recommend highly enough. Definitely start from the first entry in the series and keep going from there!

Flavia is entertaining as always. This series is so clever and charming. I can't wait to read more adventures with Flavia and Dogger's detective agency,