I've loved a good mystery series since I discovered the Nancy Drew books in elementary school. The Flavia de Luce series was a delightful discovery for me. Alan Bradley has fashioned the most wonderful character in Flavia - an 11-year-old who, in 1951, lives in the English countryside with her father and sisters on the family's crumbling estate, a girl who is both precocious in her knowledge of chemistry (including poisons) and some of life's mysteries (especially death), and at the same time still at heart an 11-year-old girl who struggles with never having known her mother, who disappeared during WWII when Flavia was too young to have formed any memories of her. The books are usually an excellent combination of mystery and humor, and while there are still flashes of Flavia's humor, this one is a bit more serious. Flavia's mother's body has been recovered, and brought back to England for burial. The mystery begins at the train station, where the family has gathered to meet the train carrying her mother's body. A mysterious man whispers something cryptic to Flavia, and then dies shortly after. This sets Flavia on a mission to discover the connection and she makes quite a few discoveries about her mother's "other" life. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the series and it left me anxious to read the next "chapters" of Flavia's adventures, which Bradley has set up near the end of the book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

If you haven't read any of the Flavia de Luce mysteries, you might want to pick up some of the earlier ones to set the state. Its rural Britain after WWII. Flavia who loves chemistry lives with her father and two older sisters in a crumbling manor that belonged to her mother. Her mother was killed in a Himalayan climbing accident. Her body has been found and returned for burial. Even Winston Churchill shows up to pay his respects to Mrs. de Luce. Flavia uncovers a lot of WWII espionage history as she uncovers the truth of her mother's death. But I'm a little distraught because Flavia is going to Canada to her mother's alma mater to study chemistry and is leaving. Will the mysteries follow her? What's to become of the characters we've grown to love. Oh, please don't disappoint me, Mr. Bradley in the next book. I'm eagerly waiting for it. I may have to buy it instead of wait for a library copy.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches is the 6th book in the Flavia de Luce series. Flavia is a lively and brilliant 11-year-old living with her father and sisters in a small village in England in the 1950s. In this book, Flavia is waiting at the train station when a stranger whispers something in her ear. Not long after, the stranger is pushed under the train and Flavia must figure out why he was murdered and what he has to do with the de Luce family.

Flavia is one of my favorite characters, and this series has quickly become one of my favorites, as well. I can identify with Flavia, who is something of a misfit and a loner, but in a rather heart-warming way. It is amazing that Alan Bradley can write about a young girl so wonderfully! The book is an easy and unfortunately quick read. (Why is it that the best books are read so quickly, while others just seem to drag along?) Bradley captures the quirkiness of the English town and this fallen-on-hard-times, upper-class family very well. I love visiting Bishop's Lacey and Buckshaw to find out what will happen next.

I highly recommend this book to any one who enjoys a funny and smart mystery with an absolutely enjoyable girl detective.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.