In full honesty, I spent this summer trying to get caught up on all the Flavia de Luce books. I made it to #4 and a lot clearly happens between #4-#11. So, I was a bit in the dark on some of the things going on that were continuations from earlier parts of the series. I’m sure that affected part of my enjoyment of the book. But, Flavia was still her witty, spunky self. I was glad to see Gladys, her trusty bike, is still in working order.

“I have to admit that I’d been praying for ages to God, the Virgin Mary, and all the saints for a jolly good old-fashioned mushroom poisoning. Not that I wanted anyone to die, but why give a girl a gift of science—of chemistry, to be precise—such as mine without giving her the opportunity to use it?”

As you can imagine, Flavia is still obsessed with death which of course is quite odd for an 11-12-year-old. When a local villager and former hangman (that was really a position?) is found dead, Mrs. Mullet, Flavia’s beloved housekeeper, is the first one questioned. Mrs. Mullet has been feeding him breakfast every morning and he may have died from poisonous mushrooms. Flavia, of course, has to get to the bottom of this case, even though she has been told numerous times to stay out of it.

“I was beginning to learn that when you’re bereaved, as I have been, you live in a shattered looking-glass world. Nothing is as it seems. I needed to focus: to pull myself back together into that single, intense, burning intelligence I once had been. And I needed to do it quickly.”

Flavia is grieving the death of her beloved father and makes some hasty decisions that put her in a bit of trouble. I had to quickly skim over quite a few pages of this section as it was difficult to read because her particular situation in the story is a major fear of mine. I even had a nightmare related to it. Of course, Flavia finds the murderer and informs the authorities, so all ends well. But, it was a little touch and go for a bit.

“It’s strange, isn’t it, how sadness is first detected by the nose? One would expect the eyes to lead the way, but it’s invariably the nose that triggers the earliest alarm. Sadness is much like smoke, I’ve decided: an odor raised at the very doorstep of the brain.”

I do think those who have loved the series will enjoy this one as well. Compared to the first four, it wasn’t my favorite, but that could be due to my own issues and not related to the story as a whole.

So weird and so enjoyable. It was a brain exercise to read this. I enjoy these kind of odd books that make you actually work for it

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever jumped into a book or series without ever reading any previous book by that author or within that specific series? Not sure if that makes sense right now, but that's exactly what happened to me.

When I originally asked for this book, I had no idea it was book eleven until after downloading it. That being said, I still dove into it without reading the previous ten books and have zero regrets. If anything, this book alone is wanting me to dive into book one just to see what Flavia gets into exactly.

Speaking of Flavia, I absolutely loved her. She's hilarious, and I love how her little cousin, Undine, gets under her skin. I laughed so much whenever they were interacting with one another. Then there's Dogger, and I equally adored him. The way he would treat Flavia as an equal just made my heart happy. Other than that, I really enjoyed how they all handled the investigation and worked together to figure out the truth.

In the end, I may have started this series with book eleven, but I will obviously try my very best to get my hands on book one as soon as possible. I need more sleuthing adventures, especially if it is an audiobook.

Flavia deLuce is back again and I have been eagerly awaiting her return, though I wasn't sure if she would. This installment is a wild ride that I absolutely loved because Alan Bradley just delivers every time. Flavia has had to do some growing up in the previous book, and more in this one as well because with her parents deceased she is the heiress of Buckshaw which comes with taking care of her employees-Mrs. Mullet, the cook, and Dogger, the man of many talents and other half of the deLuce investigative team, not to mention her orphaned younger cousin Undine. Her sisters are moving on with their lives in expected ways, Feely has married and is on honeymoon but will presumably live with her husband, and Daffy will attend University soon which leaves Flavia feeling quite abandoned and realizing she now has to take the older sister role for Undine (and maybe is starting to realize how she appeared to her own sisters).

Mrs. Mullet is implicated in a murder, but of course Flavia knows Mrs. Mullet would never do that. Flavia, with Undine in tow (unfortunately for Flavia) will uncover the murderer, the motive, and reveal much more than she bargained for. The innocence of childhood and ignorance of what goes on in her small parish is being seared away with flame.

Absolutely gobsmacked at the ending of this book and I can see why it took Bradley some time to release it.

Most recent Flavia de Luce book. I thought this series was done, but Flavia is back. I haven't been that enthralled by these for the last few books, especially since Undine, the little cousin, came on the scene. It has been so long since the previous book that I had forgotten a major plot point. This was decent, but the earlier books in the series are better and maybe it's time for Flavia to grow up and move on? 3 stars

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley is the 11th book in the Flavia de Luce Mystery series.

Flavia is a young girl who repeatedly finds herself in close proximity to an unsolved murder. An amateur sleuth, Flavia often solves the crime before the local police.

This time, Flavia must clear the name of her family’s cook, Mrs. Mullet. Surely Mrs. Mullet didn’t mean to poison the Major when she cooked him those mushrooms for breakfast?

If you like murder mysteries, historical fiction, and unexpected characters as detectives, I highly recommend Flavia de Lucia. I recommend starting at the beginning of the series, as many events shape Flavia’s life and her family, and it is necessary to understand the plot points in later books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5)

I saw this coming a few books back but was delighted to read Mr. Bradley’s handling of the situation. Flavia is maturing and being tortured by a younger cousin (who certainly smacks of a younger Flavia) as she winds her way through managing her late father’s estate while never taking her eye off the local scene for murder and whatever.

In all of Bradley’s books there are snippets of wit and wisdom: “when you know a person’s name, you have very great power over them…” “The making of a pot of tea is a blessing.” Flavia maintains a smile embracing cheap isolation from the world knowing that “the best smile is for oneself”. But not all is a smile, a witticism, there are deeper social and moral issues at hand and once again Flavia is going to take another large step toward adulthood.

This installment was a long time coming but I am so grateful that it has arrived. It is bright, cheeky, intelligent and well written. Thanks to Bantam Books and NetGalley for a copy.

Delightful continuation to a delightful series; Flavia deLuce continues to be a chemical force of nature and the voice she's given continues to delight.

This is my second Flavia DeLuce novel. I could not finish the first, but actually enjoyed this one. There are some questionable holes in the story, but the story flows nicely. Perhaps I'll have to go back and reread the first one.

Flavia de Luce finds herself once again looking into a murder when the local recluse is murdered and all signs point to her family's longtime cook. She'll have to explore dangerous clues and put more than just herself in danger if she wants to reveal the truth, but is she ready for what she might uncover?

I can see why it's a popular series and think it might partly be that I've been told how amazing it is ad nauseam, but it ultimately wasn't for me. The writing is good if a little too stoic for me, feeling forced when moments that were supposed to be funny and dragging in between the big moments. Flavia is a complex character and I love that such a smart female is the lead, she just never quite captured my attention.

Overall, it's a solidly written story that I can recognize is good, but it just didn't click with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the chance to read.

What Time the Sexton's Spade doth Rust by Alan Bradley
#Flaviadeluce11
#historicalmystery

When I requested this book from #netgalley, I had no idea that it was number 11 in a series. 🤦 But I still surprisingly still liked the book. I was not confused at all. I just wished I had more background for the main character Flavia and the few side characters. I bet if I was reading this with the series I'd give it a full 5 stars.

This book takes place in the English countryside shortly after WW2. Flavia appears to be an older teen who has been orphaned and still living with the family housekeeper and an orphaned cousin. Both who have pretty big roles in the book. But for some reason, Flavia seems to always be near enough to dead bodies to have annoyed the dopey police officer that always gets assigned to investigate these deaths.

#whatimethesextonsspadedothrust
#randomhousepublishing
#ballentinebooks

Flavia is back and grieving the death of her father while dodging her annoying cousin Undine's attempts to become partners in solving murders in the quaint British village near her ancestral home of Buckshaw. This time the family's longtime cook is implicated in a former hangman's suspicious death and Flavia must step in quickly to find the real murderer. A hilarious romp with a young heroine that is still as fascinating as ever. Author Bradley continues to deliver lovely mysteries, while further developing his beloved characters.

Hey this book was great. This whole series has intrigued me from the beginning. I love these quirky characters. Bravo as always!

First sentence: The greatest minds in the world are often cranky when they first awaken in the morning, and mine is no exception. If I am to ascend above the ordinary, I require solitude the way a balloon needs helium.

Premise/plot: What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust is the eleventh book in this historical mystery series. The tenth novel in the series was published in 2019. Flavia de Luce, our heroine, has come of age solving mysteries all the time--ALL the time. Her upbringing is unusual to say the least. The household has shrunk--in some ways--and grown. Though Flavia doesn't see the addition of Undine as a plus. (Though she is down one "annoying" older sister through marriage). Both Undine and Flavia are "strange" "unusual" in their own ways.

There is a mystery to be solved...but the greatest mystery to be solved does not involve the oh-so-obvious dead body.

My thoughts: To say that I was absolutely SHOCKED by the twist(s) in this one would be an understatement. I'm not just saying that. I didn't see the reveal coming...at all. And it's the kind of reveal that takes processing and more processing and even more processing. So much so that the actual case of the murder mystery almost seemed inconsequential. There were a few intense scenes for sure. I definitely found it compelling.

The writing is still incredible. It isn't so much the plot itself but the narrative technique itself. I was reminded again why I love(d) the series so much.

The big reveal has left me a little unsettled. I don't know how to best process this and incorporate it with my thoughts on the whole series.

Quotes:

"Why do you insist on following me everywhere?" I asked. "Cause I'm your crocodile," she hissed, snapping her jaws and making a ghastly clicking noise with her throat. "Tick-tock. Tick-tock."

It's always embarrassing when someone steps over that invisible line and into your private life. Even though they mean well, the line has been broken, and can never again be the impenetrable defense that it once was. I thanked her for her concern but didn't tell her that I wasn't being eaten by loneliness. It was lack of love, and that's no sin either.

"The making of a pot of tea is a blessing," Father once told me in a rare moment of revealing his thoughts. "A blessing upon both the one who prepares it and those who drink it. A small sacrament to be sure, but it must never be done frivolously or unthinkingly."

"They will never be forgotten, Mrs. Skinnett," I said. "They are legends." "I know they are, dear. You don't have to tell me." I looked into her faded blue eyes and recoiled almost physically. I had to brace myself. Their depths were indescribable: beyond compare. In her eyes were other worlds and other times. The past was still alive in her! I could see it! In those pale blue irises were births, deaths, and loves; successes and failures; tragedies and comedies and, yes, hates. I had never seen anything like it, and in a way, I hoped I never would again.

Feelings are beyond words; beyond action; beyond reason. They are the only true and constant indicators we ever have in this cruel life.

There is something to be said for a series as consistent as the Flavia de Luce novels from Alan Bradley. It’s not a series that I read in order, from book one until now, which would be 10 books, with the first one in 2009 and the last, this one, in 2024.

That consistency means that I can pop in and out of the series whenever I want. It’s like slipping on your favorite pair of shoes. You know exactly what to expect and you know you are going to be happy and comfortable.

The last book I read was the 2015, As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust. So, it’s been awhile. There are some new characters, some old familiar characters, and of course, Flavia de Luce.

Flavia never disappoints with her Sherlock Holmes sleuthing and her enormous knowledge of science. I always feel like I come away learning something.

Plenty of twists and turns and always enjoyable

3.5-4 stars
I've read 2 previous Flavia de Luce books and loved Flavia herself and thought they had good plots. I loved Flavia a bit less this time around. Seems like the author is having some trouble with her age--I couldn't figure out if she was supposed to be 8 or 15. I like the side characters (Dogger, for example), with the exception of Undine. One precocious child per book, please. Also didn't love the addition of the spy organization. But I still enjoyed Flavia enough to read others in the series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

It's certainly nice to see young Flavia de Luce again, especially after thinking the series had ended with book #10. Flavia is dealing with the death of her father and having her younger cousin, Undine, living with her and her sister, Daffy, at Buckshaw. When a local civil servant passes away, Flavia becomes involved because, well, she's Flavia, but also because the family's beloved housekeeper, Mrs. Mullet, the man's cook, is suspected, as she was the one who served him the supposedly poisoned mushrooms with his breakfast.

For me, the best parts of the Flavia series are now her interactions with beloved butler, Dogger, and Mrs. Mullet (Mrs. M). Flavia's wisdom and sweetness shine through as she talks to these grown-ups in her life, revealing how, at age 12, she is both old beyond her years, and yet, just a kid.

Alas, Undine, while growing on me, is still a tough character to like, and the series fairly recent addition of a secret society (the Nide) that involves the entire de Luce family is tedious. I truly prefer Flavia when she's just young Flavia, solving mysteries, riding her bike Gladys across the countryside, puttering about in her chemistry lab, and chattering with Dogger and Mrs. M.

So, while this is a fun read, there are plenty of distractions that take away from its true Flavia essence. Perhaps, sometimes, series are meant to end, though I'm sure I won't give up on Flavia anytime soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

This book was ok. This is my first exposure to this author and this character. It was definitely deep into the series so I feel like I may be missing out on some things. I did like the main character and her somewhat-sidekick Dogger but the bulk of the book was a lot of prattling on about nothing. Very little exposition was pertinent to the story but, instead, internal monologue and character development, although this deep into the series I'm not sure the character needs to be developed this much anymore. If we don't have a sense of who she is now we never will.

I liked the book in theory but not in execution. I probably won't be reading any more in this series.

I feared the previous book would be the last but my favorite juvenile amateur detective is BACK!

Flavia is delightfully fascinated by chemistry and death, and bicycles around Bishop’s Lacy in 1950’s England solving crimes. She’s smart, precocious, and witty.

The mystery is fun & interesting in each book, but I’m here for the characters, especially Flavia and Dugger, although the secondary characters are also delightful. Her cousin Undine is a mini-Flavia, and Flavia’s reactions to her in this book are particularly enjoyable.

As with the last book, there’s a shocking revelation, and I hope we won’t have to wait so long for the next book!

I am so attached to Flavia that, at this point, there is little Bradley could do to earn fewer than five stars.

Personal biases now fully accounted for, What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust is unexpected and unlike the Flavias before. Facing down accusations about Mrs. Mullet and the consequences of her impending adulthood, the precocious girl-sleuth faces a darker mystery. The tension is regularly alleviated by the presence of Undine, but remains significantly more fraught that the earliest installments.

While this most recent addition isn't necessarily my favorite, it does seem that Bradley is opening the door to an older (wiser?) Flavia ready to investigate murders and political intrigue in equal measure.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC