I want to thank Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review What Time The Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley.
“Without seeing the body, or reviewing the scene of the crime, I would have to work backward, as in a looking glass}
“Sweet poison! Wheels within wheels! Spinning… always and forever spinning!”
“There are moments you know you will remember until the stars burn out, and this was one of them.”
This is what I call a light read if you can call murder a light read! A British amateur sleuth, Flavia is a very likable character as is the cook, Mrs Mullet.
Poisonous mushrooms? A dead hangman!
It runs a bit long.
The book publishes 09/03/2024.

Flavia de Luce is back in this surprise 11th installment in the series! Flavia de Luce is back, and another murder has been committed in the quiet village of Bishop's Lacey. This time, beloved housekeeper Mrs. Mullet is accused of poisoning Major Goodinall, who was a former hangman. With trusty Dogger at her side and younger troublesome cousin Undine to help, she'll try to clear Mrs. Mullet's name and find out who really committed the murder. Of course Flavia finds out nothing is as simple as it seems.

Our Flavia is growing up… poor kid… I do enjoy how this series ticks all the conspiracy boxes, with just enough information to keep you guessing and thinking, does this really happen in real life? Probably it does not, but you cannot really know for sure…

Delighted that Bradley has written another book in the Flavia de Luce series. There are differences to be had - Flavia is now twelve. While still spontaneous and clever, the character's arc foreshadows her realization of adult thoughts and actions. These same emotions and changes come into play as she also is torn between tolerating, despising, and understanding her young cousin. The central mystery, the murder of a hangman who retired to Flavia's community, allows Bradley to use Flavia's detection skills well, but to go beyond her scientific findings as the book offers other twists and turns (not to be revealed in this review) which also are different and enhance the maturity she is gaining that wasn't seen in the prior books. An easy and enjoyable read.

A long wait for this book but absolutely worth it. Flavia is in fine form. Readers of the series will be delighted. And will continue to hope for more. We will never be satisfied..

I loved the first Flavia story. I have not kept up with all of them, so was really looking forward to reading this. I think it took me a while to get invested in this book. About halfway through I felt like the story picked up. Maybe it was my expectations and once I let go of my idea of Flavia as a little girl I was able to better enjoy the more grown up version. Any, I enjoyed the book, but the second half more. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Having read every Flavia de Luce book since the beginning, I couldn't wait to read this latest entry. If you've never read one, never fear, you won't be totally at sea, the author gently brings into focus all the backstory you need to know to enjoy this chapter in the life of the de Luce's at Buckshaw Manor.
As for the tale itself, after a rousing start (a neighbor, who happened to be a former hangman, is discovered murdered in his cottage and the cook for the de Luce's is the first suspect), it pretty quickly bogs down. This is not the lighthearted escapades of the young Flavia we know and love. This 14-year-old Flavia, is more sedate, more contemplative, still enmeshed in her chemistry experiments and poisons, but more prone to think first before acting. Which is basically what happens in the first half of the book; much pondering, reflection, surmising, and rehashing of the past.
Flavia has a wild (and a bit wildly unbelievable) jaunt through the secret underground of a nearby American Air Force? Army? (never was quite sure) base that dragged on too long. But by then, we reached the halfway mark and things not only pick up, but Flavia comes back into her old self. Inquisitive, resourceful, courageous and leaning on her father's old friend and employee, the war-damaged Dogger for help when needed.
Flavia is growing up into a fine young lady who keeps her most endearing traits, and her young cousin Undine, is becoming a similar but newer version of the old Flavia. They, along with faithful Dogger, make a most entertaining trio. I hope we will be able to continue enjoying their adventures as they all 'grow up' before our eyes.

I have been a fan of this series from the beginning so this latest installment took me a bit by surprise as it read more like a lightweight espionage novel than a cozy mystery. The whole book had a somber feel to it. I still enjoyed it, but Flavia just wasn’t herself—weighed down with grief over the loss of her father. And even Undine’s antics weren’t always enough to lighten the mood. In fact, it seemed that Undine is morphing into the character that Flavia had been and Flavia is moving on. Which, I guess, was inevitable at some point. I get the feeling, though, that the author isn’t entirely sure what to do with a more grown-up Flavia.

I fell in love with Flavia DeLuce with Alan Bradley’s first book “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.” I’ve read every book since that first one so I was very much looking forward to reading the latest book after a very long wait. It was good to return to Bishop’s Lacy and follow the adventures of Flavia, Undine, Dogger and Mrs. Mullet. I must say that the first half of the book dragged on a bit as nothing seemed to happen until the mid-point. Then the rest of the book was a bit underwhelming and convoluted. I guess I miss the earlier charming days of Flavia and her adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. I’m a longtime fan of Flavia de Luce and jumped at the chance to get a peek at this one before the hoi polloi. We learned in the last book that her amateur philatelist father had passed on and left the house to Flavia. When we drop in at Buckshaw this time, we find a neighbor has just been murdered and Mrs. Mullet, who had just cooked him a plate of mushrooms was the chief suspect. Flavia and Dogger combine their wits to solve the mystery and finger the guilty party. As usual there are a lot of surprises in this book!

So excited to get back the the world of Flavia de Luce, Buckshaw House, and the inhabitants of Bishop's Lacy.

Buckshaw's cook Mrs. Mullet is accused of poisoning someone with her mushrooms and it is up to Flavia to prove her innocent through her extensive knowledge of chemistry. Science to the rescue!

I enjoyed how Flavia solves this mystery but am less interested when talk and actions turn toward the Nide. The secret group, that I still don't know if it is working for or against the British government, is less engaging for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the eleventh book in this series, so I'm just going to go ahead and tell you that the series is great and you should go back to the beginning and read all of them, if you haven't already.

Flavia is science obsessed and she uses it (mostly chemistry) to solve the mysteries and murders that come her way. As the youngest of 3 daughters, the family dynamics are quite amusing. Dogger (the butler or manservant or whatever) is also quite a remarkable character.

The titles of these books are clever and the book covers are quite unique as well.

I do think this series has lost a bit of steam and the plots have gotten a bit odd, compared to the earlier books, but I'm here for it regardless.

Like many fans of Flavia De Luce, I was thrilled to see her back in action (after a long absence and what I thought was the last book in this series). This book started with a simple murder, but when Buckshaw’s cook Mrs. Mullet is accused of the crime—serving poisonous mushrooms to the victim—Flavis springs to life. Accompanied by her cousin, Undine, she starts down a road that will take her to places she never expected. This short book is filled with the trademarks of the series: wise-beyond-her-years Flavia solving crimes that baffle the local police, while dealing with an unusual home life, and lots of clever banter and testing of materials in her laboratory. However, it also becomes quite dark, and more complex. Flavia is a unique and admirable protagonist, and I hope that her adventures continue. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you haven't met Flavia de Luce, get to know this enterprising scientist/detective in the series' 10 previous novels. This time out, Flavia, 12, must clear the family cook of murder. She digs deep—too deep–into secrets involving her family and the military. One revelation veers into "jumping the shark" territory, but overall the book is a wonderful romp.

I especially love how the author crafts his sentences to perfection. Take Flavia's reaction to a well-worn leather sofa: "I reached out and touched the thing. It was softer and more pliable than ever you could have imagined—like the cheek of the teenage Virgin Mary."

The precocious sleuth and perennial adolescent Flavia de Luce is back (or will be on September 3) in another fast-paced and stellar mystery set on a crumbling English estate a few years after WW II. Author Alan Bradley can switch up the tone so quickly and skillfully that the story just careens along with solemn moments that are very touching set against hilarious escapades and observations by young Flavia. This story can be enjoyed by many ages. (The audio version of the first book is an unforgettable experience.) Fortunately, many of the series' favorite characters, like loyal Dogger, the vicar, and Inspector Hewitt, are back, along with some eye-popping surprises. Do not miss this wonderful mystery series. 4.5 stars

I was thrilled to see #11 in this wonderful series on NetGalley. I immediately requested an early-release copy and put it next up on my read list. Here is a bit of a background on my love for Flavia and this Bradley series. At an Indie bookstore in Boise, ID, I asked for a recommendation and was told to try one of these books. It appeared a YA book, the the bookseller told me to trust her. Going off my love of mysteries and good fiction, I gave it a try. I loved Favia and her supporting cast of characters, along with the quirkiness of her mind, as brilliantly written by the author. I went on to finish the series, believing it was done. When I researched the writer, I found that the intent was to end with the last book written and a production studio had bought the rights to bring it to screen. Although I occasionally do a search, nothing seems to have moved forward on this (I am still holding my breath).

When I saw that #11 was to be released, I felt like I had won the readers' lottery, and it did not disappoint. In fact, this storyline and writing to draw the reader back into the Favia stories were superb.

Now, I will wait in anticipation for the next one!

Alan Bradley’s latest Flavia De Luce mystery, What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doeth Rust, is just as entertaining as the rest of the series if not more so. It’s a complicated whodunnit full of surprises you won’t want to miss.

The De Luce family cook Mrs. Mullet is accused of the murder of Major Greyleigh an executioner who lived in the village. He is believed to have been poisoned by mushrooms she cooked, but Flavia knows Mrs. Mullet is an expert at picking mushrooms in the wild and she brought some of those same mushrooms home for the De Luce family’s breakfast that day.

Flavia managed to get a sample of the poison and discovers after testing in her lab that it’s saxitoxin, a deadly shellfish poison.

She continues to investigate and discovers incredibly dangerous information about who killed the man and sad news about her family. But revealing these details will spoil the mystery so you’ll have to read the novel to find out what happened.

I was thrilled to see this title when I was browsing a few weeks back. I adore this series and was wondering it was done.

Flavia and the other residents of Buckshaw and Bishop’s Lacy are as quirk, charming, and nosey as ever. There’s murder, mystery, and intrigue and a giant twist. I love getting to see Flavia in more of a big sister role and Mrs. Mullet seemed sassier than ever.

There were moments that seemed improbable, even within Flavia’s world, but the writing was solid as always.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

A few years ago, book 10 in this series was supposedly the last. I was beyond thrilled to find out there would be another book, and squealed aloud when the publisher approved me to get a galley. I adore Flavia and was happy to step into her world again.

The action begins, of course, with murder. A local man, Major Greyleigh, is found dead, and Buckshaw's own Mrs. Mullet stands accused because she cooked him mushrooms for breakfast. The suspicion seems weak, as the woman knows her mushrooms, but Flavia is ever keen on solving murder, so embroils herself in the investigation. Greyleigh was a hangman involved in various important cases. Flavia's efforts are dogged--and helped--by her new annoying shadow, her cousin Undine, who is like a cruder version of young Flavia. Her investigation takes her into dangerous new territory, and a revelation that will shatter her world.

I really didn't expect this book to go where it did. If I hadn't been reading in a library, I would have yelped out loud. I do like how this book fits into the broader plot arc of the series. That said, it wasn't as strong a book as others. Many of the usual cast members are absent, with the book really focused on Flavia, Undine, Dogger, and Mrs. Mullet. I missed the banter with Flavia's sisters. Chemistry didn't play as much of a role, either, and I missed that side of her investigative talents. Really, this feels like a bridge book, and as I know that Bradley is working on the 12th novel now, I wonder how things will end up connecting.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I have read and loved the previous Flavia de Luce books. When I saw that this was available, I jumped at the opportunity to read and review it. While the prose is as beautiful as ever, I was generally disappointed in the novel.

Essentially nothing happens in the first half of the book. While some background material is important, both for new readers and those who need an update, this is way too much. Flavia has become introspective, perhaps too much so.

The second half has the action, but the final reveal and conclusion strain credulity.

Nonetheless, I look forward to future editions in the hope that Flavia’s thrilling adventures will once again reign.