I have loved Flavia de Luce from book one of this wonderful series. We have gone on her journey and watched as she has grown into a young lady. Even as a young lady she is willing to hop on her trusty bike Gladys and ride into adventures. I loved this book. I was surprised because I did not think there was more de Luce books to be written. So a very pleasant surprise. I am fond of Flavia and the secondary characters that jump off the page. A nice cozy mystery with tons of chemistry and science to explain the clues. Loved it.

Alan Bradley is back and I am ecstatic! This is a great addition to the series and any fan of Flavia won’t be disappointed!

This is a cozy mystery set in the British countryside after the war. It is told solely from the point of view of Flavia who is the main character. She is an amateur sleuth and a young girl mourning the death of her father. There are several instances that will make readers laugh out loud at the antics of the characters. The dialogue is especially interesting as Flavia has a unique way with words. The plot is engaging and will hold the interest of readers.

This book was so funny, I couldn’t get enough, I did not know it was part of a series and I want to read some more on Flavia., an amateur sleuth, and smart as hell, I am all for it. The banter and the words the author uses, it makes the book so much fun to read. I couldn’t put this book down. I will be reading more of this series, I now understand the hype lol.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

In this installment of Flavia de Luce, Flavia is growing up and has now taken upon herself the charge of her young cousin, Undine. When Major Greyleigh, the former public hangman, is found dead and Mrs, Mullet is the main suspect, Flavia puts her skills to the test to clear her trusted cook's good name. However, her investigation takes her down a path she never expected.

This was another great Flavia de Luce Mystery! I love Flavia and how I never quite know what to expect from her. I love how she is always getting herself into sticky situations. I liked her little shadow, Undine, and how despite Flavia's jealously she still protects her fiercely. It fun to see the silent competition between Flavia and Undine unfurl.

This book does refer to previous books so it is best enjoyed after reading the rest of the series. There was a bit of fart humor from Undine that surprised me a little from this book and there was implied swearing. This was a fun, cozy mystery! It was everything I hoped for in a Flavia de Luce Mystery.

Flavia is back!

I was so excited when I heard that Alan Bradley was releasing a new Flavia book. I hadn't read the series for a few years, and I wasn't sure if the book would still hold the same appeal, but it actually did. Flavia's humor and her friends and family bring this story to life. I loved reconnecting with Dogger and Mrs. Mullet as well a seeing Flavia connect with her cousin Undine. In this novel, Flavia is still recovering from the death of her father and starting to consider adulthood when a man is murdered and her beloved cook is accused. As Flavia sets out on a mission to save Mrs. Mullet, the trail leads to a mystery that goes far beyond one man's death into a deep governmental conspiracy.

Without giving too much away, I loved that this book touched on the over-arching plot of the books. That's one of my least favorite things about mystery series--a lot of times they feel like isolated books. Bradley instead manages to weave a plot across his books. There were also some great surprises in this book. The combination of a surprising mystery and the deep, funny characters made me love this book!

4.25/5

There were already three or four books published in the Flavia de Luce series when I read the first book, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. By the time I finished, I was fascinated by Flavia and her world. The books, with their curious titles, stolen from mostly obscure quotes, Flavia’s world of combined privilege and poverty, her family with their strained relationships and the mysteries at once both classic and unique, have kept me hooked. In the eleventh book in the series, What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust, Flavia grapples with leaving childhood behind, her love/hate relationship with her young cousin, Undine and uncovering more secrets about the mysterious organization with which her family is entwined. All this, while trying to prove that the de Luce housekeeper, Mrs. Mullet didn't feed poison mushrooms to a new village resident who was once employed as a hangman. In the process Flavia finds out that there is much more to Mrs. Mullet than she ever suspected. Cheers to another successful addition to the Flavia de Luce series. I’ll be happily re-reading while we wait for the next installment.

It has been 5 years since I read The Golden Tresses of the Dead (the previous installment in the Flavia de Luce series), and I didn't realize how much I missed her until I started reading this book. Flavia is her delightful, incorrigible self - sassy as ever, but with a little more maturity. She is entering womanhood, feeling some responsibility - especially towards cousin Undine - but that isn't stopping her from solving a murder. She is also still processing grief over the loss of her father. In this book, I felt her "aloneness" like never before, and yet, Dogger is there along with Mrs. Mullet to help support her through this season of transition and we glimpse Flavia beginning to "come into her own."
Full of emotion, but balanced with Flavia's wit and general humor, this is a wonderful addition to the series.
Could you start here if you haven't read the other books? I think so. Bradley gives you enough back story to keep you engaged.
Highly recommend!

This was both wildly strong and disappointing. But maybe that’s just my own fault. I’ve waited so long with bated breath for this next installment that it couldn’t possibly live up to my own personal hype. I was extraordinarily glad to be back with Flavia, and if you’ve read all the previous books, with other characters that return; some more surprising than others. All that said, I do recommend this latest adventure.

Flavia is unexpectedly back and I'm so glad! In "What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust," the murder of a former hangman brings trouble to the de Luce household, and Flavia must solve the case to keep what's left of her dimished family together.

Flavia is growing up, and this book is an interesting contrast between the girl she sometimes still is and the acknowledgement of the adult she will become. Having "custody" of her cousin Undine has brought her more maturity in her dealings with others and tempered her approach to her interactions with her family. There's a heavier load for Flavia in this book, and she discovers a secret that turns her world on its head, and casts a shadow on her future. I hope there are more books, because I want to see how she deals with the repercussions from this one.

Why you should read this book: This series could go so horribly wrong, but it gets everything right. Flavia is just precocious enough, and seeing the world through her eyes is a joy. We get to find out more about Mrs. Mullet, and her sly wit was very welcome.

Why you might not want to read this book: If you don't like intelligent child main characters or intricate puzzles, this isn't your book.

I received an advance copy from Ballantine|Bantam via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4.75 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

What joy it is to have a new Flavia DeLuce book! Flavia is maturing but her essence remains the same: curious, reflective, genius, complicated. Her cousin Undine is like her shadow or mirror and Flavia does not know how to think or feel about that. However, when beloved Mrs Mullet is accused of murder, the two join forces to absolve her, leading to a most surprising event.

Splendidly written as always.

I was so excited to see that Alan Bradley had a new Flavia book coming out! I've been waiting years and it was worth the wait. Flavia is one of my all time favorite characters and I always push the first in this series on my students who like a good mystery. I've never had one complain or bring it back dissatisfied.

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley is a captivating female detective novel. The protagonist exudes a perfect blend of realism, self-confidence, and emotion, making her character truly relatable. Her stories are not only engaging and hilarious but also have moments that tug at the heartstrings.

Always a great day when a new Flavia story gets published. She is unique, fun, quirky and imaginative. Would love to see her in a movie.Thanks to #Netgalley and #Whartimetgesexronsspadedothrust for advanced digital copy.

4 stars / This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com and goodreads.com today.


When I realized that this was book 11/11, I was a bit worried that I’d be lost and confused. But no! While I don’t know the history of the De Luce family, I still enjoyed every bit of this novel. Might be that I’ll have to return to book 1 to find out where it all began.

Flavia is apparently a thorn in the local law enforcement’s side in Bishop’s Lacey, England. Keen on chemistry and facts, Flavia can sometimes find the answers that the boys in blue cannot. So when a local resident is found dead, it’s Flavia and her trusty elder sidekick Dogger to find the answers.

Driving Flavia mad is Undine. Another De Luce who seems to idolize Flavia, but also has a personality of her own. She is constantly underfoot and begging for attention. Whether from the Yanks living on a nearby defunct airbase or from Flavia and Dogger and Mrs. Mullet.

It’s Mrs. Mullet who is in trouble here, as she was supposedly the last one to see the man alive. Not only that, but she fed him a breakfast of mushrooms drowned in butter. Mushrooms. Did she intentionally poison him with a bad mushroom? Only Flavia will know the truth. At least until she shares with the police.

Mayhem and madness at times, this was a fun novel. Flavia is a brilliant young heroine. Mostly fearless. Dogger is a stalwart, capable, sturdy companion, which Flavia needs in her life. Undine is hysterical and annoying, but still endearing. This was so enjoyable, and not too gruesome of a murder mystery.

Flavia de Luce is back in this unexpected but wholly welcome 11th addition to the popular British cozy mystery series featuring everyone's favorite true crime obsessed amateur sleuth! While I thought this series was supposed to be over with "The golden tresses of the dead," I can always make time for more Flavia!

This latest 1950s murder mystery is clever, with some great red herrings, sees the return of many favorite characters and has some shocking family secrets revealed. Great on audio narrated by Jayne Entwistle and sure to delight longtime fans! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Ah Flavia, we've watched you grow up in the previous books in the series, and now you are the older sister, watching over your cousin, Undine, as a Guardian should...or is she watching you? As Flavia gets a taste of what she was like to others as a child, LOL, she has to use her cousin's help, to not only clear Mrs Mullet from being booked for murder, but to solve the mystery of the Major's death. But there is much more to his death than she realizes, and when the truth comes out, it will strike her to her core and make her doubt everything around her. A great transition novel, this book in the series is moving Flavia from a child to an adult, and does it very well. It can be read alone, or after the previous books. Fans of the series will love this latest addition, and newbies to it will soon be entranced with Flavia's way of thinking.

Flavia de Luce has come into her own as mistress of Buckshaw with the passing of her father. Her oldest sister is on her wedding tour and Daphne is planning to attend Oxford and become a teacher. Flavia shall be left behind at Buckshaw with her cousin Undine and faithful Dogger. Things are changing rapidly and Flavia is growing up. She is glad that chemistry is always a reliable way to retreat from the world with its certain rules and reactions.

When a new resident of the village is found murdered by mushrooms the eyes of Inspector Hewitt falls on Mrs. Mullet. Flavia is desperate to prover her innocence despite the fact that Mrs. M. Is lying to her. Unfortunately there are so many secrets knotted together that it is quite the job.

As Flavia gets older the danger level of her cases rises. Let’s hope she and Undine can survive to grow up into the strong women we know they will become. Flavia is my favorite detective, I love her sass and learn so much about chemistry!

What a great surprise it was to find a new Flavia book after thinking the series had ended! This outing finds Mrs. Mullet of all people accused of murdering the ex-hangman, Major Greyleigh. Flavia is determined to prove her innocence and undertakes her usually investigations, though this time she is shadowed closely by Undine who, though she annoys Flavia at every turn, ends up being quite helpful. Darker than the prior books, this is still a find addition to the Flavia canon and I look forward to recommending it highly. Thank you to Random House/Bantam and NetGalley for the early access for my honest opinion. I look forward to where Bradley takes the series from here!

I’m so happy to see Flavia return! She’s still reeling and a bit lost from her father’s death, Feely is away on her honeymoon, and Daphne has no time for her, thankfully she still has Dogger, her partner in investigating, and Mrs. Mullet, the cook. Her young cousin, orphaned Undine, who is remarkably like Flavia in many ways, plays a large part in this newest book, both testing Flavia’s patience and causing her to feel protective at the same time. When Mrs. Mullet becomes a suspect in the death of village resident, Major Greyleigh, after serving him potentially poison mushrooms, Flavia needs to use all of her chemistry and investigative skills to prove her innocence. Deeper secrets than she ever could have anticipated on several fronts give us a chance to see Flavia’s inner thoughts on the subject of needing to grow up when she’d rather stay an adolescent forever. This is a much more thoughtful and deeper book than some of the others, and I hope the author continues on with the series. Please read all of the previous books in order, they’re wonderful, and you’ll need to know the backstory to fully enjoy and appreciate this latest one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine for an advance copy.