Flavia de Luce strikes again! Upon her return from the Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada, 12-year-old Flavia is dismayed by the news that her beloved, but distant, father is hospitalized with pneumonia and not well enough for visitors. Looking to avoid both the sad atmosphere of the house and the unwelcome company of her older sisters and annoying cousin, Undine, Flavia takes her trusty bicycle, Gladys, and heads out in the snow to explore her familiar Bishop's Lacey and surrounding areas. When the vicar's wife asks her to deliver a message to a local craftsman, Flavia jumps at the chance. She is both horrified and thrilled to discover the body of the man she is seeking dead, hanging upside-down from the back of a door in his bedroom. Intrigued, Flavia explores the room where she has made the gruesome discovery, noting details and carefully avoiding any contamination of the crime scene before returning to the vicarage with the news. And we are launched into another fantastic Flavia de Luce investigation!
Falvia is a cool-headed, analytical, and objective scientist encased in the body and exhibiting (but trying to suppress) the emotions of a 12-year-old girl. I still cannot imagine how Alan Bradley manages to do it. Having been a 12-year-old girl myself years ago I understand how Flavia's mind works to a certain extent, but I could never have imagined a male adult successfully portraying her as Bradley does. The quality of this series never falters and I think that this one (book 8) is just as good and unique as the first. You can read it for the mystery, or for the setting, or for the wonderful characters. Whichever you favor, you will not fail to be pleased and will soon be looking forward to #9!
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