Flavia de Luce is back in her 11th mystery.

Publication date: September 3, 2024

Summary

A local man, a former hangman, is found dead, and the police believe he was murdered by poisoned mushrooms. Flavia is thrilled to have a case involving poisoned mushrooms as it isn’t one she’d worked on before, and she’s looking forward to putting her chemistry skills to work. 

My Thoughts

I absolutely adore this series and this book didn’t disappoint. It was beautifully paced with some very surprising twists and turns, and just enough suspense.

I love the way Bradley uses words, and his references to literature and music. The fact that Flavia uses chemical names as cuss words is always a source of great amusement to me. 

More than just a mystery, the author allows the characters to reflect on deeper issues. The victim was once a hangman and Dogger shares his views on capital punishment. Flavia herself spends time considering the dangers of growing older and wishing she could invent a “potion of perpetual adolescence” because she dreads the idea of becoming a lady. Then there is the overarching theme of duty and what people owe to their family and their country.

Two recommendations:

1. Read these books in order. None of the books in this series can stand alone.
2. Don’t eat while reading – especially the early chapters, unless you have a strong stomach. The book isn’t gory, but Flavia doesn’t shy away from what I will simply call “yucky things”.

My thanks to NetGalley for the free advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Alan Bradley is a Canadian Author who now lives on the Isle of Man. To learn more about him, be sure to check out his website.