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Flavia de Luce, a dangerously brilliant eleven-year-old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders, sets out to solve the murder of a beloved puppeteer. All clues point toward a suspicious death years earlier and a case the local constables can't solve--without Flavia's help.Tags
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y2pk Pre-teen girl investigating adult crimes, while putting up with her sometimes-strange family and home life. Emma Graham also appears in two other books, Cold Flat Junction and Belle Ruin. They should be read in order.
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Member Reviews
Flavia de Luce, the eleven year old sleuth and chemist obsessed with poison, meets famous TV star and puppeteer, Rupert Porson and his assistant Nialla, who are stranded in their broken down van. They agree to put on a performance of Jack and the Beanstalk for the residents of Bishop's Lacey and Flavia swings into action to help set it up. During the matinee performance the audience realizes the “Jack” puppet looks liked five year old Robin Inglesby found hanging in the woods a few years earlier. During the evening performance the audience will witness a shocking murder.
Flavia quickly inserts herself into the investigation and will use her deductive skills and encyclopedic knowledge of chemistry to help solve the mystery. The show more village of Bishop’s Lacey and the characters that live there are so well defined I can see them with my eyes closed. Flavia still lives in the crumbling mansion of Buckshaw with her detached widowed father and two awful sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, who devote themselves to mentally abusing Flavia. We are also introduced to eccentric Aunt Felicity in this book.
This may look like a child’s book but Flavia is one of the greatest female detectives you’ll ever meet. A mini Miss Marple with a dash of Sherlock Holmes. The dialogue is hysterical. At one point in her investigation Flavia says “I had no more intention of making tea than signing on as a coal pit donkey”. Alan Bradley gives us a good feel for the 1950’s time period and the crumbling mansion Flavia and her family live in. I thought the storyline was reasonably complex. It was slow to get into but then turns into a classic British mystery.
I enjoyed this book even more than the first one (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie). I plan to pick up the next one soon. show less
Flavia quickly inserts herself into the investigation and will use her deductive skills and encyclopedic knowledge of chemistry to help solve the mystery. The show more village of Bishop’s Lacey and the characters that live there are so well defined I can see them with my eyes closed. Flavia still lives in the crumbling mansion of Buckshaw with her detached widowed father and two awful sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, who devote themselves to mentally abusing Flavia. We are also introduced to eccentric Aunt Felicity in this book.
This may look like a child’s book but Flavia is one of the greatest female detectives you’ll ever meet. A mini Miss Marple with a dash of Sherlock Holmes. The dialogue is hysterical. At one point in her investigation Flavia says “I had no more intention of making tea than signing on as a coal pit donkey”. Alan Bradley gives us a good feel for the 1950’s time period and the crumbling mansion Flavia and her family live in. I thought the storyline was reasonably complex. It was slow to get into but then turns into a classic British mystery.
I enjoyed this book even more than the first one (The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie). I plan to pick up the next one soon. show less
Not sure if the term "endearing" really applies to an 11-year old sociopath with a fascination for poisons and cadavers, but Bradley's little super-sleuth genius is certainly engaging enough to carry her own series of books. I was not all that impressed with his debut novel but this second instalment definitely raises the bar. It's funny, irreverent, a touch transgressive, and overall a ripping good murder mystery. I wouldn't mind having lunch with Flavia but I don't think I'd leave my drink unattended.
Flavia de Luce and her beautifully complicated family and town return in the second Bradley mystery, where she must investigate the death of popular puppeteer Rupert Porson, a man far less savory than his sterling reputation indicated. Flavia first meets his girlfriend, Nialla, who travels with Rupert and plays the role of Mother Goose in his puppet shows. Nialla is crying in the graveyard when Flavia encounters her. The feisty Flavia is drawn to this new conundrum, and befriends the weepy woman. Soon after she meets Rupert, a handsome man who was crippled by polio when he was a child. Even though Rupert Porson is famous, Flavia's family doesn't own a television, and she doesn't recognize him. She also doesn't like him. Flavia quickly show more pegs Rupert as a bully with a hot temper, and her intuition is confirmed by the bruises she spots on Nialla. Since the pair of them are camped out in the church graveyard, they soon meet the Vicar, and Flavia eavesdrops as Rupert explains that they were dong a travelling puppet show and their van broke down near the church. The Vicar welcomes them to stay until someone can repair the van, and helpfully suggests that they put on a puppet show show in Bishop's Lacey, both to repay him for his help and to earn money for van repairs. Rupert agrees.
As Flavia helps the puppeteers set up their show and arrange their temporary living conditions, grateful for any opportunity to escape her visiting Aunt Felicity, she finds the whole situation complicated by the Inglebys and their tragic history. Gordon and Grace Ingleby lost their son many years ago when he hung himself in the woods. He was only five. Rupert and Nialla are invited to camp on their land, and Flavia discovers that Rupert has an interesting connection to Gordon. Gordon grows marijuana in a clearing in Gibbet's Wood, the forest that borders their farm, the same wood where they found Robin's hanging body, and Rupert is one of his customers. Flavia learns more about Grace, as well, a mother who is so grief-stricken from the loss of her only son that she isn't quite in right in her mind. The strange connection between Rupert and the Inglebys is strengthened on the day of the first puppet show in Bishop's Lacey. Rupert and Nialla are putting on Jack the Giant Killer, and when the Jack puppet trots on stage everyone is instantly aware that it is the very image of little dead Robin. With all these strange circumstances converging and gathering weight, it is no surprise to the reader when Rupert Porson ends up dead, murdered by electrocution during the climactic scene in his own show.
Of course, Flavia sets right to work in her investigations. She is miffed that Inspector Hewitt doesn't quickly take her on as a partner, and only divulges a few facts to the police. For instance, she doesn't tell them that Nialla is pregnant, or that Gordon is growing illegal drugs, or that she suspects this murder has something to do with poor Robin's death many years ago. Most people don't expect an eleven-year-old child to be as perceptive and intuitive as Flavia, so she is able to worm her way into places or confidences that are off limits to the police. Throw in her astounding talent in chemistry and natural science, and Flavia is a formidable foe. Her character certainly carries the book. She is a unique and delightful detective, and Bradley does a wonderful job capturing the voice of a precocious child with a propensity for chemical revenge. Flavia's strong characterization is not the only stand-out element in the book. Her family is full of individualized, likable, and fully realized people. Their stoic demeanor in face of a deep family tragedy only makes me want to know more about that hole in their lives, their mother Harriet, and prompts me to suppose that some future book will explore these details more fully. Furthermore, Bishop's Lacey is beautifully depicted as a quaint little city with an old-time feel, and it is chock-full of quirky and intriguing people. All around, Bradley has a deft hand at creating characters. Finally, the mystery here is solid. It realistically incorporates the old tragedy, it offers a nice array of suspects, and it provides the clues for Flavia and the reader to follow to its tragic conclusion. The second addition to the Flavia de Luce series is satisfying and lives up to the precedent set by the first novel. I am officially hooked on this series. show less
As Flavia helps the puppeteers set up their show and arrange their temporary living conditions, grateful for any opportunity to escape her visiting Aunt Felicity, she finds the whole situation complicated by the Inglebys and their tragic history. Gordon and Grace Ingleby lost their son many years ago when he hung himself in the woods. He was only five. Rupert and Nialla are invited to camp on their land, and Flavia discovers that Rupert has an interesting connection to Gordon. Gordon grows marijuana in a clearing in Gibbet's Wood, the forest that borders their farm, the same wood where they found Robin's hanging body, and Rupert is one of his customers. Flavia learns more about Grace, as well, a mother who is so grief-stricken from the loss of her only son that she isn't quite in right in her mind. The strange connection between Rupert and the Inglebys is strengthened on the day of the first puppet show in Bishop's Lacey. Rupert and Nialla are putting on Jack the Giant Killer, and when the Jack puppet trots on stage everyone is instantly aware that it is the very image of little dead Robin. With all these strange circumstances converging and gathering weight, it is no surprise to the reader when Rupert Porson ends up dead, murdered by electrocution during the climactic scene in his own show.
Of course, Flavia sets right to work in her investigations. She is miffed that Inspector Hewitt doesn't quickly take her on as a partner, and only divulges a few facts to the police. For instance, she doesn't tell them that Nialla is pregnant, or that Gordon is growing illegal drugs, or that she suspects this murder has something to do with poor Robin's death many years ago. Most people don't expect an eleven-year-old child to be as perceptive and intuitive as Flavia, so she is able to worm her way into places or confidences that are off limits to the police. Throw in her astounding talent in chemistry and natural science, and Flavia is a formidable foe. Her character certainly carries the book. She is a unique and delightful detective, and Bradley does a wonderful job capturing the voice of a precocious child with a propensity for chemical revenge. Flavia's strong characterization is not the only stand-out element in the book. Her family is full of individualized, likable, and fully realized people. Their stoic demeanor in face of a deep family tragedy only makes me want to know more about that hole in their lives, their mother Harriet, and prompts me to suppose that some future book will explore these details more fully. Furthermore, Bishop's Lacey is beautifully depicted as a quaint little city with an old-time feel, and it is chock-full of quirky and intriguing people. All around, Bradley has a deft hand at creating characters. Finally, the mystery here is solid. It realistically incorporates the old tragedy, it offers a nice array of suspects, and it provides the clues for Flavia and the reader to follow to its tragic conclusion. The second addition to the Flavia de Luce series is satisfying and lives up to the precedent set by the first novel. I am officially hooked on this series. show less
This second installment of the series is even more satisfying than the first; Flavia de Luce is without a doubt the most entertaining sleuth to make an appearance in decades. In this story, Flavia finds herself embroiled in the mysterious death of visiting puppeteer Rupert Porson, a BBC personality marooned in Bishop's Lacy by the breakdown of his van. As Flavia learns more about Rupert's many women, she is haunted as well by the bizarre hanging death of five year-old Robin Ingleby some years before.
Flavia remains her wonderful precocious self, using complicated chemical tests to analyze tears, create poisons, and (of course) ultimately solve the mysteries. Though Daffy, Feely and Father all have cameo roles, this story is more focused show more on other inhabitants of the perfect country town of Bishop's Lacy. The expanded cast of characters makes for an enjoyable read as more quirky personalities act as a foil to Flavia's quiet (and still disturbing) brilliance. The reader can't help but reflect on the likelihood that Flavia might one day find herself on the other side of the magnifying glass.
Once I started, I couldn't put this one down- Flavia and her quest for truth is just that compelling. Alan Bradley has another hit on his hands, and fans of Flavia have even more evidence to support their passion. My only regret is the time I will have to wait to read the third installment of Flavia's story... show less
Flavia remains her wonderful precocious self, using complicated chemical tests to analyze tears, create poisons, and (of course) ultimately solve the mysteries. Though Daffy, Feely and Father all have cameo roles, this story is more focused show more on other inhabitants of the perfect country town of Bishop's Lacy. The expanded cast of characters makes for an enjoyable read as more quirky personalities act as a foil to Flavia's quiet (and still disturbing) brilliance. The reader can't help but reflect on the likelihood that Flavia might one day find herself on the other side of the magnifying glass.
Once I started, I couldn't put this one down- Flavia and her quest for truth is just that compelling. Alan Bradley has another hit on his hands, and fans of Flavia have even more evidence to support their passion. My only regret is the time I will have to wait to read the third installment of Flavia's story... show less
This is the second book about eleven year old Flavia De Luce, who was first introduced in "The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie", where she put her considerable talents to work in solving a murder her father had been accused of.
In this installment, Flavia becomes involved with a traveling puppeteer who has a show on the BBC, a shocking murder and ripples from the death of young boy, alone in the woods.
It's a decent mystery in its own right, steeped in the atmosphere of rural England after the Second World War, but what makes it exceptional is Flavia De Luce herself.
She is a wonderfully wrought character: dauntless, clever, manipulative, and eccentric in the great English aristo tradition. She is fascinated by and skilled in making show more poisons. She knows how to get people to tell things they would never otherwise reveal and she is relentless in her quest to find out who did what and why.
All this makes her rather intimidating. Flavia knows this of course. At one point, when she shows too much insight into the affairs of a young woman she is helping, the young woman points it out to her:
“You are terrifying,” Nialla said. “You really are. Do you know that?” We were sitting on a slab tomb in the churchyard as I waited for the sun to dry my feverish face. Nialla put away her lipstick and rummaged in her bag for a comb. “Yes,” I said, matter-of-factly. It was true—and there was no use denying it.'
During the denouement, Flavia reveals a crucial piece of information to the Detective Inspector debriefing her. When he turns to his team, demanding to know why they didn't know this, the response is:
"With respect, sir." Sergeant Woolmer ventured, "it could be because we're not Miss De Luce
For all her ferocious intellect and startling precocity, she is still an eleven year old girl. She is observant enough to uncover and affair but innocent enough not to be entirely sure exactly what is involved in such an undertaking.
She is also a lonely girl without enough love in her life. Her elder sisters treat her badly. Her father is distant, repressed and as obsessed with stamps as Falvia is with poisons. Her mother is dead and her only connection to her is to sit in the Rolls she owned or to ride the bike she used, which she has rechristened Gladys and sometimes treats as if it were sentient.
Flavia is not a girl who is trying to be older. Above all she seems to be trying just to be herself which she does with great self-assurance. When she turns up late (again) and her father describes her as "Utterly unreliable:" she thinks to herself
Of course I was! It was one of the things I loved most about myself. Eleven-year-olds are supposed to be unreliable.
Flavia knows that she is willing to overstep the bounds of politeness and perhaps even decency, to get the infomation she wants but she's reconciled to that aspect of herself. She says:
Sometimes I hated myself. But not for long.
This was a delightful read and a pleasing sequel. I will be back for more. show less
In this installment, Flavia becomes involved with a traveling puppeteer who has a show on the BBC, a shocking murder and ripples from the death of young boy, alone in the woods.
It's a decent mystery in its own right, steeped in the atmosphere of rural England after the Second World War, but what makes it exceptional is Flavia De Luce herself.
She is a wonderfully wrought character: dauntless, clever, manipulative, and eccentric in the great English aristo tradition. She is fascinated by and skilled in making show more poisons. She knows how to get people to tell things they would never otherwise reveal and she is relentless in her quest to find out who did what and why.
All this makes her rather intimidating. Flavia knows this of course. At one point, when she shows too much insight into the affairs of a young woman she is helping, the young woman points it out to her:
“You are terrifying,” Nialla said. “You really are. Do you know that?” We were sitting on a slab tomb in the churchyard as I waited for the sun to dry my feverish face. Nialla put away her lipstick and rummaged in her bag for a comb. “Yes,” I said, matter-of-factly. It was true—and there was no use denying it.'
During the denouement, Flavia reveals a crucial piece of information to the Detective Inspector debriefing her. When he turns to his team, demanding to know why they didn't know this, the response is:
"With respect, sir." Sergeant Woolmer ventured, "it could be because we're not Miss De Luce
For all her ferocious intellect and startling precocity, she is still an eleven year old girl. She is observant enough to uncover and affair but innocent enough not to be entirely sure exactly what is involved in such an undertaking.
She is also a lonely girl without enough love in her life. Her elder sisters treat her badly. Her father is distant, repressed and as obsessed with stamps as Falvia is with poisons. Her mother is dead and her only connection to her is to sit in the Rolls she owned or to ride the bike she used, which she has rechristened Gladys and sometimes treats as if it were sentient.
Flavia is not a girl who is trying to be older. Above all she seems to be trying just to be herself which she does with great self-assurance. When she turns up late (again) and her father describes her as "Utterly unreliable:" she thinks to herself
Of course I was! It was one of the things I loved most about myself. Eleven-year-olds are supposed to be unreliable.
Flavia knows that she is willing to overstep the bounds of politeness and perhaps even decency, to get the infomation she wants but she's reconciled to that aspect of herself. She says:
Sometimes I hated myself. But not for long.
This was a delightful read and a pleasing sequel. I will be back for more. show less
To really enjoy this series, one needs to be comfortable suspending one’s sense of disbelief for large parts of the story. I can do this – to a point – and enjoyed this second entry in the Flavia de Luce mystery series, even as my credulity was strained. Flavia is beyond precocious, and her family is beyond odd, and the secondary characters and the village are beyond idiosyncratic. For some readers, this will all be too much over the top, but I find it excellent escapist fare. It would be easy to dismiss this series as being on the lighter end of the mystery spectrum, but the undercurrents of sadness and lost innocence and bittersweet melancholy add much unexpected depth. This time round, I listened to the audio version which was show more narrated by Jayne Entwistle and was an utter treat. show less
Book on CD performed by Jayne Entwistle
3.5***
I just love 11-year-old Flavia de Luce, who relies on her keen powers of observation (and a more than a little knowledge of chemistry) to solve yet another murder (or two) in Bishop’s Lacey. Among the happenings and characters she encounters in this outing: a child who died by accidental hanging some years back; the “witch” who lives in the woods; the boy’s mother, deranged by grief; a master puppeteer and his faithful assistant; a former German POW; a minister’s wife whose public persona hides her true nature; and an electrocution!
More than enough to keep any detective busy, but Flavia is certainly up to the task.
What I like about these books is the reliance on a precocious child show more to ferret out information. Adults don’t seem to take her “innocent” questions too seriously and they frequently indulge her, speaking about issues that the adult detectives don’t think to ask about or don’t consider important. What drives me a little crazy about the books, however, is Flavia’s all too expert chemistry – especially when she almost instantly improvises a concoction using pigeon guano and egg white, with hardly a moment to think about her options. It’s a small thing, really. I still enjoy the books.
Entwistle does a wonderful job performing the book. She is perfect for Flavia, and does a great job voicing the many other characters. Her pacing is brisk, as befits a mystery/thriller. show less
3.5***
I just love 11-year-old Flavia de Luce, who relies on her keen powers of observation (and a more than a little knowledge of chemistry) to solve yet another murder (or two) in Bishop’s Lacey. Among the happenings and characters she encounters in this outing: a child who died by accidental hanging some years back; the “witch” who lives in the woods; the boy’s mother, deranged by grief; a master puppeteer and his faithful assistant; a former German POW; a minister’s wife whose public persona hides her true nature; and an electrocution!
More than enough to keep any detective busy, but Flavia is certainly up to the task.
What I like about these books is the reliance on a precocious child show more to ferret out information. Adults don’t seem to take her “innocent” questions too seriously and they frequently indulge her, speaking about issues that the adult detectives don’t think to ask about or don’t consider important. What drives me a little crazy about the books, however, is Flavia’s all too expert chemistry – especially when she almost instantly improvises a concoction using pigeon guano and egg white, with hardly a moment to think about her options. It’s a small thing, really. I still enjoy the books.
Entwistle does a wonderful job performing the book. She is perfect for Flavia, and does a great job voicing the many other characters. Her pacing is brisk, as befits a mystery/thriller. show less
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The secret of the novel’s charm involves the way in which Flavia teeters on the border between precocity and childishness, spouting faux-cynical epithets that result from the fact that her intellectual gifts far outpace her emotional capacity.
added by lkernagh
All in all, it’s a perfectly detailed and credible English village in the Agatha Christie manner, inhabited by people you can believe in and sympathize with.
added by lkernagh
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Flavia de Luce edition question in Book talk (August 2011)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag
- Original title
- The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag
- Original publication date
- 2010-03-25
- People/Characters
- Flavia de Luce; Haviland de Luce; Ophelia de Luce; Daphne de Luce; Harriet de Luce; Arthur Wellesley Dogger (show all 34); Felicity de Luce; Tarquin de Luce; Alf Mullet; Mrs. Mullet; Cynthia Richardson; Denwyn Richardson; Ned Cropper; Nialla Gilfoyle; Detective Sergeant Graves; Mad Meg Grosvenor; Antigone Hewitt; Inspector Hewitt; Gordon Ingleby; Grace Ingleby; Robin Ingleby; Clarence Mundy; Rupert Porson; Aurelia Puddock; Lavinia Puddock; Dieter Schrantz; Mary Stoker; Tully Stoker; Sally Straw; Maximilian Brock; Mutt Wilmott; Detective Sergeant Woolmer; Bunny Spirling; Letitia Cool
- Important places
- Bishop's Lacey, England, UK; Buckshaw, Bishop's Lacey, England, UK; Gibbet Wood, Bishop's Lacey, England, UK; Jubilee Field, Bishop's Lacey, England, UK
- Epigraph
- Sir Walter Raleigh To His Son
Three things there be that prosper all apace,
And flourish while they grow asunder far;
But on a day, they meet all in a place,
And when they meet, they one another mar.... (show all)
And they be these; the Wood, the Weed, the Wag:
The Wood is that that makes the gallows tree;
the Weed is that that strings the hangman's bag;
The Wag, my pretty knave, betokens thee.
Now mark, dear boy -- while these assemble not,
Green springs the tree, hemp grows, the wag is wild;
But when they meet, it makes the timber rot,
It frets the halter, and it chokes the child. - Dedication
- Again, for Shirley
- First words
- I was lying dead in the churchyard.
- Quotations
- "Children ought to be horsewhipped," she used to say, "unless they are going in for politics or the Bar, in which case they ought in addition to be drowned."
"Fetch my luggage, Clarence," she said, "and mind the alligator."
Seen from the air, the male mind must look rather like the canals of Europe, with ideas being towed along well-worn towpaths by heavy-footed dray horses. There is never any doubt that they will, despite wind and weather, reac... (show all)h their destination by following a simple series of connected lines. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"if anyone wants me," I said, "I shall be upstairs, weeping at the bottom of my closet."
- Blurbers
- King, Laurie R.
- Original language*
- Englisch
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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