Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
What Time the Sextant's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley Series: Flavia de Luce #11
Published by Bantam on September 3, 2024
Genres: Historical Mystery
Pages: 288
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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In the absence of adult supervision, Flavia has taken on the mentorship of her “pestilent” younger cousin Undine. Undine too seems fascinated by mayhem. Flavia has nigglings of doubt about her motivations. Has Undine inherited her dead mother’s darkness? Or worse?
A mysterious villager, Major Goodinall, a virtual hermit and former public hangman with stomach-curdling deeds in his past, has been found dead, killed by ingesting poisonous mushrooms.
In her search for the murderer, Flavia becomes entangled with the families of those who have lost relatives to the dead man, only to be led to the most unlikely of suspects.
Sheer ecstasy being back in rural England of the 1950’s visiting the old Buckshaw estate and quaint village of Bishop’s Lacey following the eccentric teenage Flavia de Luce for her latest investigative escapades. Alan Bradley has made my year by returning to this series after a five-year hiatus. Flavia is back, a little older, but still as irrepressible as ever.
What Time the Sextant’s Spade Doth Rust is the eleventh book in a series that is best in order as the character of Flavia and her life build from book to book.
Right away, I know adults are wondering if this is a Middle Grade or Young Adult series because of the age of the protagonist, but no, these are very much an all-age series of historical mysteries. In fact, I’d argue that adults are the aim because some of the content would fly right by younger readers and is meant to be appreciated by mature readers.
Flavia is the youngest of three eccentric sisters living with their widowed father and Dogger, all around servant from butler to gardener to valet to chauffeur and handyman in the ramshackle Buckshaw estate house. Over time, the once wealthy family has fallen on hard times in the later generations and can barely pay the taxes let alone repair the roof.
The de Luce family including Flavia are not the types for familial love or tenderness- quite the opposite, in fact. Ophelia is gorgeous, often peevish, and musically inclined, Daphne is an introverted bookish genius sort, and Flavia, the youngest, is the chemical genius. The girls are terrible to each other while their stern father, Colonel de Luce is mostly oblivious in his study caught up in his stamps and still struggling after losing his wife and affected by his time as a prisoner of war. But, when the chips are down, they can count on each other.
Flavia is a quirky sleuth who captured my heart from the early pages of book one and I’ve enjoyed seeing the eleven year old chemist genius slowly grow up in an unusual household facing life’s most difficult challenges even as she tackles local murder mysteries sometimes with and more often in competition with the local police. This latest has her determined to keep their cook, Mrs. Mullet, from being arrested. Flavia feels she is on her own now that Pheely is traveling for her honeymoon, father is passed away, Daffy is indifferent and her younger cousin, Undine is being a nuisance. Only faithful Dogger can be depended on.
There was a huge stunner in this one and it was a series game changer. I really don’t know what to make of it. Flavia solves the murder mystery and even learns to appreciate Undine even as she feels all at sea about leaving her childhood behind, but yeah, that big shocker has me really needing to have a new installment soon. If readers want something rather different in their historical cozy mysteries including a youthful amateur sleuth with a sense of the macabre about her, give the Flavia de Luce books a go.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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I love Flavia! She’s the best. I’m looking forward to reading this newest one. 😀
I was so excited to see this new release after all this time. 🙂
This sounds like a good mystery series! Glad to hear you enjoyed this one and hope you get your hands on the next one soon!
I stumbled on the series through the library and devoured it a couple years ago. 🙂 I really was excited to see a new book.
Flavia intrigues me! I have this series on my wishlist thanks to you. One day.
Yay, glad to tempt you with Flavia, Kimberly! She’s such a unique character.
This series sounds really good. Sounds like you’re having a good time with it.
Its really different from the usual historical mystery and cracks me up each time I read one of the books. 🙂
This sounds right up my alley! Thanks for sharing!
Glad to put the Flavia stories on your radar, Carole. Fun stuff!
The covers of this series have always grabbed my attention. Not sure if it’s my type of read, but glad you are enjoying them. Great review!
Yes, they are very unique covers and I love figuring out where they and the title fit into the story once I start reading. Thanks, Lisa!