3.5 stars

Flavia and her two sisters are trying to deal with the loss of their beloved father. Their busy body aunt tries to take over and redo their lives so they flee with their faithful helper, Dogger, on a short river trip to catch their breath.

Almost immediately they discover a dead body and are involved in solving the crime along with a famous murder that happened years ago. The three sisters actually work together and help each other out. They mystery was OK but it is the sweetness of the characters that make this a nice series. These girls are smart. I feel stupid compared to their knowledge of chemistry and poetry. Set in 1952, these girls are not involved in TV and the computer. They are actually studying and learning.

I enjoy this series and look forward to seeing what will happen to Flavia.

Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Spending time with Flavia is always a joy, even when she is personally going through a rough patch. Flavia, her sisters, and Dogger are taking a little trip before they must split and go their own ways. The mystery is a little convoluted and far-fetched, but I don't love these books because of the mysteries. Flavia continues to be entertaining and she may even be building a new relationship with her sisters. The ending is brilliant and I can't wait to see where it takes us.

I love this series and the character of Flavia. This newest installment does not disappoint.

A 3.5 but I rounded to 4 because Flavia! I'e been fortunate enough to get ARCs of books 6-9 through NetGalley but I fully intend to buy this series in paperback when it's complete. I can't believe we're up to #9! I heard Bradley plans on a 10-book series. So this is the penultimate book! :O Nooooo!!

Book 8 ended on an extremely shocking, sad note but this book is surprisingly not as sad. The de Luces and Dogger find ways to occupy themselves. I loved the relationship between Flavia and Dogger in this book, it was utterly delightful. Our main characters are in a different town so we don't see any of the familiar side characters that we know and love. The reason for the 3.5 rating is because of the ending. I felt it was incredibly rushed. Once the inspector came it was boom, boom, boom, book is done! I would've like to have seen the inspector interviewing the suspect even though Flavia deduced the reasons behind the murder. I don't know, it just felt way too quick. It could've used another 20-30 pages to come to a good ending. I enjoyed it nevertheless because I adore Flavia!

This was the most complicated case that Flavia has encountered without any sensible clues.
She was truly baffled. With the help of her sisters and their lifetime family friend they did solve the mysteries of the murders of the three Graces and the minister and his son.
I especially like this series since it has a Victorian flavor to Flavia’ s scientific thinking process even though she is living in the early 1950’s. The author is exceptional in his incorporation of the arts and sciences into his books.

Title: The Graves A Fine And Private Place: A Flavia de Luce novel
Genre: Mystery
Author: Alan Bradley
Source: Free for review from the publisher
Publisher: Bantam, January 30,2018
Pages: 384
Rating: 4
Sexy rating: 0
Violence rating: 5
Description from Amazon:

In the wake of an unthinkable family tragedy, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is struggling to fill her empty days. For a needed escape, Dogger, the loyal family servant, suggests a boating trip for Flavia and her two older sisters. As their punt drifts past the church where a notorious vicar had recently dispatched three of his female parishioners by spiking their communion wine with cyanide, Flavia, an expert chemist with a passion for poisons, is ecstatic. Suddenly something grazes her fingers as she dangles them in the water. She clamps down on the object, imagining herself Ernest Hemingway battling a marlin, and pulls up what she expects will be a giant fish. But in Flavia’s grip is something far better: a human head, attached to a human body. If anything could take Flavia’s mind off sorrow, it is solving a murder—although one that may lead the young sleuth to an early grave.


**
Don’t get me wrong, I love Flavia novels, every single one of them but the ick-factor in this one was really high. Flavia is still remarkable and really far beyond precocious, she is a genius chemist for such a young girl. She is undaunted by a dead body even as her older sisters are retching and definitely daunted. Flavia’s old family retainer, Dogger, is at her side both protecting her and encouraging her. This is truly another page turning read from a remarkable author.

This was not my favorite of Bradley's books. The ending felt very rushed and was, in fact, a little bit confusing. Maybe the final edition will clear things up, but it just felt like this premise has run out of gas. I still love any interactions with Flavia and Dogger and hope that trend continues with their detective agency scheme. A bit of a misstep, but he hasn't lost a reader.

In the ninth (! - how is that possible?) Flavia de Luce mystery, we see Flavia away from her home turf, as she and her sisters have been sent away from Buckshaw on a holiday to try to help them recover from the death of their father. But instead (of course) Flavia discovers a dead body. As the gang is boating, she drags her hand along the water, it snags on something and boom - she catches her fingers on a corpse. Only our Flavia! Of course, Flavia isn't content to leave things to the local Constable. The dead man is named Orlando, and his death leads Flavia into a world of a traveling circus, a famous Canon renowned for poisoning three women, and much more.

I am an unabashed fan of Flavia and this book didn't disappoint. It has all the staples of an excellent Flavia novel-- a strong mystery to unravel and a bunch of clever, witty, and surprisingly uncanny lines from our beloved protagonist. By now, our dear twelve-year-old Flavia has been through a lot. She's more mature, and she's as feisty and clever as ever. I admit that some of the chemistry in these novels goes over my head (I'm not as smart as Flavia, and I'm completely fine admitting that). But I love the mystery plots, and more than that, I love Flavia. I've felt protective of her since the first novel, even though the thought of that would anger her more than anything.

There's a good eclectic cast of supporting characters in this one, including an aged actor, an undertaker's son, and a woman who used to know Dogger. And, of course, we get some appearances from Flavia's ever-suffering sisters, Daffy and Feely. The best part of this novel, however, for me, was the strengthening relationship between Dogger and Flavia. Their bond is one of the highlights of the book. I love those two. By now, Flavia and Dogger feel like friends, or even family. It's a sign of how well Bradley writes and creates these characters that you feel so attached to them.

Suffice to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. If you're a fan of Bradley's series, you probably will as well. If you haven't picked up this series, I do suggest starting near the beginning, as you'll form a better bond with the characters. But you will be able to jump in with this book, too, as the mystery stands alone. The ending of this one also leaves me excited and looking forward to what I hope will be book #10.

On one hand, it felt like there was something... lacking in this, the ninth installment in the Flavia de Luce series. On the other hand, for the last couple of weeks I've been recovering from from some difficult surgery and The Grave's has been the only book I've wanted to read and relish - the only one I've wanted to read instead of sitting there staring into pain killer abyss, so whatever seems to be lacking is minor.

I've written it before and I will again - part of the reason I love this series so much is due to Bradley's allowing Flavia to grow up (literally). He also seems to be trying to take Flavia away from her home to adventures and murders in the greater world. I didn't love it when he took her to Canada but I could understand the desire to break out of the mold (only so many murders can happen in Buckshaw!) So this time, Flavia and her whole family are taking a boating trip in an attempt to heal from a recent death in the family.

Instead of an adventure, however, the flight from Buckshaw feels more like Bradley just completely dismissing or avoiding the developments of the last couple of books. That's what my concern is, I think - this feels more like a short story, a quick departure, strung out across an entire novel.

However, I'm going to forgive this (including no Buckshaw and not even a mention of Gladys!) for now because Flavia's wonderful clever voice remains:

"And what of me? What of Flavia de Luce? I would perish; I decided. Rather than submit to a lifetime locked in some dismal pigeon-infested London square with an aunt who valued the Union Jack more than her own blood, I would simply do away with myself. And as an authority on poisons, I knew precisely how to accomplish it. No cyanide for me, thank you!"

"'All he lacked was opportunity and now even that seems to have been snatched away from him.' By whom? I wondered grammatically. By fate?"

"There was no need to explain whose pockets I was talking about. That was the great thing about Dogger: He could follow my train of thought as easily as if he owned the railway."

" I was beginning to learn that in criminal investigation, as in chair design and poetry, less is more."

"I did what any intelligent girl would do: I batted my eyelashes becomingly and lowered my gaze modestly toward the floor. When God has given you a great brain and long lashes, they may sometimes be the only weapons you have at your disposal, and it is best to know how to use them effectively."

This last passage exemplifies the pleasure of the Flavia series - she revels in her intelligence, rarely questions her own brilliance and competence. She's always incredibly clever and strong and just joyful to solve mysteries with. And Dogger fans (and, really, who could possibly be a Flavia fan without also being a Dogger fan?), will relish how heavily involved he is this time.

Penguin Random House provided my advanced copy; The Grave's a Fine and Private Place is released in the states on January 28, 2018. Accordingly, the quotes above still have (a minuscule, in my experience with Bradley's ARCs) possibility of changing before the publication date.

One more thing - and this could be considered a spoiler, although it's really just my theory, so not really but stop reading now if you're concerned - after reading Bradley's acknowledgements at the end of the book, it seems a bit like this could be the last Flavia. It is definitely not stated and this is my own wild speculation, but there's something about the way the acknowledgements are written that suggests this.

I really enjoy this series and this did not disappoint)t. Another fun adventure!

Thanks Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and netgaley for this ARC.

Flavia and her family are in mourning for her father so they take a river ride and vacation together. Of course, it does't end there. This is one of my favorite mystery series because it's always fun, well written, and full of promise and excitement.

I got the digital ARC from Netgalley for review and it took me a while to get to it because of the holidays. At each installment I wonder how things will progress in the overall series arc and in the story and Alan Bradley does a fantastic job exceeding my expectations.

The girls, after six months from the last book-no spoilers- are on holiday for a few days to get out of the house. Of course Flavia finds a body immediately-this time from the river-and they are in a neighboring parish for the duration of the book. This is all new characters, except for the sisters and Dogger, with an appearance from Dieter.

It’s always surprising, and well done, when Bradley ages Flavia, not just on her birthday but actually develops and has changes in her personality since many murder mysteries keep their protagonists always the same.

It kept me guessing all the way up to the end, which I guess isn’t too surprising since they were actually investigating 4 murders in unknown territory. I LOVED seeing Dogger more in his element, himself, and in tune with Flavia, not to mention we see someone from Dogger’s past.

This was a fine addition to the Flavia de Luce series. In this one she, along with the rest of the household, is dealing with loss and grief. Aunt Felicity decides that a holiday is in order, and off all of them go. Soon, Flavia's attention is caught by a dead body, and her investigation begins.

As usual, Flavia's adventures are delightful. I really enjoyed her interaction with Dogger in this one, and also liked the way she bonded a little more with her older sisters. This was a fun and entertaining story, and Flavia was an excellent character, as usual. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I think we are missing the point on Flavia DeLuce. I recently read an article in the Jan./Feb. 2018 issue of Smithsonian magazine titled Girl Power. It highlighted in a side bar a list of heroines. Rebels with a cause. Girls who are brave and smart and rule breakers and, oh yeah, children. Among others, there is Laura Ingalls, Jo March, Ramona Quimby, Scout Finch, Cassie Logan, Experanza Cordero, Hermione Granger, Liesel Meminger, Harriet Welsch, Nancy Drew. As I read the article my brain kept screaming, “Don’t forget Flavia!” She’s smart, spunky, brave, certainly breaks the rules and twelve years old (in this book.) Not even a teenager yet.
So, why aren’t these Flavia DeLuce books marketed to children like the others? I don’t know. I’m glad adults are being treated to these books because maybe we will read about Flavia and then steer our girls to be more like her. Not afraid of but embracing science, giving them freedom to use their brains to figure things out on their own. And while Flavia finds herself in the middle of murders to solve, solve them she does with a freedom of movement that is lost on our children. I used to be able to hop on my bike and be gone all day with not a care in the world, but our children aren’t and never will again. We are convinced there is a boogey man on every corner and so have clipped our girls’ wings.
In this book Flavia and her sisters are set adrift after a family tragedy. With all good intentions, Dogger, the family servant takes the girls on a boating outing and as they travel past a church where the Vicar has been hung for the deaths of three parishioners by poison (Flavia’s specialty) Flavia’s fingers dangling in the water bring up a body. That’s all she needs. Flavia is on to this and as in the past we are carried along with her thought process and we can only cheer her on and applaud at the end.
But like I said, I think we are missing the point on Flavia DeLuce. There is absolutely NO reason not to let your girls read about this smart, spunky, brave young girl. If we loved Nancy Drew, let your girls love Flavia. Please.

The Flavia de Luce books have always had an intimate acquaintance with death. Not just because our intrepid chemist stumbles over wayward corpses with disturbing frequency, nor because she's not the kind of 11-year old who is content to let the bodies lie where they may. Flavia has always been intrigued by the chemistry of the world and the chemical stew of life and death. Death has always been more intimate in these books than a chance murder and a mystery to be solved though which is one of the strengths of the series as a whole I think. In this book readers are witness to the aftermath of a family tragedy and a mystery that oddly helps bring that family a little closer to each other. I feel like I understand Flavia, her sisters and the ever-faithful Dogger more after this book and that's a beautiful thing. The characters feel a little richer and there's hope on the horizon for the future of Buckshaw and the de Luce family. The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley is the 9th novel in the series and it is an exceptional book with a delightful mystery. As ever, I hope that we will see more of Flavia de Luce in future.

I received this book from Netgalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've enjoyed all the previous books in this series, and I enjoyed this one, just not as much. I think the series is changing, which is reasonable since the main character is a child and there have been some major changes in her life in the last couple books. However, the charm of the precocious little chemist has, for me, worn off a bit. There's only so far you can go with that, and I'm good with that.

Unfortunately, I didn't find her particularly convincing or effective in this one. Part of the problem may have been that the plot was so convoluted and contrived and that I found myself not really caring anyway.

The really interesting thing about this book is the change in the other characters. Dogger, in particular, is taking a much bigger part in the action. And both of Flavia's sisters are different in this one - perhaps the death of their father in the last book is starting to make them care more about each other? At any rate, there is a much different relationship appearing to develop and more participation in Flavia's sleuthing activities.

It's certainly worth reading if you've enjoyed the series so far, but I found myself seeing Flavia as a side character in this one, and not one who was particularly important in solving the crime. The more interesting part was the development of the other characters.

Flavia de Luce cannot go anywhere without discovering a dead body. In her ninth adventure, The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place, by Alan Bradley, is no exception. Flavia is on a holiday with her sisters and the faithful Dogger when she sticks her hands into a drowned man’s mouth while boating. Her sisters are, naturally, distressed. Flavia and Dogger go right to work. They identify a number of clues before the local constable can even get to the scene. But it takes a lot of legwork before Flavia can figure out what happened to the dead man—and unravel a possible miscarriage of justice from two years earlier.

Flavia and her sisters are in a difficult spot at the beginning of The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place. Their father died six months earlier. Flavia has been kicked out of boarding school. And their dreadful Aunt Felicity has plans for them that none of them like. Dogger’s suggestion of a holiday in Volesthorpe is a relief for the trio. Flavia is most intrigued by Volesthorpe because it was the home of Canon Whitbread, who was convicted of poisoning three elderly women in his parish. Discovering a dead man who turns out to be the canon’s relative gives Flavia plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get into trouble.

The trouble with reviewing mysteries is treading the fine line between revealing just enough to tempt other readers into reading the book and not giving away so much that it gives away the game. I can say that there are plenty of twists and turns in The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place. I enjoyed how messy it was. This is not an easy case to solve. I honestly gave up trying to beat Flavia to the punch. Instead, I tried to keep track of the clues and the red herrings and witnesses/potential suspects and let the answer come to me without forcing it. I wanted to applaud Flavia and Dogger when they arrived at the solution.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration. It will be released 30 January 2018.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Another wonderful chapter in Flavia de Luce's life story! After the horrible aftermath of how the last novel ended (I won't spoil it if you haven't read it yet....) Flavia, Daffy and Feely need to get away from Buckshaw and Aunt Felicity to have a bit of a break so Dogger takes them to a wonderful little town to relax. But of course we all know THAT is going to happen! As they are floating down the lovely river what does Flavia come upon? Well nothing other than a body! That makes this holiday much more exciting when their are discoveries to be made and a murder to solve!

Not only does this novel really show how a dramatic, life changing experience can affect people differently, it also shows how these three very different sisters can see that watching out for each other is quite important as they get older in life. I really loved that you see their relationships morph and you find out things you did not know about Daffy and even Dogger (who has always had a special place in his heart for Flavia). Another amazing story and I really enjoyed it, plus another ending that leaves you saying...what happens next? I, for one, cannot wait.

A series I would highly recommend to people of all ages and it's wonderful and enjoyable all around!

Writing: 4 Plot: 4 Characters: 4
#Fun

Flavia is back! I mean the real Flavia - not the one masquerading as Flavia in the last two disappointing books. Not only does this title bring us back to full-Flaviaciousness but the ending prepares an excellent path forward (no cliffhangers, I promise).

If you aren’t familiar with the character, whose motto might be “better detecting through chemistry”, it is summed up nicely by her answer to a young character who asks if she is a witch: “Yes I am. I practice a specialized kind of witchcraft called thinking. It’s a very mysterious power quite unknown to the average person.”

Flavia is un-gross-out-able - yes, I made up that word. The book starts with her pulling up a corpse from river by accidentally thrusting her hand in his mouth while thinking she is masterfully catching a fish while floating down the river. She is the quirkiest of highly intelligent, nonconforming, young, heroines.

As narrator, she has a unique and flippant way of describing things. For example, as her sister plays Bach - The art of fugue - she says, “It began with the sounds of a single pipe which sounded at first like a dry bone singing itself to sleep in a crypt somewhere in the night.”

I won’t go on giving anything else away - it’s fun, its quirky, and convoluted in the most pleasant way. It’s full of traditionally interesting Bradley characters - the dead man is named Orlando and is found in red ballet slippers and a blue silk suit. For Dogger fans he plays a bigger role in this story and promises to figure highly in future books as well.