Flavia DeLuce is always a delightful character. All of the books in this series are fun to read and great for mother-daughter book clubs. But I was disappointed that this one had so many stray plot strands and such an abrupt ending.

First of all, I'd like to say thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of this book!!!

I LOVE THIS SERIES! I just want it to go on forever. In this one Mrs. Mullet is in a pickle and Flavia has to investigate and finds out way more than she wants to know. It was nice to find out more about Mrs. Mullet after all this time. Also Undine is starting to become a real character instead of just being unbearably annoying. Flavia is growing up and becoming aware of that fact, but this book has lost none of the charm in the rest of the series. I'll keep reading them as long as Alan Bradley keeps writing them.

Quick, fun easy read, have not read previous books, so was completely unaware that the heroine is only 12! Nice cost littler mystery.

Review of What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
Publication date: September 3, 2024

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for offering me an ARC of this title.

I was absolutely thrilled to receive an email from Random House not only offering me this ARC but also learning that Flavia was back! I was sad as 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, passed with no word of another wonderful story of Flavia de Luce from Alan Bradley. In fact, I had read that The Golden Tresses of the Dead (book #10) was the last book in the series. I had just about come to terms with this delightful series being over. What a wonderful surprise! This review contains NO spoilers, just feelings and impressions.

To be honest, it did take me a chapter or two to dredge up my memories of the preceding 10 Flavia books. And at first, I was slow to buy into the natural consequence of Flavia growing up. After all, she can’t remain a precocious, fun, child forever. Once I acclimated to Flavia’s growing up a bit and her cousin Undine’s continued presence, I settled back into loving Flavia and getting more and more used to Undine. It seems that Undine is here to stay, so I am choosing to embrace her.

A LOT happens in this book. I won’t go into details, because I hope you will read it and enjoy it yourself. What I am most happy about is that this book makes it very clear that there is more to come and more story to tell. YEA!!! A bit of research has uncovered a 12th book in the series coming in the fall of 2025. I look forward to continuing this story.

If you are reading this short review and are new to this series of books, please do start with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie…the first book in the series. I hope you will love them all as much as I do.

This review is biased: I am an unabashed Flavia de Luce fan:

She makes me smile.
I love her brains.
I admire her sass.
I melt at her sweet partnership/friendship with her Gardner.
And, I understand her complicated relationship with family.

I hope Alan Bradley continues with this series for many years.

Flavia is back and living at the family home after the death of her father. Her cousin Undine and Dogger are important characters in this newest entry. Flavia is drawn into the investigation of a neighbor, a former hangman. Her resident cook/housekeeper is a suspect in the death of said neighbor. Before she knows it, Flavia is herself in great danger. Many surprises in this entry. It is fast read and Flavia's character is as witty and sarcastic as ever. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

I was excited to get the next installment of the Flavia de Luce series, but found this one a bit disappointing as it all hinges on a big reveal/surprise that feels completely unrealistic and unnecessary. The author has developed characters and family relationships so beautifully with so many unresolved questions that have been partially answered throughout the series, but now it feels like the shadowy spy organization "the Nide" is behind everything in a twisted unclear way and that's the (unsatisfying) answer. I still finished the book and enjoyed the chemistry involved and the investigation, so rounding up to 3 from 2.5 stars.

When Mrs. Mullet, the Buckshaw housekeeper, is questioned by Inspector Hewitt for the murder of Major Greyleigh, Flavia de Luce, tween chemistry genius, must, of course, clear Mrs. Mullet’s name. With the help of the trusty Dogger, and the cooperation of her beloved bicycle Gladys, Flavia sets off on another series of adventures.

Sexton’s Spade obviously contains More of What We Already Love, and Flavia continues to make discoveries that push her from naïveté to adulthood. Newly orphaned and the owner of her stately home, Buckshaw, Flavia vacillates from sadness to anger at the passing of her beloved father. What’s more, she’s lost Feely to marriage, her middle sister Daffy continues to sequester herself with her books, and she’s acquired Undine, her cousin, as a trailing shadow in her wake. The young American soldiers that dot the story add even more confusion to Flavia’s life; they are, like Undine, tolerated and pacified like a pack of puppies.

The emergence of Undine as a brain to contend with made this book really worthwhile. I love the way Bradley has developed the Flavia narrative. We readers only see what Flavia sees: she’s aware of undercurrents of communication and secrets that the adults around her keep, but she overlooks them because these things don’t matter from her vantage point, even if we readers recognize them to be valuable. Undine’s place in the Buckshaw world is very new, but time and time again, Flavia struggles with acceptance and rejection, recognizing that acceptance does not mean welcoming Undine into a loving embrace. What this novel does well is help you to understand that family is what you make it.

As with all the other Flavia de Luce novels, this one will have a permanent home in my high school’s library.

Many thanks to Random House Ballantine/Bantam and NetGalley for access to the ARC of this novel. Opinions stated herein are my own; I don’t receive remuneration for my review.

So glad to be back in Bishop's Lacey with Flavia and the whole Buckshaw gang! While this mystery seems to be a bit smaller than some of the ones in the past, there is a huge reveal of something that could propel this series on for several more books.

Thank you #RandomHouse and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is September 3, 2024.

4 Stars • I’ve followed Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce and her antics for fifteen years now and these books never disappoint. In "What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust," amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, along with her younger cousin Undine, investigates the murder of a former public hangman, Major Greyleigh. Suspicion initially falls on the de Luce family’s longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet, as she had picked the mushrooms and cooked the omelet that Greyleigh consumed before his death. Flavia, an expert in the chemical nature of poisons, is determined to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet's name. As the investigation progresses, Flavia uncovers secrets that lead to a surprising discovery, one that has the potential to upend her entire life.

#WhatTimeTheSextonsSpadeDothRust #FlaviadeLuce #AlanBradley

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust (A Flavia de Luce Novel) is a somewhat unexpected treat since the last book in Bradley’s Flavia de Luce series appeared five years ago and was announced as the final one. What a wonderful surprise to once again be with Flavia, amateur sleuth and chemist. She now 12 and beginning to shift into a more adult view of herself and the world. There are definite glimmers of the woman she will one day become. Personally, I prefer the viewpoint of children, when well-written as Flavia certainly is. I would like her to stay 11 forever. Luckily, she is as rambunctious, fresh (in both senses of mouthy and unexpected) and intelligent as ever. In the course of the book, we see her growing awareness of how unpredictable and complicated life can become as she negotiates entering adolescence largely on her own.

Her only adult guides are the wise, loving, but war-scarred Dogger and the housekeeper Mrs. Mullet. There is also a cheeky and annoying child, Undine, for whom she is reluctantly responsible.

There are mysteries within mysteries within more mysteries in the book which is more complex than previous ones while equally entertaining. Flavia is both wise and innocent—although she becomes much less innocent in the course of the story which is darker than the other books in this series.

Flavia continues to outwit the police with the aid of the feisty (and always dusty) Undine. There is a sad undercurrent to this child who is in many ways alone much of the time with only her intelligence and interest in the world to keep her company.

A neighbor, little known by the community is found dead in his kitchen and suspicion falls on Flavia’s beloved Mrs. Mullet. Flavia is more motivated than ever to solve this case and clear the housekeeper. She uses all her skills and intelligence assisted gently by her friend Dogger and less gently (and despite Flavia’s discouragement) semi-ward, Undine.

Bradley has created an engaging and intelligent mystery series, led by an engaging and intelligent heroine. The book reads quickly and is hugely entertaining. The resolution of this story, however, was (to me at least) unexpected and complicated. While not diminishing my enjoyment, I was somewhat saddened by some of the unexpected shifts in Flavia’s experience of the world which were not happy ones. However, Flavia’s charm and determination to live her life the way she wants to keeps me happy and hopeful that she will navigate the complex situations of her life—and perhaps all lives—successfully.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and to author Alan Bradley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review of Uncorrected eBook File

When retired Major Grayleigh is found murdered . . . from eating poison mushrooms for breakfast . . . Mrs. Mullet is accused of the crime. Flavia sets out to find the real murder and to clear Mrs. Mullet’s name.

But who did kill the retired military man? And why?

==========

Set in Bishop’s Lacy, England after the second world war, this is the eleventh book I the author’s Flavia de Luce series. Although readers new to the series may find the backstory a bit lacking, the book works reasonably well as a standalone. [Readers should consider reading the earlier books in the series.]

With all the expected characters in place, readers are sure to chuckle over Flavia’s interactions with Undine as she tries to watch over her young cousin. But with the assistance of her bike, Gladys, she seems to have everything well in hand.

Until the murder.

As readers would expect, Flavia is determined to expose the true murderer. As always, her skills serve her well and she does exactly what readers expect of her.

Readers who enjoy historical fiction with a mystery woven into the telling of the tale will find much to enjoy here as will those who have followed Flavia’s adventures.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#WhatTimetheSextonsSpadeDothRust #NetGalley

The Flavia de Luce books have been on my Goodreads TBR for a very long time. I have always gotten sidetracked by new books or something coming through NetGalley or the library, so I haven't actually had the chance to read one. And I"m not sure that I am going to do justice to the series by starting at book 11 in a series with such quirky and established characters.

I would definitely say that these books are meant to be read as a series, because the first half of the book was me just sorting out who everyone was and eventually giving up on figuring out how they related to one another more deeply than a surface scratch. There is also a lot of plot that makes up the back story around Flavia's family that doesn't work unless you have met the characters and read their past interactions.

I think that this book works better for someone who has read books 1-10 or at least a good chunk of them. I would hazard that a fan of the series will enjoy this one because there are some surprises that work to tie pieces together that I am assuming have been part of pervious volumes. As someone landing in the series with this book, I will say that the characters are quirky and their personalities seem to be very well established. The murder mystery portion is well done, and the last 50 pages zoomed by because so much was happening. At the same time, because of a few things unresolved, I was left with a bit of disappointment (and confusion) around the crime and, well, someone paying for the crime they committed.

Not sure if this has made me want to play catch up with the series, because honestly, Flavia was a bit hard to take and being in her head for that amount of time was grating. She isn't very likeable even for a child. I will likely keep these on the TBR for a future date though, because I want to give the series a fighting chance.

If you like Flavia de Luce books, then you'll enjoy this one. If you haven't read any before, start with book 1 not 11.

WHAT TIME THE SEXTON’S SPADE DOTH RUST by Alan Bradley
Ah Flavia, brave, clever, and intrepid, and surprisingly fierce and protective, even nurturing on occasion. Cousin Undine is a pest, no denying it, but she’s also bright and loyal, and in need of guidance and connection, and Flavia is growing into a woman, capable of caring.
This story takes some tricky turns that neither Flavia nor I approve of (no, I won’t spoil it with details) but Flavia must persist, even in resistance to Duty. The welfare of kind and talented Mrs. Mullet depends on it. Dogger’s assistance and insights are crucial, and even Undine provides help. Gladys is still the chosen mode of travel, a bicycle of character, but Flavia proves adept at managing four wheels as well. Chemistry is still her special gift, and her managing of relationships with other people improves as she finds allies. I LOVE this young woman!
How compelling is this book? My eyes wouldn’t stay open, so I went to bed, only to awaken at 2 a.m. I HAD to finish it before I could rest — the ultimate compliment IMHO.

Flavia De Luce is back! Joined (against her wishes) by her obnoxious (but very similar IMHO) cousin Undine and the always welcome, long-time family retainer Dogger, Flavia sets out to defend the family’s cook against a murder charge. Major Grayleigh — a genial but private man — was found dead after eating the mushrooms picked and cooked by Mrs. Mullet. Obviously nothing is what it seems on the surface, and there are some big surprises that unfold with the mystery. All told in Bradley’s irreverent style and populated with arcane bits of history that I can’t believe are real. The Neck Verse and clergy indemnity? Timycha, a pregnant Pythagorean philosopher, who bit off her own tongue to prevent her disclosing secret information during torture? Look them up!

I always like the characters — some new, some old. Max — a retired concert pianist of “diminished verticality” (his words) — is a favorite of mine. In all, plenty of fun. I had wondered if Bradley had stopped writing as it’s been five years since the last volume, and they had been coming annually so I’m happy to see that it’s not over yet! I’m not actually sure how old Flavia is any more — she was 11 at the start of the series but that was nine books ago …

After a five year absence, it was so good to be back with Flavia!!! I wish I had reread the last book to just refresh me on the recent details, but I was happy to be back with Mrs. Mullet and Dogger and the gang. This one reveals more about the underlying story of her family’s dealings, and has some shocking revelations in that regard. I really enjoyed it, but I felt Flavia’s aloneness more acutely than ever. Perhaps that was the combination of adolescence and the absence of her sisters from the storyline this time around. All in all, I am so glad he wrote another installment and hope there are more to come.

Flavia is back! How I’ve missed her escapades and her whit! I loved that Dogger and Mrs M are featured more. I loathed Undine until now. She’s perfect as Flavia’s sometimes side kick. She adds comic relief and chaos to the story. Twists and turns and surprises in this one. Fast paced and quick read. I loved it! Now I need to go back and read the first 10 all over while waiting hopefully for another episode! Please write more!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

Another mystery for amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce. But the stakes are higher than ever for Flavia in this one as she learns a secret that will change her life.

When I first read about a new volume of Alan Bradley's "Flavia de Luce" series, I was overjoyed and incredulous. After all, I'd read about five years ago that the series I enjoyed so much was finished. There would be no more happy hours spent in post-WWII Bishop's Lacey, England.

I am so happy the teen chemistry whiz/ forensics expert has returned. Flavia solves crimes that adults think they have solved, or they've even given up on.

All eleven of the novels are wonderful and, please, do read them in order. The characters are full of surprises-- some amusing and some tragic-- and you'll learn more about them with each volume. Most are adults. Flavia has a closer relationship with her bicycle named Gladys than with any other person of her age.

Flavia loves chemistry. Even if you don't, the mysteries are twisty and satisfying. And if you remember the "Encyclopedia Brown" series from many years ago, I'm guessing there's a place on your reading table for Flavia as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader's copy of "What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust." I am leaving an honest review.

A new Flavia book is always cause for excitement, and this new installment did not disappoint. I love how she has matured, especially in contrast with her chaotic young cousin Undine, and how all the storylines and characters become ever more entangled. Can't say much more because of spoilers, but this was just delightful.