The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery (Flavia… (udgave 2010)

Although I've heard this book compared unfavorably to the first in this series, I quite enjoyed the audiobook version of this one (haven't read the first one yet). The narrator does a good job of conveying this particular character's personality, and an unusual personality it is! Flavia is delightful and delightfully quirky, tons of fun to spend some time with. I'll be looking for the earlier book in the series ASAP. ( )

Full reivew

At first the story moves slowly. The mystery didn't start until chapter ten. In a good way you get to know the characters before rushing in to a mystery and not what happen to any characters. I like how there two mysteries going on at ones. Like FIavia, I had a fascination of chemistry at a young age. excellent job at telling the story through the view of eleven year old Flavia. Can easily tell that Flavia is eleven years old by the way she acts and behaves.

At the end the story it started to slow down again. There a scene where Flavia's sisters tell her she has to leave the family. The subplot was not pick up again. Maybe in the next book.

I like mysteries but, hesitant to pick up a mystery series. They tend to sink in to a format after a while and one you read one you read them all. It will be awhile before I continue with this series. ( )

I love reading these mysteries from the perspective of precocious and fierce Flavia de Luce. The story was fast-paced and the characters very interesting. I also enjoy the mid-century British slang and phrasing. Smashing! ( )

become fan ( )

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 1CJack 1D 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 village of Bishop 19s 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 19s book but Flavia is one of the greatest female detectives you 19ll ever meet. A mini Miss Marple with a dash of Sherlock Holmes. The dialogue is hysterical. At one point in her investigation Flavia says 1CI had no more intention of making tea than signing on as a coal pit donkey 1D. Alan Bradley gives us a good feel for the 1950 19s 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.
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