The Dead in their Vaulted Arches, by Alan Bradley

 The Dead in their Vaulted Arches, by Alan Bradley

This is the latest (book 6) in the Flavia deLuce mysteries, and I'll tell you right now that I was VERY disappointed.  Flavia is a young British girl in the 1950s who loves chemistry and poisons, and has a knack for finding herself in the middle of mysteries (which she then solves).  This particular book wraps up a few ongoing family mysteries, but not in a satisfying manner.  The character of Flavia is wonderfully written- she is so appealing and endearing.  But the rest of this story, which felt like either the end of the series, or maybe just the end of the series as we know it, was weirdly contrived and everyone felt very out-of-character.

I am Half Sick of Shadows: A Flavia de Luce novel, by Alan Bradley

I am Half Sick of Shadows: A Flavia de Luce novel, by Alan Bradley  297 pages

What is there not to love about Flavia de Luce?  She's a young British chemist with a fascination for poisons,  who sets out in this installment to capture St. Nick.   Oh, and solve the murder of a film star that occurs in her crumbling manor that is acting as the set of a movie.  The characters of the British village of Bishop's Lacey are all fully realized, Flavia is hilarious, and the intrigue and mystery of a movie set murder are engaging enough that reading the previous books is not required to enjoy this.