A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Novel

When I went to Borders last week, I was excited to see this book — with its bright yellow cover — on the new releases table. Flavia de Luce, the precocious eleven-year-old heroine, is back in Alan Bradley’s third novel, and she doesn’t disappoint. We again find Flavia in the little English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey, this time investigating (much to Inspector Hewitt’s chagrin) an attack on a Gypsy woman, who only recently revealed an ominous message to Flavia through her crystal ball. And later, when one of the town’s most renowned ne’r-do-wells turns up dead in the de Luce’s Poseidon fountain, is the crime connected to the ancient fortune teller (and possibly a years-ago child abduction)?

Throughout the story, Flavia continues to contend with her two dreadfully vain older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, a father who can barely tear himself away from his beloved stamp collection, and a gossipy, cockney cook, Mrs. Mullet. Fortunately for Flavia, she is able to escape quite frequently to her secret chemical laboratory in the east wing of Buckshaw, the family’s dilapidated mansion. There, she works to solve these mysteries and plots revenge against her sisters with crazy potions and harebrained schemes.

Canadian author Alan Bradley has created another charming page turner, and I’m already looking forward to the next Flavia adventure. While you don’t need to read the first two books in the series to fully appreciate the characters, I would recommend starting with his debut novel, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

The Tower, The Zoo, And The Tortoise

I just finished reading The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, a quirky, somewhat odd book by Julia Stuart. The story revolves around Balthazar Jones, a Beefeater, and his wife Hebe, who live in the Tower of London. As the story progresses, Balthazar is charged with overseeing the reestablishment of a menagerie of exotic animals (including a monkey who bears an uncanny resemblance to Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York) that have been gifted to the Queen by dignitaries from around the globe. Balthazar’s love for the animals and sense of responsibility for their well-being offers an everyday escape from the unbearable sadness caused by the death of his young son, as well as a marriage that continues to deteriorate with each passing day.

Stuart has created some of the most colorful characters I’ve come across in a long time. I especially loved Rev. Septimus Drew and his penchant for penning erotica, as well as Valerie Jennings, Hebe’s kindhearted, full-figured co-worker at London Underground’s Lost Property Office. OK, so the whimsical cover illustration also made this book irresistible. However, the story tends to meander along, often leaving me wondering when things are going to come together. While the premise is clever and original, the story was lacking something I can’t quite put my finger on. Overall grade: B-.