Flavia’s Surprise Return
It’s been five years since we last got a novel in the Flavia de Luce Mysteries, and I thought I remembered reading at the time that author Alan Bradley planned for book ten to be the final book. But, to my surprise, we got an eleventh entry this year. I’ve found the series uneven, and that continues with What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust.
For those who have missed this series, Flavia is a budding chemist in 1950’s England. She also happens to be almost a teenager. Honestly, her age and the year have gotten fuzzy over the course of the series. I don’t think she’s supposed to be a teenager yet, but I could be wrong. Not that her precise age or the precise year really matter.
Despite Flavia’s age, this book is meant for adults. No, I’m not basing that on the content, although we do get more detail than I felt we needed on the aftermaths of the murder. Many of the themes are more things that adults will appreciate more than kids. Likewise with the length and pacing.
This book opens with the long time de Luce house keeper being questioned about a murder. Turns out, she’d been making breakfast for a gentleman in the village, Major Greyleigh. He’s been found dead on the floor of his cottage and the last thing he ate was the breakfast prepared by Mrs. Mullet. Flavia knows that Mrs. Mullet wouldn’t hurt anyway. She also knows that the mushrooms everyone thinks killed the man weren’t poisonous. Can Flavia figure out what is really going on?
Honestly, when I started this book, I was smiling. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed Flavia and her village of Bishop’s Lacey. We don’t seem much of either of her sisters in this book (the oldest is on the continent on her honeymoon), but they were rarely a major part of the series, so that was no great loss. But the house and the village and the villagers? It was great to see them again.
The downside however is Flavia’s young cousin Undine, who the family took in after her mother died. I get it. She’s supposed to be funny. She’s a mirror of Flavia’s relationship with her older sisters, and how Flavia reacts is supposed to be amusing. Here’s the problem – it’s more irritating than amusing. Granted, that’s because we are seeing Undine from Flavia’s first-person narration, and she finds her cousin’s behavior annoying. As I said earlier, we didn’t see much of Flavia’s sisters in earlier books, so those brief interactions weren’t too much of an issue. However, Undine is a much bigger part of the books now, so she is much more annoying. Plus, the growth in Flavia and Undine’s relationship we got here was the same growth we got in the previous book.
The mystery itself is fairly strong. It started quickly, and there were some good developments along the way to keep us engaged as we read. Then there’s a twist that happens part way through. Yes, it is in keeping with the world that Flavia lives in, but I didn’t like it. The ending makes sense, but that twist overshadowed the rest of the book.
I had listened to the earlier books on audio. Honestly, Jayne Entwistle’s narration is the only reason I’d kept going on the series. She IS Flavia. I don’t think I could read the books, and any other narrator just wouldn’t work. Fortunately, Jayne was back to narrate this book, and that helped me get lost into the story again. Her narration is not to be missed.
The way this book ends feels like a natural end to the series. The growth we get for Flavia would be a great place to leave her. If this does turn out to be the true end, fans will be left happy.
There are plenty of people who enjoy Flavia’s adventures more than I did. I’m sure they will love ever second of What Time the Sexton’s Spade Doth Rust. Personally, I’m glad I picked up the book, but I will be okay if this is the last time we see her.
Here are the rest of the Flavia de Luce Mysteries.
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