• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

  • A Flavia de Luce Mystery
  • By: Alan Bradley
  • Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle
  • Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (5,585 ratings)

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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie  By  cover art

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

By: Alan Bradley
Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle
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Publisher's summary

In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction: Eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison.

It is the summer of 1950 - and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia’s family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life".

To Flavia the investigation is the stuff of science: Full of possibilities, contradictions, and connections. Soon her father, a man raising his three daughters alone, is seized, accused of murder. And in a police cell, during a violent thunderstorm, Colonel de Luce tells his daughter an astounding story - of a schoolboy friendship turned ugly, of a priceless object that vanished in a bizarre and brazen act of thievery, of a Latin teacher who flung himself to his death from the school’s tower 30 years before. Now Flavia is armed with more than enough knowledge to tie two distant deaths together, to examine new suspects, and begin a search that will lead her all the way to the King of England himself. Of this much the girl is sure: Her father is innocent of murder - but protecting her and her sisters from something even worse...

An enthralling mystery, a piercing depiction of class and society, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is a masterfully told tale of deceptions - and a rich literary delight.

©2009 Alan Bradley (P)2009 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Brilliant, irresistible and incorrigible, Flavia has a long future ahead of her...Bradley's mystery debut is a standout." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Fun for the reader.... Fans of Louise Fitzhugh's iconic Harriet the Spy will welcome 11-year-old sleuth Flavia de Luce, the heroine of...Bradley's rollicking debut." (Publishers Weekly)

"While Flavia De Luce is winning your heart, she may also be poisoning your tea. She's the most wickedly funny sleuth in years, brilliant, unpredictable, unflappable - and only eleven. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie offers the freshest new voice in mystery yet." (Charles Todd, author of The Ian Rutledge series)

Featured Article: The Best Cozy Mysteries to Keep You Warm This Holiday Season


We’ve rounded up a list of some of the best cozy mystery audiobooks to help brighten up your winter listening. Here you'll find contemporary and historical cozies, classic whodunits and ingenious heist stories. While varying in tone, plot, and setting, these picks all share an irresistible holiday atmosphere. You'll find snowstorms galore, bakeries full of tasty holiday treats, glittering get-togethers, and picturesque English villages decked out in their holiday finest.

What listeners say about The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Average customer ratings
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Thoroughly entertaining

This would be a great book to listen to on a family car trip!

Flavian is really enjoyable, I might have to purchase and listen to the next one right away.

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Great performance

I really enjoyed the precocious main character in this book. The reading was wonderful. Very enjoyable story about an interesting family.

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Fun story with a fantastic narrator!

The story of Flavia's mystery-solving prowess is fun and held my attention well. The narrator was the perfect choice. She WAS Flavia!

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Wonderful story

I listened to this book and loved it. The main character, 11-year-old Flavia de Luce, is very interesting and entertaining without being too sweet at all. She's very intelligent and clever, but not too clever -- she needs help in solving the mystery she faces. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. It seemed way too contrived and easy as a method for wrapping up the mystery. I am hoping that the author uses a more plot-oriented (rather than narrative) ending in the second book.

The reader, Jayne Entwistle, is wonderful. Her voicing of Flavia, the first person narrator, seems perfect to me.

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So entertaining!

This light little book had a fun protagonist and the audio reader's voice and inflection was great for this selection.

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enchanting

loved it....i found myself muttering oh Flavia what are you up to? well written/ narrated.

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Loved it

This was a gorgeous mystery story. Beautifully written and with wonderful characters. The performance was excellent and I would highly recommend the audiobook.

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Fun Book!

This was such a fun book to listen to! The main character was a delight and the narrator made her come to life! Look forward to listening to Bradley's other books!

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Great writing!

Wonderful dialogue, great story and superb narrator. Will read another.
Xxxxxx. Xxxx. Xxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx




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Enjoyable

Flavian is a marvel. What a genius!
I just love her remarks, so clever! It's a challenge to keep up with her.

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