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

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)

yay for Flavia

most happy to have found a spunky new heroine. will certainly read more of her stories.

Well written

Narration was very well performed. This had several twists and turns. Each of the characters were interesting. Thought provoking.

Meh

I couldn't fully get into the main character. I just didn't find her or her siblings likeable. The story is OK but it didn't make a lasting impression on me.

refreshing great read

It is refreshing to listen to a truly clean book
yes it is geared to teens and young adults, but this 75 year old enjoyed it very much. Almost as much or even more than the "Bloody Jack" series. don't miss this if you enjoy a good mystery without sex and offensive language.

Nice escape

What made the experience of listening to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie the most enjoyable?

The humor, irony, and sarcasm throughout the book.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It did, but most of the time there seemed to be little real danger until near the end.

What about Jayne Entwistle’s performance did you like?

Her enthusiasm.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Many parts made me laugh.

Any additional comments?

Very enjoyable book.

Fun and rather simple

The main character is a bit to clever compared to most young people i know. the knowledge and interest in chemistry at that age seems nearly impossible. The story itself was interesting and a fun listen, very appropriate for young adults. The narration is very nice, with a soft accent.

Good, brainless fun!

This is a prime example of a book that I would NEVER be able to get through a paper copy of, but the audio book is good fun and definitely worth using up a credit. This is because Jayne Entwistle is such a talented narrator with a truly delightful voice. She has good material to work with, however. Bradley's vivid imagery, clever use of idioms, and attention to even the smallest details, coupled with Entwistle's endearing British accent, make this a perfect read-aloud. I only gave it 3 stars because of several annoyingly unlikely coincidences in the story line.

WOW

I definitely recommend this mystery to anyone who enjoys the Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer. The preformance is excellent and the actual story is amazing. Highly recommended for ages ten+.

Loved this book!

An excellent introduction to a new young detective, I can't wait to read the next book about Flavia! Though her intelligence and deductive skills are far beyond someone of her age (which makes this somewhat implausible), she does an excellent job of figuring out the mystery

An unexpected delight!

a witty and wonderful story cleverly played out. narrated by a very charismatic reader, who at first seemed too old for the part comma but was delightful enough that that was forgotten quickly enough. These are the kind of stories that make reading worthwhile :-)