Speaking from Among the Bones

A Flavia de Luce Novel

By: Alan Bradley

Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From award-winning author Alan Bradley comes the next cozy British mystery starring intrepid young sleuth Flavia de Luce, hailed by USA Today as “one of the most remarkable creations in recent literature.”

Eleven-year-old amateur detective and ardent chemist Flavia de Luce is used to digging up clues, whether they’re found among the potions in her laboratory or between the pages of her insufferable sisters’ diaries. What she is not accustomed to is digging up bodies. Upon the five-hundredth anniversary of St. Tancred’s death, the English hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey is busily preparing to open its patron saint’s tomb. Nobody is more excited to peek inside the crypt than Flavia, yet what she finds will halt the proceedings dead in their tracks: the body of Mr. Collicutt, the church organist, his face grotesquely and inexplicably masked. Who held a vendetta against Mr. Collicutt, and why would they hide him in such a sacred resting place? The irrepressible Flavia decides to find out. And what she unearths will prove there’s never such thing as an open-and-shut case.

Acclaim for Speaking from Among the Bones

“[Alan] Bradley scores another success. . . . This series is a grown-up version of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and all those mysteries you fell in love with as a child.”—The San Diego Union-Tribune

“The precocious and irrepressible Flavia . . . continues to delight.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Fiendishly brilliant . . . Bradley has created an utterly charming cast of characters . . . as quirky as any British mystery fan could hope for.”—Bookreporter

“Delightful and entertaining.”—San Jose Mercury News

Acclaim for Alan Bradley’s beloved Flavia de Luce novels, winners of the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award, Barry Award, Agatha Award, Macavity Award, Dilys Winn Award, and Arthur Ellis Award

“Every Flavia de Luce novel is a reason to celebrate.”—USA Today

“Delightful.”—The Boston Globe, on The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

“Utterly beguiling.”—People (four stars), on The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag

“Irresistibly appealing.”—The New York Times Book Review, on A Red Herring Without Mustard

©2013 Bradley Page (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Every Flavia de Luce novel is a reason to celebrate." (USA Today)

"[Alan] Bradley scores another success. . . . This series is a grown-up version of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and all those mysteries you fell in love with as a child.” (The San Diego Union-Tribune)

ANOTHER GREAT BOOK, THIS TIME WITH A CLIFFHANGER!!

What did you love best about Speaking from Among the Bones?

Flavia de Luce is the draw in these books. I've read the 4 previous books in this series and just downloaded the latest offering (which I'm saving to read until I've read everything else in the world - including, but not limited to, the active ingredients of NyQuil - in Egyptian hieroglyphs!) because I really hate when these stories end!

What other book might you compare Speaking from Among the Bones to and why?

The only books which compare to this one are "The Sweetness At a The Bottom Of The Pie", "The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag", "A Red Herring Without The Mustard", and "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows" - ALL by Alan Bradley, ALL narrated by Jayne Entwistle, and ALL "Flavia de Luce Novels"! Sorry - no smoke & mirrors - nothing but the real thing!

Which scene was your favorite?

In this book, there was a plot twist not presented in any of its predecessors. A CLIFFHANGER! And a very compelling and critical one. It came, totally unexpected, out of the blue, at the very end of the book. To say I was "verklempt" is to put a soft spin on my shock and surprise. And not to be able to go back to Audible and download the then yet-to-be-released Book 6 was enough to give a 63 year-old woman a massive stroke!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not only WANTED to listen in one sitting - I DID! And would have kept right on listening if the next book in the series had been released for download at the time!

Any additional comments?

Yeah!! Please, Alan Bradley, be ready to release Book 6, "The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches" within a week because I know that this elderly de Luce devoteé can not handle going "cold turkey" while waiting "with bated breath for Book 7!!! 😟

Love Flavia!

This is one of the best of Alan Bradley's books about Flavia de Luce and her adventures. As always, Flavia's precocious ways get her in and out of trouble but she always prevails. I have both read and listened to the books and as long as Jayne Entwistle is the narrator, I will always prefer listening to them. She is the perfect voice for Flavia.

This book had it all: Mystery, intrigue, history and humor. The surprise ending leaves Flavia fans anxious for the next book. Can't wait.

Another adventure for Flavia

I love this girl! Alan Bradley is a genius. And the ending! Wow!

I especially enjoy the way Bradley develops his characters. All of them - major and secondary. Having three sisters, I understand (to some extent) the animosity between Flavia and her siblings. Thankfully none of us were into poisons. I sense we're already seeing a thaw there a bit.

Again the narration is perfection. Give me more!

awesome

Love this series so much. great narration as well. bravo, bravo, bravo, bravo. a a a a a a a a a

Best yet!

I love each of the books in the series, for different reasons, and often debate which I think is my favourite. But for several reasons, so far I think this is the best. I can't wait for the next book.

Brilliant reading of this story.

Any additional comments?

Flavia had managed to insert herself into the room so that she could see the opening of Saint Tancred’s grave on the quincentennial of his death, for herself, despite the fact that at not quite twelve years of age, she was not supposed to be anywhere near this historic spectacle. Just at a critical point, the lid of the tomb was jambed, and Flavia, being the only one small enough, was asked to peek in, which would mean she would have the first glimpse of the dead saint. There, in the crypt, the lid became stuck, and only Flavia, armed with her torch, was small enough to peer into it to see the long dead saint. But it was not Sir Tancred’s remains that met her eyes, but poor, dead Mr. Collicutt.
In the meantime, her sister Feely was preparing for her debut as the new church organist following the sudden disappearance of the missing Mr. Collicutt. Flavia managed to learn, despite the enormous attempts of one and all to keep it from her, that Feely was engaged to be married to one of her admirers. She and Daffy even managed to share a hug when they sorrowed over the coming loss of both Feely and their lifelong home, Buckshaw, which was to be sold.
This is the first of the five Flavia de Luce novels I’ve read where I listened to Jayne Entwistle reading it. While she doesn’t read Flavia quite the way I hear it, she does a smashing job, and I have to say that once I became accustomed to some of the little things she added that I thought rather a bit unnecessary at first for such dry humour, I found myself rather enjoying it, and finally enjoying it so much I have to give Jayne’s reading five stars and a heart.
Does Flavia solve the mystery of who Feely is going to marry and who killed Mr. Collicutt and why? Does she solve any of the other little mysteries that, true to a Flavia de Luce novel, come her way? The best way to find out is to read or listen to the novel yourself

True Magic!

Alan Bradley and Jane Entwistle are a magical combination. This series is without a doubt my most favorite in a long time. Very w​ell written from the wonderful characters to the ​engagingly ​faceted plot, ​this book as well as ​the ​entire​ series is just perfect!​ ​I am jealous that ​as of 1/22/19 one can binge read this series (books 1-10)! I read them as they came out and had to wait a year (sometimes even longer) to ​read the next installment. ​

Entwistle and Bradley BOTH better this time

Entwistle's annoying habit of punching up the "slyly humorous" bits of internal monologue are not nearly as evident here, allowing her otherwise lovely evocation of Flavia to shine. Bradley, too, while still tending to over-express the obvious in Flavia's analysis, has written a tighter, more affecting book than the last two in the series.

Jayne Entwistle brings Flavia to life!

I loved reading Flavia DeLuce for years, but somehow Jayne Entwistle makes the experience even better. I cannot imagine a more perfect performance.

Superb!!!! Brilliant , imaginative writing!!

I loved this book!!!
The writing is extraordinary !!!
Imaginative, colorful , quirky and filled with great sense of humor.
Jayne Entwhistle is the marvelous reader !!
Thank you!!
On to the next one!!!!

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