Saxton Reads! & Reviews

*****
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
reviewed by CarolK
Just when I think there can't be anything new out there in mystery fiction along comes a book to prove me wrong. Not only has Sweetness won numerous awards but it was one of the picks for favorite books read in 2009 by the members of fiction_l, an electronic mailing list discussing readers' advisory topics. Looking for something light to read I thought this might be a good pick. Yes, it is somewhat cozy but goes well beyond that. It's got a great story with wonderful characters, particularly eleven year old Flavia de Luce. She's smart, quick thinking, and loves science and chemistry. She's also just a bit mischievous. Set in England in 1950, Flavia must solve her mysteries by doing research at the library and using her wits. No internet for her. Her first outing finds her discovering a dead body in the garden. The previous evening Flavia heard her father having a bitter argument with the dead stranger. Her father couldn't be responsible but if not he, who? There are 2 more sisters, various servants, a few good detectives and townspeople to round out the story. Lots of musky buildings, things that are not quite what they seem, and stamp collecting, make the whole delightful. This is Bradley's debut novel. A trilogy is planned. I'm so glad.