NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A finger in a wedding cake is only the beginning in this deliciously shocking mystery featuring Flavia de Luce, “the world’s greatest adolescent British chemist/busybody/sleuth” (The Seattle Times). Although it is autumn in the small English town of Bishop’s Lacey, the chapel is decked with exotic flowers. Yes, Flavia de Luce’s sister Ophelia is at last getting … Ophelia is at last getting hitched, like a mule to a wagon. “A church is a wonderful place for a wedding,” muses Flavia, “surrounded as it is by the legions of the dead, whose listening bones bear silent witness to every promise made at the altar.” Flavia is not your normal twelve-year-old girl. An expert in the chemical nature of poisons, she has solved many mysteries, sharpening her considerable detection skills to the point where she had little choice but to turn professional. So Flavia and dependable Dogger, estate gardener and sounding board extraordinaire, set up shop at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, eager to serve—not so simple an endeavor with her odious little moon-faced cousin, Undine, constantly underfoot. But Flavia and Dogger persevere. Little does she know that their first case will be extremely close to home, beginning with an unwelcome discovery in Ophelia’s wedding cake: a human finger.
Praise for The Golden Tresses of the Dead
“Delightful . . . The mysteries in Mr. Bradley’s books are engaging, but the real lure is Ms. de Luce, the irreverent youngster.”—The Wall Street Journal
“A ghoulish question is at the heart of Bradley’s excellent tenth Flavia de Luce novel. . . . Bradley, who has few peers at combining fair-play clueing with humor and has fun mocking genre conventions, shows no sign of running out of ideas.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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Flavia De Luce is my favorite junior chemist and pesky little sister ever
Another quick Flavia de Luce read! Flavia is definitely growing up a bit. She’s hit puberty and has new emotions that she isn’t quite sure how to handle. It is quite comical. This book picks up with the first case that Flavia and her trusty sidekick Dogger have officially taken up under their new detective agency.
A Mystery Lover’s Mystery
A delightful addition to the series, although it could be read as a stand alone, it is so much richer if previous stories have been read.
Appropriate for teens – adults
No sex
No memorable strong language
No violence, although some situations are unpleasant
Setting: 1952 England
Main characters: Flavia and Dogger, who have just opened an investigative agency. Flavia, a 12 – 13 year old girl, is arguably a genius. Dogger, a victim of PTSD, was her father’s best friend.
Plot no spoilers:
At Flavia ‘s sister’s wedding, someone pulls a nasty joke…or is it? Soon Flavia and Dogger are on a murderer’s trail.
Witty, and at times heartwarming
I cannot recommend this series highly enough.
Enjoy!
I am going to read every book in this series because they are magnificent!
Love this series of books
Another adventure with Flavia and company, and one of the better mysteries in the past several books in the series.
What I liked about “The Golden Tresses of the Dead”:
The premise of the mystery isn’t one I’ve encountered before – Without giving anything away, the pieces of the case were unique, other than the basic cause of death. With so many books in this genre, there are only so many ways that a person can meet their untimely demise, so I appreciate when the elements that lead to that demise show a little creativity.
The relationship between Flavia and Dogger – I have always found the interactions between these two characters to be especially endearing. This latest development which pairs them together professionally as well is one that I thoroughly enjoy.
The evolution of Flavia – There is no doubt that Flavia is going through the slow metamorphosis of maturing. While she is still undeniably Flavia, there are subtle changes to her thoughts and reactions.
What I didn’t care for:
The uncertainty around whether or not this is the series conclusion – There have been many indications that book ten may be the final installment of Flavia’s adventures. While there is a tinge of resolution to the ending of this book, I still have so many questions. That, more than being sad to bid farewell to Flavia, bothers me. I want some sort of epilogue or something that tells me what befalls our little chemist and investigator as she grows up.
Overall, this book did not disappoint me. The slower pace at which I found myself reading it is no indication of my enjoyment, but rather just timing with my schedule. The four stars were earned, fair and square, and should there be more adventures ahead for Arthur Dogger & Associates, I would embrace them with enthusiasm.
All of the Flavia books are great. This one concentrated on Flavia and Dogger and their newly-minted ‘detective agency’. Thank goodness Dogger is there to keep Flavia from going off the deep end – but she has some good ideas, too!
i am not sure what happened to Flavia but the don’t care for the new one and Dogger is a real talker when in previous books he barley uttered a word. just not the same. sorry Alan
In this series, I find the turns of phrase intriguing and fascinating. Flavia is a delight.
Wonderful plot, great characters, no extraneous long paragraphs to slow the action. Every word counts.
Love Alan Bradley’s Flavia.
Love Flavia. Sometimes a little too much chemistry
Best one yet! Couldn’t put it down.
Love the series,but found this book disappointing. Flavia is not her usual independent self. Though Dogger is a beloved character, she was a bit overshadowed by him.
And the reason for the murderand other criminal activity was not well explained. There really was not a satisfactory reason for the finger in the cake….
Flavia’s sister, Feely, is finally getting married. But at the wedding, as Feely and Dieter cut their cake, Feely slices into a human finger! How very Flavia! It’s certainly a case for Arthur W. Dogger & Associates, with Flavia being the main associate, of course. And, not long after, the two are hired by a Mrs. Prill to help track down some missing letters. Flavia and Dogger barely know where to focus first. Then someone else winds up dead–with Flavia and Dogger in the thick of things–and things spiral from there..
“Aside from that-except for the human remains-it was a beautiful occasion.”
So says Flavia of Feely’s wedding, in very Flavia fashion. By now, if you’ve read the first nine books in this series, this one will feel quite familiar and sweet to you. Flavia is her usual fun, clever self, and I can’t help but love her to pieces. She’s up to her usual tricks in her laboratory and busy working away with her beloved Dogger, who may be the best butler/sidekick/friend in the history of mystery novels.
“I’d like to remark at the outset that I’m a girl with better than an average brain.”
These books are always wonderfully descriptive, and I love seeing the world from Flavia’s unique point of view:
“I don’t know if you’ve ever dissected a rat, but to me, there was only one word for it: exhilarating.”
Flavia and Dogger have two cases to solve here–and they intersect quickly. We get plenty of Flavia and Dogger time, which is great. Unfortunately, Feely is shipped off on her honeymoon, and we barely see any of Daffy. I missed the usual sarcasm and biting wit that comes with de Luce sister time. There is more of Flavia’s cousin, Undine, who I admit is growing on me (and perhaps Flavia?). She will be a good companion Flavia, I think.
Sadly, though, I’ve read in several places that this is the last of the Flavia de Luce series. If so, this book felt woefully unresolved on several fronts for me. The mysteries felt underwhelming, as if the loose ends didn’t really tie together; I was confused about how it all wrapped up in the end. And if this is really the last book, it just didn’t seem as if it did our amazing heroine justice. Flavia went out with a whimper, not a bang. I would have liked to see more finality, more resolution somehow, instead of some partially ended cases and no real conclusion. It just didn’t feel like a satisfactory end to what has been an amazing series featuring such a plucky girl who has been through so very much.
Still, I’m really glad I’ve had a chance to read this series, and I certainly enjoyed this book and all of Flavia’s adventures. She’s such a fun, unique character, and I can’t recommend this lovely series enough. 3.5 stars.
Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley
Missionary ladies, odd wicker cages, poisonings, quack remedies — and a finger in Feely’s wedding cake — all perplex the Discrete Investigations by Flavia and Dogger. Lessons in persistence, cleverness, lying and chemistry are intriguing, as are lessons in life and philosophy.
I especially liked Dogger’s calm and instructive interactions with young cousin Undine, insights into how he helped Flavia grow into the confident and competent individual she is. There are hints of an ongoing friendship with Collie, lovely to see Flavia cultivating a friend near her own age and showing such consideration for his feelings. I also hope for a reconciliation with the inspector’s wife Antigone. As Flavia is growing, learning a bit of necessary tact, and gaining others’ respect for her work, her future adventures continue to amaze and entertain.