Flavia de Luce trails a killer in ‘Red Herring Without Mustard’
Coming across a dead body is all in a day for 11-year-old Flavia de Luce.
The precocious young sleuth investigates an attack on an old Gypsy woman in Alan Bradley’s charming “A Red Herring Without Mustard,” the third novel featuring the lovable heroine following “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” and “The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag.”
There’s really nothing not to like about “Red Herring,” from its colorful title, to the wonderful, bright hardback cover, to the descriptive, funny, entertaining story found inside.
Flavia, wise beyond her years, has a fondness for science, not to mention mysteries. A while after finding the bludgeoned Gypsy woman, Flavia discovers a body on her own property. The corpse dangles from the trident of a sculptured Poseidon, part of a grand fountain on the estate, a silver lobster pick with the de Luce monogram lodged up through the dead man’s nose.
Unfortunately for Flavia, the police arrive before she can process the scene. She offers to show Inspector Hewitt, with whom she has become quite familiar, to the body.
“Hold on,” Inspector Hewitt said. “You’ll do no such thing. I want you to keep completely out of this. Do you understand, Flavia?”
“It is our property, Inspector,” I said, just to remind him that he was talking to a de Luce.
“Yes, and it’s my investigation. So much as one of your fingerprints at the scene and I’ll have you up on charges. Do you understand?”
What insolence! It didn’t deserve an answer. ... I spun on my heel and slammed the door in his face.
Inside, I quickly clapped my ear to the panel and listened for all I was worth.
Although it sounded like a dry chuckle, the sound I heard must really have been a little cry of dismay from the Inspector at having so foolishly lost the service of a first-rate mind.
It doesn’t take long for Flavia to hop on her trusty bicycle Gladys and begin hunting the identity of the killer. The trail of clues will take her all over the hamlet of Bishop’s Lacey and the surrounding area, where a host of suspicious characters await her understated interrogation.
Bradley has created an absolutely delightful character with Flavia de Luce. Though the girl employs her practical nature to solve mysteries, Flavia’s not above a little mischief, using her cleverness against her older sisters. Science can be applied in many ways, after all.
From her youthful pranks, to her mature problem-solving skills, Flavia’s an impressive young lady. The charm of the main character is complemented by Bradley’s fine writing, filled with vivid imagery as well as lovely metaphors and similes.
“A Red Herring Without Mustard” will steal a mystery lover’s heart, and the clever Miss Flavia will surely keep it forever.
