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stuckinwonderland's review against another edition
5.0
So interesting for a change to have Flavia be stuck in her house while investigating a murder. I also love the fact that despite her knowledge of chemistry and intelligence overall she still believes in Father Christmas, reminding everyone that she’s still an 11 year old girl.
squeakywindow's review against another edition
4.0
Quickest read yet in the series. Things didn't seem to start until about half way through the book, and seemed summed up rather quickly. Not much in the way of detective work. The ending really made this book for me.
applegnreads's review against another edition
5.0
Dark isn't the right word to describe these books, but something along those lines along with a fabulous humor. So wonderful.
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Audio performed by Jayne Entwhistle
3***
In this 4th installment of the Flavia DeLuce series we find Buckshaw overrun with a cinema crew just at Christmas. It’s the perfect setting for the film and they’ll pay handsomely (keeping the estate afloat for another year). Flavia, however, is much more concerned with whether Father Christmas is real. In an effort to settle the question once and for all, she concocts a chemical trap – her own sort of SuperGlue – which she spreads around the chimneys. Meantime, half the village has come to Buckshaw in a snowstorm for a benefit performance featuring the film’s two stars. As the snow turns to a blizzard they are all trapped on the estate, without phone or a means to travel back to town. It’s the perfect setting for a murder!
Bradley is stretching the plot rather thin in this book. The murder doesn’t happen until half-way through the book. As much as I love Flavia, I read the series for the mysteries and her efforts to solve them. While Flavia certainly helps to identify the killer, she spends much more time on her elaborate schemes for Christmas (she’s made fireworks as well at the trap for Santa). One thing I definitely did appreciate was the somewhat improved behavior of her sisters; they were far less cruel to her in this book than in previous installments. I also liked the additional information about Dogger, Colonel DeLuce and Flavia’s deceased mother.
As usual, Jayne Entwhistle is marvelous voicing Flavia and the other characters on the audio version. She is simply perfect!
3***
In this 4th installment of the Flavia DeLuce series we find Buckshaw overrun with a cinema crew just at Christmas. It’s the perfect setting for the film and they’ll pay handsomely (keeping the estate afloat for another year). Flavia, however, is much more concerned with whether Father Christmas is real. In an effort to settle the question once and for all, she concocts a chemical trap – her own sort of SuperGlue – which she spreads around the chimneys. Meantime, half the village has come to Buckshaw in a snowstorm for a benefit performance featuring the film’s two stars. As the snow turns to a blizzard they are all trapped on the estate, without phone or a means to travel back to town. It’s the perfect setting for a murder!
Bradley is stretching the plot rather thin in this book. The murder doesn’t happen until half-way through the book. As much as I love Flavia, I read the series for the mysteries and her efforts to solve them. While Flavia certainly helps to identify the killer, she spends much more time on her elaborate schemes for Christmas (she’s made fireworks as well at the trap for Santa). One thing I definitely did appreciate was the somewhat improved behavior of her sisters; they were far less cruel to her in this book than in previous installments. I also liked the additional information about Dogger, Colonel DeLuce and Flavia’s deceased mother.
As usual, Jayne Entwhistle is marvelous voicing Flavia and the other characters on the audio version. She is simply perfect!
flutegirl24's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
lindseymorgan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
I can't say anything bad about Flavia! Love, love, love this motherless girl. This book felt shorter than the first three since it took place in the better part of a week and entirely at Buckshaw. I hope he is almost done with the next. I am eager to see what happens next in the de Luce household!
vibeke_hiatt's review against another edition
4.0
I just love Flavia de Luce. She's the main reason I read these books. She alone deserves 10 stars, but the mystery portion of this book is somewhat threadbare. Still, it's a great read and a wonderful addition to the series. Bradley manages to keep a consistent tone from book to book, which will keep me reading as long as Bradley keeps writing.
colleengeedrumm's review against another edition
4.0
Love this Grrrrl.
I tend to make a swine of myself when there's cake to be had, and with lardy cake, it's no more than a day from lips to hips. I'm sure you'll understand.
When caught swearing, got for sympathy.
It will be fine, Vicar, when the agony abates.
I had noticed on other occasions that overcrowding, even in a spacious place, makes one feel like a different person. Perhaps whenever we began to breathe the breath of others, when the spinning atoms of their bodies began to mingle with our own, we took on something of their personality. perhaps we became something more, yet something lesser than ourselves.
One can always up the ante safely on bad intentions.
She ran her forefinger over the spines of the books in the familiar way that book lovers everywhere do.
Go ahead. I enjoy a good blurting out of secrets as much as the next person.
I tend to make a swine of myself when there's cake to be had, and with lardy cake, it's no more than a day from lips to hips. I'm sure you'll understand.
When caught swearing, got for sympathy.
It will be fine, Vicar, when the agony abates.
I had noticed on other occasions that overcrowding, even in a spacious place, makes one feel like a different person. Perhaps whenever we began to breathe the breath of others, when the spinning atoms of their bodies began to mingle with our own, we took on something of their personality. perhaps we became something more, yet something lesser than ourselves.
One can always up the ante safely on bad intentions.
She ran her forefinger over the spines of the books in the familiar way that book lovers everywhere do.
Go ahead. I enjoy a good blurting out of secrets as much as the next person.