As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hardcover, 384 pages
Published January 6th 2015 by Doubleday Canada
Source: Random House Canada

Flavia de Luce (7)


An entirely fresh entry in the Flavia series with a change of scenery, pace and cast of characters. New life is injected into the series as Flavia is sent off to boarding to school in Canada. Of course, this being Flavia de Luce she finds herself in a setting worthy of the most overdramatic Gothic novels and a gruesome mystery literally falls into her lap. Surrounded by students and staff who are as mysterious as they should be, having been told by several of each to "Trust. No. One.", Flavia can't sit still until she's figured out what is really going on within these walls. I thoroughly enjoyed this entry though I will admit to being very apprehensive at first. I was worried that removing Flavia from her beloved home, Buckshaw, in England, would upset the series and I was very wary that the author was going to pull a permanent change of scene on us. But that is not the case, so if you feel like me don't worry, this is just a one-book adventure outside Flavia's usual world, her character does some maturing being away from the constant hierarchy of her family, gaining some authority to be the master of her own devices, as much as any 12yo in a boarding school could. A fun mystery with an ending that leaves Flavia between her residence abroad and her home in Buckshaw permitting me to wonder whether she will have an onboard mystery to solve in the next book before she reaches the shores of England. I could certainly take to an ocean mystery with new character Mrs. Bannerman but we'll have to wait and see what happens. As usual a fun cozy mystery with Gothic elements.