A Red Herring Without Mustard

A Red Herring Without Mustard (2011) by Alan Bradley. Set in the early 1950s in England, this book continues the adventures of amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, a precocious 11-year-old who solves crimes while adults move in their slow orbits above her. Flavia is an utterly charming heroine, and the book is told in her voice as she struggles against the constraints of her older sisters Ophelia and Daphne, who delight in tormenting her. Along with their father, they all live in the old family estate of Buckshaw, which has definitely seen better days. From there, Flavia roams about the countryside on her faithful bicycle Gladys, which she imbues with a personality that is spirited yet loyal. My only criticism of this book is that the mystery itself is not terribly interesting, and the resolution comes about rather abruptly and is not very satisfying. Nevertheless, the book is a pleasure to read if only to see the world through Flavia's eyes. Grade: B+