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In spite of being ejected from Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Canada, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is excited to be sailing home to England. But instead of a joyous homecoming, she is greeted on the docks with unfortunate news: Her father has fallen ill, and a hospital visit will have to wait while he rests. But with Flavia’s blasted sisters and insufferable cousin underfoot, Buckshaw now seems both too empty—and not empty enough. Only too eager to run an errand for the vicar’s wife, Flavia hops on her trusty bicycle, Gladys, to deliver a message to a reclusive wood-carver. Finding the front door ajar, Flavia enters and stumbles upon the poor man’s body hanging upside down on the back of his bedroom door. The only living creature in the house is a feline that shows little interest in the disturbing scene. Curiosity may not kill this cat, but Flavia is energized at the prospect of a new investigation. It’s amazing what the discovery of a corpse can do for one’s spirits. But what awaits Flavia will shake her to the very core.
Praise for Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d
“Mystery fans seeking novels of wit, an immersive English countryside setting, and rich characterizations will be rewarded with this newest entry in the award-winning series.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“There is such a thing as willing suspension of disbelief brought on by sheer outlandish charm, and that’s what [Alan] Bradley and some delicious writing have tapped.”—London Free Press
“Flavia’s first-person narration reveals her precocious intellect as well as her youthful vulnerability.”—Shelf Awareness
“Flavia is once again a fun, science-loving protagonist. . . . This series entry ends on a note that begs for the next story.”—Library Reads
“An eleven-year-old prodigy with an astonishing mind for chemistry and a particular interest in poisons.”—The Strand Magazine (Five of the Best Historical Heroines)
“Bradley’s preteen heroine comes through in the end with a series of deductions so clever she wants to hug herself. So will you.”—Kirkus Reviews
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
September 20, 2016 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780449807682
- File size: 259713 KB
- Duration: 09:01:04
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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October 31, 2016
Those who’ve delighted in the seven previous 1950s-era mysteries narrated by precocious British preteen Flavia de Luce are sure to enjoy her eloquent if sometimes snarky new account. Returning to her ramshackle family home in Bishop’s Lacey, England, at Christmastime, the budding chemist, poison expert, and self-styled sleuth is dismayed to find her father has been hospitalized with pneumonia, visitors not permitted. While attempting to lift her spirits and avoid her annoying sisters and cousin, she stumbles upon the corpse of the town’s woodcarver, crucified upside down. Suddenly feeling “gloriously alive,” she sets out, determined to bring the murderer to justice, armed with a logical mind and a major clue—the first edition of a popular children’s book. Reader Entwistle has been the voice of Flavia and her family, friends, and enemies for all eight audios for one reason: she’s the perfect choice. Not just capable of credibly imitating the voice of youth, she’s able to mold it to fit the mercurial moods of Flavia, from, in this case, worrying about her father to experiencing elation when uncovering new details, some as bizarre as a report of a man gobbled up by seagulls. A Delacorte hardcover. -
Narrator Jayne Entwistle is rousing in this eighth Flavia de Luce novel. Twelve-year-old Flavia's sleuthing skills are required after she discovers Mr. Sambrich, a local wood-carver, has been murdered by being hung upside down. Entwistle's Flavia is unruffled, while her inner dialogue is fascinating as she searches for clues. In addition to elegant quotes from the Bible and Shakespeare (including this title), picturesque village descriptions, which Flavia gives when she and Gladys, her bicycle, cruise around, put listeners right in each locale. Entwistle artfully captures Dogger, Mr. de Luce's servant and Flavia's great friend, and Mrs. Bannerman, with her warm Canadian accent, as she helps Flavia research her theories. Audio is the perfect format. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine -
July 4, 2016
Bestseller Bradley’s lively eighth Flavia de Luce novel (after 2015’s As Chimney Sweeps Come to Dust) finds the preadolescent chemist and detective back at Buckshaw, her crumbling family estate in England, after being dishonorably discharged from Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Canada. Her beloved father’s sickness taints homecoming, leaving moody Flavia to ward off a flock of pesky sisters. Welcome distraction comes when Flavia stumbles on the body of a local wood-carver strapped upside-down to a wooden contraption, flanked by a stack of children’s books by famed nonsense-versifier Oliver Inchbald. Flavia, who’s delighted to investigate under the eye of her old friend Inspector Hewitt, uncovers a backstory to the murder involving a man devoured by seagulls and a madcap Auntie Loo who dies scuba diving. Only the somewhat arbitrary final reveal disappoints. Child detectives can irritate, but Flavia’s a winner, a mix of sparky irreverence and wrathful propriety who evades the preciousness endemic to the species. Agent: Denise Bukowski, Bukowski Agency.
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