I Am Half-Sick of Shadows

I Am Half Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press (November 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0385344015

Book Description

Series: Flavia De Luce | Publication Date: November 1, 2011

It’s Christmastime, and the precocious Flavia de Luce—an eleven-year-old sleuth with a passion for chemistry and a penchant for crime-solving—is tucked away in her laboratory, whipping up a concoction to ensnare Saint Nick. But she is soon distracted when a film crew arrives at Buckshaw, the de Luces’ decaying English estate, to shoot a movie starring the famed Phyllis Wyvern. Amid a raging blizzard, the entire village of Bishop’s Lacey gathers at Buckshaw to watch Wyvern perform, yet nobody is prepared for the evening’s shocking conclusion: a body found, past midnight, strangled to death with a length of film. But who among the assembled guests would stage such a chilling scene? As the storm worsens and the list of suspects grows, Flavia must use every ounce of sly wit at her disposal to ferret out a killer hidden in plain sight.

Well, it seems that the “mini Jessica Fletcher” (Murder She Wrote) is at it again.  This time though she is alternating her mystery murder with a true experiment to capture Father Christmas to be sure he’s real.

Daddy dearest is renting out the house to a movie crew to make a movie so that it will give them enough money to keep living in the house for several months.  Little did they know it would wind up a murder instead of a movie!

The dear inspector keeps a close eye on Flavia , knowing by now that she will somehow incorporate herself into solving the mystery of who murdered the movie star.?

Alan Bradley has come up with a dilly of a kid who loves chemistry and murder.  I can’t say I know any 11 yr olds that would love either of those things!  My wonder now is, how many murders can happen without Flavia having a birthday or two??   That is, if her sisters don’t torment her to death first.

This is another well written, enjoyable, escapade for Flavia and for us, her readers.  If you have read the other books you won’t want to miss this one… it deserves to be in the collection!