Review: The Grave is a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley (A Flavia de Lucie Novel)

Synopsis: In the wake of an unthinkable family tragedy, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is struggling to fill her empty days. For a needed escape, Dogger, the loyal family servant, suggests a boating trip for Flavia and her two older sisters. As their punt drifts past the church where a notorious vicar had recently dispatched three of his female parishioners by spiking their communion wine with cyanide, Flavia, an expert chemist with a passion for poisons, is ecstatic. Suddenly something grazes her fingers as she dangles them in the water. She clamps down on the object, imagining herself Ernest Hemingway battling a marlin, and pulls up what she expects will be a giant fish. But in Flavia’s grip is something far better: a human head, attached to a human body. If anything could take Flavia’s mind off sorrow, it is solving a murder—although one that may lead the young sleuth to an early grave. (from the online description)

Review: Flavia, as always, is previous, sassy, and clever – and too nosey for her own good. But then, would be love her if she wasn’t?

In this installment, we find her and her sisters, along with Dogger, on a required holiday, intending to heal them from the unthinkable tragedy at the end of the previous installment.

But Flavia, like a magnet, draws in a dead body. From there she begins the investigations. As with the previous few, these stories are less about Flavia solving a murder and more about Flavia growing up. The murder is secondary. This book highlights that in a particular way. With her future changing, Flavia searches for her own place in the world, as much as she does for the murderer.

This brings me to my main complaint about the book. So many of the things Flavia did to solve the murder seemed filler for the story and not actually relevant to the plot. Nor did they seem to enhance our understanding of Flavia.

In the end, this wasn’t my favorite of the Flavia de Luce series. I would have preferred a tighter plot and less fluff. However, Flavia herself is the same as always, precious, smart, and hilarious. I will continue to read these for no other reason than to spend more time with this character. 

NOTE: This regards the AUDIOBOOK version. 

Bookmarks: 3 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN:  978-0449807-699
Year Published: 2018
Date Finished: 7-10-2018
Pages: N/A (Audiobook)