As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust: A Flavia de Luce Novel

If you want to get lost in a well-written novel with a delightful protagonist, this is the series for you! While it isn't necessary to read the books in order, it is wise to do so. I had a gap of a few years between reading the last book and this one, and I had forgotten what a great writer Alan is! I would like to have Flavia come and live with me. 💕

This is a delightful read, chiefly because of the portrayal of Flavia de Luce, a twelve-year-old girl with an attitude. She takes her banishment from England to a Toronto girls' school in stride by discovering a body, breaking rules, and discovering a murderer. The assorted characters have enough substance to be believable, and the pace is good. Propelling everything is the personality and observations of Flavia, funny not to her but to the reader. She reminds me of Martha Grimes' characters of Patty Haigh and of The Knowledge and of Emma Graham of The Fadaway Girl. Both clever beyond their years. This novel keeps a lot of secrets unexplained, probably held in reserve for the next book.

When we left Flavia (first syllable rhymes with grave) at the end of the last book, she had just buried her mother after finding out that her mother had been involved in intelligence work during WWII; Flavia was being sent to Canada to her mother's boarding school to continue her education, with the enticement that an alleged poisoner is a chemistry teacher. This book picks up with Flavia's departure from England and her arrival at Miss Bodycote's Female Academy. Within hours of Flavia's arrival, a body wrapped in the Union Jack falls out of the chimney in her bedroom, hence beginning her life in the new school. Mystery and adventures ensue! Who's to be trusted, who's lying and ... who's the body? While this isn't a good introduction to the Flavia De Luce series, it was a ripping fun read. It was great to see Flavia navigating through the social strata and mores of a girls boarding school. Flavia is very intelligent and has an innate love of drama, so her interactions with fellow students were particularly amusing. I love this series and I especially enjoyed this addition. As always, I look forward to Flavia's next adventures.

Very enjoyable to read, the usual fun with Flavia and her knowledge of chemistry and poisoners. Deliciously morbid. Apt, expressive language throughout, often making the reader smile. The plot is supposed to be neatly tied up by Flavia's exegesis (imaginarily delivered to the police inspector in charge) at the end, but as others have pointed out, reasons aren't given to explain quite a few things -- missing girls, headmistress' true role, whether sother girls who communicate with Flavia are "in" or "out" of the Big Secret, why the corpse was beheaded (discovered beheaded corpse at beginning, so not a spoiler), why no one in the family wrote to or sent money to Flavia, why some characters (e.g. Kelly of the laundry) are even in the book, etc. Still a fun book and I'd recommend it. Just don't expect all of your questions to be answered at the end.

Whenever I get attached to a series or character, I know that there's a pretty good chance that there will be a disappointing book along the way. With luck, it will get better again. If not, I lose interest and stop reading them. Have been through it with some of my MOST favorites (like Jack Reacher and Stephanie Plum) and with luck, it's just a bump in the road and gets back on track with the next book. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust appears to be the one that's going to be that possible turning point for Flavia de Luce. I have loved all the Flavia books, and couldn't wait for this one to arrive. But she leaves her family, friends and home for an entirely new situation, which is unfortunately just doesn't work for me. At home she has a family and friends - quirky, well-developed characters that I find fascinating and want to get to know better. In Canada, they all seem pretty one-dimensional and I ended up not even caring whodunit. I'm pretty sure that in a week or two, I'll forget most of the characters and probably even who the killer was. Alan Bradley is still a terrific writer - setting scenes, letting us into Flavia's mind, keeping us guessing about what's going on. So I'm definitely not sorry I read it. And since I plan to give it another try with the next book, it's important to have read this one so I'm still on track with what Flavia has been through. Just hoping that this was just a bump in the road and the de Luces will be will be back together soon, as before.

Really LOVE these books. The well written, witty and quircky prose, characters and plot are refreshing but not distracting in these cosy but dark mysteries. It is set in the 50s and as a brown, non-British person references to Churchill's 'great British empire' are not a favourite theme but add authenticity, I suppose, to the milieu. Highly recommended, a go to haven that helped me survive a miserable summer.

Divertente e intrigante come tutti i gialli di Alan Bradley della saga di Flavia De Luce. Questo in più ha una nuova ambientazione oltre oceano molto interessante.

Mr. Bradley's adventures with Flavia De Luce are a real treat to read and are both funny and a bit serious as well. Fabulous books and I love the "out of this world" titles he gives each book. I recommend everyone read his books.

Ich liebe alle Bücher von Alan Bradley und Flavia de Luce! Bald habe ich sie alle durch und freue mich auf weitere (ich hoffe er schreibt noch mehr!!) In Originalsprache sind die Bücher spritzig geschrieben, mit viel Witz und Feingefühl, aus der Sicht eines Mädchens mit einer leidenschaftlichen Liebe für Chemie und Gifte. Wie das Schicksal es so will stößt sie immer wieder auf irgendwelche toten Körper (oder Skelette) und klärt die Morde mit äußerster Präzision bis ins Detail auf. Dabei enthüllen sich natürlich oft ungeahnte Verknüpfungen und menschliche Abgründe, die spannend und interessant sind. Ihre Beobachtungsgabe von Menschen und Situationen sind sehr inspirierend und, dank viel Humor, sehr unterhaltsam.

When Flavia arrives as Miss Bodycote's, can murder and mayhem be far behind? True to form, the fun begins the very night she arrives at her Canadian school, with a body dropping out of the chimney. The unveiling of the murder victim eventually leads to the unmasking of a murderer. Flavia is, as usual, resourceful and ingenious in making her discoveries and conveying information to the authorities.