Library Lines
I received a polite email Sunday morning to remind me that we have a holiday coming up, so The Pocahontas Times will go to press a day early, and my Library Lines article needed to be done – well – now. The email didn’t say that, but that’s what I heard in my head. I typically write them -when I remember to do so - the day before it’s due, so this wasn’t a hardship. Except I hadn’t decided on a topic—which is, of course, the toughest part of writing a weekly blurb, or blog or anything on a regular basis.
Jaynell, ever kind, suggested a book review or perhaps “a promo for the Flavia de Luce books” which was, to my mind, a great idea. I love the character Flavia and if I have not yet badgered you into reading and/or listening to this series of mysteries by Alan Bradley, it’s only because I haven’t cornered you yet. Just wait.
Flavia is a young, aspiring chemist and sleuth, living in a small English village called Bishop’s Lacey, a few years after World War II. Over the course of five novels in the series, we have come to know her father, a solemn man who collects stamps; her older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, who are both horribly cruel (Flavia’s perception); and, of course many other residents in and around the village. Flavia’s mother, Harriet, died in a mountain climbing accident when Flavia was just a baby, and so she doesn’t remember much about her mother at all.
“Speaking from Among the Bones” is the fifth Flavia adventure, which revolves around the 500th anniversary of St. Tancred’s death. The small church in Bishop’s Lacey is going to open their patron saint’s tomb, and of course Flavia is angling for a front row seat. It should be deliciously gruesome! Imagine everyone’s surprise when the body of the church organist, Mr. Collicutt, is discovered instead. To make matters even more bizarre, he’s wearing a gas mask! Flavia understands in an instant that she is probably the only one who can solve this mystery, and she sets about to do so.
I wanted to give a few more plot details, but the shocking ending of this book was so prominent in my memory that other details had faded away. So, I went to Amazon to read a synopsis and prod my failing memory. I searched for Flavia, and stumbled upon a wonderful page - obviously a very secret page that is announcing upcoming new releases!
The sixth Flavia book is due out in January 2014, and the title is “The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches.”
Only six months to wait for the cliffhanger ending of “Speaking” to be explained!
And it’s not just Flavia – Sue Grafton is releasing a new Kinsey Millhone in September called “W is for Wasted.” Patricia Cornwell’s new Scarpetta novel. “Dust.” will be released in November. And Elizabeth George finally has a new Lynley and Havers novel coming out in October called “Just One Evil Act.” Did I mention the new Stephanie Plum, “Takedown Twenty” by Janet Evanovich? We can also look forward to John Grisham’s “Sycamore Row,” and Lee Child’s new Jack Reacher novel, “Never Go Back.”
What fun!
I’m off to make my purchase list right now!
Oh, and read Flavia.
You’ll love her.