Alan Bradley – författare

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!Meet Flavia: Mystery Solver. Master Poisoner. 11 Years Old.England 1950. At Buckshaw, the crumbling country seat of the de Luce family, very-nearly-eleven-year-old Flavia is plotting revenge on her older sisters.Then a dead bird is left on the doorstep, which has an extraordinary effect on Flavia's eccentric father, and a body is found in the garden. As the police descend on Buckshaw, Flavia decides to do some investigating of her own.Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' GuardianFans of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, Frances Brody and Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy the Flavia de Luce mysteries:1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie2. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag3. A Red Herring Without Mustard4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows5. Speaking From Among the Bones6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches7. As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd9. The Grave's a Fine and Private PlaceIf you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.* Each Flavia de Luce mystery can be read as a standalone or in series order *

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!Welcome to Bishop's Lacey. A murder every country mileFor eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, a visit to a Gypsy fortune-teller is just a bit of fun - until the old woman claims to see a vision of Flavia's mother, who died when Flavia was a baby. When the Gypsy is brutally attacked, Flavia wonders if her appearance in the village has stirred up memories of a tragic event from the past.Flavia starts down a dark and twisting road to discover the truth - but when a corpse is found in the grounds of Buckshaw, the de Luce family seat, it seems as if the heart of the mystery is disturbingly close to home. Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' GuardianFans of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, Frances Brody and Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy the Flavia de Luce mysteries:1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie2. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag3. A Red Herring Without Mustard4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows5. Speaking From Among the Bones6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches7. As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd9. The Grave's a Fine and Private PlaceIf you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.* Each Flavia de Luce mystery can be read as a standalone or in series order *

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!Pigtails, poisons and murder-most-foul A travelling puppet show arrives in the sleepy village of Bishop's Lacey - and a shocking murder takes place. For eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, the crime will test her precocious powers of deduction to the limit - particularly when she discovers that the murder echoes a tragedy which occurred many years before...Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' GuardianFans of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, Frances Brody and Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy the Flavia de Luce mysteries:1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie2. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag3. A Red Herring Without Mustard4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows5. Speaking From Among the Bones6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches7. As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd9. The Grave's a Fine and Private PlaceIf you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.* Each Flavia de Luce mystery can be read as a standalone or in series order *

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers a secret that brings the greatest shock of her life.“I love the Flavia de Luce novels! Flavia is the best female detective I’ve ever read, full of realism, self-confidence, and emotion (in roughly equal parts), and her tales are hilarious, engaging, and occasionally heartbreaking.”—Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander seriesFlavia de Luce has taken on the mentorship of her odious moon-faced cousin Undine, who has come to live at Buckshaw following the death of her mother. Undine’s main talent, aside from cultivating disgusting habits, seems to be raising Flavia’s hackles, although in her best moments she shows potential for trespassing, trickery, and other assorted mayhem. When Major Greyleigh, a local recluse and former hangman, is found dead after a breakfast of poisonous mushrooms, suspicion falls on the de Luce family’s longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet. After all, wasn’t it she who’d picked the mushrooms, cooked the omelet, and served it to Greyleigh moments before his death? “I have to admit,” says Flavia, an expert in the chemical nature of poisons, “that I’d been praying to God for a jolly good old-fashioned mushroom poisoning. Not that I wanted anyone to die, but why give a girl a gift such as mine without giving her the opportunity to use it?”But Flavia knows the beloved Mrs. Mullet is innocent. Together with Dogger, estate gardener and partner-in-crime, and the obnoxious Undine, Flavia sets out to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet’s good name. Little does she know that following the case’s twists and turns will lead her to a most surprising discovery—one with the power to upend her entire life.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers a secret that brings the greatest shock of her life.“I love the Flavia de Luce novels! Flavia is the best female detective I’ve ever read, full of realism, self-confidence, and emotion (in roughly equal parts), and her tales are hilarious, engaging, and occasionally heartbreaking.”—Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander seriesA WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEARFlavia de Luce has taken on the mentorship of her odious moon-faced cousin Undine, who has come to live at Buckshaw following the death of her mother. Undine’s main talent, aside from cultivating disgusting habits, seems to be raising Flavia’s hackles, although in her best moments she shows potential for trespassing, trickery, and other assorted mayhem. When Major Greyleigh, a local recluse and former hangman, is found dead after a breakfast of poisonous mushrooms, suspicion falls on the de Luce family’s longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet. After all, wasn’t it she who’d picked the mushrooms, cooked the omelet, and served it to Greyleigh moments before his death? “I have to admit,” says Flavia, an expert in the chemical nature of poisons, “that I’d been praying to God for a jolly good old-fashioned mushroom poisoning. Not that I wanted anyone to die, but why give a girl a gift such as mine without giving her the opportunity to use it?”But Flavia knows the beloved Mrs. Mullet is innocent. Together with Dogger, estate gardener and partner-in-crime, and the obnoxious Undine, Flavia sets out to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet’s good name. Little does she know that following the case’s twists and turns will lead her to a most surprising discovery—one with the power to upend her entire life.

'Cosy mystery fans will love this latest delightful installment!' NITA PROSE, bestselling author of THE MAIDFlavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers secrets that bring the greatest shock of her life.****Poisonous mushrooms, pestilent cousins - and a most perplexing murder...There's a new arrival at Buckshaw - Flavia de Luce's obnoxious cousin Undine. Flavia reluctantly takes on the mentorship of her fellow orphan, who in her best moments shows some potential for trespassing and trickery.When Major Greyleigh, a former hangman, is found dead from a breakfast of poisonous mushrooms, suspicion falls on the de Luce family's longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet. After all, didn't she pick the mushrooms and serve them to Greyleigh moments before his death?Flavia knows her beloved Mrs. Mullet is innocent. Together with Dogger, estate gardener and partner-in-crime, and the odious Undine, she sets out to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet's good name.But following the case's twists and turns will lead her to a most surprising discovery - one with the power to upend her entire life...****PRAISE FOR THE HISTORICAL FLAVIA DE LUCE MYSTERIES: 'To say I am overjoyed by the return of the magnificent Flavia is a massive understatement. It's a great day when we have her back in our lives with a new, and riveting, crime to solve'LOUISE PENNY, bestselling author of the ARMAND GAMACHE MYSTERIES'Flavia is the best female detective I've ever read, full of realism, self-confidence and emotion (in roughly equal parts), and her tales are hilarious, engaging and occasionally heart-breaking'DIANA GABALDON, New York Times bestselling author 'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' MAIL ON SUNDAY'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family... Delightfully entertaining' GUARDIAN'Flavia is mercilessly addictive'DAILY TELEGRRAPH'At once precocious and endearing, Flavia is a marvellous character. Quirkily appealing, this is definitely a crime novel with a difference'CHOICE

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!'Cosy mystery fans will love this latest delightful installment!' NITA PROSE, bestselling author of THE MAIDFlavia de Luce, along with her pestilent younger cousin, investigates the murder of a former public hangman and uncovers secrets that bring the greatest shock of her life.****Poisonous mushrooms, pestilent cousins - and a most perplexing murder...There's a new arrival at Buckshaw - Flavia de Luce's obnoxious cousin Undine. Flavia reluctantly takes on the mentorship of her fellow orphan, who in her best moments shows some potential for trespassing and trickery.When Major Greyleigh, a former hangman, is found dead from a breakfast of poisonous mushrooms, suspicion falls on the de Luce family's longtime cook, Mrs. Mullet. After all, didn't she pick the mushrooms and serve them to Greyleigh moments before his death?Flavia knows her beloved Mrs. Mullet is innocent. Together with Dogger, estate gardener and partner-in-crime, and the odious Undine, she sets out to find the real killer and clear Mrs. Mullet's good name.But following the case's twists and turns will lead her to a most surprising discovery - one with the power to upend her entire life...****PRAISE FOR THE HISTORICAL FLAVIA DE LUCE MYSTERIES: 'To say I am overjoyed by the return of the magnificent Flavia is a massive understatement. It's a great day when we have her back in our lives with a new, and riveting, crime to solve'LOUISE PENNY, bestselling author of the ARMAND GAMACHE MYSTERIES'Flavia is the best female detective I've ever read, full of realism, self-confidence and emotion (in roughly equal parts), and her tales are hilarious, engaging and occasionally heart-breaking'DIANA GABALDON, New York Times bestselling author 'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' MAIL ON SUNDAY'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family... Delightfully entertaining' GUARDIAN'Flavia is mercilessly addictive'DAILY TELEGRRAPH'At once precocious and endearing, Flavia is a marvellous character. Quirkily appealing, this is definitely a crime novel with a difference'CHOICE

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!In the deep midwinter, there's a murder to solve... Christmas is coming and the snow is falling, but with the de Luce family finances in a parlous state, Colonel de Luce has been forced to rent out the family home to a film company.For Flavia and her sisters it's as if all their belated Christmases have come at once - but filming is soon slowed by a series of nasty accidents and then brought to a halt as a heavy snowstorm cuts Buckshaw off from the outside world. As they prepare to wait out the weather, they are stunned by a gruesomely dramatic murder - and suddenly Flavia, in the midst of designing an experiment to prove the existence of Father Christmas - has another, far deadlier mystery to solve.Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' GuardianFans of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, Frances Brody and Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy the Flavia de Luce mysteries:1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie2. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag3. A Red Herring Without Mustard4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows5. Speaking From Among the Bones6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches7. As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd9. The Grave's a Fine and Private PlaceIf you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.* Each Flavia de Luce mystery can be read as a standalone or in series order *

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!An ancient tomb...a very modern murder When the tomb of St Tancred is opened, no one expects to find the body of the organist, lying in a pool of blood, his handsome features covered by a gas mask.Eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce is intrigued. Why would anyone want to kill the much-admired organist in such a brutal and bizarre fashion?Why place his body in the tomb? And what happened to the remains of the previous occupant?The mystery leads Flavia deep into the past, to a strange story of lost manuscripts and ancient relics...Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' GuardianFans of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, Frances Brody and Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy the Flavia de Luce mysteries:1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie2. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag3. A Red Herring Without Mustard4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows5. Speaking From Among the Bones6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches7. As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd9. The Grave's a Fine and Private PlaceIf you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.* Each Flavia de Luce mystery can be read as a standalone or in series order *

Was their killer still at large? Could their killer be here at Buckshaw...?Two deaths, ten years apart, give Flavia de Luce the distraction she needs at a time when her family are more remote and dysfunctional than usual. Especially when a bizarre series of deadly events is casting a long shadow over everyone at Buckshaw. For Flavia, a gruesome crime to solve is only one of the mysteries confronting her, as she begins to unravel the shocking revelations surrounding the mysterious disappearance of her mother. And as she starts putting the clues together, she discovers an extraordinary tale of espionage and betrayal that may also be the key to her own destiny.

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!It all began with that awful business about my mother...Flavia de Luce's world is turned upside down when she is banished to Miss Bodycote's Female Academy in Canada - her mother Harriet's old boarding school. With its forbidding headmistress, intimidating teachers and bizarre rules, adapting to Miss Bodycote's could be a matter of life and death.But Flavia is soon on familiar ground when she is presented with a gruesome puzzle to solve. And the mystery of a withered corpse is only the beginning. Girls have been disappearing from Miss Bodycote's, leading Flavia to wonder what exactly the academy's true purpose is, and why were her father and Aunt Felicity so keen that she enrol?Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' GuardianFans of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin, Frances Brody and Alexander McCall Smith will enjoy the Flavia de Luce mysteries:1. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie2. The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag3. A Red Herring Without Mustard4. I Am Half Sick of Shadows5. Speaking From Among the Bones6. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches7. As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust8. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd9. The Grave's a Fine and Private PlaceIf you're looking for a cosy crime series to keep you hooked then look no further than the Flavia de Luce mysteries.* Each Flavia de Luce mystery can be read as a standalone or in series order *

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite.' Mail on SundayCURIOUSITY WON'T KILL THIS CAT...Twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is back at Buckshaw at last, but her homecoming is overshadowed by news of her father's illness.Forbidden from visiting Colonel de Luce in hospital, Flavia busies herself in the village, but she soon makes a macabre discover: the corpse of a reclusive woodcarver hanging upside down on the back of a door, in a house empty but for a curiously uncurious cat.While the local constabulary are stumped, Flavia is soon piecing together a puzzle that connects a death by murderous gulls on a desolate island, a local woman said to be a witch, and a beloved children's author who terrified his own son - plus, of course, a certain tortoise-shell cat ...

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!Sunny skies, sleep water...and a sinister corpseFlavia is enjoying the summer, spending her days punting along the river with her reluctant family. Languishing in boredom, she drags a slack hand in the water, and catches her fingers in the open mouth of a drowned corpse. Brought to shore, the dead man is found to be dressed in blue silk with ribbons at the knee, and wearing a single red ballet slipper.Flavia needs to put her super-sleuthing skills to the test to investigate the murder of three gossips in the local church, and to keep her sisters out of danger. But what could possibly connect the son of an executed killer, a far too canny police constable, a travelling circus, and the publican's mysteriously talented wife?Praise for the historical Flavia de Luce mysteries:'The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite' Mail on Sunday'A cross between Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle and the Addams family...delightfully entertaining' Guardian

Now a major film: Flavia, starring Martin Freeman and Toby Jones!Flavia de Luce, the twelve-year-old chemist and amateur detective is eager to turn professional. She and her father's valet, Dogger, have founded a detective agency, Arthur Dogger & Associates, and unexpectedly cut into their first case during the revelry at her sister Ophelia's wedding reception.After an eventful ceremony with a missing best man and spontaneous ventriloquist act, spirits are high as Feely and her new husband head for the towering and beautifully iced wedding cake. But as Feely slices into the first piece, a scream rings out - the bridal cake contains a severed human finger. Delighted, Flavia wraps the finger in a napkin and whisks it away to her chemical laboratory. By studying the embalmed skin, the indentation of a ring, and the slope of the fingernail, she'll not only be able to determine the identity of the victim - but also point a finger at a killer.