R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 7/3/2012 + 1438 more book reviews

This is my third read in the series. I quite liked the first and third novels but felt that this one was a bit lacking. However, I so enjoy Flavia de Luce as a character that I read to the last page. The story drags in the beginning and I missed some of the exciting aspects I found in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie.

Another murder, Rupert Porson, renowned puppet master, meets his end as the show begins. Since he is also a well known womanizer who is cruel and heartless there are many suspects. In her customary investigative mode, Flavia checks out the suspects one by one with no help from the local authorities who consider her persona non grata. The suspects include the madwoman who lives in Gibbet Wood where a boy named Robin Ingleby "accidentally" hung himself a few years ago. There is Grace Ingleby, his mother, who may have had a hand in Porson's demise, and the pregnant abused assistant, as well as a former prisoner of war named Dieter. Flavia discovers surprising secrets about Robin's parents, Rupert Porson and others that may be motives for murder.

Meanwhile as she pursues her investigation she discovers that a visiting an aunt, Aunt Felicity, can tell her more about the mother she never knew. Surprisingly, the believes that Flavia resembles her mother both physically and in personality traits while her sisters continue to deny her right to be part of the family.

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