The dead in their vaulted arches

Flavia de Luce's most recent adventure (after Speaking from Among the Bones) is once again set in the small English town of Bishop's Lacey in the early 1950s. Flavia, 11 years old and an aspiring chemist and sleuth, has two mysteries to solve: one intertwined in family secrets and the other caught up in the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a stranger. Flavia's interactions with her sisters, her father, and other recurring characters are quite entertaining; even Winston Churchill makes an appearance! Although it may be appreciated as a stand-alone, this program will be more enjoyable in its proper order; this is a pivotal entry in the series as listeners will delight not only in the action but in Flavia's maturing from a child into a young woman. Narrator Jayne Entwistle does a superb job with all of the voices, but the listener will relish her interpretation of Flavia. VERDICT Although this is a unique series, those who enjoy works by Deborah Crombie, Alexander McCall Smith, and M.C. Beaton will savor Flavia's forays. ["This latest adventure contains all the winning elements of the previous books while skillfully establishing a new and intriguing story line to explore in future novels," read the starred review of the Delacorte hc, LJ 1/14.]-Sandra C. Clariday, Tennessee Wesleyan Coll., Athens (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.