“The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” is author Alan Bradley’s historical, hysterical, brilliantly written novel, starring Flavia De Luce, a quirky eleven-year-old who has a passion for chemistry (especially poisons) and amateur sleuthing. The story takes place in England during the 1950s in a days-gone-by English manner where Flavia lives with her eccentric father and two irritating older sisters.

Mysterious events begin to occur when Mrs. Mullet, Buckshaw’s housekeeper, and cook, discovers a dead bird on the porch with a Penny Black stamp pierced through its beak. A short time later, Flavia overhears a heated argument between her father and a red-headed stranger who (much to Flavia’s morbid delight) shortly turns up dead in the family cucumber patch.

Though the heroine of this tale is young in years, the stories of Flavia De Luce are far from a child’s tale and are some of the most complex and colorfully written mysteries I’ve read to date. High on my list of must-reads, especially for cozy mystery fans. And there are nine books in this series now! (All with great cover designs.)