The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie cover art

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The first novel in the gripping Flavia series - now a major Sky Original film!

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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

By: Alan Bradley
Narrated by: Emilia Fox
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About this listen

 For very nearly eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, the discovery of a dead snipe on the doorstep of Buckshaw, the crumbling de Luce country seat, was a marvellous mystery - especially since this particular snipe had a rather rare stamp neatly impaled on its beak. Even more astonishing was the effect of the dead bird on her stamp-collector father, who appeared to be genuinely frightened.

Soon Flavia discovers something even more shocking in the cucumber patch, and it's clear that the snipe was a bird of very ill omen indeed. As the police descend on Buckshaw, Flavia decides it is up to her to piece together the clues and solve the puzzle. Who was the man she heard her father arguing with? What was the snipe doing in England at all? Who or what is the Ulster Avenger? And, most peculiar of all, who took a slice of Mrs Mullet's unspeakable custard pie that had been cooling by the window...?

Read by Emilia Fox

(p) 2010 Orion Publishing Group©2009 Alan Bradley Amateur Sleuths Cosy Crime Fiction Mystery Traditional Detectives Women Sleuths Suspense Fiction

Critic reviews

Praise for the cosy crime Flavia de Luce Mysteries - perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Midsomer Murders:
The Flavia de Luce novels are now a cult favourite
Certain to become a national treasure
Delightfully entertaining
Flavia is enchanting
A breath of fresh air to the world of period-piece sleuthing
Flavia is mercilessly addictive
A clever, witty and totally gripping read with lots of surprises
At once precocious and endearing, Flavia is a marvellous character. Quirkily appealing, this is definitely a crime novel with a difference
It's like entering the lost world of the Mitford sisters where the girls are allowed to run completely wild
Hilarious, eccentric and mischievous
Engaging, entertaining, bright and breezy; and above all, great fun!
All stars
Most relevant
I never tire of this and the other stories, perfect in every way. Thank you.

Sublime. Perfect in every way.

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The story line was very creative and I was sent back to my own youth and eager consumption of Bobbsy Twins and Nancy Drew mysteries.

fun and fanciful

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A real breath of fresh air , a story with an eleven years old as the main character. Flavia de Luce is a wonderful and enlightening young lady - old beyond her years. i thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story , am disappointed that few are available on Audible.

Lovely read

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We bought this to keep ourselves, our two teenage boys and our eleven year old daughter occupied on a long car journey, and it did the job admirably. It's tricky finding something that appeals to everyone, but this was ideal, and had enough suspence to ensure they wanted to take it back up for the return journey. My teenage sons were initially a bit suspicious due to the rather odd title of the book, but it won them round once it got going. Good paced story and very well read by Emilia Fox.

Delicious Pie!

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Enjoyed this book which was entertaining from beginning to end. Well read by Emilia Fox. Naughty tomboy meets Miss Marple.

Wholesome fun

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