Alan Bradley's books are written easily, entertainingly, clearly. Good solid novels in the style of a classic village detective introduce readers to the heroine Flavia de Luce, who manages to unravel the most mysterious crimes. One of a series of books about a young detective is Smoked Herring without Mustard. It will be discussed in this article.
A bit about the author
Canadian writer and screenwriter A. Bradley was born in 1938 in Toronto. Educated in the field of electronics. He worked on television and radio stations in Ontario. For many years he taught courses in screenwriting and television production, lectured and wrote stories for children. Alan Bradley is one of the founders of Saskatown Magazine, which examines the letters of Sherlock Holmes.
In 1994, Alan retired, was actively involved in writing and created an unforgettable character, the young detective Flavia, who became the heroine of a series of books, including the novel Smoked Herring without Mustard, a brief summary of which can be found below.
Writer's work
The first of a series of novels about the young detective Flavia de Luce was released in 2007 - âSweetness on the Crust of the Pieâ. The author was awarded several prizes for the best debut novel, which attracted the attention of a wide range of readers to the work of Bradley. The novel has been translated and published in 30 countries. Then new stories about Flavia's adventures followed, and the heroine of the novels, after the fourth book âOh, I am ill from ghostsâ, was nominated for the Arthur Ellis Prize in 2012. So who is Flavia de Luce?
Main characters
Events in Bradleyâs novels, including the book âSmoked Herring Without Mustard,â unfold in the 1950s, post-war years of the last century. The young 11-year-old detective Flavia is a representative of an ancient aristocratic family. He lives in the Buckshaw estate with his father, Colonel de Luce, and his sisters - Ophelia and Daphne. The de Luce family has financial problems, and at any time their family mansion can go under the hammer.
For Flavia, this idea is simply unbearable, because she really loves her old house with faded carpets and dried wallpaper.
Flavia lost her mother when she was very young. Harriet de Luce died in the Himalayas. The girl, both externally and internally, is a copy of her mother. Longing for the mother, sympathy for the father, indifference and bullying from the sisters make Flavia very vulnerable, and the unimaginable is happening in her head.
Flavia de luce
The heroine of Bradleyâs novel âSmoked Herring without Mustardâ, girl Flavia, loves to investigate the killings that occur in their village with enviable regularity. Her best assistants are an inquiring mind and the ability to analyze information. Flavia is fond of chemistry and is ready to pore for hours in the laboratory, which once belonged to her uncle.
Especially the girl is interested in poisons, which I read a lot of literature about, and names like ammonia, potassium cyanide and arsenic sound like music to her. As a result, Flavia reveals crimes much earlier than the local police inspector Hewitt. In total, the cycle about the little detective includes nine novels, including âSmoked Herring without Mustard,â the third of the series about the adventures of Flavia de Luce.
What do readers say?
It is impossible to break away from detectives Bradley, as readers write in reviews of âSmoked Herring Without Mustardâ. If in the books of other writers from the first pages it is more or less clear who the criminal is, then everything is not so simple. The plot is twisted so masterfully and masterly that until the last chapter you are lost in conjecture.
The details of their de Luce family life are generously flavored with espionage, historical and slightly mystical facts.
After reading, the hands involuntarily reach for the next novel, the names of which attract like a magnet: âI broadcast from the tombâ, âWeed wrapped around the executioner's bagâ, âSandwich with ash and pheasantâ, âThe rumor court is not dangerous in the graveâ or âSmoked herring without mustard. â
Meeting gypsy woman
The novel âSmoked Herring without Mustardâ begins with an acquaintance with the main character Flavia. During a church holiday, she went into a tent to a gypsy woman, who predicted to her that Flavia's mother was now in a cold place and was waiting for help. The girl jumped up and overturned the candle in surprise. The gypsy tent instantly consumed the fire.
The pastor asked the girl to take the lemonade to the gypsy who was assisted. And Flavia, feeling guilty before her, invited her to live on their estate. A gypsy woman said that once she and her husband stayed there, but they were driven out by a âtall, thin manâ. Her husband then could not stand the heart, and he died. And the gypsy remembered the mistress from that estate well - the girl was very similar to her.
In the gypsy wagon they reached the estate de Lusov. The old woman was ill and Flavia, having picked up elderberries, made a fire to boil tea for her. But the gypsy, hearing about the elderberry, dropped the cup from her hands, and screamed in horror that now they are all dead.
De luce family
Flavia went home. She felt very hungry and went into the kitchen. Then they threw a bag on her and carried it somewhere. The girl understood that besides her sisters, no one would joke. With the advent of his father, everyone calmed down. The father informed them that perhaps their house will be taken away soon, since it belongs to their mother, and she did not leave a will. So, reflecting on their difficult financial situation, Flavia fell asleep.
Waking up at three in the morning, she remembered the gypsy and went to the Fence. Passing by the kitchen, she smelled a strong smell of fish and met with a bum brooky who climbed into their house. Flavia escorted him and went to the Fence. Entering the wagon, she felt an unbearable smell of fish and discovered a gypsy lying in a pool of blood. Flavia rushed after the doctor. The gypsy was still alive, the doctor took her to the hospital and called the police.
Another death
Flavia began her own investigation. After the police left, she entered a gypsy van and saw a sleeping girl there. Hearing the noise, she jumped up and nearly killed Flavia. The girl who attacked her turned out to be the granddaughter of a gypsy. Hearing from the police about the misfortune, she came from London. Flavia said it was dangerous for Porslin to stay here and invited her to her home.
Soon Porslin visited her grandmother in the hospital and accused Flavia of attacking a gypsy. But the trouble did not end there. Flavia discovered Brooke's corpse hanging on a statue by the fountain. Inspector Hewitt spoke with the young detective and advised his father to keep an eye on his daughter. Flavia did not stop it. Climbing onto the seat of her faithful Gladys, the girl went in search of Brooke's mother.
Meeting with Harriet
Flavia thought of meeting a fading woman and did not expect that such a beautiful creature as Vanneta Hairwood would be the mother of this loafer Brooke. The woman was not only heard about the de Luce family, but was well acquainted with them. In her studio, the artist turned one of the canvases to the girl, and Flavia froze on the spot - Harriet was looking at her. She was sitting on the windowsill in their house, the seven-year-old Ophelia was playing nearby, little Daphne drove her finger through the book. And Harriet looked fondly at the bundle in her hands - a child wrapped in lush lace. It was Flavia.
Vanette said that Harriet paid for this picture and wanted to make a gift to her husband, but did not have time. And for many years, the canvas stood in her studio. In a fit of emotion, Flavia wanted to take the portrait, but stopped, remembering that her father had still not recovered after the death of his wife. The girl said goodbye to Vanneta and, going out into the corridor, did not fail to notice that the willow twigs, from which the maidservant Ursula weaves baskets, are treated with a substance with a strong smell of fish.
Young detective
Police conducted an investigation and, next to a gypsy van, found a babyâs corpse that had lain in the ground for several years. Flavia no matter what the stalor decided to solve this series of terrible crimes, but her father decided to stop her investigation and strictly forbade Flavia from leaving the house. The indefatigable detective still crawled out the window and raced on a bicycle, âfaithful Gladysâ, to search for new witnesses.
As always, curious Gladys managed to unravel these crimes before Inspector Hewitt. In addition to the novel Smoked Herring Without Mustard, Alan Bradley wrote eight more exciting stories about Flavia de Luce, a little detective who brilliantly manages to solve the most complicated crimes.