Sunday, March 21, 2010

Reading...

Although it may seem like it from my previous blog, I do not spend most of my time in front of the television set exercising my right thumb. I love to read.

I read everything that is put in from of me -- cereal boxes, magazines, newspapers and lots of novels. I read 3 to 4 books a week when I am not channel surfing.

This week's must read...

My book de jour is The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag, by Alan Bradley. This is the second novel featuring 11 year old prodigy detective/mad scientist Flavia de Luce. Flavia was originally introduced in critically acclaimed The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie winner of the Crime Writers Association's Debut Dagger Award.

I know...an 11 year old detective!! Don't worry, these mysteries are not Nancy Drew clones. I can only describe their content as original, clever, entertaining and very funny.

Flavia, when she is not concocting poisonous brews in her basement laboratory (which she uses with vengeful delight on her older sisters Ophelia and Daphne), she is peddling around the 1950' sleepy English village of Bishop's Lacey on her trusty bicycle 'Gladys'.
Quick witted, inquisitive, with a fascinatingly eccentric family and a cast of quirky characters Flavia's sleuthing kept me turning pages late into the night.

If you have not read the first book, start there. Hopefully this is a series that goes on for a very long time. And by the way, Alan Bradley is Canadian!