--- product_id: 1357296 title: "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery" price: "36.77 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1357296-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie-a-flavia store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery **Price:** 36.77 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery - **How much does it cost?** 36.77 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1357296-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie-a-flavia) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery: 9780385343497: Bradley, Alan: Books Review: A treat to read - First Sentence: It was as black in the closet as old blood. Flavia de Luce is a highly intelligent, 11-year-old who is fascinated by chemistry. Her specialty: poisons. Events begin when a dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp impaled upon its beak. That evening, she hears her father arguing with someone in his library. The following morning, Flavia literally stumbles across a body in the cucumber patch. Although she and her father are not close, Flavia will not see him tried for murder and is determined to find the killer herself. This was a delightful book yet a bit hard to explain what makes it so. Certainly the character of Flavia is the most important factor. It would have been so easy for the author to go over the top with Flavia and make her too...smart, good, precocious, many other adjectives, but he avoided those traps. She is all those things, as well as independent and strong, but she's not obnoxious and you understand that many of her traits are because her circumstances have required her to be. There is a freedom and innocence about her, but Delacorte ensures you feel the wounds she has felt growing up as well. The time in which the book is set contributes greatly. The story is set in rural England in 1950; post-War, industrial age but pre-technology, for the most part. Even that her father doesn't trust the telephone, adds to the charm, and Flavia has her trusty bicycle, Gladys. The plotting is done very well. Because the story is told from Flavia's point of view, you go through the investigation with her; both its steps and missteps. You also see the logical and emotional process at work, and how she dealt with the twists and turns as she uncovered information along the way.. I was pleased to learn this is the beginning of a six (so far) book series. This book won the Dagger award, and justifiably so. I highly recommend it. SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE (Ama. Sleuth-Flavia de Luce-England-Cont) - VG+ Bradley, Alan - 1st in series Delacorte Press, 2009, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780385342308 Review: a great start to a wonderful new series - Set in the English countryside near the village of Bishop's Lacey in 1950, eleven year old Flavia deLuce lives with two older sisters and her father, the family factotum Dogger and the part-time housekeeper and cook Mrs. Mullet at a decaying manor home called Buckshaw. Flavia's dad passes most of his time alone, collecting stamps and listening to music. Ophelia, the eldest sister, prides herself on her appearance, and then there's Daphne, who always has her nose stuck in a book. Flavia's mother died during a mountain-climbing trip in Tibet when Flavia was still very small, but her dad manages to hold the family together even though money is tight and the home needs major repairs. As the story opens, Mrs. Mullet discovers a dead bird with an antique stamp through its beak, and shortly thereafter, Flavia discovers a dying man in the garden. After all is said and done, Mr. deLuce is arrested, and Flavia's detective career begins in order to clear him. What makes this story work is both the character of Flavia and the author's writing. It's often hard to remember sometimes that Flavia is only eleven, and the word precocious hardly begins to describe her. Because she's 11, people tend not to pay attention to her, and she's the most scheming little thing you can imagine. Her mind never stops working, she is as relentless as a pit bull when she's on to something, and she's brilliant -- she's a master of chemistry at her tender young age, and she sees all facets of the world around her in ways adults cannot. She has this wonderful gift of being able to make pretty much anyone tell her anything. At the same time, you get little glimpses into Flavia the little girl, such as when her sisters tease her, or when she thinks about her mother. As far as the author's writing, even though his main character is this precocious 11-year old girl, he still hangs on to the realities of post-war England. Dogger, for example, suffers what we would call post-traumatic stress disorder, after suffering through the atrocities of a POW camp. The family home, Buckshaw, once a beautiful and elegant manor, has seen better days. Bradley's characterizations are excellent, each person with his or her own voice and clearly-defined place in this story.And, most importantly, this story does not devolve into the realm of "cutesy" or sickeningly sweet at all. It's fun and yet at the same time, it's intelligent. As far as the mystery goes, the whodunit is a bit transparent, but you really won't care because this book is so well written. You end up being engrossed in the world of Bishop's Lacey and in the deLuce family, and especially in Flavia, so while the core murder mystery is good, there's so much more going on that takes you over as a reader. I can highly recommend this book to anyone -- definitely one of my favorites for this reading year. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #20,735 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #114 in Historical Mystery #191 in Historical Thrillers (Books) #281 in Amateur Sleuths | | Book 1 of 11 | Flavia de Luce | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (7,150) | | Dimensions | 5.18 x 0.89 x 8 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 0385343493 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0385343497 | | Item Weight | 10.4 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 416 pages | | Publication date | January 19, 2010 | | Publisher | Bantam | ## Images ![The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Q9HKTTN2L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A treat to read *by L***S on July 9, 2009* First Sentence: It was as black in the closet as old blood. Flavia de Luce is a highly intelligent, 11-year-old who is fascinated by chemistry. Her specialty: poisons. Events begin when a dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp impaled upon its beak. That evening, she hears her father arguing with someone in his library. The following morning, Flavia literally stumbles across a body in the cucumber patch. Although she and her father are not close, Flavia will not see him tried for murder and is determined to find the killer herself. This was a delightful book yet a bit hard to explain what makes it so. Certainly the character of Flavia is the most important factor. It would have been so easy for the author to go over the top with Flavia and make her too...smart, good, precocious, many other adjectives, but he avoided those traps. She is all those things, as well as independent and strong, but she's not obnoxious and you understand that many of her traits are because her circumstances have required her to be. There is a freedom and innocence about her, but Delacorte ensures you feel the wounds she has felt growing up as well. The time in which the book is set contributes greatly. The story is set in rural England in 1950; post-War, industrial age but pre-technology, for the most part. Even that her father doesn't trust the telephone, adds to the charm, and Flavia has her trusty bicycle, Gladys. The plotting is done very well. Because the story is told from Flavia's point of view, you go through the investigation with her; both its steps and missteps. You also see the logical and emotional process at work, and how she dealt with the twists and turns as she uncovered information along the way.. I was pleased to learn this is the beginning of a six (so far) book series. This book won the Dagger award, and justifiably so. I highly recommend it. SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE (Ama. Sleuth-Flavia de Luce-England-Cont) - VG+ Bradley, Alan - 1st in series Delacorte Press, 2009, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780385342308 ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ a great start to a wonderful new series *by N***O on February 10, 2010* Set in the English countryside near the village of Bishop's Lacey in 1950, eleven year old Flavia deLuce lives with two older sisters and her father, the family factotum Dogger and the part-time housekeeper and cook Mrs. Mullet at a decaying manor home called Buckshaw. Flavia's dad passes most of his time alone, collecting stamps and listening to music. Ophelia, the eldest sister, prides herself on her appearance, and then there's Daphne, who always has her nose stuck in a book. Flavia's mother died during a mountain-climbing trip in Tibet when Flavia was still very small, but her dad manages to hold the family together even though money is tight and the home needs major repairs. As the story opens, Mrs. Mullet discovers a dead bird with an antique stamp through its beak, and shortly thereafter, Flavia discovers a dying man in the garden. After all is said and done, Mr. deLuce is arrested, and Flavia's detective career begins in order to clear him. What makes this story work is both the character of Flavia and the author's writing. It's often hard to remember sometimes that Flavia is only eleven, and the word precocious hardly begins to describe her. Because she's 11, people tend not to pay attention to her, and she's the most scheming little thing you can imagine. Her mind never stops working, she is as relentless as a pit bull when she's on to something, and she's brilliant -- she's a master of chemistry at her tender young age, and she sees all facets of the world around her in ways adults cannot. She has this wonderful gift of being able to make pretty much anyone tell her anything. At the same time, you get little glimpses into Flavia the little girl, such as when her sisters tease her, or when she thinks about her mother. As far as the author's writing, even though his main character is this precocious 11-year old girl, he still hangs on to the realities of post-war England. Dogger, for example, suffers what we would call post-traumatic stress disorder, after suffering through the atrocities of a POW camp. The family home, Buckshaw, once a beautiful and elegant manor, has seen better days. Bradley's characterizations are excellent, each person with his or her own voice and clearly-defined place in this story.And, most importantly, this story does not devolve into the realm of "cutesy" or sickeningly sweet at all. It's fun and yet at the same time, it's intelligent. As far as the mystery goes, the whodunit is a bit transparent, but you really won't care because this book is so well written. You end up being engrossed in the world of Bishop's Lacey and in the deLuce family, and especially in Flavia, so while the core murder mystery is good, there's so much more going on that takes you over as a reader. I can highly recommend this book to anyone -- definitely one of my favorites for this reading year. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful Series *by L***L on February 26, 2026* I want to introduce my husband to this delightful series. I had forgotten that I began this series with a book from the library, so I needed to purchase this first book to complete my collection. This is enjoyable for both older children and older adults (such as myself). --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1357296-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie-a-flavia](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1357296-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie-a-flavia) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-10-17*