The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (2014) Alan Bradley

The previous book ended with the news that Harriet de Luce had been found. This book opens with Harriet’s body returning to Buckshaw, in all pomp and circumstance–none of which does Flavia and her sisters and father much good, since their home is still up for sale (although the signs have been taken down in respect for the funeral).

I am finding, for instance, that I’m having a great deal of trouble forgiving Harriet for being dead…. It makes no sense , I know, but there it is. The best I can do is to allow myself to hate her for a while. Well, perhaps not hate, precisely, but to be highly cheesed off with her…

I didn’t much care for this book. Most of the story was of Harriet’s return, and the secrets the de Luce family has kept, although there was a murder at the edges of the tale, it was mostly Flavia’s reactions to the return of her Mother’s body, and the secrets winding and raveling around the family. That wasn’t a bad thing per se, but I had some trouble with Flavia’s reactions to many things. She is often over the top, but some of her plans in this story are… they just seemed ridiculous, even for Flavia, who does some pretty ridiculous (although sound according to her logic).

Flavia is still Flavia.

One of the marks of a truly great mind, I had discovered, is the ability to feign stupidity on demand.

But as I said, things just seemed a tad bit far-fetched at times.

If you’re following the series, there is no way to miss this story, because so much happens here. But it feels as if there was both too much and not enough to the story.

Published by Delacorte Press

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