The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

As the novel opens we find Flavia De Luce locked inside a closet by her two older sisters, but once Flavia puts her plan for revenge in motion she stumbles upon a mystery which begs to be solved. From the discovery of a dead Jack Snipe with a stamp impaled on his beak to the argument Flavia overhears in her father's room with the man she sees take his last breath in their cucumber patch the next morning, Flavia is on the case.

With the help of her trusty bike Gladys, Flavia must figure out how all of these events are connected in order to prove her father innocent of murder. It is easy to forget that Flavia is only eleven years old as she rides around town conducting her own investigation one step ahead of the inspector on the case.

I'm not sure if it was the British setting, the mystery, or the loveable character of Flavia,who is a self trained chemist and amateur detective, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan on reading the rest of this series to see what other trouble Flavia gets herself into while trying to solve crimes.

Looking for a Solid Mystery Series?

Try "Sworn to Silence" by Linda Castillo. Since a serial killer stopped terrorizing local citizens in the 1990's, nothing much happens in the rural burg of Painters Mill, Ohio, which is just how Chief Kate Burkholder likes it. After years of experience in the more urban setting of Columbus, Ohio, she jumped at the chance to become the police chief of her hometown. Her past as a member of the local Amish community has given her a unique perspective and ability to act as a go-between between the private Amish community and the "English."

When one of her officers responds to a "loose cattle" call and instead finds the nude body of a young woman in the snow, Kate's peaceful existence comes to an abrupt halt. Not only is the murder reminiscent of the serial killings that took place in the '90's, but it brings Kate's history crashing back to her, including a secret that she, her brother and sister have kept all these years. When the town calls in outside help, Kate is resistant, fearing her secret will be exposed after 16 years, but as bodies continue to turn up, she must face her fear in order to solve the gruesome crimes.

John Tomasetti has been to hell, and does not seem to want to leave. Since losing his partner and family a few years earlier, his life has continued in a downward spiral, thanks to his steady diet of booze and painkillers. When he is assigned to work on the Painters Mill murders, he knows it is his last chance. Can Kate overcome her fear and mistrust to work with Tomasetti?

This is the first book of three so far featuring Chief Kate Burkholder, and I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of John Tomasetti as well. Despite the Amish connection, this is definitely NOT a cozy mystery - the grisly details, salty language and sexual situations and references are not for the faint of heart. Kate is a great heroine - strong yet vulnerable, principled yet hesitant, and damaged yet hopeful. I look forward to seeing more from this series. Fans of this book may also like Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series or Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

Silas "32" Jones is the constable of a tiny town in rural Mississippi. His childhood friend, Larry Ott, still lives in the house he grew up in and "operates" his father's automotive business - a business that hasn't had a customer in years, as Larry has long lived under suspicion in the disappearance of a local girl when he was a teenager.

When a similar crime takes place, Larry is at the center of suspicion when he himself is the victim of a violent crime. Silas reluctantly gets involved, knowing that Larry is innocent of the crime. As Silas digs deeper into the crime wave hitting his tiny community, he starts letting go of his own secrets - secrets that provide important details in the girl's disappearance so many years ago.

Franklin has written a quiet and thoughtful southern novel that studies friendship, secrets and justice. The majority of the characters are not all that likable overall, which made for a rather slow read for me. However, the interest in the crimes and hope for reconciliation kept me reading until the end.

This Mystery Series Has It All!

If you haven't read Julia Spencer-Fleming's excellent Rev. Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series, this is definitely one not to miss! The seventh book of the series, One Was a Soldier, is due out April 12th - but, don't start with this one. This is a series you definitely want to read in order.

Set in the fictional Adirondack village Miller's Kill, New York, Clare first comes to town as the new Episcopalian minister in the first book of the series, In the Bleak Midwinter. Here she is introduced to the sheriff, Russ. Clare is not your typical minister - not only is she a female, she is also a tough-as-nails former Army helicopter pilot. Russ, also a former army soldier, is the wizened married lawman of his hometown.

The two first come together to solve the mystery of an abandoned baby that is left at Clare's church, become friends who share a growing attraction to one another, and become a formidable team in solving the rash of crimes that go on in their little community. One aspect of the series that is very interesting is the different perspectives the two main characters come from in investigating the crimes - Clare from a sociological perspective, and Russ from a law enforcement perspective. Despite the fact that Clare is a reverend, this is not a cozy mystery series.

Here are the books in order:

1. In the Bleak Midwinter
2. A Fountain Filled with Blood
3. Out of the Deep I Cry
4. To Darkness and to Death
5. All Mortal Flesh
6. I Shall Not Want
7. One Was a Soldier

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Setterfield introduces us to Margaret Lea, a biographer and daughter of a London rare bookstore owner. Asked to compose the biography of the dying famous author, Vida Winters, Margaret travels to the novelist’s Yorkshire home to decide if Miss Winters will give her the truth, having fabricated the facts of her life on many occasions. Margaret is not only swept up in the unraveling story of the author, but must also face her own demons as the account brings up painful memories from her own past.

As Miss Winters tells her story, we learn of the Angelfield family, focusing on the attractive Isabelle and her brother Charlie. As Charlie forms an unnatural obsession with his sister, Isabelle goes away and marries, only to return shortly after the death of her husband with twin babies on the way. Adeline and Emmeline are born, and are strongly bonded by wickedness and their secret twin language. As Isabelle is put away in a mental institution and Charlie shuts himself off from the world, a governess is brought in to run the house and control the twins, especially the willful Emmeline. Margaret is drawn deeper into the tale of these girls as she learns about the experimental separation of the twins, a ghost, more than one attempt at murder, a baby and abandonment, and a tragic fire. In Margaret’s determination to verify Miss Winters’ story, she meet Aurelius, who has a story of his own to tell, which connects him with the Angelfield family. The twist in the end of Miss Winters’ story will make readers gasp, as they find out her place in the devastating tale.

Setterfield's book, a Jane Eyre apparent, is written in Gothic Style, complete with mysterious secrets, ghosts and shocking revelations. Even with the slow beginning, the book soon picks up and becomes a hard to put down story. Readers will want to know the answers to the many mysteries Margaret herself is trying to figure out and understand about Miss Winters' past. As she investigates the facts of Miss Winters' story, Margaret and the readers slowly begin to figure out the missing pieces of the intricate and marvelous story of Vida Winters. Setterfield's tale is richly detailed, enjoyable and suspenseful, as she mesmerized me with her dual story of the Angelfield family and Margaret Lea. I was drawn in by the mystery and rich storytelling of this unique tale. A great read!