thenovelbook 's review for:

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley

4.0

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Flavia's story keeps getting bigger and bigger compared to what it was at the start of the series, and this installment is no exception. It's a pretty fast-paced and fascinating read, with a big surprise moment that rears up towards the latter half of the book. I do find the backstory of her family (which started to become a thing a few books back) to be a bit vague and difficult to come to grips with. These are no longer just traditional sleuthing books, as the element of "big conspiracy" has strongly entered the picture. I don't have a clear idea of where things are going or the motivations at work, but the book and the overall series are full of interesting moments, flashes of humor, erudite references, and enough surprises to keep readers on their toes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for this digital review copy!