A review by bickleyhouse
The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This appears as Flavia de Luce #6.5 in the serious about our favorite precocious eleven-year-old detective. It's really a short story, with less than thirty pages, and, as part of the title, even calls itself "A Flavia de Luce Story." As far as I know, the only way to read it is digitally. I was confused, at first, upon noting that my library did not have a copy of it, until I realized what it was. 

Perhaps it began as a piece of plot that Mr. Bradley either was unable to, or didn't want to, develop into a novel. Who knows? Well, I'm sure he does.

Flavia is summoned to a dormitory of a boys' school (which her own father once attended) by a message that simply says "Murder! Come at once. Anson House, Greyminster, Staircase No. 2." Upon arriving there, she finds the housemaster, Mr. Denning, dead in a bathtub, and coated in copper plating. 

After a short period of investigating, she figures out the mystery, coming to a conclusion that actually has nothing to do with the copper sulfate. 

It's a fun little story, and fits right in with the typical Flavia style.