The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches: A Flavia De Luce Novel

259 Pages·2014·1.02 MB·English

by  Bradley Alan

Praise for Alan Bradley and the Flavia de Luce novels
SPEAKING FROM AMONG the BONES
“Flavia de Luce can be described very accurately as precocious,
irrepressible, incorrigible and so much more. [Her] world is populated with a
distinctly quirky cast of characters, which author Alan Bradley obviously
takes great pleasure in creating, and which will delight all who enter.”
—Fredericksburg Free Lance–Star
“Memorable, often funny prose complements the crafty plot.… The
precocious and irrepressible Flavia continues to delight. Portraying an
eleven-year-old as a plausible sleuth and expert in poisons is no mean feat,
but Bradley makes it look easy.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Bradley’s Flavia cozies, set in the English countryside, have been a hit
from the start, and this fifth in the series continues to charm and entertain.”
—Booklist
“Bradley’s assured, bemused style never causes the reader to disbelieve
the little scamp’s precocious abilities.”
—The Seattle Times
“An excellent reminder that crime fiction can sparkle with wit, crackle
with spirit and verge on the surreal … Flavia, once more, entertains and
delights as she exposes the inner workings of her investigative mind to the
reader.”
—National Post (Canada)
I AM HALF-SICK of SHADOWS
“Every Flavia de Luce novel is a reason to celebrate, but Christmas with
Flavia is a holiday wish come true for her fans.”
—USA Today (four stars)
“This is a classic country house mystery in the tradition of Agatha
Christie, and Poirot himself would approve of Flavia’s skills in snooping and
deduction. Flavia is everything a reader wants in a detective—she’s smart,
logical, intrepid and curious.… This is a refreshingly engaging read.”
—RT Book Reviews
“With its sharply drawn characters, including the hiss-worthy older de
Luce sisters, and an agreeable puzzle playing out against the cozy backdrop
of a British village at Christmas, this is a most welcome holiday gift for
Flavia fans.”
—Publishers Weekly
“This is a delightful read through and through. We find in Flavia an
incorrigible and wholly lovable detective; from her chemical experiments in
her sanctum sanctorum to her outrage at the idiocy of the adult world, she is
un-equaled. Charming as a stand-alone novel and a guaranteed smash with
series followers.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Bradley masterfully weaves a ghoulish Yuletide tale.… The story
breathes characters full of charisma, colour and nuance.… Bradley gives a
thrilling ride.”
—The Globe and Mail
A RED HERRING Without MUSTARD
“Alan Bradley’s third Flavia de Luce mystery, A Red Herring Without
Mustard, exceeds in every way, if that’s even possible, his first two. Flavia is
always feisty, always smart. I adore her. And while it is wonderful to read
her as an adult, I wish I’d had Flavia as a role model while growing up. It’s
cool to be smart. It’s cool to be Flavia! And it’s great to be among her legion
of fans.”
—LOUISE PENNY, bestselling author of The Brutal Telling
“Outstanding … In this marvelous blend of whimsy and mystery, Flavia
manages to operate successfully in the adult world of crimes and passions
while dodging the childhood pitfalls set by her sisters.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Bradley’s third book about tween sleuth Flavia de Luce will make
readers forget Nancy Drew.”
—People
“Oh, to be eleven again and pal around with irresistible wunderkind
Flavia de Luce.… A splendid romp through 1950s England led by the
world’s smartest and most incorrigible preteen.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“As satisfying as the mystery is, the multiple-award winning Bradley
offers more.… Beautifully written, with fully fleshed characters … [Bradley]
secures his position as a confident, talented writer and storyteller.”
—The Globe and Mail
“Think preteen Nancy Drew, only savvier and a lot richer, and you have
Flavia de Luce.… Don’t be fooled by Flavia’s age or the 1950s setting: A Red
Herring isn’t a dainty tea-and-crumpets sort of mystery. It’s shot through with
real grit.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“Whether battling with her odious sisters or verbally sparring with the
long-suffering Inspector Hewitt, our cheeky heroine is a delight. Full of pithy
dialog and colorful characters, this series would appeal strongly to fans of
Dorothy Sayers, Gladys Mitchell, and Leo Bruce as well as readers who like
clever humor mixed in with their mysteries.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“[Flavia] remains irresistibly appealing as a little girl lost.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“Delightful … The book’s forthright and eerily mature narrator is a
treasure.”
—The Seattle Times
“Bradley has created a marvelous character in Flavia—very adult in
some ways, very childish in others, full of energy and curiosity. His story
should appeal to readers of all ages looking to escape into a thoroughly
entertaining world.”
—Tulsa World
“Bradley’s characters, wonderful dialogue and plot twists are a most
winning combination.”
—USA Today
The WEED That STRINGS the HANGMAN’S BAG
“Flavia is incisive, cutting and hilarious … one of the most remarkable
creations in recent literature.”
—USA Today
“Bradley takes everything you expect and subverts it, delivering a smart,
irreverent, unsappy mystery.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“The real delight here is her droll voice and the eccentric cast.… Utterly
beguiling.”
—People (four stars)
“Brisk, funny and irrepressible, Flavia is distinctly uncute, and the cozy
village setting has enough edges to keep suspicions sharp.… Bradley gives a
pitch-perfect performance that surpasses an already worthy debut.”
—Houston Chronicle
“Her sleuthing skills both amaze and amuse.”
—Mystery Scene
“Endlessly entertaining … The author deftly evokes the period, but
Flavia’s sparkling narration is the mystery’s chief delight. Comic and
irreverent, this entry is sure to build further momentum for the series.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Smart, funny … His second novel confirms the promise of the first.
… Bradley is a writer of great charm and insight, and he infuses even minor
characters with indelible personality.… Flavia de Luce, both eleven and
ageless, is a marvel and a delight.”
—Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
The SWEETNESS at the BOTTOM of the PIE
“Sophisticated, series-launching … It’s a rare pleasure to follow Flavia as
she investigates her limited but boundless-feeling world.”
—Entertainment Weekly (A–)
THE MOST AWARD-WINNING BOOK OF ANY YEAR!
WINNER:
Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel
Barry Award for Best First Novel
Agatha Award for Best First Novel
Dilys Award
Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel
Spotted Owl Award for Best Novel
CWA Debut Dagger Award
“If ever there was a sleuth who’s bold, brilliant, and, yes, adorable, it’s
Flavia de Luce.”
—USA Today
“A wickedly clever story, a dead-true and original voice, and an English
country house in the summer: Alexander McCall Smith meets Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle. Please, please, Mr. Bradley, tell me we’ll be seeing Flavia
again soon?”
—LAURIE R. KING, bestselling author of Garment of Shadows
“Impressive as a sleuth and enchanting as a mad scientist … Flavia is
most endearing as a little girl who has learned how to amuse herself in a big
lonely house.”
—MARILYN STASIO, The New York Times Book Review
“A delightful new sleuth. A combination of Eloise and Sherlock
Holmes … fearless, cheeky, wildly precocious.”
—The Boston Globe

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are
the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons,
living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Alan Bradley
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of The Random House Publishing
Group, a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York.
DELACORTE PRESS and the HOUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Bradley, C. Alan
The dead in their vaulted arches : a Flavia de Luce novel / Alan Bradley.
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-385-34405-0 (hardback) —
ISBN 978-0-345-53969-4 (eBook) 1. De Luce, Flavia (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Girls—
England—Fiction. 3. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. 4. Family secrets—Fiction. I. Title.
II. Title: Flavia de Luce novel.
PR9199.4.B7324D43 2014
813′.6—dc23
2013027898
www.bantamdell.com
Font used as art on this page and this page courtesy of Bonez Designz.
Case design: Joe Montgomery
Case images: Suksakon Soponpatumruk/
Depositphotos (keyhole and ladder);
Sirylok/Yay Images (tree branches)
v3.1
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Epigraph
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Other Books by This Author
About the Author