The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan Bradley: Book Review

Title: The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag
Author: Alan Bradley
Narrator: Jayne Entwistle
Series: Flavia de Luce
Series Number: 2
Genre: Historical Mystery, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Audience: Adult
Format: Audiobook

My Review:

This didn’t quite have the charm and originality of the first book, but it was still good. I think this one felt a bit too dark for me. I typically steer clear of books that involve children’s deaths. I know it happens, but I prefer to read in a world where it doesn’t. I guess I like to keep my head in the sand.

The mystery twisted and turned and I had absolutely no idea whodunnit. Once the big reveal arrived, I completely bought it. It was very well done.

I still adore Flavia de Luce. She is so smart and funny and prickly but she is hurting inside. Her sisters get downright vicious when she pushes them far enough. And I think that is part of her problem. She wants some attention and pushing their buttons is the only way to reliably get it. That makes her sound like a needy brat and she’s not; she’s mostly happy tinkering away in her chemistry lab alone. But we all need human contact now and again, even self-sufficient Flavia.

In my review of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, I wrote about my love/hate relationship with narrator Jayne Entwistle. She had grown on me by the end of that book so I continued in audio with this second installment. Now that I’m used to her, I can’t imagine reading these books in any other format.

I recommend this series for readers who like precocious, strong female narrators. Flavia is a character I will always remember. I will definitely be continuing with the series.

My Synopsis:

Famous puppeteer Rupert Porson rolls into Flavia’s village with his assistant in tow one day. His van has broken down and they are stranded. The vicar and Flavia help the pair out and the vicar asks Rupert to put on a show for the townspeople. He reluctantly agrees.

The first shock of the show comes when the puppet of Jack appears. He looks just like a young boy who died in the village. The second shock comes when Rupert, not the giant, comes crashing down onto the stage, dead. Flavia can’t resist investigating.

Reading Challenges:

Similar Books:

If you liked The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag, you might also like my reviews of

• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) by Alan Bradley, read by Jayne Entwistle
• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
• Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) by Elizabeth Peters

Purchase:

Buy The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag from Malaprop’s Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC or

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