What would become of Mrs. Mullet? What would become of Dogger?
And of Feely and of Daffy?
What would become of me?
Father turned and moved slowly to the window. He lifted the curtain and looked out for a moment upon his estate, as if the forces of an overwhelming and invisible army were already gathering in the kitchen garden and advancing across the little lawn.
When he turned again, he looked straight into our eyes, first Feely’s … then Daffy’s … and finally mine, and his voice broke as he said:
“Your mother has been found.”
For Shirley
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
EVERY BOOK IS A pilgrimage, made in the company of congenial traveling companions, most of whom must remain forever invisible to the reader.
Along the way, these kindred souls have provided kindness, conversation, inspiration, food, friendship, love, support, and thoughtfulness.
As always, my fellow travelers have included my editors Bill Massey at Orion Books in London, Kate Miciak at Random House in New York, and Kristin Cochrane at Doubleday Canada. Loren Noveck and Randall Klein at Random House, New York; my literary agent, Denise Bukowski; and John Greenwell of the Bukowski Agency in Toronto have been of immense assistance.
Family, too, have been there to wave flags and shout encouragement at every way station, and I’d like to especially acknowledge Garth and Helga Taylor, Jean Bryson, and Bill and Barbara Bryson, and to remember with affection the shared enthusiasms and joy in life of my late cousin John Bryson.
The late Miss Doris Vella will also be sorely missed. Her remarkable ability to enter wholly into Flavia’s world is unparalleled. Her love and friendship will never be forgotten.
Dr. John Harland and Janet Harland have again volunteered themselves as sounding boards, and have contributed many excellent ideas, as well as functioning as unpaid medical consultants. Any slipups in such specialized matters are, of course, my own.
Special thanks are due to Xi Xi Tabone, who has taken time out from her own busy career to assist in so many thoughtful ways.
And finally, to my wife, Shirley, who has voyaged with me and cheered me along from the very first steps of this journey. Words can never be enough: Only love can settle such an enormous debt.
BY ALAN BRADLEY
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag
A Red Herring Without Mustard
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
Speaking from Among the Bones
ALAN BRADLEY IS THE internationally bestselling author of many short stories, children’s stories, newspaper columns, and the memoir The Shoebox Bible. His first Flavia de Luce novel, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, received the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award, the Dilys Winn Award, the Arthur Ellis Award, the Agatha Award, the Macavity Award, and the Barry Award, and was nominated for the Anthony Award. His other Flavia de Luce novels are The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag, A Red Herring Without Mustard, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, and Speaking from Among the Bones.
Alan Bradley, Speaking From Among the Bones
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