One of our favorite books from the upcoming May issue of BookPage is Alan Bradley’s debut novel, Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. In Sweetness we meet Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old aspiring chemist with a passion for poison and intrigue. When a series of inexplicable events strikes Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia and her family call home, Flavia is delighted to get to the bottom of things. 
70-year-old author Alan Bradley has written a memoir and collaborated on a work of nonfiction, but this brilliant mystery is his first novel. Fans of Flavia de Luce will be delighted to hear that Sweetness is just the first in a series following Bradley’s charming new heroine.
To read our review of Sweetness—and get a sneak peek of the May issue—click here.
To enter to win a free copy of Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, leave a comment (by May 1) that includes the title of your favorite mystery novel.
UPDATE: This contest has ended, but you can still join the discussion by commenting on your favorite mystery.
Right now my favorite is Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams. We read it as part of a mystery unit for 7th graders.
I will keep a look out for this book ;o) One of my favorite mystery novels is “Promise Me” by Harlan Coben.
This sounds like it will be along the lines of Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Series, which I love. HBO has done a marvelous job adapting the books for their TV series; Jill Scott and Anika Noni Rose are perfect in it.
I also enjoy reading Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs mysteries. Looks like I’ll have a new mystery author to my must-read list- Alan Bradley.
I’ve heard such great things about this book. Love the title, too. I’d love to read it.
I absolutely love mysteries. I couldn’t narrow it down to one. My favourites include: “The Cat Who…” series, the culinery series by Diane Mott Davidson and many other cozy mysteries. I also like books by Mary Jane Clark, Laura Lippman and J.A. Konrath. My most recent favourite mystery is “Darkness at the Stroke of Noon” by Dennis Murphy.
Hard to just pick one, but I do love Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum books. I also adore The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.
Hmm my faves used to be The Cat Who series… but along with some others and the advent of the series of the #1 Ladies Detective series – I’ve been reading this series and adore it – even more than the show:-)
Alan Bradley’s novel sounds wonderful
Deb
Does “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier count? Hope so, because its the only mystery I re-read every few years.
I am not a huge mystery reader, but one of my favorites has always been “10 Little Indians” aka “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie.
My favorite is A Sight for Sore Eyes by Ruth Rendell. ~
Thanks!
It sounds like it will be a great read.
I havent read many mystery novels but I like Kiss the girls by James Patterson well the whole alex cross series. also i enjoyed the dexter series.
and I agree they did a great job on no. 1 ladies detective agency its soo good.
I have had my eye on Sweetness on the Bottom of the Pie. It is hard to point to a favorite but I will have to say Laura Lippman, Jacqueline Winspear, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Joe Finder to name a few.
I have always loved mysteries starting with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. To pick my favorite mystery will be very hard as I have many favorite authors. I would love a copy of Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. It sounds like my type of book. My favorite mystery is the one I am currently reading and that would book Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson.
My favorite mystery is Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
Looking forward to reading this one ! As for a favorite, I can’t list a single favorite book but my favorite mystery authors are Elizabeth George, Ian Rankin, Peter Robinson and Dennis Lehane.
I love mysteries and have a hard time picking one favorite, so I’ll choose the one I read most recently, The Last Child by John Hart. I highly recommend it.
I just read Harlen Coben’s Long Lost, so it’s currently my favorite. I like anything by Coben, Lee Child, or Dennis Lehane, among many others.
The first genre I ever loved was mystery and although I’ve spread out into different genres now mystery is still my favorite. My current favorite mystery book is a recent read: The Big Dirt Nap by Rosemary Harris.
My favorite mystery is The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (and the other books in the series) by Laurie R. King. I love the characters. Anyone who can give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money (and have it happen so naturally) is tops in my book! I can’t wait for The Language of Bees to be delivered!
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie sounds wonderful! I can’t wait to read it!
My favorite mystery novels are The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I adore Mma. Ramotswe and her friends!
Thanks for running this contest!
(Gosh, do I use too many exclamation points, or what?)
I agree with Sara Miller: Du Maurier’s Rebecca is my favorite. If Rebecca doesn’t count, my latest find is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson (or is that more in the thriller genre?).
Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie is among my favorites.
My favorite mystery is probably Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Read it for the first time at 13, and it’s stuck with me. But the early Cat Who mysteries were excellent also.
My favourite – out of the hundreds & hundreds I’ve read in my life? That’s asking a lot.
Should I go for nostalgia (Trixie Belden & the Secret of the Mansion) or current (Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear) or something by fave authors such as Agatha Christie or Ellery Queen? hmmm… you decide, I can’t.
Thanks for the chance to win this – it sounds fabulous!
I love the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series. If I had to pick one of her books, it would probably be To The Nines.
I tend to like Elizabeth George’s writings. Although I also like most of Kathy Reich’s stuff as well. There are a few others that I like as well but I will always come back to Elizabeth George. The first one I read by her is my favorite and that was “In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner.” I have her current book up next to read as soon as I finish my current book.
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain. It was her debut novel. I thought about that book for weeks after reading it. And it took me hours for my heartbeat to return to normal.
My favorite mystery recently is “Shadows of Lancaster County” by Mindy Starns Clark. Excellent storyline and characters. I also read her book, “Whispers of the Bayou” and loved it too. I would love to read “Sweetness At The Bottom”!
Thank you,
SandyG
I’m torn between Jacqueline Winspeare’s Maisie Dobbs mysteries and Carola Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple mysteries as my current favorites – both are in the time period between the wars, so “Sweetness at the Bottom” will be a great follow on read.
My fav mystery book is anything written by Jeffrey Deaver. I particularly liked The Stone Monkey.
I just read Stieg Larsson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at my company’s book club, and it already has a special place in my heart, which is interesting because I haven’t read much or been particularly interested in mystery previously. I’m eagerly awaiting the next two books in the trilogy.
My favorite mystery book is Odd by Dean Koontz. I love love mystery books. I try to read them as often as I can. I am now reading Nemesis by William Bernhardt.
I don’t know if it is my favorite mystery of all time for that I’d probably have to go with a classic like 10 Little Indians by Agatha Christie but a more recent novel I’ve read is by a new author and the book was The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, very well done.
My most recent favorite mystery is The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson- Can’t wait for book two to be published here! And please enter me in your giveaway for Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie- I’ve been looking forward to reading it! Thank you!
I loved The Mark by Jason Pinter.