A Red Herring Without Mustard

Hope you all had a wonderful Monday. And enjoyed throwing your copy machines out the window in celebration of National Clean Your Desk Day

After work, I met up with Nick to put in another workout at our new gym, Planet Fitness. I was shocked to see how many people were at the gym – not crowded so much that I couldn’t do what I wanted (there are like 50 treadmills, at least) but it was really cool to see all those people there, working hard.

I was going to forego the circuit routine and just do a nice, even paced run. However, my two middle toes – closest to my big toe – started feeling numb and fuzzy. It wasn’t painful but it was really bothering me and I just felt super uncomfortable. A mile and a quarter into it, I decided I’d do a cool down and head over to the circuit. No big deal and I ended up with a solid workout to mark down for the day.

We made it home just in time to have a bit of dinner (leftovers how exciting!), watch a show with the boys and then get them off to bed.

Are any of you guys watching The Biggest Loser? It’s one of our favorite shows and one of the few that we actually make a point of staying current with. Last night was all about “cutting the junk.” If you were watching last night, what did you think of the 4.5 hours in the junk room? I thought it was a really powerful example and a great way to show just how detrimental all the screen time our kids are getting is – for their minds and their bodies.

I also loved the Bubble Gum Challenge when Cate said “when you fill your body with junk that’s how you move. Sluggish through a pile of gum.” Makes ya think doesn’t it?

(photos from nbc.com – click above photos for source and additional photos of the bubble gum challenge)

A Red Herring Without Mustard

Awhile back, I reviewed the book Was and explained that I had picked it up on a whim while taking advantage of a coupon at Hastings. Another book I bought that day was A Red Herring Without Mustard, which I will admit I had not heard of and grabbed more because the spine of the book drew my eye and I needed a bit more money to bring my purchase within coupon eligibility. So I wasn’t really expecting a whole lot, taking only a minor pause to consider that I found it strange to hold a NYT Bestseller that I had never heard of.

However, once I started reading, I simply couldn’t put the book down.

A Red Herring Without Mustard is Book Four in the Flavia de Luce series which follows an eleven year old girl living in a dilapidated and crumbling British mansion, Buckshaw. Her love of chemistry and her bike Gladys are her only real allies as she tries to solve various mysteries that happen on or near Buckshaw.

The mystery itself is a bit slim – not that I “cracked the case” prior to finishing the novel, just that the story is not some sordid tangle of threads. What really makes the book (and the series) is the character Flavia and her shenanigans with her family, the staff at Buckshaw and the real detectives of the Hinley Constabulary.

“It’s not polite to ask ” he said with a slight smile. “One must never ask a policeman his secrets.”
“Why not ”
“For the same reason I don’t ask you yours.”
How I adored this man! Here we were the two of us engaged in a mental game of chess in which both of us knew that one of us was cheating.
At the risk of repetition, how I adored this man!”

Flavia is just charming and her outlook on life and quippy thoughts and remarks had me more than once reading passages aloud to anyone who would listen to me.

“I had long ago discovered that when a word or formula refused to come to mind the best thing for it was to think of something else: tigers for instance or oatmeal. Then when the fugitive word was least expecting it I would suddenly turn the full blaze of my attention back onto it catching the culprit in the beam of my mental torch before it could sneak off again into the darkness.”

Flavia is a lot of fun and the reading went by so fast. Upon finishing the book, I immediately went out and purchased the next book in the series (which I have since finished as well).

“(Flavia to her bicycle, Gladys)
“Sorry, old girl…but I have to leave you at home.”
I could see that she was disappointed, even though she managed to put on a brave face.
“I need you to stay here as a decoy,” I whispered. “When they see you leaning against the greenhouse, they’ll think I’m still in bed.”
Gladys brightened considerably at the thought of a conspiracy….
At the corner of the garden, I turned, and mouthed the words, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” and Gladys signaled that she wouldn’t.
I was off like a shot.”

I shared the books with my mother-in-law who decided to order them via audible.com and listen on her way to work – she recommends that audio version because she loves the voices of the characters and the British accents. Nick’s grandma also jumped on the bandwagon and checked out a few of the Flavia books from the library (having also heard about them from her gardening club) – not only does she love them but so does Nick’s grandpa.

The books are great fun and I think anyone will enjoy the joy and happiness that reading them brings. Light, easy reads – these are sure to be on your list for any upcoming travel or leisure reading.

Have you read any Flavia de Luce novels? Which ones and what did you think?

*I’ve obviously read this one but I have also read I’m Half Sick of Shadows and I just purchased The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie which is now in my “to-read” pile (I got a bunch of books for Christmas)