The Ambassadors (Holbein) viewer must approach the painting from high on the right side, or low on the left side, to see the form as an accurate rendering of a human skull. While the skull is evidently intended as a "vanitas" or "memento mori", it is unclear why Holbein gave it such prominence in this painting. One possibility is that this painting represents three levels: the heavens (as portrayed by the astrolabe and other objects on the upper shelf), the living world (as evidenced by books and a musical instrument on the lower shelf), and death (signified by the skull). It has also
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie as well, suggesting that readers "may come away with a slightly altered view of what is possible for a headstrong girl to achieve." The writing style in "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" has been described as reminiscent of the "Golden Age of crime writing," influenced by the author's appreciation for the work of Dorothy L. Sayers, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie, G. K. Chesterton, W. J. Burley, and Josephine Tey. Reviewer Lucy Clark compared Bradley's style to that of Agatha Christie, calling "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" a "delightfully old-fashioned mystery." "Kirkus