It's been a hard few months for the de Luce girls. Left parentless, with Aunt Felicity as their defacto guardian, a holiday is much needed. As Dogger moves them down the river of the village they are visiting, Flavia skims the water with her fingers and allows her thoughts to meander. She's interrupted when her fingers catch something under the water. Excited to think she's somehow managed to hook a fish with her bare hand, Flavia is even more excited when she discovers it's not a fish but a body she's caught! Suddenly, she's starting to feel more like herself. This time, Flavia has help in her investigation - a village boy unexpectedly befriends her and comes to her aide with some photos he thinks are useless, but Flavia sees what he doesn't. Dogger and Flavia set up a lab, where Dogger teaches Flavia some new tricks, and Daphne even gets in on the fun, translating some poetry that illuminates some village secrets. As Flavia learns more and more about the dead man, it becomes clear that his death isn't the only one that needs to be solved. Let's hope another body isn't added to the count, that of Flavia's.

While the de Luce girls are in flux regarding their immediate futures, Bradley takes them on holiday and gives Flavia and Dogger a respite from the sadness that has followed them for several months. He may also be giving himself time to decide how to move Flavia and her sisters forward, accompanied by Dogger, Mrs. M, and Aunt Felicity. I loved including Dogger and Daphne in Flavia's investigation and the deepening relationship between Dogger and Flavia. I'm very curious to see what Bradley does with this family, of blood and spirit, in future titles.