This book is exactly the same as my way of learning to swim. Instead of gently easing you into the story and explaining everything to you in a straightforward way, it shoves you in and forces you to grab on to anything you could. This book started out brilliantly, with a faux kidnapping and a daring escape from the precocious heroine, Flavia de Luce. This eleven year old doesn't just do chemistry, she also solves crimes. In this book, the crime involves a crafty murder in Flavia's own backyard. We then follow Flavia on her journey, filled with twists and turns, poisons and break ins, as she uncovers secrets of her father and meets a scheming, lying criminal of the worst kind. This book is sure to keep you thinking and wondering, and, in the end, make you feel like Flavia, with infinite possibilities at your fingertips. A must read for every age and every kind of person out there.