Our miniature Sherlock Holmes returns for an even more detailed and tricky mystery. I liked this second book in the series much better than the first. Flavia's character is more developed, and I think, her age shows better in this one. Also, the family relationships are more developed and we get to learn more about Flavia and her mother. I also liked the more normal interactions between Flavia and the townspeople. The mystery is a good one, with a few unexpected twists.