The life of the irrepressible young sleuth Flavia de Luce, never dull to begin with, changes dramatically: she is sent away from home to Canada, to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy, where her mother Harriet studied many years ago. Flavia is true to form: before she has even met her first dawn in the new place, adventures literally fall at her feet—she discovers a corpse in the chimney. The identity of the corpse, the time and cause of death are mysteries shrouded in darkness. Flavia will have to investigate the case without her faithful Dogger, her friendly inspector, or her own chemistry laboratory at hand. Will she manage this time?