After being expelled from the Miss Bodicot Women's Academy in Canada, twelve-year-old Flavia de Luce is looking forward to returning home to England. But there the girl is waiting for sad news: her father is sick, and he is not allowed to . Flavia's rung sisters and an insufferable cousin, and she gets bored in the Book Show. On behalf of the vicar's wife, Flavia races on her faithful Gladys bicycle to Mr. Sambridge's tree carver house to give him the message. Seeing that the house is open, Flavia goes inside and stumbles upon the body of the unfortunate, hanging upside down on the door to the bedroom. The only living creature seen by a girl in the house is a cat. Flavia is inspired by the prospect of a new investigation . But what awaits the young detective ahead will shake her to the core of her soul.