There is almost no laughter in this series. Each clue that's uncovered leads to the darker, more intense side of Percy. Harry is so intense himself. He never lets anyone just say something without calling them out on it (in his gentle way). He has a great anger sense and knows there is something in this family that just isn't right. We are introduced to Percy's past here, including her birth mother, who is not a mystery. He finagles a dinner invitation which turns really ugly. The mainland seems to hold a mystery that he can't quite figure at this time. On interesting part of this is conversation with victim. She represents his deeper thoughts, not a source of evidence.