A great summer read; although the book is actually set in March and April, it concerns the restorative qualities of vacation, especially a busman’s holiday. Inspector Alan Grant’s nerves have got the better of him and he decides to take some time off to visit relatives in Scotland and do some fishing. But on the train north he briefly encounters a mystery that becomes the obsession of his break. This obsession helps him forget himself and he throws himself into experiences that he would have avoided in his daily routine: country dancing, touring an island in the Hebrides, and considering marriage and the country life. Grant does solve the mystery, but it seems almost incidental to his new self-awareness and calm. Tey is so skilled at drawing characters that it’s a delight to see them spring off the page, like real people with real concerns and emotions. (Grant’s relationship with his little Scots cousin Pat is just one example.) And this quality made the plot read more important than another Golden Age Murder mystery. Looking forward to more Tey.