I loved this book on so many levels! The writing is excellent as always. I love each and every character to distraction. The plot is full of suspense and surprises. It was wonderful to see Dick, the Ship's Naturalist, finally getting some credit and recognition! It was bittersweet to read this, knowing that it is the last book of the series, and now all the adventures are truly over. I wish the ending had been more drawn out; it ended abruptly, and I could have used at least a paragraph or two more wrapping everything up.