I keep waiting for this to get old... for me to get tired of the characters, for the plots to start to blend together until the whole series seems stale. Lucky for me, this hasn't happened yet! Flavia is still as delightful as ever, and we get a whole lot more Dogger! The supporting cast is shrinking a bit, as fathers die and sisters get married, but Flavia and Dogger have always been the characters that mattered the most. The central mystery in this excursion is just as convoluted as you'd come to expect from Bradley. How will it all come together? What does one mystery have to do with another? Why the missionaries, why the finger??

You'll not get any spoilers from me.  But honestly, finding out who done it is only half the fun here! Thoroughly enjoyable, highly addictive and never disappointing. Bradley is one of my must read authors and I am so glad I discovered this series!

In case you didn't know, Diane Setterfield is one of my must read, never disappointing authors. I recommend The Thirteenth Tale first and often to people looking for something new. I keep waiting for the honeymoon to be over, but Once Upon a River is keeping the love alive! It took me a bit to fall into the rhythm of this novel, how Setterfield set the pace and teased out the plot. The setting is hugely important here, the river and the homes of the main characters play an integral part in the story.

By the time I was about three quarters of the way done, I found myself reading faster and faster. All those threads started to come together, all the foreshadowing and the seemingly throw away occurrences were masterfully melded to make for an exciting conclusion. I was surprised, saddened and satisfied all at once. No spoilers, I wouldn't want to ruin if for you, but everyone manages to get what's coming to them in one way or another. The beautiful writing pulls you in, the characters keep you invested, and the story itself will haunt you. Another must read to recommend.