This is a great improvement from the first book. Though the plot seems to revolve about superstitions; with no sense that these are to be considered just that. More effort made to give hints on the malfactor (though truly crudely done), Lots of language to seek out, and historical content -- also especially well done. A quick and engrossing read.

Singers are disappearing from Scotland, and Gil and Alys have been tasked with finding out whether they have been spirited away by fairies, bribed, or have they been killed. The solution involves both Gil and Alys gaining the trust of the people involved in each disappearance as well as listening to and observing the various actions and viewpoints. Gil and Alys as human beings are well developed characters who interact well with the huge number of suspects in order to determine the solution to each disappearance. Although there are a tangle of circumstances, each is resolved clearly and satisfactorily.