Aunt Dimity Goes West (Aunt Dimity)

Book Description

Everyone's favorite sleuth heads to the Rocky Mountains in the twelfth installment of Nancy Atherton's cozy mystery series

Lori Sheppard barely survived her last adventure in Scotland before she's off on her next. This time in the mountain town of Bluebird, Colorado. No sooner than she's arrived do things start to go amiss. Someone has mysteriously disappeared, a charming and charismatic man seems to know more than he's letting on, and the whole town is hiding a dark secret. With Aunt Dimity's help, Lori sets out to solve a hundred-year-old mystery and discovers in the process that sometimes the strangest places can seem the most like home.

Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity series has charmed its way into the hearts of mystery fans through eleven installments. In Aunt Dimity Goes West, Atherton's vivid storytelling and knack for bringing a setting to life will have fans lassoed to their chairs and guessing to the very end.

Customer Reviews:

Great Cozy Mystery.......2007-05-14

This is a perfect addition to the Aunt Dimity series. Like always the reader is left with a great feeling

another winner !.......2007-05-07

Atherton's series about Lorri & Aunt Dimity are always fun, intertwined with mystery and an almost believable story. Here she & the twins & their nanny head for Colorado to aid in Lori's medical & psychological recovery (from the last book). Almost immediately she discovers a mystery and curse involving the 'cabin' where they are staying. How can one woman always find herself in these situations?!?! But you know it will be a happy ending! Enjoy a fast, fun read!

Lori Shepherd in the West.......2007-04-15

This book is interesting because it has mystery, humor, history, interwoven. Lori goes for healing of fears and finds herself in town who fears a home which has a ghost. The caretaker has disappeared. Is he part of a sinister plot or a victim? Within the mystery is the humor that many people are much like the people of Lori's hometown. Do small towns have similar types of people? There is a great deal of histroy of the old mining town with its struggles and hardships. There is compassion. Aunt Dimity remains level headed, but there is an interesting and unexpected new twist in this story. This is an enjoyable book to read.

A fun read.......2007-04-01

As always the Aunt Dimity series is fun, light reading. Always entertaining

Aunt Dimity Goes West.......2007-03-30

These books are always a light and fast read, but I always find them rather charming, if you can accept the concept. This takes the heroine out of the U.K. into the western US but, as always, she runs into the usual bad guys and paranormal persons. When I read these books I always know what I am getting and enjoy them for what they are.

Average customer rating:

Atherton does her usual stellar job - a pleasure to read.
Aunt Dimity
Dislike Lori
Everything a cozy reader could ask for
Light but enjoyable mystery

Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin
Aunt Dimity Goes West (Aunt Dimity)
Aunt Dimity: Snowbound
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday
Aunt Dimity: Detective

ASIN: 0143038303

Book Description

The eleventh cozy mystery featuring everyone's favorite phantom-detective

Nancy Atherton 's Aunt Dimity novels have enchanted thousands of readers, and this new addition to the series is likely to broaden the spell. A series of death threats sends Lori Shepard to a remote island off the Scottish coast and to a fabulous castle restored by an eccentric friend of her husband's. But she finds herself drawn into an elaborate whodunit that may involve smuggling—or worse. Why has a human skull washed up on the beach? Is a desolate island really the best place to hide from a murderer? As Lori draws once more on Aunt Dimity's supernatural aid, Atherton whips equal measures of whimsy and suspense into an irresistible confection.

Customer Reviews:

Atherton does her usual stellar job - a pleasure to read........2007-09-29

Lori Shepherd is uprooted and her life turned upside down when her husband Bill Willis receives death threats. Whoever the disgruntled client is, he has taken pictures of the family at close range, which makes the threats far more convincing than an anonymous letter or the like.

Using his family and business connections, Bill has Lori and the boys spirited off to a remote island in the Scottish isles, where the tourists never come and all outsiders are closely scrutinized by the locals. While there, Lori runs into an old family friend, who is traveling incognito. This is surprising, and a trifle alarming. Damien, the bodyguard, is not amused by this coincidental happenstance, and he is also skeptical of the general affluence and xenophobia exhibited by the locals. Lori, as always, is convinced that there are logical and legal explanations for everything. Nobody else is as optimistic as she.

In the meantime, Bill and the police are working their way through his client list, searching for someone disgruntled and crazy enough to want Bill and his family dead. Since Bill's clients are staid upper-class types, and his usual practice involves writing wills and setting up trusts, the search seems futile. Of course it is not.

This is the eleventh in the Aunt Dimity series. Constant readers will not be disappointed; Atherton does her usual stellar job of placing Lori in jeopardy and then getting her out of it. Aunt Dimity (a ghost, for those who are not familiar with the series, who communicates with Lori via an old journal) plays a fairly small part in DEEP BLUE SEA; she is more of a sounding board and less of a sidekick than in some of the earlier books. While I would not suggest starting the series with DEEP BLUE SEA, I've skipped a few and had no trouble catching up on what little back story I didn't already know. As has happened in previous books, some of the plot devices are a little far-fetched, but not totally out of the realm of possibility, especially if the reader can accept the givens of ghostwriting and a telekinetic rabbit.

Aunt Dimity.......2007-08-24

I love the Aunt Dimity stories. They are so well written, as well as exiting. Thanks for a good read.
Mireille McKell

Dislike Lori.......2007-04-04

Enjoy Atherton's writing, but dislike Lori Shepard. I was hoping she'd get killed (isn't that awful). She is obnoxious. Bill deserves better.

Everything a cozy reader could ask for.......2007-01-27

An unknown person calling him- or herself Abaddon is threatening the lives of Lori Shepherd and five-year-old twins Will and Rob, ostensibly to get back at her attorney-husband Bill for some perceived injustice. It seems ominous to Lori that the alias Abaddon has chosen is the name of the king of the bottomless pit in Revelations.

While Bill works with Scotland Yard to go through his case files to determine which of his clients might be Abaddon, Lori and the boys are whisked away to the castle Dundrillin on a remote island off the coast of Scotland - the personal fiefdom of a fantastically wealthy oilman and family friend, Sir Percy Pelham. Guarding Lori is Damian Hunter, a dashing defender who takes his job very seriously. Villains may have found Damian a formidable foe, but he hasn't come up against anyone like the very strong-willed Lori. While on the island of Erinskil, Lori and Damian notice some very strange goings on - not to mention a legendary ghost (?) of a religious brother who died on the island centuries ago.

The Aunt Dimity stories - typically take a familiar route: Lori Shepherd and/or her idyllic life in rural England are imperiled (an actual crime may or may not be involved). Lori takes action, usually in the company of a handsome man and often with her twins in tow. Lori consults with the ghost of Aunt Dimity to resolve whatever problem she faces. All the good people live happily ever after - or at least until the next story - and any bad guys get their comeuppance. Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea is no exception - it will delight Nancy Atherton's many fans.

I have enjoyed all ten of the previous Aunt Dimity stories and Nancy Atherton's latest book did not disappoint. Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea has everything a cozy reader could hope for. Readers who are put off by the idea of a ghost among the cast of characters should know that Aunt Dimity has recently begun to play much less of a role in the stories; Lori is very much center stage. She's a strong heroine who is only getting better with age. [...]

Light but enjoyable mystery.......2006-07-15

When her husband receives death threats from an apparently angry client, Lori Shepherd and her twin sons are packed into a helicopter and whisked from England to an island off the Scotland coast. There, with family friend Sir Percy Pelham, and with a couple of bodyguards Pelhan provides, Lori hopes to remain safe--and to protect her children. Surely there is no way the mysterious "Abaddon" could follow them here. Even if he learned where they were hiding, he would have a hard time reaching the island, and a harder time doing it secretly. It seems that the islanders, wishing to prevent developers from ruining their island paradise, have cut off most contact with the outside world. Any strangers are closely observed.

The first night on the island, Lori observes mysterious lights on a nearby rock formation--a formation claimed by the locals to be both cursed and haunted. Could it be that the ghost of a long-dead monk still haunts the rock? Or is it more likely that Abaddon has somehow managed to cross the distance? With the assistance of her notebook, which contains the ghost of a spirit named Aunt Dimity, Lori hopes to address at least the question of lingering spirits. Gradually, though, and with the help of an old family friend, she begins seeing cracks in the too-perfect life of the islanders. Everyone lives comfortably, with the latest conveniences. Yet they distain tourism and the handcrafted tweed industry, said to be the basis of their wealth, simply couldn't generate the level of wealth enjoyed by the locals.

With the help of Aunt Dimity, and a sexy bodyguard, Lori attempts to unravel the mystery of the too-rich island, while simultaneously attempting to ensure that her children remain safe.

Author Nancy Atherton spins an enjoyable mystery. Lori makes a sympathetic sleuth, with the threat from Abaddon combining with the mysterious nature of the island's wealth combining to create interest. The notebook that is Aunt Dimity serves more as a sounding board for Lori's musings than as a major character, but then, most mystery readers would want Lori to solve the mysteries rather than being given the answer by a book.

Mystery traditionalists may object that Lori doesn't actually solve either mystery herself. One she has explained to her and the other leads to a bit of deus ex machina, but Atherton's engaging writing makes the reading worthwhile. I did think that Lori's crime rankings (drugs are bad, despoiling archeological remains and avoiding income taxes are okay) were a bit convenient. Surely a person as inately good as Lori would have more concerns about any type of illegal activity--especially as even morally justified illegal activities tend to create the need for other, more violent, crimes.

If you're looking for a quick light mystery, AUNT DIMITY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA might just be the story for you.

Aunt Dimity's Death (Aunt Dimity Mystery)

Average customer rating:

The real meaning of mystery -- mysterious
Introducing Aunt Dimity as the Ghost
A delightfully cozy read
Aunt Dimity's Death
Not your usual cozy mystery

Aunt Dimity's Death (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity Digs In
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Aunt Dimity: Detective

ASIN: 0140178406

Customer Reviews:

The real meaning of mystery -- mysterious.......2007-08-24

I think I'm in love. I've found a new (to me) writer who pulls me into her story from the first sentence and keeps me engrossed until the last.

AUNT DIMITY'S DEATH has no murder. So what? It has mystery, in the classic sense of the word. As a mystery writer myself (with a cat in my books, not a stuffed rabbit), I know that sometimes throwing dead bodies around can be the easy way out. It take a great deal of skill to invoke mystery without necessarily involving mayhem. If you haven't read this treasure yet, rest assured that Reginald, the stuffed rabbit, is heart-warming without ever becoming cloying.

Nancy Atherton is a joy. I'm looking forward to the rest of her series, which I plan to read in order.

Introducing Aunt Dimity as the Ghost.......2007-02-10

It's hard to really describe this as a mystery, at least in the normal sense of the word but I have a feeling that this book lays the groundwork for some excellent follow up books. This book spends a great deal of time introducing the characters in the series and that is exactly what one normally finds in the first book of a cozy mystery series. The characters that are introduced are sweet, sentimental and in some cases just plain funny, again a normal trait for a cozy mystery. There is romance to be found in these pages also and while romance isn't a theme that can be found in all cozy mysteries it certainly makes an appearance in many such books. What is it then that makes this book so different? There are no murders! In almost every cozy I have ever read somebody is murdered and sometimes there are dead bodies piling up all over the place. In the "Cat Who" series the author has been known to kill off five or six people in one book but the only deaths in this book are from natural causes except for the character who was killed in a war fifty years before the story takes place.

The story starts with Lori Shepherd and her memories of the "Aunt Dimity" stories that her mother told her as a child. Lori has been going through some rough times and things only get worse when her mother passes away. Then on a cold and snowy day she gets a letter from a law firm requesting that she contact then in regard to the estate of the late Dimity Westwood. Lori is shocked to learn that while not really her aunt, Dimity Westwood was a very real person and an extraordinarily close friend of her mother's. She is also shocked to learn that Dimity has written down all of the Aunt Dimity stories for a children's book and that she is to go to Dimity's English cottage and read through the years of correspondence between Dimity and Lori's mother. Once she has done that she is to write the introduction for the book and for this service she will be paid a very handsome sum.

The mystery that ensues begins to unfold when Lori and her lawyer escort arrive at the cottage and find that despite her death Dimity is still there and communicates with them by writing in a blue notebook. Dimity's soul can't rest and she won't tell them why so the two young Americans begin to snoop and this search for Dimity's secret is the mystery that finally does make this book a mystery.

This author has a wonderful way with words and the story flows extremely well. The thread of romance holds this book together more than does the mystery but I have certainly read cozy mysteries where the mystery was less of a factor than it is here. The characters are well thought out and well presented and the English atmosphere that lends itself so well to mysteries comes through here with flying colors. I suspect that the future entries in this series will be a tad more mysterious but given that she had to introduce a lot of characters, both living and dead, this author has turned out a tremendous first entry for this now long running series. I look forward to reading the future adventures of Lori and her dead Aunt Dimity.

A delightfully cozy read.......2007-01-31

Take a pinch of mystery, a bit of a ghost story, a bittersweet wartime romance, and a thoroughly engaging heroine who finds a little romance of her own. Add some lovably quirky supporting characters and a cozy setting and you have a recipe for a delightful reading experience. Lori never thought Dimity was real--until Dimity died. Finding out the mystery behind Dimity's life, with the help of Bill Willis, helps Lori heal from her own heartbreak and embark on new adventures. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the Dimity series.

Aunt Dimity's Death.......2007-01-06

I read aloud to a 98 year old lady. The flow of the words makes reading aloud easy. The suspense at the end of each chapter holds the readers attention.
The story will appeal to an ageless group. The humor and characters are timeless.

Not your usual cozy mystery.......2006-11-05

I hadn't read much on what this book was about, only assuming it was another normal cozy mystery. It started out strong and fun with Lori finding out her mother's secret and that Aunt Dimity was a real person. Lori's personality was solid and I learned to like her. But as soon as she got to the cottage, it got to be a little odd.

The story unfolded as a friendly supernatural tale with a touch of mystery. The mystery wasn't a strong driving force, it simply unfolded. There didn't seem to be any red herrings or figuring out whodunit. It was more of a journey that you went on, following in Lori's footsteps.

This book asks you to suspend disbelief for a little while. It is an entertaining read and had good moments of humor as well. I'd actually like to rate it 3 1/2 stars, but will leave it at 4. I will probably pick up the next in the series to read as well, out of curiosity. But I'm doubtful as to if it will stay in my permanent collection.

Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)

Average customer rating:

Beware of English Twins in Hedge Mazes
Good until the end.
Another great Dimity book
Charming Feminine Gothic Is Delightful Addition to Series
A hint of romance and a dash of the paranormal.

Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity's Death (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity Digs In
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)

ASIN: 0140178414

Customer Reviews:

Beware of English Twins in Hedge Mazes.......2007-04-11

As I began reading this book I almost immediately found that I was totally confused. Lori and Bill, the main characters from the first book were nowhere to be seen and in their place I found an almost completely different set of characters. The only holdovers that I could find were Aunt Dimity of course, the delightful Pym sisters and Emma Porter. Emma had only a minor role in the first book but in this entry she was one of the main characters along with Derek Harris a recently widowed father of two delightful children. After doing a little research I found that this book, like the first one is introducing characters that will be central to the series later on but I had to figure this out on my own for there were no indications whatsoever within the book as to what was going on.

The author has chosen a grand English estate for the setting of this book as she introduces her second set of characters and a lovely setting it is. Emma Porter is an American who as an avid gardener is touring English gardens and while roaming around a hedge maze she runs into the Pym sisters who seem to be there at the behest of Aunt Dimity. The good sisters decide that Emma is the perfect person to renovate part of the gardens at Penford Hall, the home of their friend Duke Grayson Alexander. From there the story takes off as Derek Harris and his children are also at the Hall while Derek repairs a stained glass window that is a central part of the history and legend of Penford Hall.

As in the first book no one dies in this entry although there seems to have been a very mysterious death at Penford Hall a few years earlier. That death plays a central part in the mysterious plot of this book but that is not the only mystery present so when one mystery is solved there are plenty more to take its place. Amazingly the author is able to juggle all of these mysteries in such a way so as not to confuse the reader any more than necessary and in the end everything is as usual all tied up in a neat little package. A good cozy mystery should never leave its readers hanging after all.

As in the first book this story is very well written, fun and engaging. So much so in fact that I found myself unable at times to put the book down even though the hour had grown very late. The characters are well thought out, believable and quite memorable and the setting is so well described that I could almost smell the fragrant gardens and feel the rich soil in my hands. All in all this is a very good book but I am going to have to deduct at least one star for the confusing way that this book approaches the fact that it is introducing a whole new set of characters without any warning whatsoever. I'm not sure how I would have accomplished this task differently but I just wasn't satisfied with the way that this author did it.

Good until the end........2006-10-27

I started to read this book with avid interest. I was really touched by young Peter's memory of his mother, and I loved the story behind the stained glass window. Some of the characters are a trifle wacky, but I put up with that until the end, when the answers to everything come out. Suddenly all the characters begin acting silly and nasty over nothing! Frumpy Emma bullies and yells at her host, and Kate Cole develops a sharp tongue towards not only the Duke but her mother as well. Kate must've been starting her period and Emma going through the change. And the Duke is SO meek towards these nasty women! Maybe Atherton wanted to cut through the over-sweet atmosphere of the book with this disagreement, but it just didn't make sense to me. It ruined the whole book for me. I am glad now that Nancy Atherton sticks to Lori Shepherd. At least her anger at something or someone makes some sense. Read Aunt Dimity And the Next of Kin to see what I mean. The Duke SHOULD have thrown Emma out!

Another great Dimity book.......2006-02-01

The Aunt Dimity series is made up of great, light reads that are really fun. No heavy thinking here; just an enjoyable, lighthearted book. As I was reading this one, though, I kept expecting Lori to appear, but she didn't. I really think this book should go before Aunt Dimity's Death, not after. At any rate, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I recommend it.

Charming Feminine Gothic Is Delightful Addition to Series.......2005-01-04

Although this is the second in the charming Aunt Dimity series, it is chronologically the first in the ongoing story of one enchanting English woman who changes lives for the better.

This time we meet homely American computer nerd Emma Porter. She has just been dumped by her longtime beau for a glamorous younger woman. Rather than cancel their planned trip to view the gardens of England, she decides to make the journey solo. An avid gardener herself, she feels this is just the balm her troubled ego needs. She gets far more than she bargained for when a pair of elderly sisters send her to view fabulous gardens owned by a Duke. Before hse has barely set foot on the soil, she finds herself designing the Duke's chapel gardens, preparing for a once-a-century fete, reconnecting a handsome handyman with his two young children, solving the murder of a rock star, and leading the Duke to wed the woman he has desired for years. Meanwhile, Aunt Dimity keeps her finger in the pie and all live happily ever after, or so we surmise.

If you like your mysteries light with a good-natured ghost and love in the air, you'll enjoy this one.

A hint of romance and a dash of the paranormal........2004-06-01

Heroine: plump

CompuTech executive Emma Porter, a dumped frump abandoned by her lover of 15 years for a blonde sylph 20 years her junior, is anxious to leave New England for Old England and a long, relaxing vacation among the finest gardens of the world.

Once there, a series of odd coincidences lands the amateur gardener at Cornwall's infamous Penford Hall, where his grace, Grayson Alexander, insists she is the one meant to restore his grandmother's favorite flowerbeds. While there she meets the duke's old friend Derek Harris, widowed earl's son and father of two precocious young children, who was hired by Grayson to renovate the manor and ferret out a missing antique lamp in the process. Derek expresses concern to Emma that his old friend's estate is in terribly fine shape considering that his grace had been left in penury by the late duke. In fact, the Hall and its nearby village appear to have undergone extensive expensive renovations in the very recent past.

But where did the money come from? Was it possible Grayson was dealing in illicit funds? And did it have anything to do with Lex Rex, the punk rocker who met a tragic ending on the duke's yacht, and who turned out to have been penniless himself at the time of his death?

Perhaps only Grayson's super-model cousin Susannah knows the answer, but she's not talking--at least not since an "accident" in the ruins of a nearby castle left her unconscious.

What worked for me:

An avid gardener myself, I'm always keen to read a story that involves flowers.

The mystery kept me turning the pages, as did the sweet romance blossoming between Derek and Emma.

I haven't tried it so can't vouch for it, but the strawberry tart recipe certainly sounds scrumptious.

Size-wise Emma is full-figured, plump in her own eyes but deliciously curvy in her hero's. In fact, the men in the book seemed to prefer the charms of "hippy" women to that of the willowy super-model-in-residence.

What didn't work for me:

I thought the writing quality fell off a smidge in the middle of the book.

This is the second novel, albeit a prequel, in the Aunt Dimity series, yet she only appeared briefly in the story. In fact, "Aunt Dimity and the Duke" seemed more like "Emma Porter and the Duke's Friend".

Overall:

A good read for fans of British cozies who like a gardening theme, a hint of romance, and a dash of the paranormal in their stories.

Book Description

The next page-turning installment in the phantom-detective mystery series that has won the hearts of cozy mystery fans everywhere

Feeling a touch world-weary, Lori Shepherd decides to become a volunteer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, where she can spread a little good cheer. There she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a kind, retired legal secretary with no family, except a brother who has mysteriously disappeared. But after only a few visits, Miss Beacham suddenly passes away, leaving Lori to tie up the loose ends of her late friend's life. Lori soon discovers that hidden among Miss Beacham's belongings are clues that Lori believes her friend left for her to discover. Armed with the generous help of a handsome neighbor and, as always, Aunt Dimity's supernatural skills, Lori begins to unearth Miss Beacham's secrets and, ultimately, the surprising truth about her next of kin.

“Atherton's series is for those who like the puzzle of a mystery minus the corpses. . . . Put on the teakettle and enjoy.” —Rocky Mountain News
“A charming mystery, filled with warmth and affection.” —Deadly Pleasures

Customer Reviews:

There is hope for the world.......2006-09-17

I like the description of the Aunt Dimity mysteries as "Nancy Drew for grown-ups." If you are feeling down and discouraged, grab an Aunt Dimity story, a plate of cookies, and pot of tea for an afternoon. No four-letter words, no sex, and good always triumphs over petty in these books. My only criticism is that Lori is especially obnoxious in Next of Kin (she always is but seems more belligerent, judgmental, and inflexible here). Her moral reclamation is that much more dramatic after her childishness, so it's easy to forgive Atherton's portrayal.

Whimsical Endearing Gentle.......2006-06-02

I bought this book on a whim a few months ago and finally got around to reading it. I am going through a very difficult time right now and my concentration is scattered. I picked up this book and it is a blessing. I was drawn into the warmth of Lori and Ms. Beacham and for a little while was able to transport myself to the cozy English village and Ms. Beacham's neighborhood. I look forward to reading the other books.

Love the book, hate the cover-art on the paperback..........2006-03-29

The Aunt Dimity series is the first mystery series I've read. I really like the "family-friendly" nature of the book, the setting in England and endearing/interesting cast of characters.

What attracted me to the series initially was the "cozy" cover-art, I hope they re-release this paperback with the original cover-art. It's not the same without Reginald and Hamish!

A Life of Riches is more than money.......2006-03-21

I love this series. The premise is that Aunt Dimity, who is dead, can communicate with Lori Shepherd via a journal. Lori talks and Dimity writes her responses for Lori to read. I can accept this because these stories are rich in friendship, love, trust, caring, and community.

Lori's twins boys are now 5 and as active as ever. Lori stays active in the town of Finch, the church, and now visits at the Radcliffe Infirmary those patients who have no other visitors. It's at the Radcliffe that Lori meets Elizabeth Beacham, a retired legal secretary. They hit it off immediately and become friends. But as is the nature of cancer, Miss Beacham dies and Lori is devastated. Then she learns that Miss Beacham has left her a desk in her will. Lori feels that she has to find Miss Beacham's brother who disappeared years ago to find out why his sister died with no family at her side.

Of course this starts the chain of events that cause Lori to learn that Miss Beacham was more than she appeared to be. She also learns that cities can also have communities as tight knit as Finch. She recruits helper on her journey to find Kenneth Beacham and manages to lose her temper, jump to conclusions, and finally approach her goal.

As usual, there is a message to the book. This one examines our preconceptions of people and their roles. If you haven't read any of the previous Aunt Dimity books you can start with any of them including this one but why rob yourself of a wonderful, relaxing, reading experience--start at the beginning with Aunt Dimity's Death. Enjoy.

I sneezed and almost lost the book!.......2006-02-16

What to read after finishing a gut-wrenching, action-filled Star Wars novel? How about a little light mystery? Sounds like a smashing idea! Luckily, I was able to obtain the two latest Aunt Dimity mysteries, by Nancy Atherton. Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin was first on the stack, so I plowed through it. Actually, plowed isn't the right word. Perhaps traipsed? Yes, the book is that flimsy. Enjoyable as it was, if I wasn't holding it in my hands, it probably would have fluttered away on the breeze that flows through my apartment. But is it good, you ask? If you like a mystery that's less dense than the proverbial "cozy" mystery (and those are pretty thin at times), then you'll love it. It's good, but not really my cup of tea.

Lori Shepherd is an American woman living with a nice lawyer husband in Finch, a small English village outside of Oxford. She is rich, but does her part by contributing to various causes and helping out around the town, going into Oxford to help at the homeless shelter, picking up trash at the church with her two young sons, and volunteering at the hospital. She visits patients who don't have family or friends to visit them. There, she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a terminally ill woman whose only family is a brother who seems to have disappeared years ago. Lori becomes determined to track down this brother who couldn't even be bothered to visit, and with the help of one of Beacham's neighbours, begins unraveling the mystery. Lori thought she was a lonely old woman living from hand to mouth, but the reality is much different. As always, the ghost of "Aunt Dimity" plays the sounding board to Lori's problems and theories, until the truth finally comes out.

The concept behind the Aunt Dimity series is kind of cute, with Lori coming home to talk to the ghost who communicates through the act of writing in a special journal. It's intriguing, but ultimately doesn't mask the utter silliness of the plot. There's no real tension behind the story and not much meat to it either. If there was, we wouldn't need the subplot of Lori playing matchmaker for Beacham's neighbour. And isn't it a nice coincidence that the perfect suitor just presents herself while they're trying to figure the case out! There's no real conflict in the story, with just a little at the end when everything's wrapped up nice and tidy, Lori's found out the truth and has to get her two cents in before leaving the scene. Even that's over in a few paragraphs. What's amusing about this lack of tension is the number of times that Atherton ends a chapter on what appears to be an ominous note, only to have any shred of anxiety dissipate within the first paragraph of the next chapter.

There's really nothing wrong with a nice story about nice characters who have a flaw or two, but no really bad traits. Yes, Lori can have a bit of a temper, but the only time it really asserts itself, she quickly realizes she's been rude and moves to apologize. The other time it comes out is the comeuppance at the end, where the story has justified it. And that's the perfect word for this book: nice. It's a pleasant read, not very taxing, and it can be fun at times. The interplay between Lori and Gabriel (the neighbour) is nicely done, if a bit forced at times. Aunt Dimity is neat too, when she's in the book (which isn't all that often, considering her name's on the front cover...she should sue for more screen time). She's wise and always helpful, and Atherton captures her small English-village sensibility perfectly. In fact, she captures the entire village, making Finch a place I'd really like to spend time in (though I'm probably much too reserved for all the busybodies that live there).

There are two main problems with the book, aside from what I've mentioned earlier. First is the fact that Lori really doesn't do that much to solve the puzzle. She has a lot of information just fall into her lap. Her friend Emma does the Internet searches for information on the brother, a couple of her homeless charges provide her with information on where he used to live, and Dimity provides the perfect clue that opens up everything (maybe that's why her name's in the title). Lori has the wrong idea almost from the outset and refuses to think otherwise until she finds out the real situation.

The second problem is that I don't buy the setup to this story at all. We're led to believe that Miss Beacham set up the beginning of the trail of clues for Lori to sniff out based on the knowledge that Lori has told her that she likes mysteries and has solved a few in the past. That's fine. However, Miss Beacham never leaves her sick-bed at the hospital, so how could she do this? She must have had some outside help to plant everything just right. Sure, the ending of the book explains it to the reader, but for somebody supposedly as intelligent as Lori, that should have been the first question on her mind. How did Miss Beacham do this, and who helped her?

There are a lot of complaints about Aunt Dimity & the Next of Kin, but ultimately I didn't feel like I had wasted my time. It won't take that much time to read for any but the slowest reader, and it is the perfect tonic for someone who just wants a really quiet book. There is a running theme about being alone and how humans need social interaction to thrive, but that's about it. This book is not for everybody, but if you like this sort of thing, it's a great example of it.

David Roy

Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)

Average customer rating:

Here's Looking Up the Old Family Tree
As Comforting As A Stuffed Bunny
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed
Fun, Fun, Fun!!!
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed

Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity Digs In
Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Aunt Dimity's Death (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)

ASIN: 0140258817

Book Description

Nancy Atherton's growing number of fans will certainly be delighted by Aunt Dimity's latest appearance in the honey-colored English cottage she bequeathed to her "niece," Lori Shepherd. Thanks to Aunt Dimity, Lori's life has taken on fairy-tale proportions: she's financially set for life and happily married--or so she thinks. When Lori's plans for a second honeymoon to England with her workaholic husband fall through, she begrudgingly takes along her father-in-law--who promptly disappears, leaving behind a mysterious note. Inspired and guided by the ghost of Aunt Dimity and her inimitable blue journal, Lori's search for the elderly gentleman turns into a harrowing mission to uncover a centuries-old family secret--complicated by mistaken identities, falsified deeds, family feuds, and Lori's unseemly attraction to her husband's beguiling English cousin. In a delightful chase that takes her all over the English countryside, Lori discovers the true meaning of marital bliss, and Nancy Atherton's fans, new and old, will savor a masterpiece of old-fashioned fun.

Customer Reviews:

Here's Looking Up the Old Family Tree.......2007-05-15

In this the third entry in the Aunt Dimity series both of the central families finally unite to solve a mystery. In the first book we were introduced to Lori Shepherd and the Willis clan and in the second we meet Emma and her family. The author uses the first two books to set up the friendship and collaboration between these two families that will apparently be the hallmark of the series from here on out. Because of that and the fact that the author takes very little time to explain what had happened previous to this book I would highly recommend that anyone new to the series start with the first book and go forward from there.

As this book opens Lori has been planning a second honeymoon for her and her husband Bill but at the last minute he cancels and she is instead to be accompanied by her father-in-law to her English cottage. Lori is obviously not happy with the situation and she soon finds that Bill, Sr. isn't too happy with her husband either. She doesn't find this out though until Bill, Sr. disappears and she is left wondering how in the world she could have lost her father-in-law.

What follows is a merry old chase across England as Lori and Emma's delightful step-daughter Nell try to catch up with Bill, Sr. as he digs into Willis family history and threatens to open up a can of worms that Aunt Dimity has warned would better be left closed. As the two travel they pick up clues not only about the whereabouts of the missing Willis but also about the family mystery that Aunt Dimity warned about. The whole chase is great fun as the two bloodhounds always come up just short of finding their query but despite their bad luck they meet some very interesting members of the Willis family.

By the time that the book ends it turns out that there were several mysteries that had to be solved and in the end they all are tied up very nicely. One small mystery that runs through the entire book is one that everyone except the person it most involves has figured out long before the end and if you read carefully you will figure it out too.

This author has a great talent for running several threads along through the book that may or may not have anything to do with the main plot but in the end she always makes it work. The characters are great fun and Aunt Dimity's appearances, although rare always liven things up. Aunt Dimity by the way is a ghost who communicates by writing in a notebook and in one instance she uses up several pages while chewing out one of the central characters. The writing in this book as in the previous two is highly imaginative and it doesn't take long for this author to draw you completely in to her story. So much so that it is often very hard to put the book down. I hope that Aunt Dimity will be around to keep me company for a long time to come.

As Comforting As A Stuffed Bunny.......2006-07-25

Though it is the third in the series, it is the last one that I read and I am going through withdrawal symptoms. I read all the books out of order, starting with Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin, and it really doesn't matter because each one of these books is complete in itself. However, it was fun seeing how the characters came together originally and their histories. If someone had described this series to me, I would have thought it a bit twee. After all, what adult or adolescent child carries around their favorite stuffed animal and even talks to it and about it as if it were alive. But somehow Nancy Atherton gets away with it and I can't wait to read the next installment.

Aunt Dimity's Good Deed.......2005-04-25

The third book in the Aunt Dimity series, Aunt Dimity's Good Deed has been my favorite so far. They seem to keep getting better as the series continues. I rated it 3 stars, but 3.5 is a closer rating for me. I truly enjoyed the book and finished it in a weekend.

We find Lori back again in this book, 2 years after Aunt Dimity's Death. A new family mystery has her travelling in England and meeting many new members of the Willis family. With her trusty sidekicks,Nell and Reginald,she goes in search of Willis, Sr. who has disappeared!

These cozy mysteries keep me coming back to the Aunt Dimity series. Although I always read series in order, each of these books stand apart quite well.

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!.......2001-06-13

What a great series! More fun than one could expect from a book. And, love the recipes in each book!

Aunt Dimity's Good Deed.......2001-05-08

I just "found" this series of books and have now read 4 and find them to be delightful. This is a well written book but easy to read. It's like going on a vacation.

Average customer rating:

Lots of Fun
Another great one
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Cozy Christmas Mystery Will Delight and Uplift You
Initially delightful series now losing its spark

Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity Digs In
Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity: Detective
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday

ASIN: 0140296301
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Book Description

Lori Shepherd can hardly wait to celebrate Christmas this year with her husband, Bill and twin sons in the beautiful cottage willed to her by Aunt Dimity. Then Lori makes a disturbing discovery beneath the cottage's snow-covered lilac bushes--the body of a mysterious stranger, barely alive. Lori must put her plans on hold to team up with Julian Bright--a devilishly attractive Roman Catholic priest--to seek out the tramp's identity. Their adventure takes Lori and Julian from abandoned World War II airfields to homeless shelters--places where the Christmas star shines dimly, if at all. Finally, Lori unveils the tragic secret that led the stranger to her door, and must confront painful truths about herself and the true meaning of a perfect family Christmas.

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Fun.......2006-11-11

As always, Nancy Atherton delivers a cozy mystery full of life in England. I collect all of her books as they come out, but I don't believe this one was one of her best. It did have a very unusual storyline & ending. I can guarantee it will keep you guessing...

Another great one.......2006-08-23

I love this series. Aunt Dimity's Christmas is a great installment.

Sure, there are a few things that can be a tad annoying. Like Bill (Lori's husband) being too good to be true. He's perfect. He's almost always agreeable and accomodating and does whatever Lori needs, whenever she needs. A little one-dimensional. Same for Bill's father. And sure, in this book, Lori comes off as a bit elitist as she describes being turned off by the homeless people's ratty clothing. She does grow, though, and by the end of the book we realize what lies beneath her revulsion.

But, I overlooked these little things and just enjoyed the book. The mystery itself is pretty interesting and well written and as usual, there is a good sense of suspense that makes you keep reading. And maybe best of all, in the back of the book they give you the recipe for Lori's Angel Cookies. Yum!

If you hate "happily ever after" endings and seemingly perfect characters (except for Lori, who is flawed and the most "real" person in the book), skip this book (and series). But if you just want a fun, light, feel-good book to help you kill a couple of hours on a rainy Saturday afternoon, this is the book (and series) for you.

Aunt Dimity's Christmas.......2005-09-08

Its that wonderful time of year that Lori so enjoys. Christmastime is here and Lori has plans to start so many holiday traditions anew that she remembers from her childhood. All of her hardwork and plans are thrown to the wayside when she discovers a mysterious man passed out in the cold and snow of her front yard. Of course mystery surrounds this man. Who is he? Where did he come from? What was he doing in the remote yard of Lori Shepherd?

While lying in a coma this man teaches Lori some well needed lessons and he affects so many people. We,of course, meet up with Dimity as she too tries to help figure out the identity of this man. A heartwarming cozy mystery great for Christmastime or anytime reading, Aunt Dimity's Christmas lives up to the past books in the series and keeps me wanting more.

Cozy Christmas Mystery Will Delight and Uplift You.......2004-10-21

This is my first entry into the Miss Dimity series and I am resolved to go back and read the entire series in chronological order. I don't normally jump into the middle of things, but I wanted a cozy Christmas mystery, and this one was perfect.

Lori Shepherd Willis is the heroine of this tale. She is looking forward to celebrating the holiday in the manner in which her late and beloved father would have. She is about to embark on a merry whirl of shopping, decorating, and baking his famous angel cookies in preparations for a lavish Christmas Eve party. Her plans all go awry, however, when a handsome stranger is found unconscious in the snow outside her home.

Lori's unexplainable attraction to the stranger coupled with a chance meeting with a Catholic priest lead her on a hunt to discover the story behind the tattered stranger and why he happened to collapse at her cottage. At times reminiscent of a grown-up Nancy Drew, Lori's quest to find the answers is a fun and cozy Christmas read that packs a powerful message about helping others and opening your heart to the true message of Christmas.

From WWII medals to a widow's farm and a London socialite, this book is a pure delight as Lori faces some unpleasant truths about herself and learns to share her blessings. Aunt Dimity, gone but never forgotten, adds her own special wisdom via a most unusual blue journal. Highly recommended for a cold winter's night. Just add a cup of cocoa and a few angel cookies from Lori's recipe which is included in the book.

Initially delightful series now losing its spark.......2004-05-15

I really enjoyed the first couple of Aunt Dimity mysteries, but this one left me feeling that the series is starting to wear a little thin: will Lori perpetually end up lusting after handsome strangers and completely forgetting about the existence of her husband Bill? It strikes a big sour note in the books' otherwise cozy/comforting world. And now she's also forgetting about the existence of their two baby sons for chapter after chapter -- and giving away almost all the boys' Christmas gifts at the end of the book, to boot (it's meant to seem charitable, but to me it seemed more like Joan Crawford/Mommie Dearest). For a protagonist who's intended to be sympathetic and appealing, she's beginning to seem pretty annoying and unsympathetic -- and since these mysteries are fun mainly because everyone in them is so nice and unthreatening, this book isn't as enjoyable as the earlier ones in the series.

Average customer rating:

Aunt Dimity Digs In.
COZY INDEED
Great book for a rainy afternoon with tea...
Very disappointing
Aunt Dimity Digs In

Aunt Dimity Digs In
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)
Aunt Dimity: Detective

ASIN: 014027569X

Book Description

The latest in this enchanting and fast-selling series, featuring the beloved ghost Aunt Dimity, opens in a picturesque English cottage where the lovable Lori Shepherd is up to her elbows in pureed carrots and formula bottles, striving to be the perfect mother to twins! Luckily, a beautiful Italian nanny arrives just in time--so Lori can help settle the local civil war stirred up by a visiting archaeologist's excavation.

With Reginald, the stuffed pink rabbit and Edmond Terrance, the stuffed tiger in tow, Lori hunts down a missing document, and the archaeologist digs up a lot more than artifacts. It is Aunt Dimity's magic blue notebook that provides the key to buried secrets and domestic malice, and shows all the residents of Finch that even the darkest acts can be overcome by forgiveness.

Customer Reviews:

Aunt Dimity Digs In. .......2006-07-10

My husband and I really enjoy the escapades of the characters in the Aunt Dimity books. Love them. I am 71 my husband is 83. Lydia Angell

COZY INDEED.......2006-03-20

The Aunt Dimity series puts the "c" in cozy, those little mysteries that are usually tame in terms of violence and profanity/sex. Which is alright, we need these kind of books. Don't expect a lot of action or dark mystery in this one though. Aunt Dimity's journal writing spirit helps new mother Lori find out what's going on in the little village of Finch. An archaelogist and his team has the town in an uproar when ancient Roman coins are found in a dig site. The local matron, Peggy Kitchen, is all agog because the vicar has let Dr. Adrian Carver use the schoolhouse to house his equipment. She wants to use it for her annual Harvest Festival. When a pamphlet shows up that intimates the dig is a fake, it is stolen and Lori has to find out who stole it. Author Nancy Atherton has small town life and its eccentrics down pretty good and the book while not an exciting read is pleasant enough and should please fans of the true cozies!

Great book for a rainy afternoon with tea..........2005-10-19

Lori Shepard and her husband Bill are new parents of twin boys. Lori is finding motherhood more difficult than expected as she trys to make the entire house child proof but it's only adult proof. Aunt Dimity steps in and in her ghostly way finds a nanny for the boys and a case to be solved by Lori. This time the mystery is a stolen booklet from the vicarage. All while the town is in an up roar since an archelogist has taken over the church school hall and they may not be able to have the faire.

As usual, Aunt Dimity helps Lori to understand herself and others and leads the way to a better understanding for all. However, this doesn't solve the mystery of the stolen booklet, the witches in the dell, the alien landing craft, or the Roman craze among the villagers.

It's romping good fun. Light and refreshingly comfortable to believe in a town of true neighbors.

Very disappointing.......2005-09-22

This isn't up to the standards of past Aunt Dimity tales. I found myself just slogging through to get to the end. The characters aren't believeable at all, the ones that ARE believable aren't likeable, the plot is flimsy to say the least, and no real crime is committed! If this had been the first in the series, I would never have bought another Aunt Dimity book.

Aunt Dimity Digs In.......2005-07-17

We find Lori back in her cozy cottage with her husband, Bill, and their 3 month old twin sons. With the arrival of a new nanny also comes a lot of mystery for the little town of Finch. Mysterious people, mysterious motives and a mysterious past.

When the vicar and his wife ask Lori for help after a burglary, she cant say no. She digs up many more questions, however, than answers.

In this, the fourth, book in the Dimity series we meet some new characters that will be sure to return, as well as some of our favorites from previous books. These books are a wonderful read on a rainy day or any day. A great book to sit down with a cup of tea and a blanket. I adore this series and look forward to the next.

Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

Silly and Formulaic
Light and fun
Aunt Dimity is Great
Another Winner.
All of the Aunt Dimity series

Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Aunt Dimity Digs In
Aunt Dimity: Detective
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed (Aunt Dimity Mystery)

ASIN: 0141002190
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Amazon.com

Lori Shepherd, niece of one of the most benevolent ghosts in fiction, discovers there's life (and death) after motherhood in this charming, neo-Gothic tale of haunted castles, time-traveling spirits, and hidden treasure. Leaving her twin toddlers at home in the Cotswolds with her husband, an American lawyer working in England, Lori sets off for Wyrdhurst Hall to evaluate a private library for a wealthy client who has given the castle to his niece Nicole and her new husband, Jared Hollander. But a mysteriously open gate leads Lori dangerously astray. Rescued from a potentially fatal accident by a handsome and charming stranger to whom she is immediately attracted, she resumes her journey to the gloomy Scottish estate. Once ensconced at Wyrdhurst, Lori finds the young mistress is terrified by the sounds and apparitions that haunt the castle and equally frightened of her cold and controlling husband. Lori uncovers a secret cache of letters from an earlier era that hint at a tragic love affair and a death that must be avenged before Wyrdhurst's ghost--and its present inhabitants--can rest in peace. With Aunt Dimity's magic journal warning her that danger surrounds her passionate infatuation with Adam Chase, who has his own reasons for wanting Lori to get to the bottom of the mystery, our intrepid heroine traces the ghostly apparitions to their source. In the process she makes the acquaintance of the restless spirit whose love for a World War I soldier was thwarted, but not destroyed, by Wyrdhurst's original owner and provides the happy-ever-after ending to this charming and lively mystery. Nancy Atherton's fans will adore Lori and Aunt Dimity, and readers new to the series will be delighted to discover the fearless duo in this atmospheric and very well-paced story. --Jane Adams

Book Description

"A romantic tale with echoes of A. S. Byatt's Possession and enough dreamy and ghostly wish-fulfillment to satisfy readers across several genres." (Booklist

With rain crashing down on her Range Rover, as it climbs up a steep embankment on the Northumberland moors, Lori Shepherd is beginning to doubt the wisdom of her decision to evaluate a rare book collection at Wyrdhurst Hall.

The grim, neo-gothic hall that greets her upon arrival is full of surprises-including a charming, secretive stranger, and a cache of World War I letters that tell a tale of doomed love and hint at a hidden treasure. It will take all of Dimity's supernatural skills to help Lori solve the puzzle and restore peace to a family haunted by its tragic past.

Customer Reviews:

Silly and Formulaic.......2006-10-28

If protagonist, Lori is to continue "fooling around," Nancy Atherton should have poor husband Bill take the kids, move back to Boston, and file for divorce. Lori's antics are childish and make Bill look like a chump. Hard to enjoy such a silly plot. Speaking of plot, this one works far better in Aunt Dimity and the Duke.

Light and fun.......2006-07-04

Other reviewers have already nicely recounted the plot for you, so I won't repeat the information.

I just have to say that this is another excellent book in the Aunt Dimity series. It's a fun, quick, feel-good, cute book that doesn't come off as silly (Lori's favorite stuffed animal Reginald) or creepy (deceased Aunt Dimity communicating with Lori through a diary).

And even though it's pure fun fluff, the mystery itself is pretty intriguing. I was impressed. Not only was I completely surprised as to who the culprit was, there is a twist toward the very end that I did not see coming at all.

Great little book and I highly recommend it.

Aunt Dimity is Great.......2002-03-16

Just love this series. Read the most recent one and went on Amazon to find all the previous. Fun, relaxing books that you want to curl up in front of the fire and read.

Another Winner........2001-08-29

This series is light and airy, a real pleasure reading. A great difference from the classic English mystery but just as interesting. A great gift for the mystery lover. A wonderful read.

All of the Aunt Dimity series.......2001-08-16

I am an expat living in Singapore, also very bored, between the serious reading,"Conversation with God" for example I discovered the Dimity series, have enjoyed it immmensly. A days read which actually relaxes me and takes my mind off other problems.So a big thank you to the author, Can't she write quicker! What am I to do now!

Average customer rating:

Series has potential, but Lori annoys
Everyone Has a Story.
My first introduction to Aunt Dimity
Nancy, would you puleez come up with a new plotline!
Very disappointing entry in the series

Aunt Dimity: Detective
Nancy Atherton
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

British Detectives | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (Penguin Mysteries)
Aunt Dimity's Christmas
Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday
Aunt Dimity Digs In
Aunt Dimity: Snowbound

ASIN: 0142001546
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Book Description

When Lori Shepherd returns from her trip to America, she is shocked to hear that Prunella "Pruneface" Hooper has been killed. This is the first murder in the village of Finch in more than a century, and everyone is in an uproar. Before the town implodes in the wake of this scandal, Lori sets out to solve the murder. Unfortunately, nearly everyone in Finch had a reason to want Mrs. Hooper dead. With the help of the ghostly Aunt Dimity and Nicholas, the enigmatic (and charming!) self-defense instructor, Lori aligns motive, means, and opportunity to unravel this delightfully tangled and gossip-filled whodunnit.

Customer Reviews:

Series has potential, but Lori annoys.......2007-09-17

I have read four of the Aunt Dimity books, and while I greatly enjoyed Aunt Dimity and the Duke, I have not enjoyed the others quite as much. This book is an appealing little cozy, but Lori annoys the daylights out of me. I am not a prude by any means and I understand the joys of observing the appealing members of the male species as much as any woman, but geesh, girl, get a grip.
I thought Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil was over the top with the whole, "let's get into bed naked with a total stranger for body heat." But I thought maybe it was the whole possession thing going on, so let's give it a try. But I swear, you would think there were no other hot women running around in Finch or the surrounding areas the way Lori gets the attention of every cute man within a 50-mile radius.
I think the books are basically interesting and the storylines are cute. They would be good beach reads or curl up in comfy chair books. But I can't be the only one for whom the "Lori stumbles on mystery and, oh my goodness, there is a sexy man just waiting to help her detect or search abandoned ruins or keep warm on those lonely cold English countryside nights" twist is getting a bit old. If you are going to have her totally man crazy, she might as well be single and living it up.
If Dimity can make her journal fly off shelves, why can't she fly into the back of Lori's head and whack her a couple of times when she behaves this way?
Make her a bit more likeable, please! Or bring Emma back in as the major character. She had her flaws too, but she was likeable.

Everyone Has a Story........2007-06-22

#7 in the Series. In this outing, Lori returns to Finch from a 3 month visit to the states only to find that the horrible Prunella "Pruneface" Hooper has been murdered. With the help of Nicholas, the nephew of the vicars wife, they set out to find the secrets of their little town and to find out who "didn't" have a motive. Everyone in this idyllic village has a secret, but it's up to Lori and Nicholas to keep their secrets but to also solve the crime with some help from the wonderful Aunt Dimity. I enjoy the theme of Atherton's books. They are just the right amount of cozy.

My first introduction to Aunt Dimity.......2006-08-21

I enjoyed the mystery aspects and how well all the characters and their stories were woven together. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't find her attraction to the "other man" a problem but suspected that it might be a red herring instead.

I found the whole thing quite charming on the whole. I like this kind of mystery novel. I think it's sometimes referred to as a "cozy." I'll be reading more of Ms Atherton's books, I'm sure.

Nancy, would you puleez come up with a new plotline!.......2005-08-06

While the premise of the Aunt Dimity books is original and could be entertaining, Ms. Atherton is stuck on the same theme in her books. Yes, there is some sort of mystery, but the focus seems to be more on the mutual attraction between Lori and a man other than her husband, Bill. Please! I stopped liking Lori about the third time this happened, and could not finish the last Aunt Dimity book I tried to read. Seems like Ms. Atherton is living vicariously through her fictional character. I used to write stuff like that in 7th grade, but then I grew up. I agree with another reviewer...if it's so important for Lori to be attractive to each new man in town, then let poor Bill divorce her and marry a woman who can be faithful to him and not lust after every man who comes along.

Very disappointing entry in the series.......2005-03-18

My first Aunt Dimity book was Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil. I loved it. While still being a cozy mystery, it added an original and charming touch. I then started reading all the other Aunt Dimity books from the beginning. For the most part, I have liked them all. This book was so disappointing. The conclusion to the mystery is awful as is the 'isn't this a great place to live' wrapup at the end. I agree with some other reviewers that the 'Lori's wandering eye' plot is wearing thin. She has become a character that doesn't fit with the charm of the series. I am beginning to wish that Emma was the main female character.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books