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The gentle spirit's sixteenth adventure is a New York Times bestseller and as "cozy and charming as a cup of Earl Grey" (Bookpage.com).
After a dizzying time Down Under, Lori Shepherd returns to Finch and finds that her wealthy father-in-law, William Willis, Sr., has just purchased a splendid ten-acre estate nearby. While William fends off local ladies intent on romance, Lori oversees the painstaking restoration of a peculiar painting found during renovations. It's nothing Lori can't handle-until moving furniture, strange sounds, and the theft of the painting prompt her to call on Aunt Dimity for help uncovering the estate's shadowy past.
More cozy complications beset Lori Shepherd when her father-in-law buys a run-down estate in the quiet Cotswold village of Finch.
Once William Willis Sr.'s brought Fairworth House nearly up to his high standards, all he needs are the perfect servants. His housewarming party is almost ruined by a catering disaster, but the villagers come to the rescue by pitching in to provide the food, and the party is a great success. That night, the two perfect servants, Deirdre and Declan Donovan, arrive just as village baker Sally Pyne is facing a crisis. Sally had won a trip to Mexico, where she met the handsome Henrique Cocinero. In an effort to impress him, she had claimed she was Lady Sarah and Fairworth House was her residence. In an elaborate scheme to prevent the villagers from discovering her lies, William agrees to lend her Fairworth for the short time Henrique plans to visit. Spiriting Sally into the house is easy; preventing the snooping villagers from seeing her there not so easy. Lori thinks the perfect servants are too perfect and suspects them when one of William's treasures is stolen. Naturally she turns for advice to Aunt Dimity, who proves her usual helpful, astral self in resolving Lori's problems.
Although no more intent on mystery than usual (Aunt Dimity Down Under, 2010, etc.), Atherton paints a charming, lighthearted portrait of English village life.
Nancy Atherton is the author of six Aunt Dimity novels: Aunt Dimity’s Death, Aunt Dimity and the Duke, Aunt Dimity’s Good Deed, Aunt Dimity Digs In, Aunt Dimity’s Christmas, and Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (all available from Penguin). She lives next to a cornfield in central Illinois.
nonnie42
Posted June 28, 2012
Far and away her best book yet, and I eagerly await the next one. Wouldn't you love to know a place like Finch ?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 11, 2012
As always I enjoyed Ms. Atherton's book, 'Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree' immensely. I work for a law firm and enjoy a good, relaxing book in the evening. I have all of the 'Aunt Dimity' series and recommend every one. They are well written, entertaining, no foul language or objectionable material. Just wonderful reading to help 'melt' away the stress of the day.
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Posted October 12, 2011
Lori Shepherd is thrilled that her father-in-law is moving to Finch to be closer to his son and grandsons. William Shepherd, Sr. is a wonderful addition to the community. He has bought Fairworth House and spent an excessive amount of money fixing it up. The community is all a buzz with the modifications and restoration of this historic home, but a lot of the members of the community are just buzzing about William himself as an eligible bachelor!
After William, Sr. hires the Donovans to run his household, Lori notices strange things happening. She doesn't have a lot of time to deal with those issues because she and William, Sr. are completely engrossed in a game of deception to help a member of the community. With so many things changing and so many people completely interested in the comings and goings of Fairworth House, Lori has to stay on her toes!
The community members are not happy with being out of the loop on Fairworth's business and believe it is their duty to solve the mysteries Lori and her father-in-law have set into motion. Aunt Dimity has to keep reminding Lori to not judge people before you have evidence, but it is so hard when she believes there is no room for questions. The problem is, she may be wrong.
This is a wonderfully written cozy mystery! Perfect for curling up in front of a fire and reading and a great addition to the Aunt Dimity collection.
Reviewed by Ashley Wintters for Suspense Magazine
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Following some time in New Zealand (see Aunt Dimitry Down Under), Lori Shepard returns to her home village Finch in the Cotswolds. Meanwhile her affluent father-in-law William Arthur Willis Sr. has retired from the Boston based family law firm he ran for years and has moved nearby to spend time with his seven years old twin grandchildren, son and daughter-in-law.
Lori helps William hire a live-in couple Deirdre and Declan Donovan as cook and groundskeeper. She also assists her in-law with a meet the neighbors' party. However, strange things occur after Willis moved into Fairworth; the furniture moves and unexplained noises happen. Lori asks her amateur sleuth partner Aunt Dimity the ghost to help investigate what appears to be the paranormal. At the same time baker Sally Pyne returns from Mexico begging the American for help. In North America, she met Henrique Cocinero, who is coming to see her, but lied by telling him she is Lady Sarah of Fairworth House.
The latest Aunt Dimitry tale is more a comedy of errors looking at a Boston Brahmin invading an English village rather than a murder mystery. The story line is brisk and jocular as William the red Sox fan tries to help Lady Sarah pull off her ruse while his grandchildren know cricket not baseball. Fans will enjoy this lighthearted amusing paranormal cozy, but the bumps in the night (and day) are minor league compared to what Aunt Dimitry has dealt with in previous whodunits.
Harriet Klausner
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 7, 2013
Fun and engrossing adventure, Aunt Dimity mysteries always make me smile and come away feeling good! Read It you Love it!
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Posted August 31, 2012
Expect the Unexpected in Finch
Once again Nancy Atherton has captured the ultimate in cozy mystery (no one is murdered!) in the amazing town of Finch where “one learns to expect the unexpected.” The main protagonist, Lori Shepherd, is busy getting her father-in-law settled into his new home when she has to deal with more than the usual noisy neighbors, a master subterfuge to save the reputation of the village baker, and too good to be true new live-in help who arrive in the middle of night. You’ll laugh out loud at all the activity that happens when the lights are out in quiet little Finch.
Nancy Atherton provides a delightful visit to the town of Finch where we run into all the usual people and a delightful time is had by all, but especially the reader.
Anonymous
Posted January 3, 2012
All the books in this series are fun to read. It is a good mystery with the twist of having a ghost help to solve the case. Start with the first book in the series and I am sure you will want to read them all. I cant wait until the new one comes out in April.
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Posted February 25, 2011
This is so different from the other Aunt Dimity Books. Lighter reading than most but good. Several new charater's pop up in this book and will be there to stay in her future books.
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Overview
The gentle spirit's sixteenth adventure is a New York Times bestseller and as "cozy and charming as a cup of Earl Grey" (Bookpage.com).
After a dizzying time Down Under, Lori Shepherd returns to Finch and finds that her wealthy father-in-law, William Willis, Sr., has just purchased a splendid ten-acre estate nearby. While William fends off local ladies intent on romance, Lori oversees the painstaking restoration of a peculiar painting found during renovations. It's nothing Lori ...