Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree

December 13, 2010
After touring New Zealand in 2010's Aunt Dimity Down Under, amateur sleuth Lori Shepard returns to Finch, her Cotswolds village, in Atherton's entertaining 16th paranormal mystery. Lori's Boston Brahmin father-in-law, T. William Arthur Willis Sr., who's retired as head of the family law firm, has relocated to Fairworth House, an old estate, to be near his grandchildren and son and daughter-in-law. After much renovation, Lori helps her father-in-law to hire a live-in couple to cook and look after the grounds and to host a welcome party for the locals. When odd things begin to happen at Fairworth, including moving furniture and strange sounds, Lori turns to ghostly Aunt Dimity for assistance. Some readers may find the lack of murder and mayhem disappointing, but series fans will delight in the antics of familiar characters, in particular Finch's single ladies, and the charming portrayal of English village life. 5-city author tour.

December 15, 2010

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.

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