By Liz Soares
Lori Shepherd and her dear departed, but ever-accessible, Aunt Dimity are back to solve another mystery in the not-so-bucolic English village of Finch.
Lori, a Yank transplant who inherited her cozy cottage from Dimity, has welcomed baby Bess to her family, which includes her husband, Bill Willis, and twins Will and Rob. Lori is besotted with her infant, but also wants to take off the extra pounds she put on during pregnancy. As part of her exercise regimen, Lori packs Bess into her pram, and heads off down a lonely old farm lane.
The route seems to have gone unused for years, and is thoroughly rutted. As Lori pushes on, a wheel falls off the carriage.
Before she can panic, an elderly gentleman arrives on the scene. He has a kindly aspect, and is wearing a crown made of grapevines. He introduces himself as Arthur Hargreaves, or “the Summer King,” as his grandchildren have dubbed him. His home, Hillfont Abbey, is nearby.
Lori is charmed by his manners and the efficient way he fixes the pram. But when she returns home and tells her story, she is met with shock and awe—even from Aunt Dimity. It seems the Hargreaves have been at the center of a feud between Finch and the adjoining village of Tillcote, a tiff that has lasted for generations.
Since Lori has never heard this story before, and she has a sense of curiosity that never knows when to quit, she is determined to suss out the root of the feud. Meanwhile, however, she is also perturbed by the fact that three cottages in the village are vacant. Is a developer about to swoop down on them and destroy the quaint Cotswold village?
One of the cottages — “Pussywillows” — belongs to Amelia Thistle,who is set to marry Bill’s father. In town to celebrate are Willis Sr.’s harpy sisters, Charlotte and Honoria, who are intent on making life miserable for everyone but their brother.
Lori confides in Dimity, who communicates with her through a journal. Dimity’s questions and advice steer Lori in the right direction. All comes to a happy end — even the evil sisters get their comeuppance.
Atherton’s series -- this is the 21st installment -- strikes just the right note for cozy readers. Lori is feisty and often foolish. Although the crimes are gentle, they are suspenseful. Finch is not a perfect village, and has its fair share of unpleasant, annoying characters.
But readers can sink into the milieu that includes Lori’s honey-colored cottage, Stanley the cat, and Sally Cook’s tearoom, and that makes each visit to Finch a joy, and each adventure with Aunt Dimity a satisfying one.
