#aunt dimity

[couldtheycatchkira]

Could Aunt Dimity solve the Kira murders?

Could catch Kira, would survive

Could not catch Kira, would survive

Could catch Kira, would not survive

Could not catch Kira, would not survive

Voting ended onSep 29, 2024

[my-52-weeks-with-christie]

Mystery Review

Aunt Dimity & the Enchanted Cottage — Nancy Atherton Once again, residents are plunging gleefully into Finch’s semi-regular ritual called the Moving-Van Vigil. Never heard of the tradition? Well, it’s where Finch villagers stake out a newly rented cottage and try to deduce who the newcomer is by the possessions as they’re moved from van to house….or what they can extrapolate from the labels on…

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[my-52-weeks-with-christie]

(The cookies in the picture are garam-masala chocolate gingerbread cookies - I use a different recipe than the one Nancy Atherton put in her book because it required nuts and I'm allergic!)

Aunt Dimity & the Heart of Gold - Nancy Atherton

Did you ever wonder how Miss Marple honed her investigative abilities? Or in fact, how she remained so sharp in between each case?

I believe she kept her wits keen through continual practise. Miss Marple not only investigated the occasional murder that crosses her path - but all the little mysteries that popped up in her village of St. Mary Mead as well.

Now you shouldn't confuse the word little with unimportant.

As Miss Marple's learned the small mysteries (and therefore their solutions) are often analogous to the bigger mysteries, like murder and blackmail.

Which I think explains how Miss Marple was able to solve Colonel Protheroe murder in her first full-length mystery, Murder At The Vicarage. She'd already had decades worth of parallels to draw from and years of practice finding answers to prickly questions.

Now you might be wondering why on earth I am talking about Miss Marple in a review for an Aunt Dimity mystery.

The answer is this:  Lori Sheperd (our sleuth), in many ways, reminds me of  Miss Marple.

Go with me for a minute here.

Married with three children, an American and decades younger than the Grand Dame herself - I know superficially, Lori doesn't appear to resemble Miss Marple in the slightest. However, if you take a closer look at their traits, striking similarities start popping out of the text.

Both women are fixtures in their community, volunteer their time, help their friends, and enjoy a good chat with their neighbors.

This "chatting" is where we find one of the most significant similarities between these two extraordinary women - their marked partiality to obtaining and occasionally disseminating village gossip. This "newsgathering" allows them both to acquire a richer view of the villages in which they reside and a better understanding of human nature - which is essential in solving mysteries.

The other important trait Lori shares with Miss Marple is her love of solving little mysteries. Any curious puzzle that pops up in Finch - Lori wants to solve it. From a quilting bee that ends with a revelation of a widow's curse to a mysterious wishing well - very little can stop Lori from pursuing the truth.

And by keeping this murderless mystery series, Nancy Atherton has successfully avoided the Cabot Cove Syndrom which oftentimes plagues series of this length (24 books and counting). Meaning? We aren't left wondering why anyone would live in the small village of Finch if people keep getting shot, stabbed, poisoned or garrotted in it.

Similarly, Agatha Christie was able to neatly sidestep this Syndrome by only penning twelve full-length titles and of those she set a fair few of those outside the borders of St. Mary Mead. (Atherton's done this as well only her mysteries are set outside Finch - though wouldn't it be fun if Lori visited St. Mary Mead? Or is that to on the nose you think?)

The most notable difference between these two ladies that I think needs addressing is their outlook on life. Miss Marple's take on the world is one of pronounced pragmatism. Over the years, Miss Marple's heard a plethora of rumors and solved a multitude of crimes. This knowledge has lead to the understanding that while not always pleasant, the dimmest view of someone's motives is often the most accurate. While Lori, who hasn't seen nearly as much, holds a far more upbeat vision of the world and the people in it. Perhaps in time, Miss Marple and Lori's world views will align, but only time will tell.

Until then Lori will continue to hone her skills (much as Marple did) solving every niggly little puzzle that creeps up in Finch.

Such as the latest installment, Aunt Dimity & The Heart of Gold. A lovely mystery which uses Christmas/winter as a backdrop/springboard to propel this mystery forward. Where a mysterious motorist crashes a Christmas party, then discovers a Hindu alter hidden in a priest hole no one, including the homeowners, knew was there!

Lori really has her hands full in this one...

I thoroughly enjoyed every page in this book. Atherton does a great job in balancing the mystery with the Christmastime theme. Happily, she never succumbs to the syrupy sweetness that often plagues book set in December! Again using the time of year to move the mystery forward - not stall it under a ton of garland.

Now, if Atherton's backlist daunts you, don't worry. So long as you understand you are not starting with the first book and are willing to roll with it, you'll be fine. As it was, I was a few books (six) out of date and had no problems picking up the thread of the series again. Now I normally recommend you start with the first book first, so you understand the hint of magic eddying around the fringes of this series, but it's not required.

All that being said, I must say I couldn't put this book down until I finished the very last (and highly satisfying) page. And the only reason I didn't finish it in one sitting is that I needed to get some sleep!

I would recommend this book to anyone like me who loves a great mystery and/or enjoys reading Christmas books in July!

Don’t forget to check out my other blog - Finder of Lost Things!

This week, Dourwood decided it’s time to execute The Brace Affair...what could go wrong?

[booksformks]

Book Review: Aunt Dimity and the Summer King

Aunt Dimity and the Summer King (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #20)by Nancy Atherton 5 out of 5 stars Lori is exploring an unused cart track in the fields behind the town of Finch, when she discovers a reclusive neighbor who lives behind high walls. His grandchildren have crowned him the Summer King per an old family tradition, and Lori is delighted to join in their family fun. But the village of Finch…

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[booksformks]

Book Review: Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well

Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #19)by Nancy Atherton 4 out of 5 stars A young man from Australia inherits his uncle’s cottage in the village of Finch, and all the village gossips (including Lori) are determined to discover everything there is to know about him. They find an old wishing well in the tangle of the overgrown cottage garden, and the villagers jokingly make a…

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[booksformks]

Book Review: Aunt Dimity and the Lost Prince

Aunt Dimity and the Lost Prince (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #18)by Nancy Atherton 4 out of 5 stars Lori meets a precocious little girl at a museum, who tells her all about a Russian prince who used to own one of the silver exhibits. But when the little girl goes missing, Lori is on a mission to discover the truth about the Russian prince and how he is connected with her disappearance. Lori’s…

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[booksformks]

Book Review: Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree

Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #16)by  Nancy Atherton 4 out of 5 stars Lori’s father-in-law, William, has just moved into his newly-renovated ancient home, where he discovers an old painting of some sort. He sends it to be restored, and a family tree is discovered hiding under years of grime. But the painting is stolen before any names can be identified on the family…

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[protagonistspub]

Aunt Dimity's Christmas by Nancy Atherton

Aunt Dimity’s Christmas by Nancy Atherton

Aunt Dimity’s Christmas by Nancy Atherton is a cozy read I picked up on impulse while at the library. It will become a yearly reread most likely. This is less a mystery than it is a well written reminder of the reason for the season without being overtly religious is nature. Every single thing about this read is charming and heartwarming. There is a mystery but there are no dead bodies. Instead,…

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