Aunt Dimity: Detective

After the last book I needed a good entertaining read, and what could be better than reading a cosy mystery. I chose Aunt Dimity: Detective by Nancy Atherton.

Here's the blurb:

"There's been a murder in Finch!" the vicar's wife tells Lori Shepard upon Lori's return from her trip to America. This is not the kind of greeting she has expected to receive back at her usually idyllic English cottage. Lori simply can't believe it. There hasn't been a murder in Finch since 1872, when one shepherd bashed another with the hook of his crook. When Lori discovers the victim was PRunella "Pruneface" Hooper, however, she is less surprised: the newly arrived Pruneface had quickly become privy to everyone's secrets - and used her secret knowledge to plant rumors, nurture backbiting, resurrect feuds, and season it all with downright lies. Almost everyone had a reason to want her dead.

Despite her hectic home schedule with her three-year-old twins, Lori agrees to investigate because the police have come up short. It seems nobody in the close-knit town wants to talk. But Lori is bound and determined she'll get tongues wagging and solve the case. She knows she needs the help of Aunt Dimity, but she hadn't expected help from the vicar's nephew, Nicholas Fox. Why is a self-defense instructor from London so interested in solving the case? And, most important, why does he have to be so darn handsome?

Lori tries to put personal feelings aside as the newly formed team of Lori, Nicholas and Aunt Dimity forges ahead - but narrowing the list of suspects remains a major challenge. Fortunately, Aunt Dimity's supernatural skills - and her insight into uncovering the true goodness of human nature - lead Lori down a path not only to unraveling the mystery, but also to uncovering a lot of good among the bad.

Just what I needed! It was a fast paced, entertaining and charming read. It was a good book to cosy up with in a wet April afternoon.

Although Dimity's presence wasn't as prominent in this book her words of wisdom come through loud and clear. And I think that one of the main reasons I come back for more, Dimity is charming, direct and wise for a ghost. I found the mysteries (both the murder and the "real" reason for Nicholas' visit) easy to crack, but it was interesting to see the villagers pointing fingers but also not having qualms on their feelings for Pruneface. The revelation of those secrets at times was entertaining and other times I didn't see what the problem would have been.

I do have a complaint: Lori is beginning to bore me with her emotional and physical attraction to other men. Poor Bill!

Aunt Dimity: Detective by Nancy Atherton (3.5/5) Contemporary Mystery; Paranormal: Ghost; Published: Viking (2001); Series: # 7, Aunt Dimity; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (45); 2009 Support Your Local Library (39);