Detective

Having been in the vortex of some pretty vicious rumors recently, I found myself totally engrossed in this book. I haven't read any of the Dimity series, but I enjoyed this one.I have to admit the Lori-resists-a-handsome-man was a bit off-putting because there was enough tension in the main plot line to keep the action moving forward.Atherton's message here was: one bad apple CAN spoil the whole bunch -- if you're not careful. It happened in my town and it happened in Finch.

This is a wonderful series for those of us who love a good mystery and hate all the sex and violence that is put into the books for NO REASON. These stories have you on the edge of your seat and make you feel like you really know the characters. Light fantasy - but great mystery. Ideal for a stormy night.

In this cozy, number seven of the series, it is the victim you will love to hate, and that makes it all the cozier. All of the Dimity books are well-plotted but this plot is the tightest, with such a nasty victim that the many possible suspects are logical. The Dimity ghost appears less and less, as is reasonable since Lori is maturing as a detective. As in previous Dimities, family life and the hectic village provide a setting to allow laser-like views of human nature that make "cozy" a funny term. A real who-done-it!

In what I consider a REAL cozy, only horrible, nasty people die and the killer isn't terribly nice, either. This mystery fulfills the first part admirably. While we don't know the personality of the murder victim in 1879, "Pruneface" Hooper was evil. The lie she spread about Kit Smith alone is enough to earn Hooper that status. It's a good thing for her grandson that she died before he became a teenager. I do hope his father can turn him around.Loved the reason Aunt Dimity can't communicate with Pruneface. Although virtually everyone in Finch hopes the killer is never found, Aunt Dimity doesn't agree. Her reason turns out to be correct.Of the suspects, who killed the Queen of Malice? Was it Mr. Wetherhead of the Miniature Train Museum, who isn't as lame as he used to be? Was it Miranda Morrow, the telephone witch? How about Sally Pyne who runs the tearoom? Did she serve Pruneface a dessert that was just instead of sweet? Did the pub-keeping Peacocks cook up something besides calorie-laden food? Isn't Peggy Taxman going overboard on her displays of grief over the death of her old friend? Why is Mr. Barlow missing?As for Nicholas Fox, is the sexy martial-arts instructor really trying to find the killer to help his uncle, the vicar? There's an old saying that there's no smoke without fire. Is there ANY truth behind the rumors Pruneface was so eagerly spreading? Unless you happen to be a horrible and nasty person yourself (in which case I recommend you find a different series to read), you should be satisfied with the author's choice of killer.There's only one nit I'd like to pick about this book. One of the themes I've loved in this series is that Prince [and Princess] Charmings come in all shapes and sizes. That's why I find the changes in Emma and Bill so disappointing.

Lori Shepherd has just returned from a holiday visit to her husband Bill Willis' family in Boston. She is surprised to learn that a newcomer to the village, Prunella (Pruneface) Hooper has died, apparently a murder. The vicar's mysterious nephew and Lori are intrigued by the mystery, and the fact that the police have no clues and no witnesses, although many people were out and about that morning. Pruneface was very unpopular with the local populace, being a vicious gossip and possibly a blackmailer. Lori finds out that the people of Finch have many secrets and that Aunt Dimity, although wise, does not know everything.This is the latest in a very good series featuring Aunt Dimity, a ghost who communicates with Lori and Bill via a blue journal. This is a very good addition to the series and I read it in one sitting.