The Trouble with Harriet (Ellie Haskell Mysteries, No. 9)

I really enjoyed this book. I have read several by this arthor and love them all. Would recomend them to anyone.

This is a fine little British cozy with some escapades in Germany on the side. I was drawn in by the title. I had never read this author or series before, and was pleasantly surprised and entertained. Ellie Haskell (sometime interior decorator, full time Mom, daughter of the prodigal Morley) and her husband Bentley (chef and restaurateur) are confronted and confounded with the remains of the mysterious Harriet. Or are they? This domestic duo reminds me somewhat of a Goldie's Colorado Catering (the series by Diane Mott Davidson) Goes Across "the Pond." But the Haskells are more witty and their children far better behaved.It is a fun frolic with some Saints, sinners, relics and characters endearing and quirky.

Cannell's fans will no doubt agree that Ellie needs a good vacation away from the twins and the most interesting residents of Chittendon Falls. . Understandable then is the reader's frustration, surely shared by our heroine, that yet again that her plans are hijacked by her dramatic and high maintenance family. Instead of jaunting off to a well earned rest and recreate exploring the epicuriously rich France we are delighted to have another Ellie Haskell adventure even if the poor woman must stay at home at Merlon Court. Readers are again held hostage to Cannell's British wit as seen through her characters old and new. Delightful was the creation of new characters, annoying as they may be, and comforting was the venerable Mrs. Malloy to dazzle us with her adventures, sage advice, and forked but witty tongue. A slow start but a dazzling finish brings the reader to a delightful and smiling close that seems to never fail to disappoint this devoted fan of the author, leaving me, and I'm sure other readers, hungry for more adventures. In agreement with some of the other reviews, I'd certainly like to see Ellie and Ben on holiday without the Kids. Someplace far from the family and relatives that often bring Ellie to her wits end, Perhaps a cruise to Australia or an African Safari, or even an adventure in the Scottish Highlands. Would it still be the same however, without the family antics that keep our heroine busy and readers in stitches?Don't miss this witty adventure, excellently written, very amusing continuation of the misadventures Ellie Haskell, her accidental partner and husband, Ben and the usual witty characters of Chittendon Falls.

I quite enjoyed The Trouble With Harriet. Dorothy Cannell has given us some new characters with very unique personalities. Some are good and some so annoying you wish Ellie would box their ears. And happily there are the ones we have come to know and love like Mrs. Malloy (still in her black taffeta and heels) and Freddy.I did not give the book five stars because I felt the pace of the first half of the book was a bit slow. At page 156 I thought "now we're getting interesting" However, as a tried and true Dorothy Cannell fan I was not disappointed. It is a fun book to read, Ellie is her charming and lovable self, and as always, Ben is a picture perfect husband.This book also marks the return of kleptomaniac Aunt LuLu which adds even more English humor to the already amusing book.I would have enjoyed a faster pace but all in all it was an enjoyable read.

In Chitterden Fells, Ellie and Bentley Haskell look forward to a romantic vacation in France. However, they delay their second honeymoon when Ellie's long-lost father Morley unexpectedly (except by the Gypsy fortune teller) arrives. Accompanied by an urn containing the remains of his beloved Harriet, Morley settles into Ellie's home as if he owns it. The presence of a live Morley living with Ellie is enough to put her off tea. However, she and Bentley also must put up with kooky Aunt Lulu, who is staying for an unknown spell.Morley plans to give the remains of Harriet to her relatives. Before they can collect her ashes, the local vicar absently takes the urn with him. Soon, another vehicle accident leads to the death of two people. The police believe Morley killed them and Harriet. Because blood is thicker than water (but less than toothpaste), Ellie tries to prove her rascally father did not kill anyone.THE TROUBLE WITH HARRIET is a very humorous who-done-it due to the reactions of Ellie and Bentley to the lunatic universe that threatens to engulf them. The jocular story line is a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, which talented Dorothy Cannell succeeds in doing well. The characters are amusing and add to the entertainment. Anyone who relishes a comic romp of a mystery should try this novel and its predecessor, THE SPRING CLEANING MURDERS, for both are delightfully diverting novels.Harriet Klausner 3/27/99