Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree (Aunt Dimity Mystery) [Mass Market Paperback]

Nancy Atherton (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 28, 2012 | Series: Aunt Dimity Mystery

The gentle spirit's sixteenth adventure is a New York Times bestseller and as "cozy and charming as a cup of Earl Grey" (Bookpage.com).

After a dizzying time Down Under, Lori Shepherd returns to Finch and finds that her wealthy father-in-law, William Willis, Sr., has just purchased a splendid ten-acre estate nearby. While William fends off local ladies intent on romance, Lori oversees the painstaking restoration of a peculiar painting found during renovations. It's nothing Lori can't handle-until moving furniture, strange sounds, and the theft of the painting prompt her to call on Aunt Dimity for help uncovering the estate's shadowy past.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After touring New Zealand in 2010's Aunt Dimity Down Under, amateur sleuth Lori Shepard returns to Finch, her Cotswolds village, in Atherton's entertaining 16th paranormal mystery. Lori's Boston Brahmin father-in-law, T. William Arthur Willis Sr., who's retired as head of the family law firm, has relocated to Fairworth House, an old estate, to be near his grandchildren and son and daughter-in-law. After much renovation, Lori helps her father-in-law to hire a live-in couple to cook and look after the grounds and to host a welcome party for the locals. When odd things begin to happen at Fairworth, including moving furniture and strange sounds, Lori turns to ghostly Aunt Dimity for assistance. Some readers may find the lack of murder and mayhem disappointing, but series fans will delight in the antics of familiar characters, in particular Finch's single ladies, and the charming portrayal of English village life. 5-city author tour. (Feb.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Nancy Atherton is the author of six Aunt Dimity novels: Aunt Dimity’s Death, Aunt Dimity and the Duke, Aunt Dimity’s Good Deed, Aunt Dimity Digs In, Aunt Dimity’s Christmas, and Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil (all available from Penguin). She lives next to a cornfield in central Illinois.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (February 28, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143120212
• ISBN-13: 978-0143120216
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finch Finery February 20, 2011

By Gail

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Though I have enjoyed all the Aunt Dimity stories, there is something about them taking place within the intimacy of the village of Finch. Loved that we saw more of favorite characters from past books, plus the addition of some interesting new ones. I found this book thoroughly delightful! I made myself put it down so it would last more than one day, but I eagerly finished it the very next day.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wish I could give 4 1/2 stars February 23, 2011

By M. Oldham

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The two product descriptions, above, under Editorial Reviews do a very good job of describing the novel. I can't think of much else to add that wouldn't spoil the storyline.

I would like to point out that this novel is set in Finch, which means we see all of the local characters. Surprisingly, I found Peggy to be... less taxing than I expected. Which actually points to the comment I wanted to make about the series, particularly evident in this book -- the characters do grow and change. Lori is much less likely to just make wild assumptions about people and really works at keeping her accusations quiet until she has proof. Unfortunately, she still goes overboard with her imagination. And, as one who has read the entire series from the beginning, it gets a bit tiresome towards the end when you just *know* she's wrong. I'm aware that one of the selling points of a series like this is that you have some idea of what's going to happen (something usually mundane occurs, Lori gets all excited and convinced that there's some wild scheme afoot, Dimity and Bill try to rein her in, she discovers that the scheme is easily explained and she feels like a fool.) This novel follows the path set out by previous books and I admit I took a star off because of it. I wish it could be half a star -- I did enjoy the book quite a bit -- but I didn't "love" it.

If you are looking for an entertaining read and don't need a murder or explicit sex to be the major focus for the character interactions, I do recommend this series. Realistically, though, to get the most enjoyment out of this novel, do yourself a favor and start with the first book in the series. While you should certainly enjoy this one on its own, a sense of history in regards to the "peripheral" characters will only enhance the story.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars comedy of errors March 11, 2011

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

Following some time in New Zealand (see Aunt Dimitry Down Under), Lori Shepard returns to her home village Finch in the Cotswolds. Meanwhile her affluent father-in-law William Arthur Willis Sr. has retired from the Boston based family law firm he ran for years and has moved nearby to spend time with his seven years old twin grandchildren, son and daughter-in-law.

Lori helps William hire a live-in couple Deirdre and Declan Donovan as cook and groundskeeper. She also assists her in-law with a meet the neighbors' party. However, strange things occur after Willis moved into Fairworth; the furniture moves and unexplained noises happen. Lori asks her amateur sleuth partner Aunt Dimity the ghost to help investigate what appears to be the paranormal. At the same time baker Sally Pyne returns from Mexico begging the American for help. In North America, she met Henrique Cocinero, who is coming to see her, but lied by telling him she is Lady Sarah of Fairworth House.

The latest Aunt Dimitry tale is more a comedy of errors looking at a Boston Brahmin invading an English village rather than a murder mystery. The story line is brisk and jocular as William the red Sox fan tries to help Lady Sarah pull off her ruse while his grandchildren know cricket not baseball. Fans will enjoy this lighthearted amusing paranormal cozy, but the bumps in the night (and day) are minor league compared to what Aunt Dimitry has dealt with in previous whodunits.

Harriet Klausner