Customer Reviews

Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday (Aunt Dimity Mystery)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Harris family is in turmoil. Everyone understands that Derek is estranged from his father the Earl. When the family is summoned to a family reunion of sorts, Emma finds out that she was never told the whole story. Derek never even told her his real name! Understandably upset and apprehensive about the upcoming visit, she asks Lori Shepherd to come along with her. Lori's husband Bill informs her that he is one of the Earl's lawyers and they were going already. Lori and Emma wonder what other surprises are in store for them, and what secrets of the past will be revealed.

This is one of my favorite series and I always look forward to the next. Although a little short for my taste, this is a wonderful cozy. Derek's background was always a mystery, and everything is explained in this novel, Nell is featured as usual, and we see a little more of Peter, who has been largely invisible since, Aunt Dimity and the Duke, which is a shame. I read this one in one sitting and plan to reread it soon. It is nice to read something that is not too violent and ends happily once in a while, so I look forward to these books.

And better than one or two of the previous Aunt Dimity books
that I've read. I've seen this series described as "light as
a feather," and I suppose that it is, but there is usually
enough substance to hold my interest. I found a couple of the
books to be almost too light, but Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday
returns to a more entertaining level. There is more of a
mystery within the story, and Lori doesn't seem quite so
inclined to fall into another man's arms. (Occasionally I
am more than a bit distracted by the heroine's inclinations
to find men other than her husband so terribly attractive. A
little less of this would be welcome.)

This book is a good mystery. The plot is always complex, but not confusing, and very well written. These stories are perfectly situated in England. The titles of these Aunt Dimity series are a bit misleading. By the title I thought it would be about a little lady who travels and gets involved in little mysteries, like Agatha Christie's Poirot and also her Miss Marple, etc. The stories are about a woman named Lori, who is married to a lawyer husband (who travels a lot) and has two little twin baby boys. In this particular story, she is invited, by her neighbor and friend, Emma, to come with her to meet her husband's wealthy English family (who she doesn't know existed). Her husband is the lawyer for Emma's in-laws, and so Lori is invited and goes with both her friend and her husband. On their arrival a sculpted bush (to look like a turtledove) is in flames. Soon, anonymous poison pen threat notes start arriving to a certain person in the book, and Lori has to figure out who's writing the notes, etc. Aunt Dimity was a rich eclectic woman. She was the best friend of Lori's mother, and having no family of her own to pass on the huge trust fund she had accumulated over the years, she passed it on to Lori when she died, along with her little stone cottage, set in the heart of the English countryside, and a blue bound journal. Through this journal she communicates with Lori, even after her death. This part is kind of strange, though I say it myself, but adds a bit of quirkiness to the book that is charming.This book is a great (shorter) mystery novel, a great way to just cuddle up, read, and relax during the weekend.

I am an avid mystery reader but this is the first Aunt Dimity book I've read. I LOVED it. It's funny, delightful and charming. Set in an English manor the author gives enough description of the home, the rooms, the grounds, etc to make the reader feel they are there. The central characters are fully developed so the reader feels that these people are, at the very least, friendly acqaintances if not friends. It's an easy read and not heavy on the blood and gore which is just fine. What can I say, Aunty Dimity has gained a new fan.

I have read all of Aunt Dimity's adventures and have grown fond of these people. The author moves the plot along quickly without treating the clearly drawn characters as puppets. I felt Lori's growing fondness for the people she met and grew to understand them with her. The author is very relationally centered. I don't consider this "light" or fluff. I had tears at the ending. Though I hated for it to end, I couldn't put it down till it did. Hope I don't have to wait too long for the next one.

I love this series. I've read every one so far and have never been disappointed. This is the best one yet. Her characters show sensitivity and the plot was intriging. Keep it up...PLEASE!

This is very much a cozy. It's fun, quick reading, and very, very light. I finished the book in an hour and a half. But what a fun hour and a half it was!

For a light book, the mystery was actually pretty tight and well-planned. I did not predict the killer correctly, nor did I catch on to his/her methods. There's a bit of a supernatural slant (Aunti Dimity is deceased, but communicates with Lori via her diary), but it's not silly at all. Lori is a sweet, fun character and her friends are real gems. Aunt Dimity is wise, caustic, and loving and sometimes scolds Lori for jumping to conclusions. But she's always there (in the ethereal sense) for Lori and guides her like a mother figure would.

If you want a spellbinding, heavy mystery, this is not it. But if you want to be entertained for a couple of hours and laugh at loud and feel good at the end, this book (and series) is for you.

How I love these wonderful, cozy mysteries by Nancy Atherton. I have come to love and feel as though I know her wonderful characters. In this installation of the Aunt Dimity series we again are able to get a glimpse of Derek and Emma Harris' life, as we were in Aunt Dimity and the Duke.

When a "family reunion" is to take place at Derek's father's home, both he and Emma are a bit reluctant to go. Derek because he hasnt spoken to his father in 20 years and Emma because she feels out of place in such a grand setting. However, they present themselves, along with Lori and Bill and find a mystery that needs solving.

With Reginald at her side, and Bill busy lawyering, Lori is determined to discover who is threatening one of the guests. When it becomes more than threats, Lori must up her investigation to save a new friend, and to help Derek find the truth about his past and his future within his family.

These books are such a lovely afternoon read. Not too very involved, but just enough so to keep me coming back. Wonderfully written, they allow you to just enjoy the book without thinking too much. I look forward to the next in the series.

I'm an Atherton fan. Have loved every Aunt Dimity so far. Nancy hit the mark again on this one. Easy read and fun characters. Honestly, I did have some tears at the end.
Appreciate her development of the characters. Keep up the good work.

I love Aunt Dimity and couldn't wait to read the latest. The size of the volume alone should have been a red flag. The Dimity books have never been what you would consider 'heavy reading' but all were well crafted, with memorable characters and an excellent sense of place. This is all missing. Everyone is a cardboard cutout; I never felt any one of the characters' emotions -and with the issues dealt with in this book, there should have been many strongly felt feelings. Also, pressure from Lori's critics over her flirtatiousness has won out- there is nothing more than a motherly friendship between Lori and Simon, and even that feels shallow. But the worst offense, to me, is at the end when the plump red haired maid becomes the petit gray haired maid.....I was so busy blathering "What...??!!" to myself that the emotional climax evaporated completely. I hope Aunt Dimity's next outing will be more substantial.