strange and random happenstance

Aunt Dimity and the Duke by Nancy Atherton
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: 1994
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Emma is forty. Emma is forty and alone. Her "boyfriend" has just married a lithe young thing in an obvious midlife crisis. So Emma is off to England to take a much needed holiday from her high tech job. She is there to indulge in her passion, gardening! She might not know much, but she does love plants and soil. At an out of the way public garden Emma runs into an odd duo. Two elderly identical twins who tell her that she must visit Penford Hall, further down the Cornish coast. Emma is intrigued and heads there. Only the house is more than off the beaten track and once there the Duke, Grayson, is under the impression that she is the new gardener. She tries to explain that she was just there to see the gardens not to prepare them for a giant fete in a few months time. Yet Grayson insists that the twins were doing the bidding of Aunt Dimity, so that's that, she must stay. Her fellow inmates at the house are Grayson's washed up cousin Susannah, who used to be a model, and Susannah's manager. Yet all Susannah talks about is the late rock star Lex Rex who died off the coast in Grayson's boat. There are a plethora of the usual taciturn servants but more importantly there is the widower Derek and his two children, Nell and Peter. Derek has been hired by Grayson, whom he knew peripherally in college, to restore the stained glass window in the church on the grounds. Susannah soon falls prey to an accident, or perhaps an attack and is rushed to the hospital. Grayson fears that it will be the Lex Rex incident all over again. If he can just get everything put to rights and get the celebrations underway, the house will be safe and perfect forever... or so he hopes. Aunt Dimity did promise him. If Dimity has her way perhaps Derek and Emma's broken hearts will mend together and there will be happy endings for all.

I found this second book in the Aunt Dimity series far more enjoyable than the first because Cornwall. Seriously Cornwall people. What drew me to this story and kept me interested was the Cornish Coast with dreams of Daphne Du Maurier and death on the jagged rocks. Yes, I know it was a lot of my own romanticism that made this book work for me, but there you have it! But also, the gardens! The descriptions of these gorgeous and abundant gardens built in and around the remains of a great house made me want this place to truly exist so that I could go there. Like ruins overrun with flora. The Secret Garden on crack. I want to go to there! Aside from that, there really wasn't much else. This prequel follows Emma and the ordeals her and Derek go through on their way to wedded bliss. Because it isn't even a surprise that they will be the couple matched, they're already married to each other when we meet them in the first book! Not to say that Aunt Dimity won't match a few more along the way, it's what she does. There was something actually resembling a mystery in this "mystery" series, which was a nice change of pace, but still, the romances seem to be the thrust of the series and were too contrived. The children and their belief in their father's happiness and the weird and convoluted theories about their dead mother's soul and the stained glass window that their father was there to repair bordered on the ludicrous. I will say this one did make me want to pick up the next in the series... but only if it was with these characters, not Lori and Bill from the previous installment. Emma and Derek made this book work, so perhaps I might skip the rest if it's just bland Bill and wet rag Lori. So perhaps I should thank this omnibus because if it wasn't for the fact I wanted to finish the whole book I wouldn't have read the enjoyable second story. So even if the next one doesn't work, at least I'll always have the one with the Duke. It's all about Dukes these days!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aunt Dimity, Aunt Dimity and the Duke, Cornish Coast, Cornwall, Country Estates, Daphne Du Maurier, England, Gardening, Matchmaking, Murder Most Foul, Nancy Atherton, Penford Hall, Prequel, Ruins, The Secret Garden

Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: 1992
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
Rating: ★★
To Buy

Aunt Dimity has died. Lori Shepherd never knew that Aunt Dimity was real. She always assumed that she was a fictional character her mother made up for Lori's bedtime stories. Lori has been struggling since her mother's death, and now this news has rather rattled her. She shows up at the home of the lawyers Dimity has hired, Willis and Willis. The younger Willis, Bill, is overzealous and beyond excited to see Lori, his father is far more circumspect. They instantly insist that she stay with them as she begins the journey that Dimity Westwood has laid out for her. And an undertaking it will be. Dimity has requested that Lori travel to England and take up residence in her cottage and go through all her papers and edit them with the intention being the publication of The Aunt Dimity Stories. She has a month, and Bill is tagging along. When Lori enters the cottage, it's as if the house has been waiting for her. In fact, strange things are going on in this house. Aunt Dimity's neighbors, Derek and Emma, don't bring it up themselves, seeing as that would be rude, but when asked directly if Aunt Dimity might be haunting her previous house, they both concur that that is the conclusion they have also reached. It's little things, like doors slamming and Lori being able to succeed at cooking anything when before she could barely manage toast. As time goes on, she is daunted by the enormity of what she must do but also by the fact that there is a definite secret that Aunt Dimity was holding onto. Lori's mother also sensed it. Perhaps Dimity can not rest until that secret is revealed?

Anyone who is a mystery reader has heard of Nancy Atherton. She's a staple of the cozy mystery genre. Having never read the series the thing that really struck me was that for a "Paranormal Detective" she's a pretty lame entity writing just one or two lines in a book and then fixing Lori's stuffed bunny and helping her become a magically good cook. Hell, if that's what it takes I could be a "Paranormal Detective!" I make a mean cookie and have an ever expanding baking repertoire, so can I get hooked up with some crime solving ghost or does this mean I have to become a ghost? Because I was really kind of expecting something more in the vein of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) wherein half the crime solving duo is a ghost. That might be what it evolves into but so far I'd say Aunt Dimity's just a very intuitive woman who is matchmaking beyond the grave. Speaking of the matchmaking. Lori really is a dumb, oblivious girl. Firstly, she really has done nothing with her life and the only thing really special about her is that her mother's best friend was Aunt Dimity. Because of this tenuous connection she gets everything she could hope for just because she remembers some stories she was told as a child? Hell, I want someone to show up and give me a cottage and a husband just for being able to sing the nonsense song "Lou the Gnu" that my dad made up! She never grasps the answers right in front of her. Likewise her ignorance of the fact that Dimity wasn't just helping her, but helping others, made me want to smack her over the head and say, hey, dumbo, Bill was handpicked and groomed by Dimity to be your husband, wake up and smell the coffee! So, I have to say, I can't stand Lori and therefore if she doesn't mature, me and this series will have a very short time together.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aunt Dimity, Aunt Dimity Paranormal Detective, Cottage, Cozy, Dimity Westwood, England, Ghost, Inheritance, Lori Shepherd, Matchmaking, Murder Most Foul, Mystery, Nancy Atherton, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar
Published by: Cemetery Dance Publications
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 180 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The little town of Castle Rock, Maine has witnessed some strange events and unusual visitors over the years, but there is one story that has never been told... until now.

There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974 twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong (if time-rusted) iron bolts and zig-zag up the cliffside.

At the top of the stairs, Gwendy catches her breath and listens to the shouts of the kids on the playground. From a bit farther away comes the chink of an aluminum bat hitting a baseball as the Senior League kids practice for the Labor Day charity game.

One day, a stranger calls to Gwendy: "Hey, girl. Come on over here for a bit. We ought to palaver, you and me."

On a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat like for a suit, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat...

Journey back to Castle Rock again in this chilling new novella by Stephen King, bestselling author of The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, and Richard Chizmar, award-winning author of A Long December. This book will be a Cemetery Dance Publications exclusive with no other editions currently planned anywhere in the world!"

A little Stephen King novella for you!

The Dispatcher by John Scalzi
Published by: Subterranean
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One day, not long from now, it becomes almost impossible to murder anyone—999 times out of a thousand, anyone who is intentionally killed comes back. How? We don't know. But it changes everything: war, crime, daily life.

Tony Valdez is a Dispatcher—a licensed, bonded professional whose job is to humanely dispatch those whose circumstances put them in death's crosshairs, so they can have a second chance to avoid the reaper. But when a fellow Dispatcher and former friend is apparently kidnapped, Tony learns that there are some things that are worse than death, and that some people are ready to do almost anything to avenge what they see as a wrong.

It's a race against time for Valdez to find his friend before it's too late…before not even a Dispatcher can save him."

Followed by a John Scalzi novella, with the typical bad cover art of Subterranean Press.

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
Published by: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a wildly popular webcomic, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.

Scott Westerfeld’s Afterworlds meets Nimona in this novel about art, fandom, and finding the courage to be yourself. Features illustrations by the author throughout. Perfect for readers of Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, this is the second novel by the acclaimed author of Made You Up.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, smart, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community. Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart. With pages from Eliza’s webcomic, as well as screenshots from Eliza’s online forums, this uniquely formatted book will appeal to fans of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl."

OK, yes, I did first go, oooooh, the title! But the description sounds cool as well...

Ex Libris: Stories of Librarians, Libraries and Lore edited by Paul Guran
Published by: Prime Books
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Portals to all the knowledge in the world, libraries are also created universes of a multitude of imaginations. Librarians guide us to enlightenment as well as serving as the captains, mages, and gatekeepers who open the doors to delight, speculation, wonder, and terror. Both inspire writers of speculative fiction to pen wonderful tales woven around them.

This captivating compilation of science fiction and fantasy short fiction showcases stories of librarians-mysterious curators, heroic bibliognosts, arcane archivists, catalogers of very special collections-and libraries-repositories of arcane wisdom, storehouses of signals from other galaxies, bastions of culture, the last outposts of civilization in a post-apocalyptic world . . . grand adventures and small sagas of the magical places we call libraries and the wizards who staff them!"

Even IF this collection didn't have all the authors it did, seriously, it's about libraries, I'm in. 

Aunt Dimity and the Widow's Curse by Nancy Atherton
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nancy Atherton's twenty-second cozy mystery in the beloved, nationally bestselling Aunt Dimity series.

It's early April in the small English village of Finch. Lori Shepherd's husband and sons are spending Easter break camping, and Lori is perfectly happy to be left at home with Bess, spared a week of roughing it with a curious toddler. The two attend a village events committee meeting and Lori is astonished when the elderly, soft-spoken widow Mrs. Annabelle Craven stands to make an announcement: she's decided to hold a quilting bee in the old schoolhouse.

At the quilting bee, Lori ends up seated beside Mrs. Craven, delighted at the opportunity to learn more about her neighbor's life in the village of Old Cowerton. But dear, sweet Mrs. Craven's stories reveal a startling secret about her first husband's death.

With Aunt Dimity's advice, Lori sets out to learn the truth about what the residents of Old Cowerton refer to as the "widow's curse"--and the deeper she digs, the more horrifying the tale becomes, until she discovers the most astounding revelation of all."

Aunt Dimity, the female and dead Inspector Barnaby of Midsomer Murders. 

The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"What does it mean to be male in the 21st Century? Award-winning artist Grayson Perry explores what masculinity is: from sex to power, from fashion to career prospects, and what it could become—with illustrations throughout.

In this witty and necessary new book, artist Grayson Perry trains his keen eye on the world of men to ask, what sort of man would make the world a better place? What would happen if we rethought the macho, outdated version of manhood, and embraced a different ideal? In the current atmosphere of bullying, intolerance and misogyny, demonstrated in the recent Trump versus Clinton presidential campaign, The Descent of Man is a timely and essential addition to current conversations around gender.

Apart from gaining vast new wardrobe options, the real benefit might be that a newly fitted masculinity will allow men to have better relationships—and that’s happiness, right? Grayson Perry admits he’s not immune from the stereotypes himself—yet his thoughts on everything from power to physical appearance, from emotions to a brand new Manifesto for Men, are shot through with honesty, tenderness, and the belief that, for everyone to benefit, updating masculinity has to be something men decide to do themselves. They have nothing to lose but their hang-ups."

I'll admit I didn't know who Grayson Perry was until recently. Then I watched him on Graham Norton, and damn, so intelligent and witty. So yes, I'm picking up this book!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aunt Dimity, Eliza and Her Monsters, Ex Libris, Francesca Zappia, Graham Norton, Grayson Perry, John Scalzi, Nancy Atherton, Novella, Richard Chizmar, Stephen King, The Descent of Man, The Dispatcher

Ghosts of Karnak by George Mann
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: May 24th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A woman is found dead on the streets of New York, ancient Egyptian symbols carved into her flesh. A ghostly figure is seen floating over the rooftops of the city. And an expedition returns from Cairo to exhibit their finds at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Gabriel’s old friend and lover, Ginny Gray, was part of the expedition, but when Gabriel goes to meet the ship, Ginny is not on board.

Ancient forces are stirring and the Ghost, Ginny and Gabriel’s friend Donovan are caught right in the middle…"

How long have I been waiting for this book? It technically FEELS like forever, I know it's not, but it feels that way. Also Egypt Muppet arm flail! 

The City of Mirrors by Justin Cornin
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: May 24th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 624 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"You followed The Passage. You faced The Twelve. Now enter The City of Mirrors for the final reckoning. As the bestselling epic races to its breathtaking finale, Justin Cronin’s band of hardened survivors await the second coming of unspeakable darkness.

The world we knew is gone. What world will rise in its place?

The Twelve have been destroyed and the terrifying hundred-year reign of darkness that descended upon the world has ended. The survivors are stepping outside their walls, determined to build society anew—and daring to dream of a hopeful future.

But far from them, in a dead metropolis, he waits: Zero. The First. Father of the Twelve. The anguish that shattered his human life haunts him, and the hatred spawned by his transformation burns bright. His fury will be quenched only when he destroys Amy—humanity’s only hope, the Girl from Nowhere who grew up to rise against him.

One last time light and dark will clash, and at last Amy and her friends will know their fate."

Just me, sitting here, waiting for the final book to start the series... yes, it's time to start it!

Aunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure by Nancy Atherton
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: May 24th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"While exploring the attic in her cottage near the small English village of Finch, Lori Shepherd makes an extraordinary discovery: a gleaming gold and garnet bracelet that had once belonged to Aunt Dimity. When Lori shows the garnet bracelet to Aunt Dimity, it awakens poignant memories of a doomed romance in Aunt Dimity’s youth in London after the War. Regretfully, Aunt Dimity asks Lori to do what she could not: return the bracelet to her unsuccessful suitor—setting Lori off on an adventure through London—and through history—to put a piece of Aunt Dimity’s past to rest.

In the meantime, a new family has moved to Finch. The villagers are thrilled because their new neighbors are avid metal detectorists. Metal detectors soon become all the rage in Finch and the villagers unearth a lot of rubbish (some of it quite embarrassing) before one of them stumbles upon a trinket that could hold the key to the origin of Aunt Dimity’s bracelet.

Is the bracelet a priceless and protected national treasure? Was Aunt Dimity’s lovesick suitor a common thief? If so, how will Lori break the news to Aunt Dimity? And what will she do with the bracelet? As Lori searches for answers, she discovers an unexpected link between the buried treasure in the village and the treasure buried in Aunt Dimity’s heart."

I really need to read beyond the second book to find out how this series is still going strong and book twenty-one! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aunt Dimity, Aunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure, Egypt, George Mann, Ghosts of Karnak, Justin Cronin, Nancy Atherton, New York, The City of Mirrors, The Ghost, The MET, Tuesday Tomorrow

Aunt Dimity and the Summer King by Nancy Atherton
Published by: Viking
Publication Date: April 14th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cozy mystery lovers’ favorite paranormal sleuth is back with her twentieth otherworldly adventure.

There’s trouble in Finch. Four recently sold cottages are standing empty, and the locals fear that a developer plans to turn their cozy village into an enclave of overpriced weekend homes. But for once Lori Shepherd can’t help.

Her infant daughter, her father-inlaw’s upcoming wedding, and the crushing prospect of her fortieth birthday have left her feeling inadequate and overwhelmed. Until, that is, she has a chance encounter with an eccentric inventor named Arthur Hargreaves. Dubbed the Summer King by his equally eccentric family, Arthur is as warmhearted as the summer sun. In his presence, Lori forgets her troubles—and Finch’s.

But Lori snaps out of her happy trance when she discovers detailed maps of Finch in the Summer King’s library. Next, a real estate agent comes knocking. Is Arthur secretly plotting Finch’s demise?

With Aunt Dimity’s otherworldly help—and her new daughter in her arms—Lori mounts a crusade to save her beloved village from the Summer King’s scorching greed."

I really need to get back into this series. I love the title and cover art, let's hope the story stacks up.

Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: April 14th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 80 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"J.K. Rowling, one of the world's most inspiring writers, shares her wisdom and advice.

In 2008, J.K. Rowling delivered a deeply affecting commencement speech at Harvard University. Now published for the first time in book form, VERY GOOD LIVES presents J.K. Rowling's words of wisdom for anyone at a turning point in life. How can we embrace failure? And how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others?

Drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, the world famous author addresses some of life's most important questions with acuity and emotional force.

Sales of VERY GOOD LIVES will benefit both Lumos, a charity organization founded by J.K. Rowling, which works to transform the lives of disadvantaged children, and university-wide financial aid at Harvard University."

Is printing famous author's commencement speeches a thing now? It seems to be a thing.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aunt Dimity, Aunt Dimity and the Summer King, Harvard, J.K. Rowling, Lumos, Nancy Atherton, Tuesday Tomorrow, Very Good Lives

Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
Published by: Grove Press
Publication Date: April 15th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Internationally best-selling crime writer Val McDermid has riveted millions of readers worldwide with her acutely suspenseful, psychologically complex, seamlessly plotted thrillers. In Northanger Abbey, she delivers her own, witty, updated take on Austen’s classic novel about a young woman whose visit to the stately home of a well-to-do acquaintance stirs her most macabre imaginings, with an extra frisson of suspense that only McDermid could provide.

Cat Morland is ready to grow up. A homeschooled minister’s daughter in the quaint, sheltered Piddle Valley in Dorset, she loses herself in novels and is sure there is a glamorous adventure awaiting her beyond the valley’s narrow horizon. So imagine her delight when the Allens, neighbors and friends of her parents, invite her to attend the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh as their guest. With a sunny personality, tickets every night and a few key wardrobe additions courtesy of Susie Allen, Cat quickly begins to take Edinburgh by storm and is taken into the bosom of the Thorpe family, particularly by eldest daughter Bella. And then there’s the handsome Henry Tilney, an up-and-coming lawyer whose family home is the beautiful and forbidding Northanger Abbey. Cat is entranced by Henry and his charming sister Eleanor, but she can’t help wondering if everything about them is as perfect as it seems. Or has she just been reading too many novels? A delectable, note-perfect modern update of the Jane Austen classic, Northanger Abbey tells a timeless story of innocence amid cynicism, the exquisite angst of young love, and the value of friendship."

At first hearing about this Austen Project where modern authors re-interpret Austen's classics, I was like, whatever, and then I heard of the Northanger Abbey Val McDermid pairing, and, wow is what I have to say. Seriously, two of my favorites in one! Huzzah!

Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well by Nancy Atherton
Published by: Viking Adult
Publication Date: April 15th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cozy mystery lovers’ favorite paranormal sleuth is back with her nineteenth otherworldly adventure

When a strapping young Australian named Jack MacBride arrives in Finch to wrap up his late uncle’s affairs, heads turn in the sleepy English village. But when Lori volunteers to help Jack clear out his uncle’s overgrown garden, they discover something even more shocking than a stranger turning up in Finch.

After Lori laughingly tosses a coin into the garden’s old well and makes a wish, she is baffled to find that the wish seems to have come true. Word spreads, and the villagers turn out in droves to make wishes of their own. But as they soon learn, one person’s wish is another person’s worst nightmare and the village is thrown into chaos.

As more and more wishes come true, Lori resolves to find out what’s really going on. Is handsome Jack somehow tricking his neighbors? Or are they fooling themselves? With Aunt Dimity’s otherworldly help, Lori discovers that the truth is even more marvelous than a magical wishing well."

Aunt Dimity going strong, despite, you know, being dead...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Aunt Dimity, Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well, Jane Austen, Nancy Atherton, Northanger Abbey, Val McDermid