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Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
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Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Author: Nancy Atherton
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $7.99
You Save: $ ( % )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Author: Nancy Atherton
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Average Customer Rating:
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Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery) Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780140178418
ISBN: 0140178414
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 304
Publication Date: 1995-11-01
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780140178418
ISBN: 0140178414
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 304
Publication Date: 1995-11-01
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Editorial Review of Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
A compelling prequel to Aunt Dimity's Death. When avid gardener Emma Porter's longtime lover dumps her, she sets out on a summer-long driving tour of England's glorious gardens. A Dimity-contrived coincidence brings Emma to Penford Hall, where dark rumors and suspicious circumstances lead her on the path to mystery--and unexpected love. Reading tour.
Customer Reviews of Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Terrible book - don't bother
Review: This is one of the worst books I have ever read! It is billed as a mystery and there is no mystery. It is pure romantic fantasy drivel and only an idiot could believe in this poorly conceived fairy tale.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Little Off the Beaten Path...
Review: Unlike the other books in this series, Lori Shepherd, the usual heroine, makes no appearance. Also, Aunt Dimity doesn't show up much, and the mystery is of a bit different tenor and solution than the others! The wit, charm, and wisdom Dimity usually guides with are still to be found, but in this story they're the job of other characters. The American Emma has just suffered heavy loss, and to collect and rejuvenate herself she embarks on a trip to visit the famous gardens of England, where she unknowingly attends a "divine appointment" with the Pym sisters. The eccentric twins send her to the garden of a duke, where a comedy of errors land Emma right where she needs to be. At the duke's estate she meets Derek and his family for the first time, and suddenly her seemingly commonplace skills become very valuable as she's drawn into a mystery that affects everyone at the estate. After introducing us to these characters in Book 1, Atherton does a lovely job of fleshing them out in Book 2, in preparation for the rest the series. I missed Lori and Dimity, but enjoyed this story as much as I did the others!
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Beware of English Twins in Hedge Mazes
Review: As I began reading this book I almost immediately found that I was totally confused. Lori and Bill, the main characters from the first book were nowhere to be seen and in their place I found an almost completely different set of characters. The only holdovers that I could find were Aunt Dimity of course, the delightful Pym sisters and Emma Porter. Emma had only a minor role in the first book but in this entry she was one of the main characters along with Derek Harris a recently widowed father of two delightful children. After doing a little research I found that this book, like the first one is introducing characters that will be central to the series later on but I had to figure this out on my own for there were no indications whatsoever within the book as to what was going on.
The author has chosen a grand English estate for the setting of this book as she introduces her second set of characters and a lovely setting it is. Emma Porter is an American who as an avid gardener is touring English gardens and while roaming around a hedge maze she runs into the Pym sisters who seem to be there at the behest of Aunt Dimity. The good sisters decide that Emma is the perfect person to renovate part of the gardens at Penford Hall, the home of their friend Duke Grayson Alexander. From there the story takes off as Derek Harris and his children are also at the Hall while Derek repairs a stained glass window that is a central part of the history and legend of Penford Hall.
As in the first book no one dies in this entry although there seems to have been a very mysterious death at Penford Hall a few years earlier. That death plays a central part in the mysterious plot of this book but that is not the only mystery present so when one mystery is solved there are plenty more to take its place. Amazingly the author is able to juggle all of these mysteries in such a way so as not to confuse the reader any more than necessary and in the end everything is as usual all tied up in a neat little package. A good cozy mystery should never leave its readers hanging after all.
As in the first book this story is very well written, fun and engaging. So much so in fact that I found myself unable at times to put the book down even though the hour had grown very late. The characters are well thought out, believable and quite memorable and the setting is so well described that I could almost smell the fragrant gardens and feel the rich soil in my hands. All in all this is a very good book but I am going to have to deduct at least one star for the confusing way that this book approaches the fact that it is introducing a whole new set of characters without any warning whatsoever. I'm not sure how I would have accomplished this task differently but I just wasn't satisfied with the way that this author did it.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Good until the end.
Review: I started to read this book with avid interest. I was really touched by young Peter's memory of his mother, and I loved the story behind the stained glass window. Some of the characters are a trifle wacky, but I put up with that until the end, when the answers to everything come out. Suddenly all the characters begin acting silly and nasty over nothing! Frumpy Emma bullies and yells at her host, and Kate Cole develops a sharp tongue towards not only the Duke but her mother as well. Kate must've been starting her period and Emma going through the change. And the Duke is SO meek towards these nasty women! Maybe Atherton wanted to cut through the over-sweet atmosphere of the book with this disagreement, but it just didn't make sense to me. It ruined the whole book for me. I am glad now that Nancy Atherton sticks to Lori Shepherd. At least her anger at something or someone makes some sense. Read Aunt Dimity And the Next of Kin to see what I mean. The Duke SHOULD have thrown Emma out!
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Another great Dimity book
Review: The Aunt Dimity series is made up of great, light reads that are really fun. No heavy thinking here; just an enjoyable, lighthearted book. As I was reading this one, though, I kept expecting Lori to appear, but she didn't. I really think this book should go before Aunt Dimity's Death, not after. At any rate, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I recommend it.
Review Summary: Terrible book - don't bother
Review: This is one of the worst books I have ever read! It is billed as a mystery and there is no mystery. It is pure romantic fantasy drivel and only an idiot could believe in this poorly conceived fairy tale.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Little Off the Beaten Path...
Review: Unlike the other books in this series, Lori Shepherd, the usual heroine, makes no appearance. Also, Aunt Dimity doesn't show up much, and the mystery is of a bit different tenor and solution than the others! The wit, charm, and wisdom Dimity usually guides with are still to be found, but in this story they're the job of other characters. The American Emma has just suffered heavy loss, and to collect and rejuvenate herself she embarks on a trip to visit the famous gardens of England, where she unknowingly attends a "divine appointment" with the Pym sisters. The eccentric twins send her to the garden of a duke, where a comedy of errors land Emma right where she needs to be. At the duke's estate she meets Derek and his family for the first time, and suddenly her seemingly commonplace skills become very valuable as she's drawn into a mystery that affects everyone at the estate. After introducing us to these characters in Book 1, Atherton does a lovely job of fleshing them out in Book 2, in preparation for the rest the series. I missed Lori and Dimity, but enjoyed this story as much as I did the others!
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Beware of English Twins in Hedge Mazes
Review: As I began reading this book I almost immediately found that I was totally confused. Lori and Bill, the main characters from the first book were nowhere to be seen and in their place I found an almost completely different set of characters. The only holdovers that I could find were Aunt Dimity of course, the delightful Pym sisters and Emma Porter. Emma had only a minor role in the first book but in this entry she was one of the main characters along with Derek Harris a recently widowed father of two delightful children. After doing a little research I found that this book, like the first one is introducing characters that will be central to the series later on but I had to figure this out on my own for there were no indications whatsoever within the book as to what was going on.
The author has chosen a grand English estate for the setting of this book as she introduces her second set of characters and a lovely setting it is. Emma Porter is an American who as an avid gardener is touring English gardens and while roaming around a hedge maze she runs into the Pym sisters who seem to be there at the behest of Aunt Dimity. The good sisters decide that Emma is the perfect person to renovate part of the gardens at Penford Hall, the home of their friend Duke Grayson Alexander. From there the story takes off as Derek Harris and his children are also at the Hall while Derek repairs a stained glass window that is a central part of the history and legend of Penford Hall.
As in the first book no one dies in this entry although there seems to have been a very mysterious death at Penford Hall a few years earlier. That death plays a central part in the mysterious plot of this book but that is not the only mystery present so when one mystery is solved there are plenty more to take its place. Amazingly the author is able to juggle all of these mysteries in such a way so as not to confuse the reader any more than necessary and in the end everything is as usual all tied up in a neat little package. A good cozy mystery should never leave its readers hanging after all.
As in the first book this story is very well written, fun and engaging. So much so in fact that I found myself unable at times to put the book down even though the hour had grown very late. The characters are well thought out, believable and quite memorable and the setting is so well described that I could almost smell the fragrant gardens and feel the rich soil in my hands. All in all this is a very good book but I am going to have to deduct at least one star for the confusing way that this book approaches the fact that it is introducing a whole new set of characters without any warning whatsoever. I'm not sure how I would have accomplished this task differently but I just wasn't satisfied with the way that this author did it.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Good until the end.
Review: I started to read this book with avid interest. I was really touched by young Peter's memory of his mother, and I loved the story behind the stained glass window. Some of the characters are a trifle wacky, but I put up with that until the end, when the answers to everything come out. Suddenly all the characters begin acting silly and nasty over nothing! Frumpy Emma bullies and yells at her host, and Kate Cole develops a sharp tongue towards not only the Duke but her mother as well. Kate must've been starting her period and Emma going through the change. And the Duke is SO meek towards these nasty women! Maybe Atherton wanted to cut through the over-sweet atmosphere of the book with this disagreement, but it just didn't make sense to me. It ruined the whole book for me. I am glad now that Nancy Atherton sticks to Lori Shepherd. At least her anger at something or someone makes some sense. Read Aunt Dimity And the Next of Kin to see what I mean. The Duke SHOULD have thrown Emma out!
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Another great Dimity book
Review: The Aunt Dimity series is made up of great, light reads that are really fun. No heavy thinking here; just an enjoyable, lighthearted book. As I was reading this one, though, I kept expecting Lori to appear, but she didn't. I really think this book should go before Aunt Dimity's Death, not after. At any rate, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I recommend it.