I’m such a fan of Nancy Atherton’s, I savour ‘Lori et al’ but must concede a mellower rating. “Aunt Dimity Digs In” treated me to the usual eloquence and whimsy, although I felt left out, to meet the twins at four months. Nancy evoked understanding as colourfully as always; a parent too bedraggled to clean. Bill is the beautiful Dad we imagined. He hires a nanny and Lori ecstatically ventures out. There is always a passage phrased so hilariously, I chortle from the gut. I found it early and awaited twists and turns to intensify the journey. There were none. No dilemma in Lori’s circle, no urgent predicament; merely two rival women.If everything hinged on the archaeologist’s trustworthiness as a suitor, determining if his site were a hoax with motives disadvantageous to Finch; suspense could derive from that. If the value of the antique print-out were the point of contention, intrigue might arise from that. To eke a mystery out of a stolen pamphlet? The concern being to drive renters from a building that someone else wanted to use? That strained the mystery too thinly. The novel concluded emotionally but the home-based adventure would have been stronger without hinging on a pamphlet.What took me most aback was the “So what?” significance of recovering the pamphlet. An old bishop printed it, in admission of burying artifacts as a joke. Presenting it to the archaeologist would result in his departure; returning the public building to an angry festival organizer. What befuddled me is that the dig isn’t jeopardized; merely storage! He could have rented a shed from the farmer across from his dig. I loved acquainting the train aficionado and Francesca. However with a Wicca practitioner for the vicar’s neighbour, I felt this novel could have taken far jauntier directions.
Yet another pleasant, engaging mystery. I'm happy to say Lori has become more likable. Though she still has doubts about herself, she's settled down considerably and her remaining qualms are quite reasonable. This change curtails her habit of jumping to nasty conclusions - hallelujah.It's particularly marvelous since the majority of this book relies on Lori plotting and scheming solo. She's been tasked with finding a burglar. She's also desperately trying to keep the peace in her Cotswold village as a local archaeological dig has stirred up visions of wealth in some, nightmares of change in others.Though we've seen a few villagers' names thrown about in the series, this is the first time we get to learn about Finch proper. Lori chats with many residents during the course of her investigation, and Atherton ensures that each conversation brings to light a new fascination. Lifelong feuds, family tragedies, and unorthodox pursuits are all revealed, painting a lively picture of what goes on behind closed doors and within shuttered hearts. As other reviewers have stated, the mysteries in this series are rather tame compared to the garden-murder norm of the genre. But they do surpass many cozies by giving the secondary and tertiary characters better-developed backstories and more distinct personalities. They may still draw upon the archetypes of Typical Village Dwellers, but Atherton bestows us with enough details to make us care about each of them. With that established, it's easy to root for Dimity's and Lori's success as they investigate and manipulate their way into creating happy ever afters.
What do You think about Aunt Dimity Digs In (1999)?
Teil 4 der Reihe schließt nahtlos an die Vorgänger an. Lori und Bill haben mittlerweile Zwillinge, Tante Dimitys Geist kuppelt wieder was das Zeug hält und all die urigen Bewohner von Finch sind auch wieder mit von der Partie.Die Geschichte kommt wirklich zuckersüß daher (fast schon ein bisschen zu süß und brav), ohne große Wendungen und Überraschungen. Wie typisch für die Dimity-Reihe geht es hier auch nicht wirklich um den Fall (diesmal wurde im Pfarrhaus ein wichtiges Dokument gestohlen), sondern mehr um die Dorfbewohner und ihre Eigenheiten.Nette, schnell zu lesende Unterhaltung für zwischendurch, perfekt für die ersten trüben Herbsttage.
—Pixelflocke
Where could I even begin to describe why I disliked this book so much? My dislike of Lori has become loathing. I'm so disappointed in this series, but more disappointed in myself. After slogging through the first 3 books, I should have known better than to expect anything else.There's nothing I like better than a story set in a small English town, with plenty of eccentric characters. I must have been delusional to think that the author was going to finally get it right. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to read an Agatha Christie if I want to rekindle my desire for this genre.Three hours of my life totally wasted.
—Mo
The first time I read this book, I had had four children, one at a time, and thought I could appreciate what it was like for Lori to deal with twins. Since then I have become the grandmother of twins. That has brought me to a whole new level of understanding for what Lori was going through. Francesca is still not one of my favorite characters, however. She breezes in and makes everything look so simple. I felt for Lori. Two more hands should make it easier, but not easy. On the other hand, I love the character of Rainey. Ms. Atherton has a way of creating children to capture the heart. Emma and Derek and Bill, and of course, Dimity are all there to shoal Lori up in her endeavors to solve her newest mystery.
—Maria
