Nationally best-selling author Susan Wittig Albert cleverly blends fact and fiction in this cozy mystery starring iconic author Beatrix Potter. The serenity of Hill Top Farm is shattered when a local shephard is murdered. Beatrix-when she's not busy making friends with her fellow villagers-lends her insights to the investigation. "As charming as the 'little books' ."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
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"This is a charming series. The story focuses on Beatrix Potter when she purchased Hill Top Farm in Far and Near Swarey. She has purchased several sheep and goes to pick them up and finds the farmer dead and the sheep missing. The richest lady in the town has decided that she knows a suitable candidate for the job of local schoolmaster, even though the local woman who has been doing the job is well suited and the children love her. Then there are the animals. The local badger who keeps a chronicle of all the animal comings and goings is told that there are several badgers missing and there will be a badger baiting event held that week. He focuses his attention on getting all the other animals to assist in stopping the event. The mystery is one that is fairly easy to figure out but the story is charming and very appealing." — Ann (4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a charming series. The story focuses on Beatrix Potter when she purchased Hill Top Farm in Far and Near Swarey. She has purchased several sheep and goes to pick them up and finds the farmer dead and the sheep missing. The richest lady in the town has decided that she knows a suitable candidate for the job of local schoolmaster, even though the local woman who has been doing the job is well suited and the children love her. Then there are the animals. The local badger who keeps a chronicle of all the animal comings and goings is told that there are several badgers missing and there will be a badger baiting event held that week. He focuses his attention on getting all the other animals to assist in stopping the event. The mystery is one that is fairly easy to figure out but the story is charming and very appealing."
“As charming as the ‘little books’ themselves, this is sure to delight Beatrix Potter fans and cozy lovers everywhere.”
“Albert’s unique twist on the traditional cozy brings to life the early 20th-century English countryside, adding a healthy dose of mystery…Complete with local mouth-watering recipes, Albert’s newest addition is certain to appeal to fans of English cozies.”
" I love the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series, and Ms Leishman is a perfect reader for this story of Beatrix Potter's early days as a farmer in the Twin Surreys. The mix of history, landscapes, whimsy, characters, and an actual mystery show another aspect of author Susan Wittig Albert's skills. Very enjoyable and perfect for winter listening! "
" Cozy mystery, Austen fans will also like it as well for depiction of old English countryside, animal fans will like it as animals talk and take part in it (though humans can't understand them), reminiscent of Beatrix Potter's stories (some of whose real story is incorporated in) "
" Did I mention how well written these books are? Susan Wittig Albert does an amazing job to make everything believable even a talking dog. :) "
" Ditto first Tale "
" This is the second in a series of fictional stories about Beatrix Potter. I loved it! "
" Classic Beatrix Potter...loved it "
" A fun, gentle mystery with Beatrix Potter as a character. "
" My inner child loves these lighthearted mysteries where children's literature is the byproduct of a quiet heroine who astutely solves the case that trouble their small town in England's Lake District. "
" Another good one from Susan. I love how she resolves plots around but not necessarily with the main protagonist. And her research is fantastic. Wonderful details. "
" I found this to be as delightful as the first in the series and am looking forward to the next. A nice cozy mystery with pieces of Beatrix Potter's life mixed in. "
" I love this sweet little novel- a loose take on Beatrix Potter's life, but with a look at the thoughts and feelings of everyone in the village, animals included. "
" smoother, almost too twee, but satisfying, nearly poetic justice, ends well "
" I love these little books. Talk about cozy! The writing is wonderful and I am transported to Beatrix Potter's rural England. On my next trip to England I will be visiting Hill Top Farm and the villages of Near and Far Sawrey and the beautiful Lake District. Now to find the next book in the series! "
" This was an excellent cozy mystery. I listened to it on audio and the narrator was fantastic! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Beatrix Potter, animals, and the English countryside. "
" I was sceptical at first due to thinking that a tale with talking animals would be too childish, but so far, so good. I am enjoying it "
" I think I liked this one better than the first. The characters are very charming, and the plot is never dull. There was a very clever chapter about how gossip spread quickly in a small town. The mysteries aren't terribly complex or mysterious, but they are almost beside the point. "
" I have to agree with some of the other reviews...I like this series more with each book! I love the fact that the animals talk to each other and are major characters in the story, but this is an adult book. Yea! Keep 'em coming! "
" Love it! I had never heard of badger baiting, but was appalled. Animal cruelty is not a new invention, but is as old as time. It's still wrong. Blech! I'm glad the perpetrator was sent to prison (just not for the animal cruelty, dang it!). "
" I'm really enjoying this series. "
" Wonderful interaction between people, the land, and the animals. Gentle telling of complex social problems in a small town. Beatrix Potter comes off shining as the heroin, goto woman, and smartest of them all. What a great tale within a tale. "
" Very delightful. A shepherd falls from a cliff, his sheep have gone missing, and Tabitha Twitchet, Crumpet, and Rascal, want to know how , why, and who. "
" A nice easy read perfect to read on my half-hour lunch breaks. Just intriguing enough to make reluctant to put it down when lunch is over. "
" Just a pleasant relaxing little book. Cozy cottage mystery... and not much mystery really just fun to be in the countryside during that era. "
" These are such fun reads. "
" A very sweet addition to the series. "
" I really enjoy these books of Susan Wittig Albert's. I loved the Robyn Paige series she wrote with her husband, too, but these are a clever treat of their very own. It's so wonderful to have these books to read right now while I'm so busy at school! They are a very welcome form of escape. "
" I haven't read this series in order, but this is my favorite so far, for the quality of the writing. "
" I think this is a very sweet and inventive series of mysteries. I am really enjoying the parallel story lines of the humans and animals (in this one Beatrix's sheep go missing on the human side of the story, while some badgers need rescuing on the animal side). "
" An adorable cozy read. Very predictable, but sweet and comforting :) "
" A cute little mystery. I enjoyed reading about snippets of Beatrix Potter's life. A warning to realist readers: the animals do talk amongst themselves and have an entire society built up complete with a Badger hotel. If you can get past that, you'll enjoy the book. "
" I love these books.by Susan Albert "
Susan Wittig Albert is the author of over 100 books. Her work includes four mystery series: China Bayles, the Darling Dahlias, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, and the Robin Paige Victorian mysteries. She has published three award-winning historical novels, as well as young-adult fiction, memoirs, and nonfiction. She serves as an editor of Story Circle Book Reviews and helps to coordinate its online class program.
Virginia Leishman successfully revived The Railway Children and other titles by E. Nesbit. She parses phrases carefully for nuance, and flavors dialogue with personality and spontaneity, as exemplified in her rendition of A. S. Byatt’s Possession. She has earned three AudioFile Earphones Awards.
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