A really fun cozy mystery with gypsies, lost urns and absurd situations. The author seems to have a wonderful sense of humor and the dialogue is priceless. Somehow, the reader buys into the plot as the bizarre events unfold.

Murder Mysteries are on of my top favorite books and this one blew me out of the water. Fast paced and an enjoyable read

Apparently this is a Kindle re-issue of a book that was originally published some years ago, and is part of a series. I have not read any other books in the series; perhaps if I had, the rather extensive cast of characters and their shenanigans might have been easier to follow.

The writing is enjoyable, but I had some trouble following all of the plot twists and story elements that piled up into an ever-enlarging heap. I had some trouble keeping all of the various characters and their relationships straight. There is a vicar who is lost in the past, an elderly rich man with a trophy wife who apparently doesn't much like him, a snarky housekeeper, a woman trying to stage a play, a kleptomaniac, a young man and his mother? aunt? and an unattractive spinster who would like to ensnare the young man. Oh, and there is the protagonist, Ellie, her husband, and their children who are off at their grandparents' home for the duration of the book.

Ellie's long-missing father shows up unexpectedly, arriving in England from a stay in Germany, carrying the supposed urn with his recently-deceased lady love Harriet's ashes, which he is supposed to turn over to the woman's family. The urn is in Ellie's car when the absent-minded vicar drives off with it, and the hunt is on. Clues are revealed that indicate Harriet was not what she seemed to be (is she, in fact, actually dead?) and there was something not quite right about her story and the entire situation in Germany.

The final resolution to the story and where all the pieces fit in I could not explain to save my life, so I will leave it to other readers to figure out for themselves.

Loved this book you will enjoy it

The Trouble with Harriet by Dorothy Cannell is a quirky mystery set in England. The characters are eccentric, with the exception of the husband and wife, Ellie and Ben. Those eccentricities make this a humorous and fun book to read.. The plot of the story involves an attempt to reclaim an urn, which supposedly contains the remains of Harriet, but really contains those of St. Ethelwort.. The interaction between Ellie and the others reveals why the urn was stolen and why the trail leads back from Germany to the small English town. Although the story seems a little far-fetched, it is that quality that makes it an interesting and funny read. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy reading mysteries but want a book that is light hearted.

Ellie and Ben are about to take a well deserved trip to France. She has even purchased a new nightgown. The children are with Ben's parents. Things are wonderful.
Then everything changes.
Ellie meets a gypsy who tells her she absolutely should not go to France. Ellie's long lost father appears with an urn filled with the ashes of his one true love, Harriet. As her father discusses this wonderful woman, Ellie feels angry. She is angry that her father did not think her mother was the love of his life. She is angry that this man abandoned her after the death of her mother when she was still a teenager. She is angry that her father has arrived after all these years with little or no interest in her life and the lives of her family.
Nothing is as it seems.
It is evident that someone wants the urn with Harriet's ashes. There are mysterious people appearing around every corner. There are attempts to steal the urn. And more and more of various stories do not make sense. At the same time, the urn goes missing in a stolen car. Ellie's cousin Freddie must deal with his mother who happens to be a kleptomaniac. An absent minded clergyman seems determined to interrupt lives at the most inconvenient moments. And housekeeper Mrs Malloy has plans to become a star of stage and screen.
Ellie and Ben come to the conclusion that some sort of scam has been perpetrated. But, there seems to be no way to put a stop to things.
This is a terrific and humorous story. Ms Cannell is a talented author who creates characters who make the reader laugh. This plot has a great deal of action. At every turn there is another surprise. It is almost like a very active game of button – button who's got the button, only in this case it is an urn filled with ashes.
Although this is part of a series, it easily works as a stand alone read. I have enjoyed every book in the series. At times, I felt that there was too much angst of poor Harriet and that led to some spots that were too repetitious for me, but this is another fine book by Ms Cannell.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

I read Dorothy Cannell's earlier books a long time ago and was really hooked on her Widows Club series. Dorothy Cannell is no doubt an experienced author and her words are engaging and comedic. However, The Trouble With Harriet just didn't quite hit the mark for me. It seemed to have dragged on quite a bit in the earlier parts of the book. Although a lot was going on within the actual story I was waiting to find out what the exact mystery really was. It never truly went there or revealed itself as if the author was trying to cram in too many side stories hoping they would lead into the actual mystery. I prefer a straight to the point mystery where the plot or plots directly lead into solving the mystery at the end. With The Trouble With Harriet, I felt as if it was kind of all over the place.
Ms. Cannell's main character, Ellie Haskell is a not-so-typical housewife who ends up in funny and unusual situations where she finds the need to solve problems or the "big" mysteries that surrounds her life. Her husband is kind of just there and I don't feel as connected to him as a supporting character. Although Ellie is a pretty strong heroine in her books, her supporting characters are rather bland and not as intriguing as Ellie.
I do recommend Ms. Cannell's earlier mysteries where Ellie is sort of finding herself and in that self deprecating, comical way, you can't help but immediately like Ellie Haskell.

As a fan of cozy mysteries, I love the genre in general. The Trouble with Harriet though was one of my favorites!! As soon as the publication date arrives, I am asking our library to purchase this book and any others by Dorothy Cannell. 5 stars plus!!!!

Twists and turns. Family drama. A long list of potential bad guys. A romantic seaside setting.

Crime evolving over the pages.

I had no trouble immersing myself in this cozy mystery once the action finally got underway.

This book is chatty, British, and humorous. Sadly, it is not my cuppa. I am sure others may enjoy it.

In The Trouble with Harriet by cozy mystery author Dorothy Cannell, Ellie Haskell's father arrives in Chitterton Fells just as Ellie and Ben are set to depart on a long overdue vacation. Morley Simons, missing since Ellie's mother passed away many years before, has brought the mortal remains (in an urn) of his beloved Harriet to hand over to her cousins, but through a series of mishaps, is unable to do so. Throughout the story, the vicar is obsessed with St. Ethelwort, his wife is consumed with her play - Murder Most Fowl, and cousin Freddy is busy trying to keep his visiting mother, Ellie's kleptomaniac Aunt Lulu, out of trouble. Very engaging, and once again I was treated to several laugh out loud moments whilst reading Ellie's latest adventure. Nicely written cozy mystery, and I do recommend it to anyone looking for a light cozy. It's part of a series, but can certainly be read as a standalone. A+

Ellie is a great character and this story had me laughing all the way until the end.
Her escapades in this story will leave you wanting more.

My least favourite in the series. Convoluted and just plain boring.
I do not post negative reviews so I will not publicly share this review.