This is a charming cozy mystery set in the Cotswolds. I was surprised to learn that this is the 25th book in a popular series that has somehow escaped my notice! In this installment the inhabitants of the village of Finch gather to first observe, then interact with, the retired professor who has moved into the Pussywillows cottage. The book is filled with the details of village life and the camaraderie of the villagers, which makes for a pleasant read (or listen, in the case of the audiobook). There is also a touch of magical realism, as Aunt Dimity is revealed only through writing that appears in a special journal, as she "talks" to the protagonist, Lori, who inherited her cottage. This unusual aspect provides an entertaining twist to Lori's conversations. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, and look forward to reading more books in the series. While it may have been helpful to have read the previous installments to fully comprehend the nuances of the characters, and how American Lori ended up here, enough details were recapped that I did not feel lost.

This is the 25th installment of a cozy mystery series, set in the English countryside. The stories and plot, in all 25 of them, move quickly. In The Enchanted Cottage, the characters are fairly well developed; even if you haven’t read the previous 24 books, you get a good feel for the characters in the small town of Finch where this story takes place.
In this book, the mystery is not a murder (not in a usual sense) In which the main characters are sleuthing around for “whodunit”. But there is a mystery nonetheless. I find the way that the author, Nancy Atherton, weaves the storyline to be cunning, witty, and thought provoking. She does not outright tell you what the mystery is, she just lets it unfold as it might in real life.
In this book, a newcomer to the village would generally be enough of a mystery. But, his arrival set off a fortunate/unfortunate series of events which lead to the unveiling of the answer to a previous Mystery… One of which the townsfolk did not even know was a mystery.

I do appreciate the authors use of tragic historical events, whether factual or not, led to the improvements in children’s rights and workers rights. It is a reminder, that our world is ever changing and that although tragic events happen, I believe they do happen for a reason. Although they can be extremely sad and Unthinkable, I do hope that we all learn important lessons from those tragedies.

I may be a bit biased when it comes to rating these stories. The idea of an American couple and their children settling in the cozy English countryside does play with my heartstrings a bit. Myself having some long ago family ties to England, as well as new immediate family ties in my own generations that are lovingly British.

Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage by Nancy Atherton is a delightful listen. I loved how the author wrote the characters and the details. I could envision so many things. The setting of a small English village, a riverside cottage, both gave warm cozy feels to me. The mystery of the 3 unmarked graves also added to the story. Christina Moore was great performing the book. She added the right emotions to her voice. Thank you #NetGalley and #Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to this audiobook. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks NetGalley! This was a another good one!

Description
It's early May in the small English village of Finch and the air is crackling with excitement: a newcomer is about to move into Pussywillows, a riverside cottage with a romantic reputation. Will the cottage's newest resident prove yet again its enchanting ability to matchmake? But when Crispin Windle arrives, no one knows what to make of him: seemingly a loner, he repels every welcoming gesture and appears altogether uninterested in being a part of the community. Soon, the townspeople have all but dismissed him.

Only Lori and Tommy Prescott, a young army veteran who recently moved to Finch, refuse to give up. They orchestrate a chance meeting that leads to a startling discovery: a set of overgrown ruins. They are, Aunt Dimity shares, the remains of a Victorian woolen mill that once brought prosperity to Finch.

As the three explore, they stumble upon the unmarked graves of children who died working at the mill. Heartbroken, Lori, Tommy, and Mr. Windle get to work on the seemingly impossible task of identifying the children to give them a proper burial. And as Mr. Windle works tirelessly to name the forgotten children, he slowly begins to open up—giving the romantic cottage a chance to heal his heart as well.

Okay, I’m going to be honest and say I went in blind when starting this book. While I read the synopsis and knew that it was the 25th book in the Aunt Dimity series, I didn’t know much more since I didn’t read the previous books (not that it’s necessary to read the previous ones as I followed along just fine).

While the synopsis was interesting and made it seem like a lot would happen, I was disappointed to realize it was way less exciting than it was made out to be. In truth, this book is about a bunch of nosy neighbors. While that usually appeals to me, this story was about nothing and had little to no substance. While I didn’t expect much going in, I was hoping it would bit a light and entertaining read. Unfortunately, it was not. It was actually quite boring and hard to get through.

In all truth, if I didn’t listen to this as an audiobook, I wouldn’t have finished it (thank goodness for the 2x speed button). Regarding the narrator, I don’t think the voice matched the main character, Lori, at all. The voice was that of an older, matronly woman which confused me at times.

When I picked up this book, I didn't realize that it was the 25th book in a series, but thankfully, it doesn't seem to matter; it can work as a standalone. That being said, I found a lot of the exposition to be very clunky and a lot of it to be info-dumping, but I understand that that kind of comes with the fact that the author had 24 books of information to catch me up on.

The setting of this book is very charming, and I loved hearing about the village of Finch and the little side characters of the story. I also think that the narrator of the audiobook did a really good job with setting the mood and with a lot of the other accents within the story.

Overall, this was a cute story that was a good escape, but I couldn't really find myself connecting with any of the characters or the story as a whole.

(3.5 stars rounded down)

Dimity and three of her friends find some graves that belong to children. They take it upon themselves to research the graves. I really liked the mystery of the graves and what happened to the kids. This book was not my cup of tea, but I am sure it'll work for a lot of people. The characters are good.

I had no idea when I started this little jewel, that it was the 25th story in the Aunt Dimity series! This was such a cute story about the small town of Finch. Where everyone knows everything about everyone!! When a new neighbor moves into an enchanted cottage, the townspeople are ready to drop everything and literally watch him move in 🤣🤣
The town of Finch is full of charming characters that I hope to check in with again!!

I want give a huge thank you to Netgalley for the arc of this fun story!

Nancy Atherton has done it again….another charming and captivating addition the the Aunt Dimity series, While this book maybe read as a stand alone, you will enjoy the story so much more if you have the backstories of the many characters who inhabit this series.
A newcomer had arrived in the small British village of Finch. Finch inhabitants are quite anxious to meet their new neighbor, especially since he appears to be a single gentleman who’s moving into a cottage than may have the power to bring true love to whoever lives there. The last two people who lived there are happily in relationships. Lori and her family, her Aunt Dimity (or her ghost) and a whole host of Finch villagers learn about their new neighbor and the lost history of a local textile mill operated during the industrial revolution that took the lives of four kid workers. Secrets are discovered, confidences are broken and the healing power of love and forgiveness is discovered.

This is my first time diving into the Aunt Dimity series and I am hooked! Even though this is the 25th book in the series I did not feel lost at all and truly loved this book. This is such a great small town cozy mystery and I really fell in love with the characters Nancy Atherton has created! I will be reading the other books in this series asap!

*Thank you so much NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage is the 25th (!) book in the Aunt Dimity village cozy mystery series by Nancy Atherton. Due out 3rd May 2022 from Penguin Random House on their Viking imprint, it's 240 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

It's always a delight when a beloved long running series gets a new entry, and this was no exception. It's very much like a visit with a dear friend. The books are safe. They're comfortable; and the author is competent and dependable. Despite being a very long running series, this one could be read as a standalone. The author is adept enough to provide the necessary back-story without info dumping or bewildering the reader.

This is not an action packed thriller - it's a sedate country village cozy. There are light paranormal elements, the titular Aunt Dimity is no longer living and offers life advice and benevolent guidance from beyond the veil. For fans of the series, this is another fine visit to the village of Finch and its inhabitants. For fans coming to the series now, I recommend at least the first book (they're all consistently pretty good) to get up to speed, before reading this one.

The language is (as always) squeaky clean and unproblematic.

The unabridged audiobook format has a run time of 6 hours, 27 minutes and is narrated by Christina Moore (linked interview is about another book, but does provide audio of Ms. Moore's voice). I found her voice very gravelly and very American. It's certainly true that the main protagonist is an American, but the books are mostly set in England and to me personally, the narrator's accent was abrasive. It wasn't by any means a disaster, I had no trouble completing the read, but it was distracting and not very complementary to this specific book. Sound and production quality were high throughout the recording.

Four stars for the book overall, three for the audiobook.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This was a super cute story and I was left feeling like I was part of the gang in Finch and had made some new friends! Very well written and paced. I apparently am going to start at the end of this series and then go back to the beginning. I am very excited that this author has at least 24 books in their backlog that I can read! And I can't wait to get started on that.

#AuntDimityandtheEnchantedCottage
#NetGalley

3.5 stars rounded up.

I had never read nor heard of the Aunt Dimity series prior to reading this book but now I'm quite tempted to pick up the previous twenty four.

The book was delightful and the imagery felt so cozy and personal, like I could really see and experience the small village of well-intended busybodies.

If there's one thing that has stuck with me after finishing, it's the fact that I now wish I had my own Aunt Dimity to call on whenever I need sage advice.

I love this series. True, the first time I read one of its books I kept waiting for a murder to happen. Oddly enough, although that didn't happen, I found myself settling into the rhythm of life in Fitch, a place where everyone knows your name and business. Opening with a lovely, peaceful audio tour of Fitch and some of what makes it so special, you feel yourself relaxing, slowing down, enjoying the friendly chatter and gossip of the characters. The town itself seems almost a separate character, in fact, with its scenic beauty and seeming operating motto of "everyone knows...." Instead of feeling oppressed by that knowledge, it's comforting. It allows you to focus on the main thread: Who is the new neighbor and why does he seem so sad?

Narrator Christina Moore does a lovely job of introducing us to the various characters, expertly adapting her voice to each, even main character Lori's daughter's repeated "quacks". I enjoyed the gentle humor as I settled into a comfortable chair on "Windle Watch" with Lori's friends, sipping my tea and rolling my eyes at some of the theories offered up about new resident Crispin Windle. I'd also love to have a mysterious, magical blue tablet that "talked" to me as the late Aunt Dimity does to Lori. That touch of whimsy, rather than intrude, just seems part and parcel of this little town where "it's always been like this" seems a ruling guideline.

As delightful as it is to spend time with friends, of course, there is a mystery. Even as we learn more about Crispin Windle we wonder why he is so focused on seemingly finding one particular landmark in the area. A retired industrial historian, he digs up some of Fitch's past that maybe many would just as rather stay buried. Toss in side-stories of romance, the past impacting the present, and a daughter's perpetual energy and enthusiasm and you've got an idea what is going on. So, set aside all thoughts of murder and mayhem, slip into something comfortable, prepare some tea, and curl up on a cozy chair and enjoy Lori's latest mystery of life. This, the 25th book in the series, shows why it's a continued winner.

Thank you #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for allowing me to drop into Fitch and spend some time sipping tea and listening to the gossip as life goes on in front of me. For a small town where not much happens, big things seem to change in Fitch. Love meeting the new residents as they move in.

This book was so intriguing I couldn't put it down. I love the way the author writes because the way she described the scenes I could really see everyone sitting in the cafe waiting for the moving truck to come in and then they everybody watching the boxes and guessing what he brought with him. The characters were funny and the story was compelling and I hope there are more in this series.

After just finishing a horror novel that I wish I hadn’t read, a good dose of Lori and Aunt Dimity was just what I needed. It felt like slipping into a cozy, comfy old sweater and I mean that in a good way. I read several of these books at the beginning of the series and then just kind of fell away from it but I want to dip back in again after this peaceful visit to Finch where nothing really terrible happens.
I enjoyed the narrator also.

Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage written by Nancy Atherton and narrated by Christina Moore is the 25th in the Aunt Dimity series. The latest installment opens with the villagers clusters at the local tea shop in anticipation of the arrival of the village’s newest resident and his moving van. As any of the villagers would tell you, there is much to be learned from an individual’s possessions and they don’t intend to miss a single item as it is carried in.

While I have read the entire Aunt Dimity series, this the first that I have experienced in audio format and I was utterly charmed. The narrator captured each character so completely that I forgot that there was but a single narrator. The village life that is reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple fame was enhance by the narration, allowing me to completely immerse myself in the story. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance audio copy and all opinions are my own.). I highly recommend trying the audio version of this series.

This was a quirky story and even though I have not read any of the previous stories in this series I did not feel I was missing anything. This small community lives on their gossip and their is a newcomer to their midst. When he does not have many belongings they do not know what to make of him and he appears sad and so they take it upon themselves to start a brigade to try to bring him out only to have the door closed after he takes their gifts. When he finally emerges and gathers for a "talk" he lets everyone in on his discovery of the textile mill. This story was intriguing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been enjoying this series since the first book, Aunt Dimity's Death, though this is the first time I have listened rather than read the story.
As usual we return to the small English village of Finch Laurie and her family live in, this time for the arrival of a new neighbor.
Despite being a cozy mystery series, the mysteries are very rarely anything murderous or even actually illegal. They are more just interesting new things that unravel throughout the story. In this case it's the history of the the new resident, Crispin Windle, and a little bit of Finch's history.
Another lovely addition to the Dimity series and another excellent chance to visit and gossip with the residents of Finch!

This was a cute little mystery that I found on Netgalley. I didn't know they had audiobooks!

It's set in a busybody little town where everyone knows everyone. Someone new moves in and is the talk of the town. This is the 25th book in the Aunt Dimity series, but read as a standalone.

It's set to release May 3, 2022. Rated 3.5 stars for me, but I'd recommend it for a lighthearted read.