Aunt Dimity and the Enchanted Cottage by Nancy Atherton is a 2022 Viking Books publication.

Endearing as always!

In this installment in the Aunt Dimity series is centered around a new resident in the Cotswold community of Finch. Everyone turns out to spy of the new neighbor- Mr. Windle- but find themselves frustrated that his belongings are few and he seems intent on keeping himself to himself. Unfortunately, Lori and Tommy draw an alarming conclusion about Mr. Windle and decide to forgo the usual Finch protocol and give the gentleman a call.

In the process they discover the ruins of an old Victorian mill, once a primary source of income for Finch. Meanwhile Bree and Tommy suffer a setback and Lori continues to speculate and investigate Mr. Windle, hoping to discover the source of his sadness, giving in to preconceived notions, and straight up nosiness while she seeks advice from Aunt Dimity.

As always, the setting and the residents of Finch makes the story charming and often humorous. While all these short cozies are very gentle, there’s depth here too. In this case, a piece of forgotten history has been brought to light, which was certainly sobering and thought-provoking.

I have read this series off and on for a long while. I haven’t read every installment, but, honestly, you can pop in and out of Finch without having too much trouble catching up- and you can always go back later and catch up on previous installments for a wider picture. (Someday, I'm going to make a point of reading the installments I skipped)

The premise, which is cozy, (but, never a murder mystery), though, never deviates too far off course, and there is a certain comfort in that. I like the dependability, the quirky, but delightful characters, and of course the location is a calming, escape.

This series has a refreshing effect on me, and I’m always glad I took a little detour into Finch and look forward to my next visit there.

4 stars ( )

Not all mysteries involve a murder, and this novel is a fine example of a mystery where there is no murder. In this small village there is a mystery, and it centers on a newcomer to Finch. Everyone is watching with eagle eyes as the newest resident arrives, but he quite the man of mystery, sneaking in the back door. He hasn’t even labeled his boxes (so the village snoops could see what he has). The village observes an unofficial rule that they won’t try to finagle an invitation to his home for three days, but then all bets are off. Unfortunately for his neighbors, he gratefully accepts their offerings of food and other welcoming gifts, but he invites no one into his cottage. It’s only when Lori arrives with toddler Bess, who with the abandonment of youth, barges through the open door as Lori presents her casserole offering. At last, an invitation in, if only to capture Bess. But who is this gentle man who seems so lost and frail? And what village secret has he come to expose? And who will discover the answers to these questions - and more. Who would have thought life could be so exciting in a sleepy English village? Why, Nancy Atherton, of course! This well written tale peopled with delightful if sometimes quirky characters is highly recommended for cozy readers who enjoy a good mystery without mayhem. ( )

When Crispin Windle moves to town, Lori catches a glimpse of torture on his face. The local community gathers together and forms Windle Watch. Aunt Dimity adds her 2 cents in from the spirit realm and a little bit of chaos reigns. Like all good Aunt Dimity novels, everything works out in the end. ( )