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The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #5
The Tale of Briar Bank
Near Sawrey, the seat of Miss Beatrix Potter?s country home, has been abuzz ever since Mr. Wickstead met his death under a tree limb. Many believe it had to do with a treasure he had dug up. And only Pickles, his dog, knows what happened. Meanwhile, Miss Potter faces dilemmas in her love life and with her parents. But she has no time to muse, what with helping humans and animals alike?and this little matter of murder.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 30, 2008
30 people are currently reading
779 people want to read
About the author
Susan Wittig Albert
121 books2,381 followersSusan is the author/co-author of biographical/historical fiction, mysteries, and nonfiction. Now in her 80s and continuing to write, she says that retirement is not (yet) an option. She publishes under her own imprint. Here are her latest books.
A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.
Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring Ruby Wilcox): noBODY, SomeBODY Else, and Out of BODY; and The Enterprise Trilogy (featuring Jessica Nelson): DEADLINES, FAULTLINES, and FIRELINES.
THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTIA PUZZLE #8 in the Darling Dahlias series, set in the early 1930s in fictional Darling AL
THE GENERAL'S WOMEN. Kay, Mamie, and Ike--the wartime romance that won a war but could have derailed a presidency.
LOVING ELEANOR: A novel about the intimate 30-year friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, based on their letters
A WILDER ROSE: the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother from a farm wife and occasional writer to a literary icon
THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE, #8 in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
DEATH ON THE LIZARD, the 12th and last (2006) of the Robin Paige series, by Susan and Bill Albert
TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE
AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS
WORK OF HER OWN: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
WRITING FROM LIFE: TELLING YOUR SOUL'S STORY
A PLAIN VANILLA MURDER, #27 in the long-running China Bayles/Pecan Springs series.
Two Pecan Springs novella trilogies: The Crystal Cave Trilogy (featuring Ruby Wilcox): noBODY, SomeBODY Else, and Out of BODY; and The Enterprise Trilogy (featuring Jessica Nelson): DEADLINES, FAULTLINES, and FIRELINES.
THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE POINSETTIA PUZZLE #8 in the Darling Dahlias series, set in the early 1930s in fictional Darling AL
THE GENERAL'S WOMEN. Kay, Mamie, and Ike--the wartime romance that won a war but could have derailed a presidency.
LOVING ELEANOR: A novel about the intimate 30-year friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, based on their letters
A WILDER ROSE: the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother from a farm wife and occasional writer to a literary icon
THE TALE OF CASTLE COTTAGE, #8 in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
DEATH ON THE LIZARD, the 12th and last (2006) of the Robin Paige series, by Susan and Bill Albert
TOGETHER, ALONE: A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE
AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS
WORK OF HER OWN: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
WRITING FROM LIFE: TELLING YOUR SOUL'S STORY
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
September 25, 2012
Susan Wittig Albert's historical series "The Cottage Tales Of Beatrix Potter" whirls across the spectrum. It is a unique introduction to the creator of hundred year-old stories, in Lake District life with talking animals. You believe Beatrix Potter would have been a keen sleuth and enjoy the variety of 1900s mysteries. Volume three, "The Tale Of Cuckoo Brow Wood" was magical and is my favourite. I gave it five stars. It was a dismaying drop that I found "The Tale Of Hawthorn House" terrible and could grant it no better than two. Writing habits emerged in volume three, like extensively reiterating the history of every character, which grew irritating from novel to novel. These and other faux-pas have persisted but creative, exciting subject matter compel me to rank this one higher. The consistency of my enjoyment would seem akin to my attempts at bowling!
"The Tale Of Briar Bank" opens with Beatrix’s parents objecting to her sojourn. Accompanying her from London is a fresh angle, as is overdue defiance upon leaving. I liked this story at once. However Susan soon indulged in breaking narration, to directly explain to readers why an adult doesn't live where she pleases in that era. If that didn't halt the story, I kid not that page 17 is entitled: "A long chapter in which we meet the villagers"! It goes for 19 pages, with residents having as little to do with the crux as ever. The sole reaction I managed was: "Well! The author realizes she rehashes and admits it"!
The stories within are excellent. We meet a household and dog ‘Pickles’, distressed by his man’s puzzling death. We explore a new badger set and relative, who recounts a frightening chase. The most enthralling attribute of all, is the unusual emergence of dragons!
"The Tale Of Briar Bank" opens with Beatrix’s parents objecting to her sojourn. Accompanying her from London is a fresh angle, as is overdue defiance upon leaving. I liked this story at once. However Susan soon indulged in breaking narration, to directly explain to readers why an adult doesn't live where she pleases in that era. If that didn't halt the story, I kid not that page 17 is entitled: "A long chapter in which we meet the villagers"! It goes for 19 pages, with residents having as little to do with the crux as ever. The sole reaction I managed was: "Well! The author realizes she rehashes and admits it"!
The stories within are excellent. We meet a household and dog ‘Pickles’, distressed by his man’s puzzling death. We explore a new badger set and relative, who recounts a frightening chase. The most enthralling attribute of all, is the unusual emergence of dragons!
July 2, 2015
I loved the first three books in this series, but now I'm tiring of them. Three basic reasons for this:
1) It is a great pity that Ms Albert feels it necessary, in each and every novel, to give us the full histories of every Tom, Dick or Harry we come across while reading, despite a fully descriptive "Cast of Characters" at the beginning. Most regrettable.
2) And the transitions from one thread to another are REALLY annoying. I hate being told we have to leave so-and-so and go on to someone else. I am NOT a child, I DON'T need the author to constantly guide me, and this just does NOT work in modern adult literature!
3) Final gripe: the story was weak and the mild "mystery" dragged on too long after I'd already guessed much of the truth. It would have been so much more interesting to learn more about the village social life at that period and Beatrix Potter's own life, fictional or otherwise.
Again I had to skim over paragraphs and paragraphs of the omnipotent author's comments, repetitive plugs for her other novels, rehashed introductions to repeat characters and long, overly twee animal dialogues! I find this all very off-putting.
That said, I think I will nevertheless read to the end of the series, just for the story of Beatrix Potter, which is very well documented and entertaining, and skip all the extremely boring bumph in between.
1) It is a great pity that Ms Albert feels it necessary, in each and every novel, to give us the full histories of every Tom, Dick or Harry we come across while reading, despite a fully descriptive "Cast of Characters" at the beginning. Most regrettable.
2) And the transitions from one thread to another are REALLY annoying. I hate being told we have to leave so-and-so and go on to someone else. I am NOT a child, I DON'T need the author to constantly guide me, and this just does NOT work in modern adult literature!
3) Final gripe: the story was weak and the mild "mystery" dragged on too long after I'd already guessed much of the truth. It would have been so much more interesting to learn more about the village social life at that period and Beatrix Potter's own life, fictional or otherwise.
Again I had to skim over paragraphs and paragraphs of the omnipotent author's comments, repetitive plugs for her other novels, rehashed introductions to repeat characters and long, overly twee animal dialogues! I find this all very off-putting.
That said, I think I will nevertheless read to the end of the series, just for the story of Beatrix Potter, which is very well documented and entertaining, and skip all the extremely boring bumph in between.
April 21, 2009
I really love this series! I just love the mix of the era, the personalities, the fantasy and the animals. And when the dragon appeared, the little girl in me clapped her hands in delight! And it was a NICE dragon! I've read The Wind in the Willows over and over again since I was a child and find stories about animals living people-type lives charming. This series has really made me interested in reading a biography of Beatrix Potter.
November 17, 2008
Pure escapism. I needed this to distract me from my disgust with the gullible, media-spun, lotus eating individuals who voted for the Obama-Biden ticket in this presidential election. If the shoe fits.......
August 27, 2009
Is it me or are these books getting more "twee" by the book? Or is it just that my saccharine meter is set on high this week?
It's not just the animal bits--which frankly I ignore. It's that she seems to be attempting to write the whole book in the style of a Beatrix Potter childrens books and it doesn't work. It comes off as cloying and phony. All we need is a simpering "Dear Reader".
These books are referred to as "family friendly" in a jacket blurb. Does the publisher or Ms Albert really think that these are something to read to kids? Or is that for blushing Victorian types who faint at words like "scrotum" to reassure them that this is pure and wholesome?
When she just attempts to tell her story, she does well. I think she's done a very good job of getting into Beatrix Potter's psyche--as good as any human can do in interpreting the heart of another.
Speaking of which, while she seems to have read up on Potter herself, her frequent references to the Internet in terms of her research make me leery. Anyone who writes 4 books set in Victorian/Edwardian England, and only THEN discovers that English vets don't use the title of "Doctor" obviously hasn't read/viewed "All Creatures Great and Small" or anything else relevant, let alone read enough books on the period. And that makes a lot of her other details questionable.
It's not just the animal bits--which frankly I ignore. It's that she seems to be attempting to write the whole book in the style of a Beatrix Potter childrens books and it doesn't work. It comes off as cloying and phony. All we need is a simpering "Dear Reader".
These books are referred to as "family friendly" in a jacket blurb. Does the publisher or Ms Albert really think that these are something to read to kids? Or is that for blushing Victorian types who faint at words like "scrotum" to reassure them that this is pure and wholesome?
When she just attempts to tell her story, she does well. I think she's done a very good job of getting into Beatrix Potter's psyche--as good as any human can do in interpreting the heart of another.
Speaking of which, while she seems to have read up on Potter herself, her frequent references to the Internet in terms of her research make me leery. Anyone who writes 4 books set in Victorian/Edwardian England, and only THEN discovers that English vets don't use the title of "Doctor" obviously hasn't read/viewed "All Creatures Great and Small" or anything else relevant, let alone read enough books on the period. And that makes a lot of her other details questionable.
December 27, 2023
3.5 stars. Not as wonderful as the rest of the series, but still enjoying these “mysteries” taking place in the British countryside.
If you’re looking for a good series with characters (both human and animal) you’ll enjoy getting to know, and in particular clean mysteries with almost no violence, you may consider these.
Lately I’ve been borrowing the cd books from out of state, so I can get them on my mp3 player for those 3am awakenings. The stories wont keep me awake, but they’re distracting enough that I tend to get back to sleep quicker than I would without any audiobook. Post-menopausal insomnia is real, y’all, at least for me, so appreciate the monthly visitor for the good things it brings to the table lol.
I’ve already requested book and CD for the next one 😀
If you’re looking for a good series with characters (both human and animal) you’ll enjoy getting to know, and in particular clean mysteries with almost no violence, you may consider these.
Lately I’ve been borrowing the cd books from out of state, so I can get them on my mp3 player for those 3am awakenings. The stories wont keep me awake, but they’re distracting enough that I tend to get back to sleep quicker than I would without any audiobook. Post-menopausal insomnia is real, y’all, at least for me, so appreciate the monthly visitor for the good things it brings to the table lol.
I’ve already requested book and CD for the next one 😀
March 19, 2017
This series of adult fairy tales is so much fun, and just a happy time to curl up with and just escape.
November 1, 2017
The Tale of Briar Bank is a myriad of things; cozy mystery, historical fiction, and fantasy to name the genre blend for one. Beatrix Potter joins the readers in the Cottage Tales series, as a sort of lady detective light - but she's not the only one helping solving the mystery at hand. Her fictional animal characters, the ones you're probably familiar with through stories such as 'Peter Rabbit' and 'Ginger and Pickles' are also there, and they have stories to tell. That's part of the fantasy element right there, although there's one more 'traditional' bit of fantasy too, to give you a hint it's a creature you might find in an epic fantasy but not expecting to find in a cozy mystery set in 1909.
The mystery itself isn't that complicated, nor is it particularly grisly. There's your cozy factor; there's a death, a few suspicious people, and a discovered treasure with a possible curse over it - but ultimately it's not a particularly intricate mystery, nor should it be the reason for picking these books up in my opinion. On the other hand, the sense of a whole community is I think a good reason to do so. If you enjoy seeing how a whole community in the Edwardian era would live and breathe in a sort of village setting, you've come to the right place. There's love, drama, unpaid bills, hidden identities, and some of the outsider experience through Potter - buying a farm in a small-knit community and becoming a part of said community.
Another reason this is so much fun is that Susan Wittig Albert definitely did her research before including Beatrix Potter into the mix; many of the things surrounding her character is either true or based on facts, therefor it's in many ways fun to read as someone who's interested in Potter herself. It's set right when she's buying a second farm, and deals indirectly with her complicated relationship with her mother, as well as her slightly tangled experiences with love.
As most other books, there are flaws - one of the main ones for me being the constant presence of the author in the book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the occasional interlude of an author coming out to say something to the reader, but not constantly. There's quite a lot of telling instead of showing - like a character saying 'He's a baker, so therefor he has flour on his clothes' (my own example mirroring something similar in the book) - when it's clear to both characters who are talking what the occupation of the person they talked about was. It might not bother others as much as it did me, but it's definitely there. Then there's the feeling of the book possibly taking on a bit much; there are several puzzle pieces, all individually interesting, but it just feels a little underdeveloped in each part so that the entirety isn't as neat or pulled together as I would've liked.
All this said, it was certainly a very enjoyable reading experience. I enjoyed traveling back in time to the early 20th century and experiencing a little bit of farming life, gossip of the village, seeing a fictionalized Potter dealing with loss, love, drama, and prejudice, seeing her animal characters come to life. It was all good fun, and I'd say if I happen to come across another book in the series I would gladly pick it up for a bit of fireplace-reading.
The mystery itself isn't that complicated, nor is it particularly grisly. There's your cozy factor; there's a death, a few suspicious people, and a discovered treasure with a possible curse over it - but ultimately it's not a particularly intricate mystery, nor should it be the reason for picking these books up in my opinion. On the other hand, the sense of a whole community is I think a good reason to do so. If you enjoy seeing how a whole community in the Edwardian era would live and breathe in a sort of village setting, you've come to the right place. There's love, drama, unpaid bills, hidden identities, and some of the outsider experience through Potter - buying a farm in a small-knit community and becoming a part of said community.
Another reason this is so much fun is that Susan Wittig Albert definitely did her research before including Beatrix Potter into the mix; many of the things surrounding her character is either true or based on facts, therefor it's in many ways fun to read as someone who's interested in Potter herself. It's set right when she's buying a second farm, and deals indirectly with her complicated relationship with her mother, as well as her slightly tangled experiences with love.
As most other books, there are flaws - one of the main ones for me being the constant presence of the author in the book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the occasional interlude of an author coming out to say something to the reader, but not constantly. There's quite a lot of telling instead of showing - like a character saying 'He's a baker, so therefor he has flour on his clothes' (my own example mirroring something similar in the book) - when it's clear to both characters who are talking what the occupation of the person they talked about was. It might not bother others as much as it did me, but it's definitely there. Then there's the feeling of the book possibly taking on a bit much; there are several puzzle pieces, all individually interesting, but it just feels a little underdeveloped in each part so that the entirety isn't as neat or pulled together as I would've liked.
All this said, it was certainly a very enjoyable reading experience. I enjoyed traveling back in time to the early 20th century and experiencing a little bit of farming life, gossip of the village, seeing a fictionalized Potter dealing with loss, love, drama, and prejudice, seeing her animal characters come to life. It was all good fun, and I'd say if I happen to come across another book in the series I would gladly pick it up for a bit of fireplace-reading.
November 18, 2008
I love this Beatrix Potter mystery series. I actually bought all of Beatrix Potter's children's books to reread after finishing this book (5th in the series). Beatrix Potter is a reserved but determined citizen of Sawrey, a small town in England where she periodically escapes from her parents in London on her farm - purchased from proceeds of her "little books" - Peter Rabbit and subsequent tales. Ms. Potter is a fully fledged member of the village, participating in the life of the town as concerned citizen and part-time mystery solver. This series is charming and sweet - a world away from the crazy modern pace. The animals play critical roles as observers, commentators and participants in the life of Sawrey.
December 20, 2008
The Beatrice Potter series by well inow mystery writer Susan Wittig Albert is a treat. This maybe my favorite of her various characters. Once again Beatrice as escaped from the London grind of waiting on her nasty parents to the lake country where she has bought a farm. Along with the local pets and animals she stumbles on a long ago treasure hunt and frauds underway which leads to a mysterious death at the hands of...oh I won't spoil it for you! This book is a charming blend of romance, mystery a nd nostalgia.
October 12, 2008
I'm a sucker for books set around or near Christmas. Throw in the idea that it's Beatrix Potter at Hill Top Farm and it's all good.
November 10, 2008
Delightful nighttime reading
June 1, 2015
There's a dragon in this book!
August 5, 2020
Challenges: RRRCs August 2019 (very belated) - Lazy Day/Enjoy a book on backlog (7); Steeped in Books/Stacking the Series - Level 5a/Book 5. An homage to J. R. R. Tolkien. This series deals with serious topics wrapped in a whimsical mix of mystery, romance, and adult fantasy; always provides satisfying resolutions and features animals of England's Lake District as prominently as the human characters. My favorite 'Cottage Tale' to date; the coziest and most heart-warming. Includes dragons!
October 6, 2020
2020 bk 303. I do enjoy these stories built around the story of Beatrix Potter. This one bends a little more into fantasy rather than mystery. The villagers are still plotting to get someone married - I've come to realize it doesn't matter who gets married to who, just that there is a marriage in the works. The animals are their enchanting selves and we learn more of animal hospitality. A fun read.
April 13, 2022
A little masterpiece of storytelling. We continue to enjoy reading these aloud, and are amused by the interplay of dumb humans and communicative animals. While it took dragons to hold this story together -- still not sure about dragons! -- the interactions of all the creatures, two-leggeds as well as four-leggeds, is well developed. We're expecting the next one from the library today, and it brightens our afternoon chai.
November 20, 2017
I thought I would give this series one more try, but I found the receptiveness of the story line simple too much. The author wants a new reader to the series to know all the back story again and again, and I found myself wandering far, far away in both this book and #4. Just did not work for me.
January 2, 2023
These stories are cute. A little bit of Potter's life without leaving out her animals. They always have their own story to tell. This one includes a dragon. So it is the most whimisical of the stories so far, I think.
January 1, 2026
Charming, as always. I do enjoy that these stories actually include real life events in Miss Potter‘s life.
July 20, 2025
Yyet another very enjoyable addition to this series. I particularly appreciated Albert’s emphasis on the social expectations of the time that no woman could truly be “happy” unless she was married to a man… One of Beatrix’s closest friends in the Land Between the Lakes is now very happily married after standing up to her brother for her own right to decide whom she should and would marry, which she was only able to do after speaking with Beatrix. Albert is a master at creating plots where “Miss Potter” is amazingly at the very center of virtually everything that occurs in the village! And there’s even a dragon in this installment!
These are such pleasant reads overall!
These are such pleasant reads overall!
May 8, 2014
"Snow has draped a woolly shawl over Near Sawrey, where Miss Beatrix Potter has retreated to her country house. But the quiet, snow-covered setting belies the buzz below the surface, where Mr. Wickstead has met his death under a tree limb. The villagers are certain that his death had to do with a treasure he had dug up last spring. But why was he in the woods on a frigid night? And what of the claw markis on the limb? And what was the treasure?
"As often happens, the town's animals know more than the Big Folk. Actually, Wickstead was not alone; Pickles, his fox terrier, stood by his side. Only Pickles knows what happened, although Bailey Badger, the animals at the Brockery, and the local dragon know important bits, too.
"Meanwhile, Miss Potter is unsure what to do about her nagging parents. She also wonders: Can she acknowledge her fondness for Mr. Heelis and remain loyal to the memory of her fiance? She has not time to muse about her personal affairs, what with helping the denizens of Sawrey, human and animal -- and the little matter of this murder. Although she's enlisted the help of her furry friends, Miss Potter still wonders if she'll ever make heads or tails of it all ..."
~~front flap
A plot that mirrors modern times, in that people show up claiming to be someone they're not in order to worm their way into the confidence of older people, gradually take control of their lives and their finances, and then ... That part of the story was a good read, and of course, this series being English cozies, it all came right in the end.
But ... enter the dragon. Which I thought was a bit too much deus ex machina, although it was certainly thrilling. Meditating on the first lines of the Serenity Prayer, I do have to accept that this charming series weaves the fey lands and people into our human world, and accept that the result is enchanting and bewitching, even if not all that realistic.
"As often happens, the town's animals know more than the Big Folk. Actually, Wickstead was not alone; Pickles, his fox terrier, stood by his side. Only Pickles knows what happened, although Bailey Badger, the animals at the Brockery, and the local dragon know important bits, too.
"Meanwhile, Miss Potter is unsure what to do about her nagging parents. She also wonders: Can she acknowledge her fondness for Mr. Heelis and remain loyal to the memory of her fiance? She has not time to muse about her personal affairs, what with helping the denizens of Sawrey, human and animal -- and the little matter of this murder. Although she's enlisted the help of her furry friends, Miss Potter still wonders if she'll ever make heads or tails of it all ..."
~~front flap
A plot that mirrors modern times, in that people show up claiming to be someone they're not in order to worm their way into the confidence of older people, gradually take control of their lives and their finances, and then ... That part of the story was a good read, and of course, this series being English cozies, it all came right in the end.
But ... enter the dragon. Which I thought was a bit too much deus ex machina, although it was certainly thrilling. Meditating on the first lines of the Serenity Prayer, I do have to accept that this charming series weaves the fey lands and people into our human world, and accept that the result is enchanting and bewitching, even if not all that realistic.
Read
November 8, 2009Although I'm all for talking animals, the introduction of a dragon in this installment of the Cottage Tales was a bit much, even for me. Still, it was a fun read. I especially enjoyed the scene during which Miss Potter cleverly convinces the old matriarch of the village to do the right thing:
"But Beatrix felt very strongly that she had right on her side--or rather, on the side of Mr. Sutton. So she began by saying that the village might be at risk of losing its veterinarian (without saying why), and related Dimity Kittredge's idea--that is, the idea that Beatrix herself had encouraged Dimity to form. While her ladyship was digesting this, Beatrix added in an offhand way that Major Kittredge and Captain Woodcock had both paid their bills in full and had conveyed their hopes that the Suttons would continue to live and work in Sawrey, thereby setting an example for others. The Longfords and the Kittredges, the two major landowners in the district, had always been competitive, and Beatrix knew full well that Lady Longford always hated it when Major Kittredge made some sort of generous gesture, for she felt obliged to top it." (p.228)
"But Beatrix felt very strongly that she had right on her side--or rather, on the side of Mr. Sutton. So she began by saying that the village might be at risk of losing its veterinarian (without saying why), and related Dimity Kittredge's idea--that is, the idea that Beatrix herself had encouraged Dimity to form. While her ladyship was digesting this, Beatrix added in an offhand way that Major Kittredge and Captain Woodcock had both paid their bills in full and had conveyed their hopes that the Suttons would continue to live and work in Sawrey, thereby setting an example for others. The Longfords and the Kittredges, the two major landowners in the district, had always been competitive, and Beatrix knew full well that Lady Longford always hated it when Major Kittredge made some sort of generous gesture, for she felt obliged to top it." (p.228)
June 17, 2023
(2.4) Usually, these books are a 4.5-5 stars for me. I just love this series!!
This one, however, disappointed - for one main reason:
The way the author kept talking to the reader!!! It literally drove me nuts. The author was constantly commenting on things that were going on that might seem a bit odd to us, like a woman being shy with a certain person ect ect and always trying ti make it politically correct by saying things like “it’s cuz it was back then and so…”
I got so sick and tired of it! And oh not to mention all the “well we’ll leave those character here to nap (ect) and go to this character” ect.. yeah you get my drift.
So annoying!!
On another note, the atmosphere was nice and all the characters were well rounded and amazing per the usual.
And of course you gotta appreciate a good ending!
This one, however, disappointed - for one main reason:
The way the author kept talking to the reader!!! It literally drove me nuts. The author was constantly commenting on things that were going on that might seem a bit odd to us, like a woman being shy with a certain person ect ect and always trying ti make it politically correct by saying things like “it’s cuz it was back then and so…”
I got so sick and tired of it! And oh not to mention all the “well we’ll leave those character here to nap (ect) and go to this character” ect.. yeah you get my drift.
So annoying!!
On another note, the atmosphere was nice and all the characters were well rounded and amazing per the usual.
And of course you gotta appreciate a good ending!
September 14, 2018
I love all the books in this series, but the writing style has changed a bit over the course of the last few books. There is far more commentary from the author (as in "Let me tell you, dear reader..."). This is a nice touch that harkens back to early 20th century literature (the time period of the story), but I think it's overdone.
This book also launched into full fantasy mode, rather than cozy mystery with a fairy-tale feel. While I love fantasy in general, I found the fantastical elements to be a bit far-fetched for the world as it has been established in the past few books.
Still, an entertaining read.
This book also launched into full fantasy mode, rather than cozy mystery with a fairy-tale feel. While I love fantasy in general, I found the fantastical elements to be a bit far-fetched for the world as it has been established in the past few books.
Still, an entertaining read.
June 11, 2016
This installment has some new animal characters that are intriguing and no bloodthirsty animals, which I definitely liked. This fanciful series about Beatrix Potter, based on research about her real life, includes the elements from her books, like talking animals that are sometimes much more knowledgeable about what's going on around the village than the "big folk". The glimpses into her real life, such as the burgeoning friendship with Will Heelis and the struggles with her parents are very interesting. A fun, very light series that is nice on audio.
March 7, 2009
What can I say? Beatrix Potter is not only one of my favorite children's book author/illustrators, she's one of my top personal heroines. The mix of talking animals, biography, and fictional mysteries might not be everyone's cup of tea, but Albert brews just the right combination for my taste. It's also perfectly appropriate for tweens and teens -- could make a great family read-aloud.
January 5, 2017
I found this book much better than the previous one. I enjoyed the mix of realism with the Big Folk and their hospitality and gossip and avarice and dishonesty and kindness, with the fantasy concerning the lives of animals in the area. And I admit I loved the dragon, Thorvaald - such a fun character!
The mystery wasn't all that difficult to deduce but it was enjoyable all the same.
The mystery wasn't all that difficult to deduce but it was enjoyable all the same.
January 16, 2009
This is my first time reading a new series from SWA. It has a bit of fantasy, based on actual events on Beatrix Potter's life, and is historical fiction with a mystery series. I enjoyed it immensely for a four day read.
November 6, 2008
An antiquities collector dies in an accident, a badger takes a winter swim in Moss Eccles Tarn, and a dragon discovers that there's more to life than guarding a treasure. The villagers are mystified, but our Miss Potter is on the case.
January 28, 2009
I really enjoyed this book, but had a hard time keeping up with the plot. It a very complex story which takes place between people, then between animals. It does make me want to read more about Beatrix Potter so with the resources information in the back of the book, to the library I will go.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews