What Would You Wish For?

This non-mystery reader may have just become a mystery fan after reading this charming little tale set in the quaint British village of Finch. I just finished Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well by Nancy Atherton, which opens with the death of the sole reclusive neighbor in the village, Mr. Hector Huggins. As his perfunctory eulogy was wrapping up, an unexpected visitor arrives in the form of the very young and boisterous Jack, who claims to be Mr. Huggins nephew. The nosy villagers swarm him, trying to get any snippet of information they can about him and his uncle, all while filling his plate to the toppling point with their best pies, cakes, cookies, and other treats at the church luncheon.

Jack reveals that he would be staying at his uncle’s home, Ivy Cottage, until further notice to tie up his uncle’s affairs, and to get the home ready for sale. This causes even more of a flurry because no one has set foot on the Ivy Cottage property since it was bought by Mr. Huggins decades before, so not surprisingly, there are many volunteers, including Lori Shepherd. Lori and a few other neighbors started work on cleaning up Mr. Huggins overgrown yard with Jack when they discover a wishing well. Lori makes a silly wish into the well, wishing for the rain to stop. It does. This gets out into the town and villagers left and right begin sneaking into the yard, making their own wishes. There’s a bit of magic surrounding this well, and Lori makes it her mission to find out what’s behind it. She also gets some help from Aunt Dimity, who is very sweet and quite magical.

This series currently has 20 novels, and another due to be published this year. Here are a few of the others:

Aunt Dimity, Detective

Aunt Dimity’s Good Deed

Aunt Dimity and the Lost Prince

Aunt Dimity and the Summer King

Aunt Dimity, Vampire Hunter

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