Aunt Dimity and the Duke by Nancy Atherton

Aunt Dimity and the Duke (Aunt Dimity Mystery, #2)

by Nancy Atherton

Emma Porter is forty, fat, frumpy, and a passionate amateur gardener. When her longtime lover dumps her for a younger woman, Emma escapes the cloying sympathy of family and friends by setting out on a summer-long driving tour of England’s glorious gardens. A Dimity-contrived coincidence brings her to Penford Hall, a sprawling Gothic mansion in Cornwall, where she finds a duke in search of a missing lantern with extraordinary powers. 

Suspecting there’s more than one mystery to be solved at Penford Hall, Emma accepts the duke’s invitation to stay on and restore the once glorious chapel garden to its former beauty. The dark rumors surrounding a rock star and the near-death of the duke’s beautiful cousin confirm Emma’s suspicions, and set her–with Aunt Dimity’s ghostly guidance–on the path to Penford Hall’s secrets and the pleasure of unexpected love.

Reviewed by MurderByDeath on

5 of 5 stars

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This is probably my favourite book in the series - it was released second, after Aunt Dimity's Death, but actually takes place a few years before Aunt Dimity's Death. It's the story of Lori's neighbours, Derek and Emma Harris and how they met. It's a perfect cozy - with just a hint of supernatural. The story line is outrageous enough to be highly entertaining and the characters are all immediately individual, and likeable. It would be great to hear from this cast of characters again, although probably isn't likely.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 20 May, 2012: Finished reading
  • 20 May, 2012: Reviewed