Aunt Dimity Down Under by Nancy Atherton

Hello, everyone!  Welcome back to another day here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  With so many promising reads coming out this year, it seems like everyday week is just like Christmas!  The anticipation of the release date, the wonder at holding the prized book in your hands, even the sigh-releasing joy of turning the final page.  All signs of another great read to add to your home library.  *SIGH*  What can I say....I think it's (book) love at first sight!  Now, on with the show! 

We delve into the land of Mysteries again with the selection of the day, however things are not always what they seem and people are not always where they are anticipated to be (dont worry that last part should make sense momentarily).  In the spirit of knowing and sharing, today's book of choice is....

Aunt Dimity Down Under
by
Nancy Atherton

A story steeped in the beauty of the world that surrounds us, with a mystery at the heart of a matter with the utmost urgency. The Pym sisters have been blessed with many things. Long lives (exact age was unknown, but the community figured them at well over 100), good neighbors, agile hands, loving hearts, and a "built-in" life long friend in each other. They were twin sisters, and they loved nothing more than to share what they had with their small community. Eventually, a time comes when we all must part ways leaving behind those we love....that day has come for the Pym sisters. As they lay on their sick beds, the hours drifting by, Lori Shepherd is summoned to their bedside. It would seem that the sisters have a loose end that needs tying and she is just the woman for the job. A few words escape their weary lips....please find Aubrey.....contact Fortescue Makepeace...he will explain it all. (Hmmm, mysterious, right? But you've got to love the name of the guy that is to handle some of their final affairs...Mr. Makepeace as in MAKE PEACE....) Will Lori be able to keep the promise she's made and to what ends must she go to accomplish it? Will the twins survive to see the end result? Furthermore...who is this Aunt Dimity character that the title refers to? (♪ ♪ You'll have to read it....♪ ♪)

I know what you're thinking....the title of the book is "Aunt Dimity Down Under", so why doesn't my little synopsis include anything about her? Well, truth be told.it's a bit hard to explain without revealing a few spoiler-like details...but here goes. (Avert your eyes if need be, but overall I think you'll be more intrigued than anything else...) Aunt Dimity has been unreachable by normal means since book one (She's dead...end of story? Not really...); considering this is book 15, that's a fairly long time. Lori Shepherd is the daughter of Aunt Dimity's best friend. She comes to know her after her mother passes and she discovers a journal with her possessions. This is no ordinary journal though. Through it, she and Aunt Dimity can communicate. Kind of like the Harry Potter instance with Tom Riddle's journal. Remember? Harry wrote in it and Tom's former self wrote a response back on the page. In this case, Lori doesn't have to write anything, she can merely talk to her through the open book. Aunt Dimity is her sounding board, her guardian and her constant friend. The relationship shown without an actual character even being there is quite unique. Speaking of relationships....there is another one that I found very relateable....Lori has a traveling buddy named Reginald. Curious who this is? Take a look at the cover of the book and you will see a circle with words surrounding a pink bunny. See him? Yep, that's him! He's a well-loved pink bunny that always travels with her wherever she may go. It's like a security blanket for her...a reminder of home.

This being my second venture into the genre-land of Mysteries, this one struck me much differently than the first. There is no hidden romance. There's no who murdered whom. It is simply a story of two lives at their end and their heart-felt desire to mend the broken family that was created once upon a time. Now, that may not sound like the most exciting page turner, but nonetheless, I found it a welcome reprive from some of the heavier drawn stories. You get to connect with the characters as if they were your friends and your neighbors, so much in fact that you become eotionally involved with them as things progress in the book.  You get to travel with Lori as she visits New Zealand in her quest to reach the dangling ends of the Pyms' family tree. The ironic part? The story takes place during the time that the Lord of the Rings series was being filmed providing an interesting mix of fiction and reality. The descriptions will carry you heart and soul to the locations they visit. Your emotions will brim over with joy and steep in sadness (....there is a sad part or two....) as the tide changes in her endeavor. Overall, an enjoyable read and I will certainly be looking into the other books in this series.

ARC for review courtesy of Viking Press (Penguin Group USA).  As of the date of this post, the book release was scheduled for 02/18/10.  For more information on the series or the publisher, just follow the links within the post!  (Hey, I try to make it easy for you guys to discover your next read....hopefully it works!)

COMMENT CREATOR
The theme of travel within this book got me thinking.....if you could travel ANYWHERE, what would be your top choice?  If you've been lucky enough to do any sort of travelling, what was your favorite place and why?  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Until next time....happy reading!