The Tale of Briar Bank (Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Series #5) » (Bargain)

One of the book world's most respected authorities on herbs and their uses, Susan Wittig Albert is beloved by fans the world over for her mystery series starring herb-growing sleuth China Bayles -- as well as the Victorian Mysteries series she coauthors with husband Bill, under the pen name Robin Paige.

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.

Publishers Weekly

At the start of Albert's delightful fifth cottage tale (after 2007's The Tale of Hawthorn House), Beatrix Potter, dismayed by the frosty atmosphere at home in London with her demanding parents, returns to Hill Top Farm in the Lake District, where she gets caught in a blizzard. As she catches up on local gossip, Beatrix learns of the demise of a longtime resident, Hugh Wickstead, killed by a falling tree limb in the woods. Was Hugh the victim of a curse after he unearthed ancient treasure? Of course, the animals have their own stories to tell, and Beatrix turns to them for help in the investigation. Familiar creatures pop up along the way, including Pickles, a fox terrier that belonged to Hugh and may hold the secret to his master's death. As Beatrix reconnects with village life, her 1909 book, The Tale of Ginger and Pickles, begins to take shape. Readers will delight in Albert's special blend of fact and fiction. (Oct.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.