Synopsis (from
the publisher):
Near Sawrey, the seat of Miss Potter's country home, is abuzz -- Mr.
Wickstead has died under a tree limb. The villagers are certain that
his death had to do with a treasure he dug up last spring. But why was
he in the wood on a frigid night? And what of the claw marks on the
limb? And what was that treasure? As per usual, the town's animals know
more than the Big Folk. And only Pickles, Wickstead's fox terrier,
knows exactly what happened.
Meanwhile, Miss Potter wonders: can she acknowledge her fondness for
Mr. Heelis and remain loyal to the memory of her fiancé? She has
no time to muse, what with helping the denizens of Sawrey, human and
animal -- and the little matter of murder.
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The Tale of Briar Bank
The
Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-425-22361-2 (0425223612)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-22361-1 (9780425223611)
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $23.95
— ◊ —
Review: Susan
Wittig Albert continues her account of the lives of the characters and
creatures living in the Land Between the Lakes in The Tale of Briar Bank, the fifth
mystery in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter.
The untimely and mysterious death of Hugh Wickstead, an eccentric
antiquities collector who lived in the Briar Bank Cottage on Stoney
Lane, has the villagers in a buzz. Last spring, he had found a treasure
trove hidden in an abandoned badger burrow by Moss Eccles Pond. Now,
for no apparent reason, in mid-winter he decided to return the bags of
valuable antiques to their hiding place. While his dog, Pickles, pushed
the two bags of treasure back into the hole, the top of a near by yew
tree snapped off falling on Wickstead’s head, killing him
instantly. Although fresh claw prints were discovered on the break,
they gave no clue as to the mystery of why the top of the tree fell
off. The prints were larger than any creature living in the area. This
raised an interesting question: Was the tree top falling intentional or
an accident? The villagers, believing there to be a curse on the trove,
found speculating and gossiping about it very entertaining. Bailey
Badger, one of the countless critters roaming the village, heard of the
whole affair. He was eager to tell his friends, other badgers, guinea
pigs, an owl, rabbits, cats and dogs, all about what he had heard. But
Pickles was also there, so he, too, had a story to tell. If only the
villagers could understand them, there may be no questions as to
circumstances surrounding Wickstead’s death.
Beatrix Potter, who lives with her domineering mother and docile father
in their London home, recently purchased a farm in the Land Between the
Lakes. Much to her mother’s disapproval, Beatrix leaves London
for a short vacation at her farm on Hill Top. Here she is transformed
as if by some mysterious spell. She is no longer an unstylish,
unattractive, spinster daughter; she is a country woman, a competent
farmer, and a shepherd. This is who Beatrix Potter believes she really
is. After learning that Mr. Wickstead was killed by the top of the tree
falling on his head, and the judge’s ruling that there was no
foul play involved, Beatrix suggests that pictures of the claw marks be
taken and sent to Dr. Trevor Hall, an authority of natural history in
the area. Wickstead's long missing sister, his only surviving relative,
is to inherit his estate. Later questions arise when Beatrix sees a
Wickstead album of photographs showing the family's home. To her
surprise it is actually the home of her own grandparents and most
certainly not that of the Wicksteads. She also notices a discrepancy in
their ages: Wickstead was at least seven years older than his sister
but in the photographs they appear only two or three years apart in
age. Beatrix begins to question the identity of the woman. Is she
really his sister? Is she entitled to his estate? Beatrix wants
answers, and sets out to find them.
The Tale of Briar Bank
is an enchanting, delightful book to read. The ease at which the author
interweaves several storylines -- Beatrix' change from being an unhappy
person in London to the carefree, eager country lady; the promise of a
new love for Beatrix; and the mystery of the death of Wickstead -- is
remarkable. The portrayal and wittiness of the critters is its own
literary pleasure. Readers may want to reread certain passages to
appreciate how well written they are, how they magically bring Beatrix
Potter to life in the Land Between the Lakes.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Tale of Briar Bank and to Penguin Group for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2008 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Tale of Briar Bank? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
The
Tale of Hill Top Farm
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), September 2004
ISBN-10: 0-425-19634-8 (0425196348)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-19634-2 (9780425196342)
The
Tale of Holly How
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), July 2005
ISBN-10: 0-425-20274-7 (0425202747)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-20274-6 (9780425202746)
The
Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), June 2006
ISBN-10: 0-425-21004-9 (0425210049)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21004-8 (9780425210048)
The
Tale of Hawthorn House
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), September 2007
ISBN-10: 0-425-21655-1 (0425216551)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21655-2 (9780425216552)
The
Tale of Briar Bank
Berkley Prime Crime (Hardcover), September 2008
ISBN-10: 0-425-22361-2 (0425223612)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-22361-1 (9780425223611)
Omnimystery keywords for The Tale of Briar Bank ...
Location(s) referenced: England's Lake District.
