The
Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood
The
Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkley
Prime Crime (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 0-425-21004-9 (0425210049)
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21004-8 (9780425210048)
Publication Date: June 2006
List Price: $23.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Perhaps it's the gentle breezes that waft into Sawrey
off the lake. Or perhaps it's the town's distance from big-city life.
Whatever the reason, Miss Beatrix Potter loves the genuine warmth of
her new neighbors. But even the kindest of souls can turn snappish when
houseguests overstay their welcome ...
When Beatrix returns to Hill Top Farm from her parents' home in London,
she finds the attic overrun with rats. Rosabelle, resident rat and
generous hostess, has offered her family a place to stay. But when word
gets out, she soon has dozens of rat families on her tiny hands. To get
rid of them Beatrix invites some cats over—deeply offending
Felicia
Frummety, resident cat.
The town vicar shares Beatrix's problem—some pesky visitors
have all
but refused to leave the vicarage. Even worse, a mysterious, moneyed
outsider plans to ruin the pristine shoreline of Lake Windermere of
England's Lake District by building a sprawl of villas. And trouble has
beset three village children, favorites of Beatrix, who are counting on
the help of the fairies of Cuckoo Brow Wood. Now, with her signature
tact, Beatrix must work with her friends—human and
animal—to set things
right ...
Review:
"The tale I am about to tell you begins on a bright, clear, April-sweet
morning in the Lake District of Sawrey." So begins Susan Wittig
Albert's utterly charming and beautifully written Beatrix Potter
narrative mystery, The
Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood.
This book is the third entry in
the author's series, The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter.
Albert displays a wide range of writing talents in The Tale of Cuckoo Brow
Wood.
She portrays Beatrix's land between the lakes with amazing clarity
using expressive descriptions and imaginative details. The story is an
extension of the landscape and is an affable mystery with Beatrix
Potter as the gentle sleuth. And there are elements of comedy as well:
the scene in Dimity Woodcock's kitchen as she is serving "her" sticky
buns is quite humorous.
There are several thoughtful additions to the book that make it even
more enjoyable. A map and cast of characters act as an introduction to
the tale. Historical notes and additional resources on Beatrix Potter
serve as postscripts. Finally, a glossary of terms is both helpful and
informative.
The joy that Albert surely expresses in writing this series is
abundantly evident in The
Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood. It
is highly recommended.
Special thanks to Penguin Group for providing an ARC of The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood for this review.
Review Copyright © 2006 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood? 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 Cuckoo Brow
Wood
...
Location(s) referenced: England's Lake District.
