Children's author Beatrix Potter bought her farm in the
beautiful Lake District of England primarily for the peace
and quiet it could afford her as she worked on her famous
series of books. But she finds that life is anything but
quiet in the lively villages of Near and Far Sawry as
gossip, crisis, and general mayhem disrupt her
springtime visit.
In THE TALE OF OAT CAKE CRAG, the seventh book in The
Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series, author Susan Wittig
Albert gives readers another charming look into the life of
the famed author/illustrator of the 1900's in a part
fictional/part historical accounting.
The villages are in an uproar over a new experimental hydro-
plane which is being tested nearby; stirring up confusion
and chaos as it skims along the lakes. When the primary
investor in the plane's development is found gravely injured
at the bottom of Oat Cake Crag, suspicions begin to fly as
to who might have caused the stout gentleman harm. Meanwhile
love is in the air, with several of Beatrix's acquaintances
becoming engaged or about to be married. Her good friend,
Grace, is about to marry the village vicar, but has been
receiving distressing "poison pen" letters warning her to
call off the wedding. Grace turns to Beatrix and her
renowned skills at ferreting out a mystery to help her
discover the identity of the letter writer.
As Beatrix helps her friends in the village with their
problems, she is dealing with a complex situation of her
own. She and her dear friend, Will Heelis, have been
secretly engaged, but someone has let the cat of the bag
and Beatrix's parents have been told the news. Now Beatrix
must decide whether to pursue her own happiness or resort
to returning to London to care for her elderly,
cantankerous parents.
No Beatrix Potter tale would be complete without a
story of the community of animals that Beatrix holds so
dear. The badger colony, the village cats, Rascal the
smart and brave dog, old wise Professor Owl, and a visiting
dragon have their hands full with the disturbance of
the hydro plane, and several other problems that only
the animals can handle. They are as enchanting and endearing
as ever.
Susan Albert employs the voice of a gentle narrator to
guide readers through the delightful stories of Beatrix
Potter and her life in these sweet Cottage Tales. Combining
a gentle mystery with a bit of romance and a bit of humor
gives this series the captivating Victorian feel that makes
it unique among the cozy mystery genre of today.
The latest tale in the "charming" (Publishers
Weekly) Beatrix Potter series!
In the Lake
District, noisy test flights of the new hydroplane are
disrupting life in the village of Near Sawrey. Miss Beatrix
Potter can barely hear herself think-which she needs to do
for the new case she's just taken up. Her friend Grace
Lythecoe has been receiving some anonymous letters,
threatening her good name.
Now Beatrix must proceed
quietly, so as not to arouse village gossip. And while her
visit to Near Sawrey has proven to be anything but quiet,
there is yet another piece of business for Beatrix to
address: that of her own future. When she's offered a second
chance at love, she decides that sometimes causing a
disturbance can be well worth the trouble.