Aunt Dimity Slays the Dragon

The charm has begun to wear a bit thin in Atherton's 14th paranormal cozy to feature U.S. ex-pat Lori Shepherd (after 2008's Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter ). Lori, despite the sage advice of ghostly Aunt Dimity, remains somewhat feckless and immature, still relying on snap judgments instead of reasoned thought, as she sticks her nose into the affairs of others in the idyllic Cotswolds village of Finch. When Calvin Malvern (aka King Wilfred the Good) arrives with his motley crew for a Renaissance faire to be held on land belonging to his uncle, Lori's neighbor, many of the villagers enter into the spirit of the thing, including Lori, who can't resist the thought of playing dress up. Odd accidents befall King Wilfred, and Lori begins to wonder about sabotage and regicide. Hardcore fans will no doubt enjoy the froth, but newcomers may find it a bit too precious. (Feb.)