Part of Aunt Dimity Mystery, book 24
First published 2019
Lori Shepherd refuses to miss Emma Harris's Christmas party despite illness sweeping through the village of Finch. When bad weather traps the guests overnight, their pajama party takes an unexpected turn. A car slides into a ditch outside, delivering Matilda "Tilly" Trout, a scattered middle-aged woman who seems lost but proves remarkably knowledgeable. During Emma's tour of her manor, Tilly identifies a mysterious room as a chapel and discovers a secret compartment filled with treasure, including an ornate golden heart that stands apart from the other artifacts. The discovery raises questions that puzzle everyone. How did Emma remain unaware of hidden treasure in her own home? What makes Tilly so perceptive about the manor's secrets? Where did the golden heart originate, and why does it differ from the chapel's other contents? With guidance from the otherworldly Aunt Dimity and help from Tilly's surprising expertise, Lori and her friends work to solve the mystery surrounding the golden heart and bring Christmas joy back to Finch.
Genres: mystery, supernatural, paranormal, cozy-mystery
Vibes: cozy, emotional, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, supernatural-elements
Setting: Finch
Period: Christmas
239 pages · Kindle Edition · Penguin Books