Part of Aunt Dimity Mystery
First published 2008
Lori Shepherd enjoys a peaceful life in the English countryside until her five-year-old twins return from school with disturbing news. They report seeing a pale figure in a dark cloak with bloodstained lips lurking in the nearby woods. Lori initially dismisses the story but grows worried enough to seek guidance from her deceased Aunt Dimity, who communicates from beyond, and her friend Kit Smith. Their investigation leads them to Leo, an attractive wanderer who recently returned from years of self-imposed exile, and Lizzie Black, an embittered elderly woman. The trail ultimately points to Aldercot Hall, site of an unsolved murder from four decades past. As Lori digs deeper with help from Kit and Aunt Dimity's otherworldly wisdom, she uncovers a stunning secret about the vampire's true identity that will surprise everyone, including herself.
Genres: mystery, fantasy, supernatural, paranormal-fiction, adult-fiction
Vibes: charming, cozy, mysterious, suspenseful, whimsical
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family, supernatural-mystery
Setting: English countryside, Aldercot Hall
Period: 21st-century, contemporary
240 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult
Content warnings: murder