This book is in many ways different from what one would expect. The author normally writes murder mysteries; this is NOT. In fact the few "mysteries" scattered in it are pretty domestic. This is good, because to turn Beatrix Potter into a sleuthing adventurer would be rampant fiction, and this book instead feels like a pretty good reflection of what her life and actions could have really been. The author even consulted with a Beatrix Potter biographer to confirm that her approach was valid.
At least as much space is devoted to the villagers as to Potter herself. And a sizeable amount is also devoted to the animals who, get this, TALK to each other. (Another thing that makes this book different.) But it works. I mean, in a novel about Beatrix Potter, it's pretty fitting that her animals should have mild adventures too, right?
This book picks up right as Beatrix Potter has bought Hill Top Farm. Lovely setting.
I will definitely be reading more in the series. ( )

I have a particular fondness for Stephanie Baron's series starring Jane Austen as sleuth, so I decided to investigate this series, starring Beatrix Potter. It took me a bit to get into it, and I had to accept talking animals. But since it's a book starring Beatrix Potter, and the animals did not actually talk to her, I was ok with it. I liked it as a cozy portrait of Lakes District village life. It was deftly written and the mysteries did not stretch my credulity too far. Very pleasant.

huh, I had no idea that I'd read this before. It's a great audio book. I really liked it, and have added a star. I mean, it's also the right kind of listening for 2020 isolation for me, so your mileage may vary. ( )

Loved this historical mystery, I'd give it 5 stars but I reserve that for books that I've read more then once. But this is at least a 4 and 1/2 star book for me. It's been compared to Rita Mae Browns series because of the talking animals, bet even though I recently read and like Brown's first novel in the series I found this to be highly superior. ( )

I stopped reading this book about halfway through. The writing style was just not enjoyable for me. The storyline appealed to me at first -- Beatrix Potter purchases a farm in rural England and ends up investigating a murder -- but the story got bogged down by over-exaggerated quaint village behavior and speech, pets talking and just too many names of pets to keep them straight.

I understand it was in keeping with Potter's animal tales, but the constant italicized speeches by animals and just the sheer number of complicated pet names just made this book unreadable for me. I couldn't focus on the real story amid all the distractions.

Filed under DNF for me. ( )

The Tale of Hill Top Farm By Susan Witting Albert
Series: Yes The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #1
Format: Large Print
Stars: 2
Recommend: No
Would Reread: No

I’ve been looking forward to reading this books forever!!
I ran across this books years ago and picked it up at a library book sale.
I’ve always been a Beatrix Potter fan and I like cozy mysteries so I just know I was going the love this book.


But I didn’t :(

I really struggled to to finish it.

I don’t like talking animals in books. And I really didn’t like these talking animals, I found them very annoying. Well to be honest I found everybody very annoying really. As much as I didn’t like the animal the people where much worse.

It was a boring story and not really much a mystery.
Most of the book was descriptions of the houses and the landscape, people gossiping over tea and animals listening to people and talking to each other.


I give honest reviews and all my opinions are my own.

For more of my reviews go to Heavenly High Seas Books
https://heavenlyhighseasbooks.blogspot.com/ ( )