The Tale of Hill Top Farm

by Susan Wittig Albert

When I first heard of this series, I wasn't too sure I would like it. It is about Beatrix Potter and her animals and I was thinking it would be too silly. I was surprisingly mistaken.

The story was fun and not silly at all. The animals do talk, but only to each other. The humans often complain about the animals making so much noise! The people are involved in solving the local mysteries, but so are the animals in their own way.

The writing was good and I found it interesting how the author introduced the ideas of major changes happening at the turn of the century...women wearing shorter skirts (the ankles showed!), owning property and even wearing pants!

Here is the blurb from the back of the book:

"England, 1905, A Londoner-a female Londoner-has just bought a farm in rural Sawrey. The locals don't know what to make of Beatrix Potter. They've never heard of an unwed woman buying and running a farm. Some meet her with genuine warmth; others keep her at arm's length. Beatrix, recovering from the death of her fiance', believes she can heal in the countryside, a quiet place to work on her children's stories. But when a villager dies unexpectedly, with allegations of foul play, Sawrey turns out to be anything but quiet..."

I found this book entertaining and enjoyable. I would recommend this book.