The Tale of Briar Bank: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter

At the start of Albert’s delightful fifth cottage tale (after 2007’s The Tale of Hawthorn House ), Beatrix Potter, dismayed by the frosty atmosphere at home in London with her demanding parents, returns to Hill Top Farm in the Lake District, where she gets caught in a blizzard. As she catches up on local gossip, Beatrix learns of the demise of a longtime resident, Hugh Wickstead, killed by a falling tree limb in the woods. Was Hugh the victim of a curse after he unearthed ancient treasure? Of course, the animals have their own stories to tell, and Beatrix turns to them for help in the investigation. Familiar creatures pop up along the way, including Pickles, a fox terrier that belonged to Hugh and may hold the secret to his master’s death. As Beatrix reconnects with village life, her 1909 book, The Tale of Ginger and Pickles , begins to take shape. Readers will delight in Albert’s special blend of fact and fiction. (Oct.)