The Tale of the Oat Cake Crag

The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter

By: Susan Wittig Albert

Narrated by: Virginia Leishman

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Works by best-selling author Susan Wittig Albert have been nominated for the Agatha and Anthony awards. In The Tale of Oat Cake Crag, Miss Beatrix Potter is frustrated by distractions near her home. As the noisy test flights of a hydroplane disrupt her concentration, Beatrix investigates a string of bizarre letters threatening a friend’s reputation. Then life becomes even more complicated when the body of the hydroplane project funder is found at the foot of Oat Cake Crag.

©2010 Susan Wittig Albert (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

A must read for Beatrix Potter fans!

I'm a Beatrix Potter fanatic, with a house full of her books, china figurines, and stuffed animals. Susan Wittig Albert has taken the history of Potter and the charming style of talking animals to create a beautiful series of mysteries featuring Beatrix in her home in The Lake District of England, with historical characters and her animal friends.

In this book, in 1911-12, a "flying bird" --the hydroplane-- is disturbing the tranquility of everyone in the district. Beatrix, and her fiancé, Will Heelis, are deciding how to tell their plans to her parents, who are bound and determined to keep Beatrix single so she can care for them in their old age. Then, threatening letters are scaring Beatrix's friend who is planing to marry the new vicar.

In the animal arena, a surprise birthday party is in the mix, a Jack Russell Terrier saves a man's life, and a dragon searches out the "flying bird" with an owl. Lots of fun with dialogue reminiscent of Potter's actual children's books. Great fun read!

Has historical information that was great the hear

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This story fits into Ms Alberts series but it can be heard without hearing other books. If you love animals who seem to talk to you, this is a great tail (tale).

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Audible stories are for pleasure and relaxation so this tale does this for me by moving to a different place and time and away from this world of business.

What does Virginia Leishman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ms Leishman is a wonderful actress in the story and characters are easily separated by her story telling.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I love all the series and I was just as pleased with this tale. I love the animals story woven into the human story!

Any additional comments?

I will buy all the books in this series because they are great stories if you love the world where people are polite to each other and the "bad people and animals" and the issues they create are resolved in clever ways.

A whimsical relaxing story.

The only complaint it have about this story and a few others in the series is that the author tends to repeat herself in her explain actions on what has taken place previously. Otherwise lovely stories that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It is hard to believe the author does not come from the Lake District, her feel for the area, the descriptions and the historical research she has undertaken all work together to create a totally fitting and delightful read.

another wonderful book from this series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well as the others before it and cannot wait to listen to the others in this series.

Cottage Tales: One More To Go

What made the experience of listening to The Tale of the Oat Cake Crag the most enjoyable?

I thoroughly enjoyed how Ms. Albert wove fantasy with reality and well researched history. The village came easily to life in my imagination.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

By the time I got to this book I pretty much knew how things were going to work out; that had been clearly stated at the outset of the series.

Any additional comments?

I'm not ordering the last book. I'm tired of how she carps on book after book about how shabbily Miss Potter's parents treat her - How do you spell hypocrite? Having read Miss Potter's biography I know she and Mr. Heelis will marry. I've lost interest in the series. Virginia Leishman's narration was brilliant.