Aunt Bessie Assumes

An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery, Book 1

By: Diana Xarissa

Narrated by: Rosalind Ashford

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Aunt Bessie assumes that she'll have the beach all to herself on a cold, wet, and windy March morning just after sunrise, then she stumbles (almost literally) over a dead body.

Elizabeth (Bessie) Cubbon, aged somewhere between free bus pass (60) and telegram from the Queen (100), has lived her entire adult life in a small cottage on Laxey Beach. For most of those years, she's been in the habit of taking a brisk morning walk along the beach. Dead men have never been part of the scenery before. Aunt Bessie assumes that the dead man died of natural causes, then the police find the knife in his chest. Try as she might, Bessie just can't find anything to like about the young widow that she provides tea and sympathy to in the immediate aftermath of finding the body. There isn't much to like about the rest of the victim's family either.

Aunt Bessie assumes that the police will have the case wrapped up in no time at all, then she finds a second body. Can Bessie and her friends find the killer before she ends up as the next victim?

©2014 Diana Xarissa (P)2016 Diana Xarissa

Nice cozy!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Aunt Bessie has a regular life, good, healthy habits, and is a really nice lady. I liked her back story too! Made me feel like I was really getting to know her.

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

Really good, interesting voices, full of character!

Any additional comments?

Not as exciting as some other cozy mysteries in my library. BUT I really enjoyed listening due to the good narrator and the interesting characters. I liked Aunt Bessie and all her good friends and neighbors. It was actually comforting to know she would, in the end, be cared for. The "island" personality and information about the language of the island added a lot to the story. Good descriptions about scenery and setting. I am starting the second book today. I hope the others become available soon!

Good story

The performance cadence was too repetitive, putting me to sleep a couple of times but the story line was good so I stuck with it, enjoying the characters & plot very much.

Average start for the first book in a series

This is a predictable formula written book. Absolutely nothing new here. It is ok, and as I do not have much waiting in my wish list, I will try the second book as I do not mind the credit I spent on this one.

The cutest little book about a cute little island

I've listened to a lot of books on Audible, but this has to be the cutest little murder mystery I've heard in a very long time. just enough to make you really question whodunit and laugh at the humourous banter. Glad I came across the series and I'll keep going.

Yes, Very Cozy

Cozy was what I wanted and cozy it is. The story was not great,although the murders were a pretty good mystery. The characters were not particularly interesting or well-developed but the main characters were very sweet, which is what you want in a cozy mystery I suppose. I wanted something I could listen to when I wake up in the night and can't go back to sleep and it was good for that. Sometimes I fell asleep listening and then had to run it back but that was not a problem. I will try at least one more novel in the series, and I do recommend it as a true Cozy.

The setting on the Isle of Man attracted me and I enjoyed the local color and references to historic sites.

Good story

Listening to tHis audiobook was fun. It's full of memorable characters and believable situations. I think every small town has an "Aunt Bessie."

Aunt Bessie assumes

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! The characters were colorful and I found myself chuckling at some of their antics.

Don’t bother …

Plot rambles around, too wordy in descriptors, narrator isn’t that good either. Skip this dud.

Slo-o-o-o-o-o-w and plodding!

Any additional comments?

I maintained hope the book would become more interesting - after all, this is a murder mystery. I agree 100% w/one reviewer that "Aunt Bessie is in sore need of some redeeming qualities and characteristics if she's to pass as a beloved old lady, but seemed to come up very short in that department". Bessie is nothing more than an semi-reclusive "old biddy" who sorely lacks any charm.
I didn't finish the book - I'd endured enough boredom.

So boring

The monotone sound of her voice put me to sleep. No excitement to the story. Disappointed.