AUNT DIMITY'S DEATH

Thirtyish Lori Shepherd—divorced; her mother recently deceased; her expertise in rare books finding no takers—is sharing digs and doing temp work when a letter reaches her from Willis and Willis, a venerable Boston law firm. It seems she's been left some money by Dimity Westwood—an Englishwoman her mother had met during WW II and had corresponded with for the rest of her life. Dimity's letters often consisted of stories from ``Aunt'' Dimity to tell to the growing-up Lori. Now, the legacy mandates a month-long visit to Dimity's country cottage in England, plus the compiling of the stories and the writing of an introduction to them. All this to be in the company of Bill Willis, younger partner of the father-and- son team who comprise Willis and Willis. Soon after their arrival, though, Lori realizes that Dimity's troubled spirit is very much alive—and that it won't rest until she's found the source of distress and put it to right. The search takes her and Bill back to the war years, to eventual success in their mission, and to the predictable walk into the sunset. Amiable, stylishly written—often with a touch of wry humor: a first novel for readers with an interest in the occult—and a high tolerance level for sentimental silliness.