This article originally appeared in British Weekly.

Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter by Gabrielle Pantera 4 stars **** SANTA MONICA, CA (British Weekly) 03/04/08 - "I rarely plan storylines," says Aunt Dimity author Nancy Atherton. "I don’t want to know what’s going to happen before it happens. Where’s the fun in that? So, I let the story unfold as I go along. It keeps my energy up. I can’t wait to find out what happens next."

Five-year-old twins Will and Rob insist they saw a vampire near where they take horseback riding lessons. Overprotective mom Lori Shepherd consults her dear friend Aunt Dimity… who’s a ghost! Aunt Dimity writes to Lori in her journal, and Lori answers her. With the help of friend Kit, who’s family used to own Aldercot Manner, Lori is determined to uncover what’s really going on.

"There are dozen’s of Aunt Dimitys in my life," says Atherton. "I’m blessed with the best friends on earth, which may explain why I write the kinds of books I write. Whenever I hear my stories described as fairy tales, I shake my head and murmur, ‘If I told them how splendidly the real-life people in my real life behave, they’d really never believe me.’ My books are, to a large extent, a way of thanking the people who’ve been so kind to me in good times and bad."

"I was nineteen when I first visited the United Kingdom," says Atherton. "I’ve been there many times since, traveling from Land’s End to John o’Groats by rail, automobile, bicycle, hiking boot, and thumb. I’ve had hypothermia on the top of Mount Snowden, food poisoning in London , and a root canal (my first!) in Haslemere, Surrey. I must love this place because I keep going back for more."

Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter is Nancy Atherton’s thirteenth Aunt Dimity mystery. The nice thing about the Aunt Dimity series is you can revisit characters and get to know them better with each book. At the back of each book is a recipe. This one contains Charlotte’s Jammy Biscuits.

Nancy Atherton writes an engaging paranormal detective story that’s family oriented. This is a great book to read on a rainy night. I’m glad to see a mystery set with a family that even a teen could read and enjoy. A modern day Judy Bolton or Nancy Drew perhaps?

Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter. Hardback 240 pages. Publisher: Viking, (February 14, 2008). Language: English. ISBN- 978-0-670-01854-3 $ 22.95