Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

November 14, 2022

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Children's author Beatrice Darker is celebrating her 80th birthday on Halloween, and her family is gathering at her house on an isolated island off the coast of Cornwall. Once it's high tide in the early evening, the house will be cut off from land. Her son Frank, his ex-wife Nancy (who Beatrice is actually closer to than her son), their three daughters Rose, Lily and Daisy, and Lily's daughter Trixie are largely estranged from each other, so this will be the first time that the whole family is together in a long time. It will be an uncomfortable gathering at best. But in the middle of the night, one family member is found dead and it appears someone plans to pick off another one every hour.

A review in one sentence: And Then There Were None meets The Sixth Sense. Even the book cover is a rip-off from Agatha Christie. It kept me reading right up until the disappointing ending. At least the dog is okay at the end.

The Cornwall coast

Sword of Shadows by Jeri Westerson

January 6. 2022

Sword of Shadows by Jeri Westerson

London 1396 - When Crispin Guest and his apprentice Jack Tucker visit a swordsmith's shop, they run into a Cornish artefact hunter. He tells Crispin that he has a map that he is convinced will lead him to Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur, and he persuades Crispin to help him find the sword. Traveling to Cornwall, Crispin unexpectedly meets an old flame who is also hunting for the sword. But when first one body turns up, and then a second one, the treasure hunt becomes the search for a killer.

Crispin's stories always focus on relics, but this time, he is seeking a historic artefact, rather than a religious relic. As always, there are plenty of twists and turns. His old girlfriend is trouble on two legs, and if Crispin was smart, he would run the other way. The local villagers are suspicious of Crispin's group, and also of the druids who live in the forest and practice the old religion. #13 in the Crispin Guest series.

Excalibur, King Arthur's mythical sword in the stone

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

November 6, 2021

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

Philip Ashley was orphaned as a child and was raised by his cousin Ambrose. They share a quiet life at Ambrose's Cornwall estate. Ambrose suffers from a weak chest and routinely spends the winter in Italy, away from the damp English winters, and they write to each other regularly. Shortly before Philip's 25th birthday, Ambrose writes to Philip to tell him that he has met a widowed cousin of theirs named Rachel, that they have fallen in love and married. The newlyweds have no plans to return to England.

Ambrose's letters to Philip become increasingly erratic and Philip decides to journey to Italy to check on Ambrose himself. He arrives in Florence only to find that Ambrose is dead and his new bride has left their villa. Unable to locate her, Philip returns to England, where his guardian Nick informs him that he received a letter from Rachel's man of business, stating two things: Ambrose did not have time to change his will, and Philip is still heir to his estate; and Rachel is on her way to England. She arrives at the estate and Philip falls increasingly under her spell. As his cousin's widow, he transfers the estate over to her. Philip falls ill almost immediately and it takes several weeks for him to recover. He suspects that Rachel poisoned him, but he has no proof. But he is certain that she is trying to kill him and sets a trap for her.

My Cousin Rachel is du Maurier's third most popular book. Like her other books, it has a mystery/romance theme with gothic overtones. A good choice for a gloomy fall evening.

Cornwall estate

Demelza by Winston Graham

January 31, 2021

Demelza by Winston Graham

To the shock of both their families, Ross Poldark marries his servant Demelza Carne. Although she and Ross are genuinely in love, the shadow of Elizabeth, Ross' first love now married to his jerk cousin Francis, continues to hang over their marriage. While Ross struggles to secure mining rights for the local communities, Demelza tries to adapt to life among the gentry. Their first child Julia is born, to their great joy.

Demelza is a wonderful character, caring, selfless, and thoughtful, even to those who look down on her (i.e., Elizabeth and Francis), working to nurse others back to health when smallpox hits the community. She also aids Ross' cousin Verity who has fallen in love with a man that her brother (Francis the jerk) doesn't approve of. Demelza works to help them get together and in the end is proven right. (I don't like Francis - can you tell?)

This is the second book in the Poldark series. It's full of history, romance, joy and tragedy, and I think it will be my favorite book in the series.

Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

January 4, 2021

Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

After serving in the war, Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall to find his whole world turned upside down. His fiancee is married to another man, his father has died, and his family home is overrun with livestock and drunken servants. In spite of everything, he decides to stay and start over.

Ross is your standard brooding hero, an angry young man. As he reconnects with the local residents, he begins making some non-traditional decisions about how he is going to live and work.

This is the first book in the Poldark family saga. It was written in the mid-20th century but has recently been re-issued since PBS is producing it for Masterpiece Theater. There are at least eight more books in the series.