Customer Reviews

A Colourful Death: A Cornish Mystery

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Like its predecessor, the second book in the Cornish series by Carola Dunn is a pleasant read, with nice characters, interesting setting and good writing. What lacks is a plausible mystery solution. I find it frustrating when I can identify the murderer at the death scene; I want more from a mystery than well-written dialogue. If Carola Dunn could plot this series as well as she does her Daisy Dalrymple books, it would make for a great new series.

The story takes place in present day fictional village Port Mabyn on the north coast of Cornwall. It is a cozy and amusing story, with lots of tea and lots of pasties. The characters are realistic except for the murderer.

The first corpse is found on page 26, and by page 28 whodunit is obvious. Also there are certain threads that are begun but not followed through. Very disappointing.

This book was a big disappointment. I enjoyed the first book in this series, & was looking forward to the second. This book is dull & predictable - the killer is obvious very early on, & there is no suspense built up, or alternate solutions to the murder developed. The book is also constructed in that annoying tennis match style of alternating short chapters following two different perspectives on the murder; I had whiplash from being jerked back & forth. This book is altogether too predictable & tedious.

I really enjoy Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries and the first book in her Cornish Mystery series, Manna from Hades: A Cornish Mystery, introduced characters with room to grow in a setting and time period I found rather unique. Even though I didn't completely love Manna From Hades, I enjoyed it enough to be looking forward to reading its sequel. Now, having read it, all I can say is: Wow - I don't believe I've ever read a mystery that so completely disappointed me.

I had a strong inkling as to who the murderer was before the murder was committed (!!!) and through the rest of the story there wasn't a single plot twist or even a good, old-fashioned red herring to make me doubt my conclusion (which was correct). While many people may read mysteries simply because they like certain detectives (amateur or otherwise), I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that there are at least an equal number who want to put their own detecting skills to use and hope to be challenged by a clever murderer and a well-planned crime. Unfortunately, neither of those types of mystery readers will be satisfied with this story. The murderer is one-dimensional and truly beyond stupid and Dunn doesn't come through with any interesting character developments among the main characters to help offset the failure of the mystery component.

I KNOW Carola Dunn can do better because I've read much of her other work. But this was such a let down that I may not give a third Cornish Mystery a chance (should there be one). I will, however, stick with Daisy.

There is an overwhelming feeling of dithering here, rather than of narrative. The reviewer who complained about spotting the murderer at virtually the moment the corpse was discovered is right on. Only things worthwhile are the pleasantly rendered Cornish background,as others have said; use of stock characters is a mixed blessing. But those are available in better books.

Ms Dunn's Daisy Dalrymples are quite enjoyable, but seem to be from a different writer entirely - one who can plot as well as write. Really, I can't understand such a tremendous lapse.

In 1960s Port Mabyn, Cornwall, Eleanor "Aunt Nell" Trewynn runs the charity shop. The widow lives with Teazle the Westie. Overall she is contented with her life.

Eleanor's artist friend and neighbor Nick Gresham returns from London. He stops at his shop only to be greeted by the horrific destruction of several of his paintings. Outraged by the vandalism, he rejects Eleanor's idea to call the police as he believes his artistic rival Geoffrey Monmouth slashed his work; Nick goes to confront Geoffrey with Eleanor at his side trying to calm him down. However, the pair is even more deeply stunned to find someone killed Geoffrey in his bungalow. The local police suspect Nick, but Eleanor knows otherwise and obstinately investigates as she ties the slashed paintings to the stabbing death and considers a third artist.

The second Aunt Nell Cornish amateur sleuth mystery (see Manna From Hades) is a terrific 1960s village cozy starring a likable somewhat quirky heroine and a delightful support cast. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Eleanor and Nick arrive at his gallery and never slows down as the cops know the artist has a motive although they are ignoring opportunity even though he was with Aunt Nell when the homicide and the vandalism most likely occurred (only five decades ago and yet forensic science feels like ancient history). Fans will enjoy the heroine's return engagement as she investigates the murder of a local artist.

Harriet Klausner

After reading Manna from Hades I was really looking forward to this next book. It was a real disappointment. The characters weren't very intresting, it dragged on and their was nothing colourful about it. I love to read about the Cotswalds and differents settings in the British Isles and it usually adds to the the story and not always easy to figure out who the murderer is. This was not up to par and I was sorry I paid full price for it. Hopefully next time.