A Colourful Death
A Colourful Death is the second book in the trilogy of Cornish mysteries written by established author Carola Dunn and recently published in the UK. Port Mabyn is a fictional village in the author’s fictional world of Cornwall, set sometime in the 1960s. The now familiar and quite endearing character of Eleanor Trewynn returns to solve another crime with assistance from the local constabulary and her dog, Teazle.
The seaside village to which she has retired after a lifetime of living overseas with her late husband seems to be an epicentre of crime, and she is fast becoming an amateur sleuth. Returning from a visit to London, her neighbour and friend, the artist Nick Gresham, discovers that several paintings in his gallery have been destroyed. He has suspicions that a rival painter may be responsible. Eleanor accompanies Nick to Geoffrie Monmouth’s studio, only to discover his body with a medieval dagger protruding from his back. Nick is immediately suspected to be the murderer. However, there are many others in the local community who disliked the deceased painter and seem to have compelling motives for the murder. Eleanor’s niece, Detective Sergeant Megan Pencarrow, and her incredible boss, Inspector Scumble, are assigned to the investigation.
Written in a light-hearted way in the author’s specific style, A Colourful Death is an easy to read novel. However, there is little historical content, and the story does at times become repetitious. Perhaps Cornwall can be considered so breathtaking it is fictional.
