The Cornish Lady (Cornish Saga)
This novel is well-written in the first person, with interesting characters and an intricate plot which is resolved happily – the villains are caught and the hero and heroine find love and happiness.
The fourth in Pryce’s Cornish series, it is set in 1796 and is the story of Angelica Lilly who is spending the summer with aristocratic friends. She is concerned about her brother, who is ill and acting in an unusual manner, and her father, who seems to be on the brink of marrying a woman she dislikes. She also becomes involved with more dangerous events, which include the French prisoners being held in Pendennis Castle and possible treason. She turns to Henry Trevelyan, her brother’s temporary coachman, for help, only to discover he is more than he seems and is instrumental in arresting her brother on what she believes is a trumped-up charge. The tension mounts as she tries to clear her brother and discover whether Henry can be trusted or not.
I have read only one previous book in this series, but I find both this novel and The Captain’s Girl (2017) well-researched, with lots of action which keeps you turning the pages. However, there are some errors – why, for instance, is Lord William Carew referred to as Lord Carew but his wife as Lady Clarissa? Did people really say ‘steady on’, ‘what bothers me’ and ‘lying toad’ in the late 18th century? It is a pity that neither author nor editor picked up on these, as they mar an otherwise enjoyable novel.
