The Wrecker’s Daughter
In remote, wind-swept Cornwall, Hannah Pendarves and the inhabitants of St. Rose survive by wrecking ships. This insular village relies upon the cargo from the ships to make a living. Everyone in the village is complicit, even the parson. When Hannah uncovers a dangerous secret about her father, Happenstance “Hap” Pendarves, she is blindsided. She learns that her father belongs to a syndicate of wreckers and smugglers. Eventually she finds herself in a conflicted situation, spying for the syndicate on Francis Keverne, a Falmouth shipping agent. He proves himself to be a good, kind person. This causes her to question everything about wrecking and the lives that are harmed in the process.
In the spirit of Winston Graham’s Poldark and Daphne Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn, The Wrecker’s Daughter is an eye-opening and suspenseful read. From the first page, I was swept away by the well-rounded, authentic characters who spoke in their unique Cornwall dialect and lived their rugged lives. The characters were the true treasure of this story. Hannah was one of the most compelling characters. I admired her because of all the things she had to do to survive. The morally ambiguous village of St. Rose and its inhabitants were also so interesting. This is the type of book in which the world comes alive in a vibrant and immersive way. The author’s writing is engaging, and I would definitely read more books by G.M. Baker in the future.
