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Set in and around the Cornish town of Helstone in 1767 at the time of the Furry or Floral Dance, DEATH AND THE CORNISH FIDDLER is the 11th novel featuring John Rawlings, an apothecary based in London. In this instance the young widower is removed from his usual geography and investigative mentor, and is on vacation with his young daughter Rose and his inamorata, the widow Elizabeth di Lorenzi, an unusual beauty with an intriguing scar who is reluctant to formalise her relationship with John. The trio are lodging at the Angel in Helstone and soon get to meet their fellow guests which includes Isobel Pill, a precocious child of around six, her mother Kathryn, and her dashing but untrustworthy escort Tim Painter. Also resident is a single woman of striking beauty, Dianna Warwick, who may possibly be an actress, and some women whose male cousins are also in town for the festivities, and one of whom distinctly has eyes for John. The trouble begins when little Isobel tries to join in with a band of travelling magicians and when rejected runs off into the town alone. A search fails to find her and the local constable is not keen to involve himself until the morning. When she doesn't show up the next day, everyone fears the worst and the search widens, whilst the local gypsy predicts a sad outcome. Loe Pool is nearby but yields no body. With Mrs Pill increasingly desperate and few leads to follow, John is soon diverted to solving a murder of one of the hotel guests and surprisingly he finds Tim to be a useful co-investigator. Unfortunately, though, I did not warm to the main character. There was nothing to dislike but I didn't feel I knew him very well. I suspect that this is really a symptom of starting the series at too late a point and that readers of previous John Rawlings novels may have no such difficulties. My other problem was with the dialogue which, whilst probably very accurate for the Georgian period, was very formal and clipped in places, and left me rather cold. Deryn Lake was an established writer of historical romantic fiction before she turned to the mystery genre. Some of this is evident from the personal relationships in the book and the ability to construct a complex plot complete with a full cross-section of rural society from the local aristocracy, through the clergy, workers and itinerants, to practitioners of the black arts. As one familiar with the area in which the novel is set, I enjoyed the sense of place and the plot's romantic use of the scenery and architecture.
Reviewed by Bridget Bolton, July 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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