Flowers for Miss Pengelly

March 25, 2013
Aiken (A Cornish Maid) specializes in the minutiae that make a period piece come alive. In this charming romance set in 1911 Penzance, England, the town butcher discovers a dead body in the lending library's courtyard. The day before, the deceased man stopped at the library and asked about Miss Pengelly, a general maid for the reclusive Mrs. Thatchell. When handsome constable Alexander Dawes questions Effie Pengelly, she truthfully says she's never seen the man. Naïve Effie begins taking long walks with Alex, but he's the son of gentry, and she's the daughter of a miner; both believe their parents would object if they got serious. Misunderstandings regarding more proper matches cause a rift, while wild speculations fly regarding the unidentified body. A private investigator shows up, and his questions and Alex's deductions lead to a surprising conclusion. Several romances thrive in the novel, all with a period-appropriate moral overtone.

April 1, 2013
The year is 1911 when Effie Pengelly's simple life as a housemaid drastically changes. An average day in the town's library is disrupted, causing quite a stir, as Effie is whisked away by the very dutiful (and very handsome) Constable Alexander Dawes. Apparently, a stranger showed up asking for her, and then was found dead. While Effie is confused over why a man she doesn't know came to town looking for her, she's also very worried that this peculiar situation may cause problems with her employer. At first Constable Dawes is merely doing his job, but as time goes on, he finds himself more than intrigued by Effie and even ponders marriage, though his family will never support such an improbable engagement. The ever-popular Aitken beautifully imagines forbidden love and two very different families in a romance that will have readers hoping hard for the impossible and delighting in the exciting twist that finally reveals the dead man's identity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)