The Blacksmith's Girl

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.