Buried in the Country

Cornish Mystery #4

by Carola Dunn

After many years working around the world for an international charity in the late 1960s, Eleanor Trewynn has retired to the relative quiet of a small town in Cornwall. But her quiet life is short-lived when, due to her experience, the Commonwealth Relations Office reaches out to her to assist in a secret conference that is to take place in a small hotel outside the historical village of Tintagel. Meanwhile, her niece, Detective Sargent Megan Pencarrow, is investigating the disappearance of a local solicitor when she is assigned to help provide security for the conference. Two African students, refugees from Ian Smith s Rhodesia, arrive for the conference, escorted by Megan s bete noire from Scotland Yard. They are followed by two mysterious and sinister Londoners, whose allegiances and connections to the conference and the missing solicitor are unclear. With a raging storm having trapped everyone in the hotel, the stage is set for murder, and it s up to Eleanor and Megan to uncover the truth before more lives are lost. "

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Cozy

510 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2016

About the author

Carola Dunn is the author of more than 30 Regency romances, as well as 16 mysteries (the Daisy Dalrymple mystery series is set in England in the 1920s). Ms. Dunn was born and grew up in England, where she got a B.A. in Russian and French from Manchester University. She travelled as far as Fiji before returning to settle in California. After 30 years in the US, she says she still sounds as if she arrived a month ago.

Prior to writing, Ms. Dunn’s various jobs included market research, child-care, construction--from foundation trenches to roofing--and writing definitions for a dictionary of science and technology. She wrote her first novel in 1979, a Regency which she sold to Warner Books.

Now living in Eugene, Oregon, Ms. Dunn has a son in California who has just made her a grandmother, and a large black dog named Willow who takes her for a walk by the Willamette River each morning. (www.belgravehouse.com)

Reviews

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite Cornish Mystery book and sadly it's the last of the series. :-( I want my very own Aunt Eleanor with her talent for diplomacy and unique self-defence abilities! The secondary characters are as endearing (and sometimes aggravating) as the heroine. I also appreciate the way the author includes social issues into each story -- though it saddens me to see that we still seem to be grappling with the same issues. (The books are sent in the late 1960s.) Have really enjoyed Wanda McCaddon's narration in all four books. This is me uttering a happy/sad sigh. Pleased reader already missing her characters.

Please note: some mild language (less than any of the other books, I think,)

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm ridiculously fond of the Cornish mysteries but had assumed Dunn had given them up as the last one came out in 2012. So what a delightful surprise to see Buried in the Country on the New Book shelf in the public library one day!

I love these gentle stories of Eleanor Trewynn, a fluffy old lady whom everyone underestimates. (Yes, I like Mrs. Pollifax and Miss Marple too.) This new one is true to the form of the others with an interesting set of issues adding to the mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a charming respite in the midst of the holiday craziness. I'm so glad to see this latest entry in a fun series. YAY!

[CLM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Eleanor Trewynn behaves with less sense than Miss Marple yet is meant to have had a successful career before retiring to Cornwall. The story also included one of the most boring chase scenes ever.

[Brian Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought that this book was going to be about a secret meeting in Cornwall under the auspices of the British Foreign Office sometime in the 1960's or thereabouts (it was never made clear when it was happening). Two African students studying in England and representing opposing groups in Rhodesia were meant to discuss their positions on the Smith government. (They never did, although there were reports of them disagreeing with one another).
Early on the story becomes a muddled one about a pair of unsavory characters staying at the same remote resort as the secret meeting. It ran out of steam about two-thirds of the way through and after a tedious car chase in the fog, it coasted to the ending; I read it to the end only to find out the point of the story. It never became clear.
One interesting sidebar is a same sex couple story. Given the times, such a relationship was scandalous to some of the characters. Many of the characters obviously played roles in previous books in the series and had history with one another, but this does not affect the telling of this story (muddled as it is). The two Africans get forgotten in the telling -- one plays a rather bizarre role in the car chase.
If chatty muddled British adventure stories appeal to you, this book will suit you.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book in a series I have not read previously. A retired foreign office worker is called in to assist at a meeting between two African nations representatives set to take place in Cornwall, where our MC has retired. The conference collides with two unsavoury characters thought to be there to disrupt the proceedings. Add in a missing lawyer and mayhem ensues. An interesting tale with perhaps a car chase that went on a bit too long but a satisfactory ending, interesting characters and a setting as beautiful as any.

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories of Eleanor and her Cornwell adventures are always well done. This one has some 70s-era political notes that are interesting. I like visiting her and her friends.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun book - I enjoy this series.

[Catriona Kupper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read this keeping in mind the era it was written in, you will then enjoy the cosy mystery the same way you would a miss Marple mystery

[Cynthia Kauffmann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't get any more books by this author. too boring.

[Elena Granger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth book is back to be a bit boring. There is also not much character development, they kinda stuck in one state and don’t move much.
I didn’t like the mystery as it was slightly absurd and didn’t make much sense. The whole idea of speaking to the main character while they were waiting and doing nothing wasn’t appealing at all.
Still there are some nice parts, I’m happy how the case unraveled, and the setting is still there, more nature, the hike was a nice addition, I found myself enjoying the sceneries, but unfortunately that’s not enough for the book to be good.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1970s were my formative decade – I managed to squeeze High School and College in, while things like Watergate, Jonestown, and disco occurred around me. In “Buried in the Country”, the 4th book in the Cornish Mystery series, author Carola Dunn looks at the 1970s from the perspective of a small slice of England. To be more specific, she's examining a small slice of England which itself is looking towards the conflict between locals and settlers in Rhodesia (or, as one of the characters keeps calling the country, “Zimbabwe”).

“Buried in the Country” is a pleasant enough little cozy mystery. The characters are likeable – well, the ones the reader is SUPPOSED to like are – and the plot easy to follow. But the pacing … I kept wanting to make little hand gestures to increase the speed and pace, and get things going just a little faster. Even the car chase scene felt as though it was occurring in slow motion. I believe the book would have been greatly improved with some judicious editing, sacrificing 10-20% of the content for an improved flow. (Mind you, I do not claim to BE an editor, and wouldn't dare attempt to determine just WHAT to trim – although perhaps the dragnet contained too many red herrings.)

Definitely worth a read, and I would not hesitate to dive into another of the authors works again.

RATING: 3 1/2 stars, rounded down to 3 stars in applications where 1/2 stars are not permitted.

DISCLOSURE: I was awarded this book in a random draw, without obligation. It was stated that an honest review would be appreciated, and hinted that a timely one would be even more appreciated. For once, I actually accomplished both.

[Carôle Ceres · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATHER LONG & RAMBLING

The story wasn’t as interesting as the previous 2 and marginally better than the 1st in the series.

The story had no sense or relevance to it - the two were unrelated and gel at all! (What was the point/relevance of the train station)? As such, there was no character development and little to no sense to the location (or the involvement of the police - in either story)!

I listened to the audiobook version of this title, read by Wanda McCaddon. Perhaps because the story was so long and laborious in parts, the sufficiencies of the narrator (or lack thereof) is even more apparent… Not even a praiseworthy attempt at an African accent - male or female- and sadly not a hint of a Cornish dialect. Then, she surprisingly (weirdly), gave Meghan a male voice really frequently during the piece - often times when she was ‘conversing’ with another male character - very distracting you cannot tell whom is who!

I hope that the next one, will be out soon and back to the standard of books 2 and 3. This was rather a waste of a ‘concept’. Still a bit better than Daisy D, but the same level of plot-less plot!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Policewoman Megan Pencarrow finds herself hunting two murderers on Bodmin Moor, in company with her aunt and a foreign student who is in Cornwall for a conference with Sir Edward and another Rhodesian student. Ah, but her aunt is Eleanor Trewynn, retired from globe-trotting with her husband, now deceased, in the interests of a global charity. Eleanor knows the moors, even in a fog, and she knows human nature, and she even knows Aikido, though she keeps that information on a need to know basis. I read the first of this series years ago, but seem to have missed the intervening two.

[Sally Mclaughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ddin't enjoy it at all but have not read any of her novels before.
I read it because it was based in Cornwall about the area we've just holidayed in.
Found it old fashioned and amateurish and I really only read the complete novel to enjoy the areas we'd visited.
Would not recommend it to anyone.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone know if this series is done? I keep checking for new installment.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

1970s Cornwall: Eleanor has retired after a life traveling the world with a charity organization. She now lives in the tiny town of Port Mabyn, next door to artist Nick, and not far from her police sergeant niece Meghan (guessing at spellings--I listened to the audio). Then an old friend from her traveling days calls on her to come to a super-secret meeting at Tintagel, to use her famous diplomatic skills. Britain is interested in the tumult in Zimbabwe and wants to influence the youth to move in a certain direction, so is bringing two potential leaders--now students in Britain--to discuss in secret. Meghan and her ex-boyfriend, Scotland Yard detective Ken, are security duty. Because Eleanor's car breaks down, Nick offers her a lift, and then a major fog makes it impossible for him to return and he finds a local B&B. Meanwhile, two ne'er-do-wells from London are in the area, seeking someone for nefarious purposes. When murder and kidnapping occurs, Meghan and Eleanor spend many hours in pursuit. Will they be in time?

I've loved other books in this series, mostly because I love the characters, especially Eleanor. I see why Nick, a young man, prefers her company to vapid twenty-somethings, though I'm also glad to see he and Meghan are finally getting their act together. The descriptions are also wonderful, and make me want to return to Cornwall! What I didn't love was that essentially half of the book was just chasing the murderers/kidnappers in the dark on the moor. There was no mystery about it, or not much--you know they killed someone and kidnapped others. I never enjoy chase books--just want to skip ahead to see what happened after. So, not my favorite of the series.

[Laura Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Buried in the Country" was kind of a mixed bag. There were things I liked and things I didn't like. For the first half of the book, there was far too much Ken Farraday. Thank goodness he practically disappears about halfway through. I found the chase on the moors pretty exciting, especially as this is the point where Ken is left behind. I liked the character of Tariro.

At the end of the last book (#3), Megan and Nick seem to be inching toward a relationship. Now all of a sudden in book 4, they're dating and by the end have moved in together. What the heck? Maybe Ms. Dunn only planned on four books and decided to wrap things up with a happy ending. Not sure, but the relationship wasn't really given time to grow in my opinion and I never felt any chemistry between the two.

The plotline following Mrs. Mason/Stone and the London criminals was far more interesting than the spy storyline with Sir Edward. I'm glad near the halfway point, Ms. Dunn decided to focus on the London criminals and leave the boring plot behind.

Jocelyn barely figured in the book until near the end which was a misstep for me. I really like her character and the interaction between her and Eleanor.

I always find the aikido bits a little annoying. Why doesn't Eleanor want anyone to know she practices the art? Seems rather silly, especially since she's used it so efficiently at times.

All in all, as I said earlier, a mixed bag. I enjoyed the series well enough, but I'm not disappointed this is the end.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor is surprised to receive a phone call from an old friend who is high up in the Foreign Office. He wants her to act as chaperone and facilitator at a secret meeting. Eleanor doesn't see that she can be much help but agrees to a weekend, all expenses paid, at posh hotel at Tintagel which isn't far from where she lives.

What she doesn't expect is to meet her niece, Megan there in her official capacity. Megan is a detective with the local force and is there as bodyguard and to look out for anything which is going wrong. What follows is an entertaining and fast paced mystery novel where it is far from clear until almost the end which people Eleanor can trust and which she can regard with suspicion.

I have read the three previous novels in this entertaining, low key, mystery series. Eleanor is an interesting character, as is Megan and I enjoyed the nail biting car chase through the fog which is the focal point of the story. This is the fourth book in this series of Cornish mysteries.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I erred in reading this fourth series installment before reading previous ones. A confusing array of characters ended up at a hotel. I had a vague idea Eleanor might be the series sleuth, but I was uncertain. Adding confusion to what I perceived would be a cozy series was a plot suggesting she worked in intelligence, tracking spies. Further adding to the confusion was a niece working as a police detective assigned to the same detail as she was. The plot itself was difficult to follow, introducing threads perhaps just for the purpose of making the work of historical fiction with an early 1970s setting, for without the young Rhodesians, the novel's timing could be any time after vans were manufactured. A chase of the suspects in the fog was perhaps the most exciting bit of the novel. The ending fell short. The book jacket and location caused me to believe this would be an enjoyable cozy jaunt, but they misled. The author needs to decide what mystery genre she wishes to write and stick with one. A combination cozy, police procedural, and espionage set in Cornwall does not work.

[Lynda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book a bit hard going. I am still not sure what the Commonwealth Relations Office meeting at the hotel in Tintagel was for, but I have been to the same hotel and really enjoyed the descriptions of the stunning scenery from it.

Local lady and charity worker, Eleanor Trewynn is asked to take part in the secret negotiations between two African student's from Ian Smith's Rhodesia. Her Niece DS Megan Pencarrow is also asked to transport one of the students to the hotel and keep an eye out for any suspicious characters, who may be spying on the party.
The two suspicious characters are under surveillance from the minute Megan picks the student up from the station, when she notices that they have booked in at the same hotel.

Megan is also asked to investigate the disappearance of a local solicitor and the weekend becomes pretty hectic for everybody!

There is an incredibly long car chase across Bodmin Moor, that seems to go on forever and unless you know about Bodmin Moor, it becomes a bit dull.
This book may be enjoyed by some, but I found it a bit slow.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because I've also enjoyed Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple series, and I've read one other book of this series as well.

An enjoyable read, a suspenseful vehicle chase through the moors and the bogs of Cornwall, where the police characters try to rescue two hostages. Meanwhile, a diplomatic meeting tries to avoid spies.

The chase is intense and kept me reading well past bedtime. It made me wonder how much more those poor people could endure.

At the same time, there are several humorous aspects to the story. I find the whole Sandman character funny, as is the uncertainty the villains have in what to do with their hostages, and Eleanor Trewynn's role in the investigations. She reminds me of Dorothy Gilman's character Mrs. Pollifax.

Favorite quotes:
"The persuasive effect of good food is not to be underestimated."

"Eleanor's working life had been based on the premise that there was always a tactful way to present information the listener would prefer not to hear."

"Before your next rescue, teach the dog to drink hot tea and carry a thermos."

[Vicki Kondelik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buried in the Country is the fourth in Carola Dunn’s series of mysteries set in Cornwall, England, in the early 1970s. The series features two protagonists. Eleanor Trewynn is a widow who spent most of her life traveling the world with an international charity. After her husband is killed in an uprising, Eleanor retires to the village of Port Mabyn, where she runs a used goods shop which benefits her former employer. Eleanor’s niece, Detective Sergeant Megan Pencarrow, is the first woman to attain such a high rank in the Cornwall police force. As such, she faces sexism and harassment from her male colleagues.

In this latest entry in the series, Sir Edward Bellowe, a diplomat Eleanor has known for a long time, invites her to a secret conference at Tintagel Castle, a place associated with King Arthur. The guests are two students from warring factions in Ian Smith’s Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe). Sir Edward hopes to negotiate peace between them. But he’s worried about spies at the conference, so he asks Megan and her former boyfriend, Ken Faraday of Scotland Yard, to provide security for the conference. Megan is called off a case where she was sent to search for a missing lawyer, an acquaintance of Eleanor’s. The lawyer turns up at a bed-and-breakfast near Tintagel, where artist Nick Gresham, Eleanor’s neighbor and Megan’s not-quite-boyfriend, is staying. No one knows why the lawyer won’t tell anyone where he is.

The conference does not go well, since the two students hate each other for personal, as well as political, reasons. Then two suspicious characters show up at Tintagel, but they seem to Megan to be a con man and a thug, not spies. But she watches them all the same. Then the landlady at the bed-and-breakfast is murdered, and the two criminals kidnap Nick and the lawyer. An exciting chase through the moors ensues, as Megan, with plenty of help from Eleanor and her dog Teazle, hunts for the criminals and tries to rescue the two victims. Seeing Nick in danger forces her to admit her growing feelings for him.

This series is an excellent modern-day version of the classic English village mystery. The 1970s setting gives the series more of a modern feel than the works of Agatha Christie, but not too much, since, of course, there are no computers or cell phones. Eleanor is a formidable protagonist, who reminds me very much of Miss Marple, even though she’s often absent-minded and stumbles on clues, while Megan does most of the actual detecting. And the little dog, Teazle, is delightful. I highly recommend the series to fans of Agatha Christie and her contemporaries.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has it all... kidnapping, murder, high speed chases across the moors, political intrigue, and much more. Eleanor Trewynn is in the middle of a secret political meeting when her solicitor disappears. She, along with her niece, police sergeant Megan Pencarrow, begin to search for him. She is a little constrained by the presence of a young Oxford student from Rhodesia, whom she was taking on a tour of the cliffs and moors. Eleanor's young friend, Nick, drives her to the hotel where the political meeting is being held but is kept from returning home because of a terrible storm. He takes shelter at a local bed and breakfast and discovers the missing solicitor, Mr. Feerth, staying there. This begins the action in the book. Nick and Mr. Feerth soon go missing and Eleanor and Megan are desperate to find them. A very good book with lots of action and twists and turns. This is a really good series.

[Gigi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Almost, not quite, good set up. But then 50 pages of the most boring car chase ever. " It's going to get worse if they turn east at Redgate." "L6..send..B...Red peat..sending B16 to Redgate" "we haven't gone through Minions yet" "The map doesn't show these tracks, the scale's too small? On and on and on....... It must be difficult to write a car chase in a novel. (Reminisces about "Madam, will you talk?" by Mary Stewart, sigh.)

I dislike books like this one where the only reason there is suspense is because the main characters don't tell each other anything about what is going on. And why on earth won't Eleanor just tell the police that she prevented the bad guy from commiting suicide. The end of the book is all how people react because they don't know what happened, all this attention is focused on how they look at her strangely, and all she is doing is not admitting she talked him out of killing himselt. Stupid.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Eleanor is asked by Sir Edward to come to Tinigal to see if she can help negotiations between to people for peace talks for Zimbabwe. She has been doing this kind of work for years as she was traveling with her husband and she has accepted this offer. Now she is not going to Africa, but to another town in Cornwall. She has tried to see if she can get these two young people to see more eye-to-eye but it doesn't look as if they will cooperate. Of course other things are going on at the same time. Megan is part of the security detail (undercover) and so is Farraday from Scotland Yard. Nick has driven Eleanor to the hotel and since the weather is absolutely terrible has stopped at a B&B for the night. There is where the other mystery comes in.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started #4 in the Cornish mystery series by Carola Dunn I loved it. I liked her gentle writing style and the character of the heroine Eleanor Trewynn. She is older than most main characters in the cosy mysteries that I enjoy once in a while. Everyone always underestimated her !
Her beautiful descriptions of the countryside in Cornwall were so enjoyable, it makes me want to travel there sometime in the future.
But.....with chapter 17 came the chase......and my god it went on forever...till chapter 25.... it seemed to never end. By the time it ended, I was so confused by the road numbers and the country roads that I started just skimming rather than reading.
This is why I only gave the book a rating or three stars...I had very mixed feelings about it.

[Rosemary Orme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Booklist describes the Cornish mystery series as 'meatier than usual cosies with strong female characters'. That's true and good to start with, but set in[almost] the place I love and live, and we're on to a winner. I bought the set last week and have romped happily through them.
Well written and fast paced, they are obviously somewhat formulaic, but have sufficient twists, turns and droll humour in them for me to rate them 4 stars.
It's always satisfying to find a congenial author who is prolific and writes in several contrasting genres.
They are more light meringues than solid roast main courses but I do enjoy devouring them!

[Sue Commander · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read three books in this series and expected to enjoy this one as much as the previous two. However, it left me rather unsatisfied as several threads were left dangling and there was a long chase scene which took up a large part of the book and became rather boring.
There were two plots and I expected them to come together at the end but they didn’t. As someone who took interest in the politics which surrounded Zimbabwe’s independence at the time, I was disappointed not to have some resolution of that aspect of the plot, within the context of the book.
The other, more domestic plot, was resolved but left a lot to be explained in the concluding pages.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually between 3 1/2 and 4 stars. I love Carola Dunn, and her mysteries are sensible and honest cozies. But this one switched out of the main characters' points of view to those of the villains early on. I'm not sure that was necessary. Also, after a rather horrifying murder and kidnapping, there's an awful lot of driving around over the moors in a fog. This was not enthralling; I was much more interested in the point of view of one of the kidnap victims--which we got, briefly, but which quickly switched back to the police.

So I liked this story but didn't love it. Definitely worth reading, but not one of my favorites of Dunn's.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was boring as anything. I tried to read it once before, then I remembered as I was reading it this time around that I had already tried. Sheer determination and grit got me through this one. The characters were flat. The descriptions were dull. The writing was repetitive. How many times can you say the weather in Cornwall was terrible at the start of the book? How do you write such a boring chase scene? Half of the car chase scene was descriptions of a map and an old woman being confused about where small roads lead. I was disappointed by this one, and I won't be picking up anymore works from the author.