The Cornish Connection

Nancy Cornish #1

by Amanda James

Where extraordinary things happen...you'll find Nancy Cornish

Nancy and Charlie Cornish are happily married and live in Padstow, Cornwall. Nancy works in the Whistling Kettle Cafe and Charlie is a DS in the Truro police. Charlie's a down to earth Cornishman, while Nancy, seemingly an ordinary member of her community, has an extraordinary gift. She is able to make psychic connections with those who have passed, and objects belonging to those still living.

Charlie mostly tries to ignore that aspect of his wife's personality, he can’t abide all that ‘mumbo jumbo’ as he calls it. Then, out of the blue, Nancy leaves her job and decides her mission in life is to use her gift to help others. This is not what Charlie signed up for, and he lets Nancy know about his feelings in no uncertain terms. That is, until he realises she might be a very useful detective...

Helping Charlie find a missing teenager boost Nancy’s confidence, and makes her determined to continue her work. People come to see her because they want her to find a long-lost friend or relative, an object that is dear to them, or a pet who’s gone missing. Helping people find happiness is Nancy’s main aim. Charlie, however, wants her to help him solve crimes.
Will the couple find some common ground? Or will their connection be broken?

The Cornish Connection - a beautifully told, thought-provoking and uplifting story. The perfect feel-good summer read!

Perfect for fans of Emma Burstall, Fern Britton and Heidi Swain

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery

269 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2020

About the author

Amanda James (aka Mandy) was born in Sheffield and now lives in Cornwall with her husband and a cat. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, singing, and spending lots of time with her grandchildren. She also admits to spending far too much time chatting on Twitter and Facebook! Amanda feels most at home walking on the beach and making plots up in her head. A fair amount of these have made it onto paper, and been turned into books.

Reviews

[Patricia Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hint of something special !


I really enjoyed the story of Nancy Cornish - it’s a wonderful way to escape and immerse yourself in a beautiful setting.
As the tale evolves, layers of Nancy’s life are peeled back so you get to know about her past and character, and I warmed to her more and more with every page.
This is definitely cosy crime with a hint of something special, how the love of family member transcends time and just when you need it, via Nancy, they come back to help.
The supernatural is well balanced with real life issues and policing, so there really is something for everyone in this lovely book. Looking forward to the next one.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely bit of cozy supernatural set in glorious Cornwall, a winner for me! There’s a sequel too so it doesn’t get much better than that.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read this was. This is a cosy mystery that has a psychic twist, now before you roll you eyes and go “this isn’t really my thing” let me tell you that even though it may not be “your thing”, it is however definitely worth making it “your thing” as this adds such a great twist to this highly addictive mystery read.

What this author has created is a story that is heartwarming as Nancy Cornish uses her psychic abilities to help people. Nancy is such a wonderful character and I loved that her husband is a sceptical copper. These two characters have been so well developed and I like that Nancy does seem to wrap him around her little finger just a little bit.

Nancy takes the plunge and opens her own business as a PI – Psychic Investigator, and she has some interesting success. There are a couple of cases that do have a more serious element and these have been done well. The cases that Nancy deals with are definitely human interest, well no they are more heartwarming as she delves into the mysteries that are laid out before her. They come in a variety of different guises and test her abilities.

The author uses the stunning Cornish scenery to great effect and I have said this before about her writing, and that is that the scenery she describes always transports me, yes I do have the advantage that I live in Cornwall but I haven’t been to all the places that are mentioned. I do however get a great sense of being able to see them and hear the sounds that she uses in her vivid and wonderful choice of words.

This is a stunning read and I think I have just read my favourite Mandy James book, I seem to say this about every book that I read! I love the character of Nancy Cornish and just the whole feel of the book. There is a cosy mystery feel to the story but also a wonderfully heartwarming aspect, a touch of humour, basically all the right ingredients that make for a scrumptious read, oh and while I seem to have strayed into food, make sure you have plenty of cake close by as Nancy is also a fabulous baker and cakes are mentioned often!

The Cornish Connection is a book I would definitely recommend. And it gets better as this is the first book in a planned series

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently lost my mojo for reading, but I found it again after reading this delightful book. Being very spiritual minded and obsessed with Cornwall I found it very interesting and enjoyed every minute of it.
Nancy Cornish has inherited her Grandmothers gift of mediumship and one day after an occurrance in the "Whistling Kettle" cafe where she works, she decides to give up her employment and open her own PI (psychic Investigator) agency in order to help out local people.
Nancy is married to Charlie who is a local policeman, who is quite sceptical of her abilities and at times rather annoying.
The book is crammed full with lovely characters and is very well written. In parts it makes you chuckle and in others you feel really warm inside. A very refreshing book. I am really looking forward to the follow up!

[Skyesmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a lovely change.
The main characters were lovely and were written so lovingly that you couldn't help but like them.
The setting was described so well, I can now imagine how it looks with its steep hills and cobbled streets.
I found myself smiling and also having a lump in my throat.

All in all, a lovely book which I highly recommend.
Off to start the next one.

[Zoé-Lee O'Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this is a book I adore, it is not CrazyTown, but do I care? No! It’s a book by Mandy so of course, I had to read it! This one is a calmer setting in Cornwall. This one I delighted in when I heard it was being written, psychics! I loved anything with the idea of mediums and the paranormal, even when they are not of the horror kind. I have always wanted to visit a medium/psychic and this book has urged me to do it!

Nancy is someone I fell in love with straight away. She is such a warm and caring character, she goes out of her way to help people, literally. She works in a cafe and has a gift, a connection. We see this straight away, her “magic” as I think of it, passing messages on to people and helping with peace but not really doing much about it until one day enough is enough and she sets up her own business as a PI, no not private investigator…a psychic investigator. She is married to a police officer, Charlie, and doesn’t want to be involved in “real” policing until Charlie brings a case home for Nancy to look at and help. Charlie is not really a believer though and very sceptical of it all. However, when Nancy pulls through you see his initial thoughts waiver.

Nancy helps so many people in this book and it was lovely to see so many happy endings for people. It was awesome to see how many people are automatically accepting of Nancy and her ways. I had such a lump in throat with the second of the police cases that Nancy got inadvertently involved in and although the case was not a nice one, the lives that Nancy touched was just nothing short of magic.

The ending was lovely especially seeing her case notes updated so we could see how everyone she worked within the first book we’re getting on. I just hope Nancy’s “winning streak” carries on in book 2!! Which I must say I CAN NOT WAIT FOR! Sorry got a bit excited there!

I can now say I am a super fan of Mandys I have read every single book of hers, all different genres, thrillers, romance, sci-fi, mediums, her repertoire is just unreal. She writes to you in a way that she grips you and won’t let go until the story lets you go. Not going to lie I do love her bat -shit crazy books but I do love this new direction she has taken with Nancy Cornish, plus a nice surprise to see a familiar name pop up in her book…begins with Z and ends in E…now I don’t know if it is mine or not but I might pretend that it is lol

I really don’t have a way with words, but this story is such a cosy and uplifting story it did make me smile. Even though I didn’t need to be I was worried about the outcome of the book and had suspicions of something may go wrong, only going by Mandys other books but luckily there was no wrongdoing for me…well unless you count the cases she worked! I had no need to worry, it was not a dark book, it was a …nice book, it was a sunshine book where you know all is right with the world and once you close the pages everyone will still be ok. I am really excited to see what happens next with Nancy and her clients, roll on book 2….even though this book only came out on the 30th April, we have so long to wait!!!!

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Amanda James' books and I have read some absolutely brilliant ones over the years but she has really outdone herself with her latest novel and start of a new series, The Cornish Connection. This book is really something special; it's completely different from anything I've read before and I think it really spices up the crime and mystery genre.

Nancy Cornish is such a warm and charming character; not only does she bake amazing cakes but she has the special gift of psychic ability. She really does see dead people! You'd think this would be something her husband Charlie would be used to but he constantly pooh-pooh's Nancy's gift. That is until it becomes useful to him in his latest police investigation, but even then he won't acknowledge Nancy's input in case his colleagues laugh at him. I thought Charlie's blatant disregard of Nancy's abilities would make me dislike him but he certainly grew on me.

When Nancy finds she is helping more and more people to reconnect with their loved ones, both alive and dead, she decides to leave her job in the local cafe and set up as a PI: Psychic Investigator. Her office is the summerhouse at the bottom of her garden and when word spreads about her abilities she sees a growing number of clients asking for her help.

Each case that Nancy works on is like a little story within The Cornish Connection, making the whole novel so vibrant and varied. Some stories are shocking and disturbing whilst others are heartwarming, beautiful and sometimes amusing. I loved the mix of characters that Nancy comes across, with each one of them having a special story to tell.

I'm so glad that The Cornish Connection is the first in a new series as I can't get enough of Nancy Cornish. I enjoyed it so much that I didn't want it to finish but at the same time I couldn't read it fast enough either. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for the next book in the series.

The Cornish Connection is a quirky, unique and mystical novel filled with a myriad colourful characters. It's crime and mystery with a supernatural edge and it's absolutely outstanding. Amanda James has hit the jackpot with Nancy Cornish and scoops a full house of five stars for The Cornish Connection.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Tina Dorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Cornish lives with her husband in Cornwall. Charlie is a down to earth detective sergeant, Nancy works at a café but feels restless because of her gift. The gift is the ability to help people guided by spirits, just touching objects can help both the living and the dead.

Nancy decides to give up work and become a PI .. Psychic detective. She helps Charlie in a case that was almost given up on, but despite that, Charlie doesn't like her ability and keeps it secret.

Word of mouth soon gets round and Nancy has plenty of cases to keep her busy, including a heart wrenching one.

Amanda has a way of telling a tale that really draws you in, you end up feeling empathy for most of the characters, the good ones at least, and you start to love Nancy right from the beginning. You also feel like you know Cornwall from the wonderful descriptions, and want to visit.

I loved this book right from the beginning, it really kept me enthralled and I hope there will be more to come in the series.

[Sue Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story from Amanda James, a little different from some of her other books like The Feud, or Dark Deception, but equally absorbing. The Cornish Connection has a bit of everything; heart-warming with a little humour, a little suspense, the beautiful Cornwall as its setting, and lots of mouth-watering cakes!
Nancy has a psychic gift, her policeman husband is a sceptic, less so when Nancy helps him with a missing teenager case. When Nancy starts up her business as a psychic investigator we are introduced to many colourful characters, mystery and crime, some fun cases and cases that reflect real life issues.
As always, Amanda brings us such a vivid sense of place that has me a longing to visit Cornwall again. Her characters are so real they jump off the page, I found myself wanting to take tea and cake in the summerhouse with Nancy! I’m delighted to see that Cornish Connection is the first of a series, can’t wait for the next one!

[Glynis Meloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful book about a woman who has 2 main talents, she's a great cook and she has a psychic gift - both are obviously important to her and that is demonstrated throughout the book. But she changes her direction and decides to leave the cafe where she works to put her other talent to much better use. Her Police Detective husband isn't impressed and the book realistically shows that not every marriage is perfect no matter how much you love each other. She goes on to solve a series of cases using her psychic connections.

I thoroughly enjoyed escaping from our strange Covid 19 world to this one. Amanda James once again shows what an adaptable writer she is - you just never know what to expect next! Can't wait for the next in the series.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating and beautiful story. I am never sure what to expect with this author because she is so full of surprises. Heck, I wasn't disappointed! I did start the story with a giggle, I couldn't help myself, she has a way with words! But then two minutes later I wanted to grab the box of tissues. You really do not know what is coming next. The story flowed really well and therefore was easy to read and the pages just turned themselves. A story with a great mixture of interesting characters. It is such an engaging and lovely story, well written with intrigue and mystery. I do hope this is the start of a wonderful series, the main characters have got so much to offer. I'll be following them with out a doubt.

[June Richland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well at first I thought I wouldn't like this. A bit far fetched I thought. But as I started reading I became engrossed. Although each case has a psychic element, this actually wasn't the main part of the tale. The stories were lively and human. All the characters were rich and likeable. Loved the relationship with Charlie. Writing style just flowed. Definitely looking for more books by this author.

[Michael Rumney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is most definitely Cosy Crime. Set in Padstow we follow Nancy's progress from being a waitress to Psychic Investigator.
Very episodic in its approach as Nancy goes in search of missing people and lost items with the help of spirits.
Despite its cosy nature one crime is pretty harrowing and James doesn't shy away from the F word.
One criticism is how neatly everything is tied up, or how conveniently Nancy finds people, turns their life around and then they bestow lots of cash on her to keep her business going.
James misses a trick somehow by failing to inject a bit of quirkiness or humour into the narrative.
Despite this, this is one of those books I just had to keep going with to discover the outcome.
I'm not giving anything away by saying everything turns out alright in the end.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comfortable read!

Not my usual kind of read, but one of those books that make you feel glad that everything comes right in the end.
No scares, no weirdness, just your everyday Psychic Investigator who finally realizes her chance to help people is possible.
With a modicum of support from police officer husband Charlie, to start with, and his chief, we see Nancy become proficient at her new business.
We could use someone like her in times like we are experiencing just now.
A cheery story, if you're not into the deep horror books -like wot I am, usually!

[Linda Rhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely tremendous

I absolutely loved this book by Amanda James , it was recommended to me by Patricia Dixon, another author whose books I love, and I’m so glad she did because I now have another favourite author to add to my list. It’s wonderfully written , has fabulous characters, and , being set in Cornwall adds to the enjoyment. Highly recommended.

[Sandy McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read.

Nancy Cornish, tired of working as a waitress in a local cafe, decides to put her psychic talents to better use and starts her own business.
It is an enjoyable read, despite several missing punctuation marks, which makes following conversations a little frustrating.
This is the first of a series set in Cornwall, and I am looking forward to reading more.

[Mrs Nicole M Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different and entertaining

Loved this book. Well written, likeable characters, just loved it. Will now look for more by this author. Would recommend.

[SUE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I really really enjoyed this book ,loved all the characters ,thought charlie was great , loved how he finally accepted things .
The setting was nice and the author didnt take up many pages with describing the location and surrounding area , which is part bugbear in a lot of booksive read , Mandy Ian lookinggorward ro reading moreofyour books ty , a great introduction to a new Author xx

[Gerrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope Amanda James will write more Nancy Cornish books!

[Ruth Proctor-Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story that leads you on, wanting to know what will happen

I normally read what my husband considers "man" books: Murder, spies, war stories both fiction and non. I read the blurb about this book and thought it would make a change.

Can I start by saying how well the characters become real, they are described with a real understanding of how to let the reader picture the person what they look like and how they act and behave, this made the story easy to read.

The story centres around Nancy Cornish a lady who leaves a job that she is good at to follow her gift and becomes a psychic investigator, do I believe in the ability to sense connections between items and people? I'm not sure but this story is enjoyable, it's connections well conceived and written, an easy book to read. Maybe the question should be would I read similar books by the same author? The answer is easy Yes. Because whether I believe doesn't matter: the story pulled me in and on because it's well written.

[donna hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous read I so cant wait to come to Cornwall now.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy lives with her husband Charlie in the beautiful town of Padstow on the North Coast of Cornwall..Charlie is a Detective Sergeant in the Police Force, Nancy works in The Whistling Kettle Cafe , a busy place where she is sometimes run off her feet..Nancy has the gift of second sight with Pshochometry ..( to be able to hold an object and make a spiritual connection).When Nancy was a young child, her Grandmother told her that this was a blessing, a gift and an honour..When Charlie comes home from work one day , exhausted and emotional from a case that he has been working on , he tells Nancy that he believes the case is hopeless, that they have gone over and over it all with a fine toothcomb..and there are no avenues left to follow..When Nancy lifts the file , then picks up some of the objects inside...she is jolted into a different place, guided by spirits ..Nancy sees both darkness and light, sometimes seeing things that cut deep into her heart...Her intuition goes before her, she is a woman whose vision flowers like the soft petals in the wind ...Beautiful Gentle Storytelling..Nancy will touch your heart ...

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a really good book, which I couldn't put down. The story captivated me from page 1, and I had to read it to the end.

A mystery with a twist... Nancy Cornish has psychic abilities. Her husband is a detective sergeant. He doesn't really believe in her abilities but humours her until he realises it may help him.

This is the first in a series, and I am going to read the books in order. I can't wait to read book number 2.

I've read one other book by this author, and I will be reading more after I finish this series.

[Avalon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mediumship

The gift of connecting with spirit and being able to help people through messages left by loved ones who have passed over. Holding onto objects and seeing images. I connected strongly with this as I do this as well for family and friends with much success though as yet I haven't gone public. It's always nice to get confirmation. I'm looking forward to reading the other books. Most enjoyable

[Nicky Bullock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a daft thing reading book three so have started again, I’m glad I did. The descriptions are brilliant and transport me to Cornwall. I love the writing without the obligatory smut. Amanda has peeked my interest in reading again after a long break, and now I can’t put the books down. Thank you for your amazing writing!

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this too simple, the story of a psychic investigator who solves complex cases by laying her hands on objects. There was just no depth to the cases and all were easily cleared up within 5 mins. Including a missing child who has gone to London and is found within an afternoon because a ghost told the PI where to go!

[Denise Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow great storyline

Not your normal storyline of books set in Cornwall. I had no idea when starting to read, but had me drawn in from start. Refreshing change and cannot wait to read more about Nancy in follow on book.

[Mrs Janet Sykes · Rating 5 out of 5]

So true

It is so true that those who have passed can bring help and so much comfort to those who miss them so dreadfully. The whole character of Nancy is so believable and uplifting. A lovely, feel good book. Thank you.

[Jennifer Chaffins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! A breath of fresh air

Not my normal reading choice, but so glad I did. I loved this book, I couldn’t t wait to come home from work to pock it back up.I highly recommend it.

[A.J. Fotheringham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

Good read and interesting to see how how discovering truths can help to heal people. Psychic Nancy is an inspiration.