Malice in Cornwall

Erskine Powell #2

by Graham Thomas

ERSKINE POWELL OF SCOTLAND YARD IS BACK--INVESTIGATING THE STRANGE RIDDLE OF PENRICK SANDS.

On the north coast of Cornwall, residents in the quaint seaside town of Penrick report a terrifying phenomenon--an eerie, glowing apparition that rides the surf at night, adding a weird fascination to this place of picturesque streets, secluded beaches, and abandoned mines. Yet Chief Superintendent Powell soon learns that Penrick already harbors unsolved mysteries. For, thirty years ago, someone killed a teenager and left her body to wash up on Penrick Sands--precisely where the apparition now appears. In fact, Powell faces not one but two strangely intertwined puzzles and a double-edged sword of menace. . . .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature

230 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 28, 1998

About the author

Pseudonym of Gordon Kosakoski, 1950-2008.
Wrote five novels.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"On the north coast of Cornwall, residents in the quaint seaside town of Penrick report a terrifying phenomenon -- an eerie, glowing apparition that tides the surf at night, adding a weird fascinatin to this place of picturesque streets, secluded beaches, and abandoned mines. Yet Chief Superintendent Powell soon learns that Penrick already harbors unsolved mysteries. For, thirty years ago, someone killed a teenager and left her body to wash up on Penrick Sands -- precisely where the apparition now appears. In fact, Powell faces not one but two strangely intertwined puzzles and a double-edged sword of menace ..."
~~back cover

Another tightly woven, circular smattering of clues, until the very end, when it all falls in place. And an interesting subplot: our Chief Superintendent Powell has yearnings towards a lady author, and ricochets between remembering he's married and wanting to know more about the on-scene temptation. Which side will win out?

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

#2 in the Scotland Yard Chief Superintendent Erskine Powell mystery series. Residents in the Cornwall seaside town of Penrick report an eerie, glowing apparition that rides the surf at night. Powell, along with Detective Sergeant William Black, is sent to Penrick. They find that recent events may be connected to the unsolved murder of a teenage girl thirty years ago along with some tangled relationships.

This is a very quick easy reading mystery which keeps you guessing.

[Daniel Fritch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graham Thomas’s realistic fiction novel, titled Malice In Cornwall, presents the idea of mystery and misfortune. He implies a strange plot with obstacles and misfortune.

The story takes place in Cornwall sometime in the 1900s. The reader is introduced to Eskrine Powell. Powell is a detective sent out to Cornwall to investigate a dead body washing up on the beach. He is a pretty straightforward character with not much depth to him. One more character is sergeant Butts who is an optimistic side character who is always with Powell.

The book is a very slow start and hard to get into but as the reader goes along it picks up quickly. Thomas creates amazing obstacles and turns that keep the reader turning pages. Once the reader gets through the dragged-out beginning it’s hard to put down. The author creates a great plot to make up for the flat characters.

This novel is a decent read for a young adult who wants s decent story that isn’t very long.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice short mystery. Great descriptions of the Cornwall coast.

[G. Munson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in spite of the fact that I wasn't a huge fan of Malice in the Highlands. I liked it enough to read the next book, and it didn't hurt that it's set in Cornwall, so I may be biased. With that:
The best thing I can say is I liked it better than the first book. I thought it was better written and had a better back story overall. I think the end was a bit forced for my tastes; not because I didn't guess it (which I did), but because it felt too easy. Still, I enjoyed the ride and wasn't super dissatisfied when it ended. I think I was just hoping for more. It was nice to take a virtual stroll down the southwest coast though, and for that I'm glad I read it. Of course, it could really have been set in any small coastal area, but I still enjoyed the local references.

[Pontiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing mystery of a glow-in-the-dark body, headless and limbless, washing up on the shore in the village of Penrick.

Chief inspector Powell and his colleague, Bill Black, from Scitland Yard, show up to solve the mystery. Along the way, they meet many characters, each with their own story, and as the plot thickens, more murder and chaos ensue.

Enjoyable read, a bit slow in the beginning, but well written and reasonable in its conclusion.

Looking forward to reading more in this series.

[Gail Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chief Superintendent Erskine Powell is caught in two murders, twenty years apart. Led to Cornwall by a "Riddle"--a glowing creature on the seashore-- thy mystery is tied to the past and the contemporary times and the history of Cornwall's Celtic people.

[Jill Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. A bit forced, but short, fun and set in Cornwall - which was my main reason for grabbing it out of the Little Library on my lawn. It's going back, so if you need a quick mystery for a short flight or a long wait at the Drs office - Grab It.

[Cws]

M Tho

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book. It read fast. I have one more of this author's books. I will read it to kind of compare.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy these Erskine Powell mysteries. This time the setting is Cornwall. Thomas always does a superb job of evoking a strong sense of place.

[Julie]

liked it, but not as well as the first, malice in the highlands. there is an eerily glowing body that appears and disappears along a certain cornish beach....

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly good.

[Desiree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective story with a bit of humor. Nice setting.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I thought this was a good little mystery. Nothing spectacular and it seems a bit rushed at the end, but it was an easy, fun, English mystery. I would probably read Graham Thomas again.