Framed In Cornwall is the second Cornwall mystery by Janie Bolitho, featuring tight pacing with a complex plot that focuses on character and buried secrets.
When Rose visits her elderly friend Dorothy on her secluded farm, she has no idea that she and Dorothy's adult son Martin will discover her dead on her kitchen floor. The cause was not medical, and unlikely she would commit suicide. It's unthinkable it was murder. Her son Martin lives in an abandoned caravan in the hills above the property, and has always been apart from society:
"It would have been nice to have a friend of his own, but where would he find one?"
He'll need help navigating his grief.
The farmer next door (nicknamed Jobber) is also stricken, as he has always loved Dorothy although she turned down his proposals. Her other son Peter and his wife Gwen never visited, and are only concerned with getting ahold of what they have coming to them, what they feel is already theirs - were they desperate enough to kill for it? Rose's friendship is integral to the family and naturally she steps in to help Martin. Inspector Jack Pearce is once again investigating other suspicious activity - an antiques dealer down from Bristol invited by Dorothy to look over some of her possessions, and a local church-going grocer whose sister has just died of cancer. The plot lines overlap and weave suspects into the mix. Meanwhile, Rose rediscovers her love of oil painting and, against my advice, halts her romantic relationship.
This mystery goes into personality and character in an insightful way. Martin is a loner who has difficulty with people, and losing his strong independent mother leaves him hanging. Good thing Jobber is there for stability, and he can count on Rose to help him decide what to do. Fred, the local grocer, also has a deep backstory - some of which the town gossips about already but will have an impact on discovering if Dorothy committed suicide. This is a layered puzzle of hidden secrets where Rose is not the dead centre - several stories revolve around her and the Cornwall area giving this a well rounded feel. There are no logical suspects and the mystery of what happened on that night continues right up to the very last pages. Very enjoyable.
Publishers Allison & Busby, it's too late now, but there are typos on pages 99, 110, 115 and 174. Readers appreciate good proof-reading!
1998 / Tradeback / 255 pages
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