Flowers for Miss Pengelly

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. Na%C3%AFve 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. (Apr.)