A Castaway in Cornwall

Laura Callaway daily walks the windswept Cornwall coast, known for many shipwrecks but few survivors. She feels like a castaway, set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers. Now living with her parson uncle and his parsimonious wife in North Cornwall, Laura is viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong somewhere again.

When ships sink, wreckers scour the shore for valuables, while Laura searches for clues to the lives lost. She has written letters to loved ones and returned keepsakes to rightful owners. She collects seashells and mementos, and when a man is washed ashore, she collects him too.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the castaway, the mystery surrounding him grows. He has abrasions and a deep cut that looks suspiciously like a knife wound, and he speaks in careful, educated English, yet his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Their attraction grows, and while she longs to return the man to his rightful home, evidence against him mounts. With danger pursuing them from every side, will Laura ever find the answers and love she seeks?

My Review: 8/10

One of the best things about Ms. Klassen's works is the way they transport me to another time and place. This book was no exception. The story is rich in language, customs and details unique to the location (Cornwall) and time (early 1800s). The snippets from supporting works at the beginning of each chapter were a great touch and so interesting!

Reading from the point of view of a Captain fighting for Napoleon was a unique experience; as most of the books I read have the benefit of knowing how history played out, they typically align their characters with the winning side. I appreciated the different perspective.

On a side note, as usual I am one of the few that *doesn't* appreciate the nods, or rather direct quotes from Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen worked into the story.

Would definitely recommend!