MURDER ON THE CLIFFS
November 2009 ~ St Martins Minotaur
The storm led me to Padthaway.
I could never resist the allure of dark swirling clouds, windswept leaves sweeping down cobbled lanes or a view of the sea stirring up its defiant nature. The sea possessed a power all of its own and this part of Cornwall, an isolated stretch of rocky cliff tops and unexplored beaches both enchanted and terrified me.
It is not a lie to say I felt drawn out that day, led to a certain destiny…
Walking on the cliffs in Cornwall, Daphne du Maurier, headstrong, adventurous, stumbles upon the drowned body of a beautiful woman, dressed only in her nightgown, her hair strewn along the rocks, her eyes gazing up to the heavens. Daphne soon learns that the mysterious woman was engaged to marry Lord Hartley of Padthaway, an Elizabethan mansion full of intriguing secrets.
As the daughter of the famous Sir Gerald du Maurier, Daphne is welcomed into the Hartley home, but when the drowning turns out to be a murder, Daphne determines to get to the bottom of the mysteries of Padthaway - in part to find fresh inspiration for her writing, and in part because she cannot resist the allure of grand houses and long buried secrets.
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"...the plot is strong and interesting, and du Maurier lovers will definitely be interested." - Romantic Times BookReviews
"In this series debut, Australian author Challis resurrects a writer whose own life was full of secrets to solve a mystery that turns on the complexities of a family hiding its own. Readers who remember du Maurier's classic Rebecca will love the remote Cornwall setting and the many hints that lead to both real and fictional events. " - 90/100, Library Journal
"...a gothic mystery full of suspense and unique characters. The setting is eerie, yet relieved with sporadic and unexpected humor. The plot twists and spirals like a morning mist that doesn't dissipate until all is revealed. Murder on The Cliffs: A Daphne Du Maurier Mystery will have you up late burning the midnight oil. A stellar read!" - 4 ribbons from Romance Junkies
"...is a step back in history to a small town caught in a turn of the century time warp. Daphne is a progressive woman in a time and place where such attitudes are still uncommon but quite forcefully gains the respect and admiration of those around her. And while this story is not full of heart-pounding suspense or terribly romantic, it is a fantastic mystery. The descriptive settings and characterizations make this an extremely enjoyable read. Recommended." - 4 cups, Coffee Time Romance
"Australian author Challis' US debut gives du Maurier fans an appealing vision of the novelist's early womanhood and the inspiration for her classic Rebecca." - Publisher's Weekly
Angus & Robertson (Australia)