Category: Mystery/Suspense Publisher: ST MARTINS MINOTAUR
ISBN-10: 0312367147
Type: Fiction
Pages: 304
Copyright: October 27, 2009
ISBN-13: 9780312367145
A new mystery series featuring DAPHNE DU MAURIER
THE DAPHNE DU MAURIER MYSTERY SERIES -- BOOK 1, MURDER ON THE CLIFFS, OUT DECEMBER 2009, ST MARTIN'S MINOTAUR, HARDCOVER
Excerpt
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...
So begins this new mystery series featuring young Daphne du Maurier...
PROFESSIONALREVIEWS:
MURDER ON THE CLIFFS: A MYSTERY FEATURING DAPHNE DU MAURIER by Joanna Challis: While vacationing in Cornwall, aspiring author Daphne du Maurier stumbles across the body of a dead girl. As someone seeking inspiration for a story, Daphne couldn’t ask for a better setting. The woman, once a member of the Padthaway kitchen staff and recently engaged to marry Lord David Hartley, was a beautiful girl with a somewhat questionable past. Her future mother-in-law made no bones about her disapproval of the match, and David’s own sister, Lianne, a troubled teen who is on the scene when Daphne makes her discovery, had her own issues with the dead girl. With such a fascinating cast of characters surrounding her as possible suspects, Daphne soon makes it her business to solve what can only be murder. Fans of du Maurier’s work, especially Rebecca, will enjoy seeing the author as the sleuth in this gothic-tinged cozy debut. I know I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next title in Challis’s series. 11/09 Becky Lejeune - www.bookbitch.com
"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 Rebeccawill 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 Mysterywill 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
“All Joanna Challis’ books - Silverthorn, The Secret of the Phoenix and The Pendragon Legacy - are excellent historical romances with strong storylines and likeable characters that you come to care about what happens to them. I loved reading all of these books, and I can honestly say that having not been a romance genre fan before these books have changed my mind. I’m now a fan, well at least a fan of this author and her books. Highly recommended! I hope that the author writes more very soon!” ~ Charlotte Morgan, Round Table Reviews
Pastor Preston Woods who has been hurt so much in the past is seeking a fresh start in the small town of Pinecrest. But when he arrives, he finds himself in the middle of a town struggling with deep-rooted corruption, and a community divided by secre
