The Cornish in the Caribbean

Appleby, Sue. The Cornish in the Caribbean: From the 17th to the 19th Centuries. Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Matador, 2019.

This well-documented historical work focuses on the Cornish immigration to the Caribbean in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Appleby provides insight into conditions drawing men to the islands. Mining became the chief occupation of those who settled. Because of Methodism's prevalence in Cornwall, missionaries populated the islands reaching out to the English and native inhabitants. The main text presents the lives of the men residing in the islands while the appendices provide brief histories of the islands and of Methodism's rise in Cornwall. With over 750 endnotes and an extensive bibliography, Appleby provides readers with resources for further research. I received an electronic copy from the publisher through NetGalley with expectations of an honest review. In the protected ePub version I downloaded, the illustrations were distorted. It was especially annoying with maps and elongated single portraits/sketches of individuals. I do not know if the problem extends to the Kindle version and certainly hope the problem was not in the print edition.

Blue Water Hues

Delany, Vicki. Blue Water Hues. Custer, Washington: Orca Books, 2018.

The paramedics on the Caribbean Victoria and Albert Islands receive a call to a fire at a beach resort. They treat a couple of persons for smoke inhalation before assisting in the recovery of a body. The investigation rules the fire arson. Soon the victim's boyfriend is found dead of a gunshot wound which is too quickly ruled as self-inflicted because of a printed suicide note. Police Sergeant Alan Westbrook knows the investigation was likely closed too quickly, probably due to influence from political officeholders with interests in the resort. Darlene, the hotel manager where paramedic Ashley Grant resides, wants to see justice for the person who killed her relative and enlists Ashley's assistance. With the help of a hotel employee, it finally reaches a solution. This is part of the Rapid Reads collection. As such, the plot is less developed than in some. In some ways this story really needed to be a little longer because it felt some points were rushed or glossed over, needing further development. Still it will provide an enjoyable mystery jaunt for those with limited time for reading. This review is based on an advance reading copy provided through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.