The Mermaid
of Penperro
The Mermaid of Penperro by Lisa Cach is a historical novel which combines smuggling in Cornwall with the legends of mermaids and the siren voices that lure men to their deaths on the rocks. But for those who are wondering if there are real mermaids in this story, sorry to disappoint but that is not the case. However the legend of the Mermaid of Penperro is an essential part of the novel.
Konstanze Bugg flees her brutal husband and with only her maid Hilde travels to Cornwall and changes her name to Constance Penrose. Thinking that she will live her life in peace away from her husband and his equally awful grown son her plans are soon altered and instead of hiding away she finds herself the centre of attention in her role as a mermaid.
Tom Trewella is a smuggler who is finding life more and more dangerous as the agents of the Crown close their nets in around him and the men of Penperro. When he spies the mysterious Constance singing (a gift inherited from her mother) on the rocks off of the coast he at first mistakes her for a real mermaid. However he soon realises that she is merely human. But a plot forms in his mind that as no one in the village has seen their reclusive new resident she could easily be mistaken by everyone for a real mermaid and thus distract the Crown’s agent Robert Foweather from his task of stopping the smuggling.
Tom Trewella is also the executor of Konstanze’s uncle’s Will and is well aware of who she is despite her name change.
At first Constance does not want to take part in any scheme against the Crown but nonetheless she finds herself taking on the role of mermaid in order to entice the agent away from the coves where the smugglers are working.
In her role as mermaid she soon entrances Robert Foweather who, egged on by the locals, believes that she has come to take him back under the sea with her.
Things take a dangerous turn however and Constance’s path is also catching up with her, even as she starts to fall for Tom who is under his own mermaid’s spell of enchantment.
Events reach a grand climax but can Constance escape her past completely and build a new life with Tom?
A strong plot where there the reader can find themselves rooting for not only Constance and Tom but also for Robert who is haplessly caught up in the mermaid legend and is a not entirely unlikeable villain in story. Though the true villain’s in the story, the Buggs are as unlikeable as anyone can be.
Entertaining and a refreshing new take on the legends of the mermaids.
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Also by Lisa Cach: The Changeling Bride,
Of Midnight Born, George and
the Virgin and Bewitching the Baron.