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Cornish Mysteries #1
Falling Creatures
The Times Historical Book of the Month
Cornwall, 1844. On a lonely moorland farm not far from Jamaica Inn, farmhand Shilly finds love in the arms of Charlotte Dymond. But Charlotte has many secrets, possessing powers that cause both good and ill. When she's found on the moor with her throat cut, Shilly is determined to find out who is responsible, and so is the stranger calling himself Mr Williams who asks for Shilly's help. Mr Williams has secrets too, and Shilly is thrown into the bewildering new world of modern detection.
Cornwall, 1844. On a lonely moorland farm not far from Jamaica Inn, farmhand Shilly finds love in the arms of Charlotte Dymond. But Charlotte has many secrets, possessing powers that cause both good and ill. When she's found on the moor with her throat cut, Shilly is determined to find out who is responsible, and so is the stranger calling himself Mr Williams who asks for Shilly's help. Mr Williams has secrets too, and Shilly is thrown into the bewildering new world of modern detection.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published March 23, 2017
20 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Stansfield
15 books59 followersKatherine Stansfield is a multi-genre novelist and poet who grew up on Bodmin Moor and now lives in Cardiff.
Her Cornish Mysteries crime series is set in the 1840s and features unorthodox detective duo Anna Drake and Shilly Williams. The pair investigate crimes based on real events in Cornish history and involve a good dash of local folklore. Think 'Sherlock Holmes meets the X Files meets Daphne du Maurier'.
Katherine is also one half of the writing partnership DK Fields, with her partner David Towsey. Head of Zeus will publish their political fantasy novel Widow’s Welcome, the first in The Tales of Fenest trilogy, in August 2019.
You can find Katherine on Twitter, @K_Stansfield, and keep up to date with events and new interviews via her website: http://katherinestansfield.blogspot.c...
Her Cornish Mysteries crime series is set in the 1840s and features unorthodox detective duo Anna Drake and Shilly Williams. The pair investigate crimes based on real events in Cornish history and involve a good dash of local folklore. Think 'Sherlock Holmes meets the X Files meets Daphne du Maurier'.
Katherine is also one half of the writing partnership DK Fields, with her partner David Towsey. Head of Zeus will publish their political fantasy novel Widow’s Welcome, the first in The Tales of Fenest trilogy, in August 2019.
You can find Katherine on Twitter, @K_Stansfield, and keep up to date with events and new interviews via her website: http://katherinestansfield.blogspot.c...
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 14, 2017
The flavour of Katherine Stansfield’s book reminded me so of Emma Donoghue’s. Both are set in remote corners of the United Kingdom during the reign of Victoria: Ireland in The Wonder and Cornwall in Falling Creatures. (We too often forget that the Cornish are not English.) Both feature a central character mired (literally too) in a slough of toxic religiosity: Roman Catholic and Methodist chapel respectively. But this is a simpler story & I expect most readers would find it less ‘literary’ (whatever that means) than The Wonder. Personally I found the absence of bizarre OTT RC practices made Falling Creatures more accessible. Fortunately the narrator believes in the traditional magic just enough to add the right spooky touch. She a farm servant girl, the best friend and lover of Catherine Dymond, the murder victim. The word ‘lesbian’ hadn’t been invented then & I liked how she doesn’t regard their attachment as anything unusual. The narrator is called “Shilly” (short of “shilly-shally”) by her farm mistress, we find out her real name only @ the end. Catherine is found in a turfy mire with her throat cut, and Matthew, a farm servant is accused of the murder.
I found the settings superbly done, without too much description but with a feel for the landscape and the interiors, especially the smoky tavern that’s the setting for the trial. The characters vary in social class from gentleman and magistrate down to servants, & are placed easily by their characteristics. ‘Mr Williams’ - who appears initially @ the trial in the guise of a newspaper reporter from London, reminded me a bit too much of Lib in The Wonder as being presented anachronistically in the story more to appeal to readers today than realistically fitting the period. But I am very hard to please as a reader of historicals. Otherwise seemed a very attractive character & appropriately good at disguises.
This book sticks much closer to its original source than The Wonder. Tho’ both Williams and Shilly are invented characters, the rest of the story including the outcome of the trial are based on fact. But it’s an excellent story, the setting is well-rendered, & sometimes very eerie - especially the ponies drowning in the peat bog.
I found the settings superbly done, without too much description but with a feel for the landscape and the interiors, especially the smoky tavern that’s the setting for the trial. The characters vary in social class from gentleman and magistrate down to servants, & are placed easily by their characteristics. ‘Mr Williams’ - who appears initially @ the trial in the guise of a newspaper reporter from London, reminded me a bit too much of Lib in The Wonder as being presented anachronistically in the story more to appeal to readers today than realistically fitting the period. But I am very hard to please as a reader of historicals. Otherwise seemed a very attractive character & appropriately good at disguises.
This book sticks much closer to its original source than The Wonder. Tho’ both Williams and Shilly are invented characters, the rest of the story including the outcome of the trial are based on fact. But it’s an excellent story, the setting is well-rendered, & sometimes very eerie - especially the ponies drowning in the peat bog.
March 20, 2017
Travel to Cornwall in Victorian times Falling Creatures
This was a fascinating book. I’d never heard of this case and I quickly became very involved with it. It’s raw and eerie setting on the Cornish Moors, the wild and horrific nature of the girl’s death and the mystery of who might have done it and why was a fascinating insight into the life and times of 1830s Cornwall.
The Cornish landscape has never seemed so vividly desolate and haunting. Fact and fiction roam the hills on the Cornish moorland. Gothic mists, desolate moors and dark shadows roam each and every page.
The mystery of why Charlotte went missing and then the investigation which followed was simply captivating. Police at the time used methods and ways that seem so alien to us now, and of course there was little to no technology so the opinions and attitudes of the day were very different.
The writing is crisp and the entire case is set up very well so you get fully immersed in the darkness and shadows. I was fascinated with the police investigation and the reactions of those who lived nearby. The landscape sweeps the reader along with the mystery and the trees on Rough Tor wrap their spindly branches around your throat as you read.
There’s something about revisiting old crimes that sets them apart from modern ones that really allows the reader to see inside the heart of times past. I loved the character of Shilly and the mysterious Mr Williams as the world of modern detection opens up.
This was a fascinating book. I’d never heard of this case and I quickly became very involved with it. It’s raw and eerie setting on the Cornish Moors, the wild and horrific nature of the girl’s death and the mystery of who might have done it and why was a fascinating insight into the life and times of 1830s Cornwall.
The Cornish landscape has never seemed so vividly desolate and haunting. Fact and fiction roam the hills on the Cornish moorland. Gothic mists, desolate moors and dark shadows roam each and every page.
The mystery of why Charlotte went missing and then the investigation which followed was simply captivating. Police at the time used methods and ways that seem so alien to us now, and of course there was little to no technology so the opinions and attitudes of the day were very different.
The writing is crisp and the entire case is set up very well so you get fully immersed in the darkness and shadows. I was fascinated with the police investigation and the reactions of those who lived nearby. The landscape sweeps the reader along with the mystery and the trees on Rough Tor wrap their spindly branches around your throat as you read.
There’s something about revisiting old crimes that sets them apart from modern ones that really allows the reader to see inside the heart of times past. I loved the character of Shilly and the mysterious Mr Williams as the world of modern detection opens up.
May 14, 2017
“1844. A brutal murder rocks Victorian Cornwall. In a place where the dead lie uneasy in their graves, to find a murderer a young woman must first learn who she can trust.”
That’s the passage on the front of the [arc] book and also my favourite passage of the entire book. Sadly, Falling Creatures was not the book I hoped it would be. I felt the plot and the writing style were rather simple; I feel the combination of both these simplicities prevented some of the themes coming through as strong as I’d have liked. For example, this novel does have a gothic atmosphere to it but for me, it lacked the eeriness that often accompanies such an atmosphere. The death of Charlotte Dymond was horrific, the idea of the Cornish Moors in 1844 being isolated, these are two things I believe could have been maximised to create a haunting reading experience. The elements of the supernatural were subtle, woven into this story, but again I would have liked this theme to have come through stronger, used to build on the already gothic atmosphere.
As you don’t learn much about any of the characters, I struggled to connect with any of them, they were all odd and peculiar, I had no one to pull me through the read. I believe the mysteriousness of the characters would have worked better if I felt a haunting aura surrounding the plot. My favourite character was likely Charlotte as she appeared the most mysterious, there was something appealing about her character that I’d have loved to explore more, but alas, she’s the one who was murdered.
I did like the short chapters as it allowed this to become a quick read and prevented the story becoming too slow in pace. The mystery lies in who murdered Charlotte and I can’t deny I wanted to know who the murderer was – it was that alone that kept me turning pages, but at the same time I would have been satisfied if someone had said to me ‘you don’t need to read anymore, XXXXXX killed her’.
I saw so much potential in this story and I feel like I know the desired effect this book was meant to have, the atmosphere it was meant to create, but sadly I didn’t feel it and it was so frustrating because I could see it there under the surface and I was waiting for it grab hold of me but sadly, I just couldn’t get into this one.
As reviews for this one are slowing emerging, I appear to be in the minority of those who would struggle to recommend this book so please do check out some other reviews before writing this book off.
That’s the passage on the front of the [arc] book and also my favourite passage of the entire book. Sadly, Falling Creatures was not the book I hoped it would be. I felt the plot and the writing style were rather simple; I feel the combination of both these simplicities prevented some of the themes coming through as strong as I’d have liked. For example, this novel does have a gothic atmosphere to it but for me, it lacked the eeriness that often accompanies such an atmosphere. The death of Charlotte Dymond was horrific, the idea of the Cornish Moors in 1844 being isolated, these are two things I believe could have been maximised to create a haunting reading experience. The elements of the supernatural were subtle, woven into this story, but again I would have liked this theme to have come through stronger, used to build on the already gothic atmosphere.
As you don’t learn much about any of the characters, I struggled to connect with any of them, they were all odd and peculiar, I had no one to pull me through the read. I believe the mysteriousness of the characters would have worked better if I felt a haunting aura surrounding the plot. My favourite character was likely Charlotte as she appeared the most mysterious, there was something appealing about her character that I’d have loved to explore more, but alas, she’s the one who was murdered.
I did like the short chapters as it allowed this to become a quick read and prevented the story becoming too slow in pace. The mystery lies in who murdered Charlotte and I can’t deny I wanted to know who the murderer was – it was that alone that kept me turning pages, but at the same time I would have been satisfied if someone had said to me ‘you don’t need to read anymore, XXXXXX killed her’.
I saw so much potential in this story and I feel like I know the desired effect this book was meant to have, the atmosphere it was meant to create, but sadly I didn’t feel it and it was so frustrating because I could see it there under the surface and I was waiting for it grab hold of me but sadly, I just couldn’t get into this one.
As reviews for this one are slowing emerging, I appear to be in the minority of those who would struggle to recommend this book so please do check out some other reviews before writing this book off.
May 5, 2017
You don't often see a well-crafted gothic novel these days so Falling Creatures is to be treasured. Not only that, but Katherine Stansfield has brought a clever twenty-first century sensibility to the genre which gives the story a contemporary feel even as Stansfield skilfully immerses the reader in nineteenth-century Cornwall. As Kate Summerscale did in the wonderful The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Stansfield has taken a real life crime and revisited it with a modern, forensic, eye. However, unlike Kate Summerscale, Katherine Stansfield has allowed herself and her reader the luxury of going beyond the purely factual into the realm of imagination. And, in doing so, she has given us a book surprisingly full of the best sort of truth.
May 5, 2019
Read my other book reviews at booksibled.wordpress.com
I should probably say straight off that I sort of know the person who wrote this book. At first, I was actually quite worried about that. What if I hated it? What if it was really boring, or full of typos, or half way through there was a barely concealed rant about how terrible a student I’d been? (because, bless you Kath, that piece I wrote was shockingly cliché and I don’t understand how you didn’t casually trip me out of the window and go straight back to writing your novel) Well, I’m relieved to tell you that I didn’t need to worry. I went out and picked up a copy assuming that, If I did hate it, I could just pretend I’d not gotten around to it yet. The next day I got on the train and honestly I don’t remember much from the next few days because I spent most it with my nose firmly in this book.
In short ‘Falling Creatures’ is a novelisation of the mystery surround the murder of a young girl on Cornish moorland. Charlotte Dymond was a domestic servant who went missing from the small farm she worked on and later turned up brutally murdered in her Sunday best. I’ve never come across the story before although I’m well acquainted with murders of a similar period and I’m surprised it has never come up. This case has it all, interesting characters, multiple suspects, a dark and eerie setting and so much scope for theorising.
Stansfield has clearly popped down to an archive or two and done her research because so much of the tale she weaves feels effortless. So much so that when I raved about it to my family I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction and we would most likely never really know the truth. The settings are wonderfully described and even the more gory elements of the narrative are bleak but not sensationalised. In this way, the moors are given that same sense of the sublime that carried Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Bodmin Moor becomes another of the novels characters, terrifying and silent and yet, home.
If you held a gun to my head and told me to complain about anything then I would say that I was a little wary of the witchcraft. It’s a subject and a practice that is very close to my heart and years of representation both true and falsified or embellished has brought us to an uncomfortable standstill around most Pagan religions. My serious issues and love for Paganism is not, however, the point of this review and I’m happy to conclude that while I began the witchcraft element of ‘Falling Creatures’ thinking “Oh no, not again”, I honestly ended it far more happy than I thought I would. The magic referenced was mainly folk magic that would have been fairly close to the era and whether it worked or not was left to the reader’s superstitions and beliefs, not openly assumed. I liked that from a historical work. Also, while much of Charlotte’s magic was quite dark it only added to her enthralling character. She is not the typical ‘woe is me’ victim, she can be cruel and vindictive, vain and covetous. All in all I was pleasantly surprised so ha! No complaint for you!
I’d love to run on about the depth Stansfield brought out in all her characters and the mystery she came up with that had me second guessing my assumptions at every turn. How I never knew who to trust, not even the narrator herself and how the addition of a certain Mr Williams was a spark of actual genius that made me gasp and grin rather too much for the commuters on my Victoria Line train. But I honestly don’t want to spoil this one for you. I think you should go out there and experience the same excitement and plot twists that I did. Then you should come back and we can chat about it into the wee small hours.
P.S. A fantastic adaptation of a terrible true murder on the creepy setting of a Bodmin Moor, a whole host of suspects and witnesses who all have reasons to lie, a girl hunting for answers after the mysterious woman she is obsessed with disappears and a race against time to find the killer, all the while sussing out the secrets of Mr Williams who is not as he seems. If you like beautifully dark books, excellent women running the show and a story that will keep you wondering long after you’ve reached the end then this book is for you.
I should probably say straight off that I sort of know the person who wrote this book. At first, I was actually quite worried about that. What if I hated it? What if it was really boring, or full of typos, or half way through there was a barely concealed rant about how terrible a student I’d been? (because, bless you Kath, that piece I wrote was shockingly cliché and I don’t understand how you didn’t casually trip me out of the window and go straight back to writing your novel) Well, I’m relieved to tell you that I didn’t need to worry. I went out and picked up a copy assuming that, If I did hate it, I could just pretend I’d not gotten around to it yet. The next day I got on the train and honestly I don’t remember much from the next few days because I spent most it with my nose firmly in this book.
In short ‘Falling Creatures’ is a novelisation of the mystery surround the murder of a young girl on Cornish moorland. Charlotte Dymond was a domestic servant who went missing from the small farm she worked on and later turned up brutally murdered in her Sunday best. I’ve never come across the story before although I’m well acquainted with murders of a similar period and I’m surprised it has never come up. This case has it all, interesting characters, multiple suspects, a dark and eerie setting and so much scope for theorising.
Stansfield has clearly popped down to an archive or two and done her research because so much of the tale she weaves feels effortless. So much so that when I raved about it to my family I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction and we would most likely never really know the truth. The settings are wonderfully described and even the more gory elements of the narrative are bleak but not sensationalised. In this way, the moors are given that same sense of the sublime that carried Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Bodmin Moor becomes another of the novels characters, terrifying and silent and yet, home.
If you held a gun to my head and told me to complain about anything then I would say that I was a little wary of the witchcraft. It’s a subject and a practice that is very close to my heart and years of representation both true and falsified or embellished has brought us to an uncomfortable standstill around most Pagan religions. My serious issues and love for Paganism is not, however, the point of this review and I’m happy to conclude that while I began the witchcraft element of ‘Falling Creatures’ thinking “Oh no, not again”, I honestly ended it far more happy than I thought I would. The magic referenced was mainly folk magic that would have been fairly close to the era and whether it worked or not was left to the reader’s superstitions and beliefs, not openly assumed. I liked that from a historical work. Also, while much of Charlotte’s magic was quite dark it only added to her enthralling character. She is not the typical ‘woe is me’ victim, she can be cruel and vindictive, vain and covetous. All in all I was pleasantly surprised so ha! No complaint for you!
I’d love to run on about the depth Stansfield brought out in all her characters and the mystery she came up with that had me second guessing my assumptions at every turn. How I never knew who to trust, not even the narrator herself and how the addition of a certain Mr Williams was a spark of actual genius that made me gasp and grin rather too much for the commuters on my Victoria Line train. But I honestly don’t want to spoil this one for you. I think you should go out there and experience the same excitement and plot twists that I did. Then you should come back and we can chat about it into the wee small hours.
P.S. A fantastic adaptation of a terrible true murder on the creepy setting of a Bodmin Moor, a whole host of suspects and witnesses who all have reasons to lie, a girl hunting for answers after the mysterious woman she is obsessed with disappears and a race against time to find the killer, all the while sussing out the secrets of Mr Williams who is not as he seems. If you like beautifully dark books, excellent women running the show and a story that will keep you wondering long after you’ve reached the end then this book is for you.
June 10, 2023
Rep: lesbian mc
CWs: gore, animal death
CWs: gore, animal death
January 7, 2020
Check out my blog Latif Reviews for my reviews
SORRY, BUT MINOR SPOILERS.
Based on real events, and the first of Stansfield’s Cornwall Mystery series, we follow Shilly, who meets an enigmatic Charlotte at the local Inn. From there they find work as maids on a farm owned by a prudish, stern but oddly kind woman Mrs Peter. Everyone seems to be attracted to the mysterious Charlotte. She causes a lot of friction between the local men vying for hand and she teaches Shilly about plants and spells. They eventually become secret lovers. But then Charlotte goes missing and her body is found on the moor with her throat slashed. An innocent farmhand is arrested for her murder. Mr Willaims, a detective journalist insists Shilly’s help as a guide and finding the real murderer.
This had so much potential to be more, but it came out to be a decent one-off read, yet I would be willing to read the series. I’ll be honest, this only caught my eye because of the beautiful cover and blurb. It’s bleak, eerie with gothic vibes. Stansfield crafts horrid characters against a miserable backdrop of backward Victorian attitudes about women and their stations in life. The chapters are very short, about two to three pages or so.
I might have been in the wrong sort of mood when I initially started to read Falling Creatures. Maybe I perceived it to be a slow start, but I couldn’t engage with any of the characters, and it wasn’t due to its subtle same-sex relationships (I usually don’t read them but it’s never bothered me). Charlotte was manipulative, aloof and probably messed with Shilly’s emotions. The men, like John Peter, Matthew and Vosper weren’t at all charming. If I talk about Mr Willaims I fear I might reveal too many spoilers. Shilly’s point of view was almost childlike due to its very simple writing style, giving the story authenticity. It only became interesting around 150 pages in with a big reveal about Mr Willams. What got me through was the need to know who killed Charlotte and why. After the reveal, I don’t know, I felt a bit deflated, as though I wasn’t entirely moved by it.
In conclusion, Falling Creatures was a bit of a mix that only became interesting for me about 40% into the book with a good twist I wasn’t expecting. If you know the real-life story, then spoilers, you know that an innocent man was hanged for his crimes. It’s not a bad book, because if it was, I wouldn’t be recommending it or read the next book in the series. A certain type of reader will adore Falling Creatures. Because it’s the first book it might be lacking in certain areas, but I hope the next in the series will reveal more about Shilly and Mr Williams.
SORRY, BUT MINOR SPOILERS.
Based on real events, and the first of Stansfield’s Cornwall Mystery series, we follow Shilly, who meets an enigmatic Charlotte at the local Inn. From there they find work as maids on a farm owned by a prudish, stern but oddly kind woman Mrs Peter. Everyone seems to be attracted to the mysterious Charlotte. She causes a lot of friction between the local men vying for hand and she teaches Shilly about plants and spells. They eventually become secret lovers. But then Charlotte goes missing and her body is found on the moor with her throat slashed. An innocent farmhand is arrested for her murder. Mr Willaims, a detective journalist insists Shilly’s help as a guide and finding the real murderer.
This had so much potential to be more, but it came out to be a decent one-off read, yet I would be willing to read the series. I’ll be honest, this only caught my eye because of the beautiful cover and blurb. It’s bleak, eerie with gothic vibes. Stansfield crafts horrid characters against a miserable backdrop of backward Victorian attitudes about women and their stations in life. The chapters are very short, about two to three pages or so.
I might have been in the wrong sort of mood when I initially started to read Falling Creatures. Maybe I perceived it to be a slow start, but I couldn’t engage with any of the characters, and it wasn’t due to its subtle same-sex relationships (I usually don’t read them but it’s never bothered me). Charlotte was manipulative, aloof and probably messed with Shilly’s emotions. The men, like John Peter, Matthew and Vosper weren’t at all charming. If I talk about Mr Willaims I fear I might reveal too many spoilers. Shilly’s point of view was almost childlike due to its very simple writing style, giving the story authenticity. It only became interesting around 150 pages in with a big reveal about Mr Willams. What got me through was the need to know who killed Charlotte and why. After the reveal, I don’t know, I felt a bit deflated, as though I wasn’t entirely moved by it.
In conclusion, Falling Creatures was a bit of a mix that only became interesting for me about 40% into the book with a good twist I wasn’t expecting. If you know the real-life story, then spoilers, you know that an innocent man was hanged for his crimes. It’s not a bad book, because if it was, I wouldn’t be recommending it or read the next book in the series. A certain type of reader will adore Falling Creatures. Because it’s the first book it might be lacking in certain areas, but I hope the next in the series will reveal more about Shilly and Mr Williams.
March 14, 2018
Falling Creatures is a superb historical crime novel set in Cornwall. But is also so much more; beautiful, gothic, confusing, tragic.
'Shilly' - our totally unreliable narrator - meets Catherine and together they set off to work for Mrs Peter at Penhale Farm. Catherine bewitches most of the other characters, with the exception of Mrs Peter, and teaches Shilly what can only be described as witchcraft. Then there is a murder and the rest of the book focuses on investigating and solving the crime.
At times I found Shilly's telling of events frustrating. She describes Catherine's (often confusing) actions in great detail but the reader has no means of measuring the significance of these actions. The early part of the plot was quite slow as a result of this minutiae. There were several incidences with a mouse called St Michael that left me utterly baffled. The cast of male characters was - at times - confusing. I had difficulty keeping Tom Prout and Isaac Roe straight in my mind, and I felt we were being provided with more suspects to 'pad' the investigation.
But Falling Creatures transcends those mundane issues. The reader has a real sense of 'something' moving and shifting just beyond the realms of our understanding. The writing is beautiful. Shilly and Catherine are flawed, and because of their flaws, they are fascinating and complex. Mr Williams was a perfect addition to the cast and links the micro-events of the book to the macro-events of the wider world (namely, the founding of Scotland Yard and the development of forensics) - and also, most cleverly - forward in time to our own world.
The mystery of the murder is eventually solved, but the mystery of the characters remains unsolvable and in that, Falling Creatures catches the essence of the human spirit. A feat achieved by very few books.
'Shilly' - our totally unreliable narrator - meets Catherine and together they set off to work for Mrs Peter at Penhale Farm. Catherine bewitches most of the other characters, with the exception of Mrs Peter, and teaches Shilly what can only be described as witchcraft. Then there is a murder and the rest of the book focuses on investigating and solving the crime.
At times I found Shilly's telling of events frustrating. She describes Catherine's (often confusing) actions in great detail but the reader has no means of measuring the significance of these actions. The early part of the plot was quite slow as a result of this minutiae. There were several incidences with a mouse called St Michael that left me utterly baffled. The cast of male characters was - at times - confusing. I had difficulty keeping Tom Prout and Isaac Roe straight in my mind, and I felt we were being provided with more suspects to 'pad' the investigation.
But Falling Creatures transcends those mundane issues. The reader has a real sense of 'something' moving and shifting just beyond the realms of our understanding. The writing is beautiful. Shilly and Catherine are flawed, and because of their flaws, they are fascinating and complex. Mr Williams was a perfect addition to the cast and links the micro-events of the book to the macro-events of the wider world (namely, the founding of Scotland Yard and the development of forensics) - and also, most cleverly - forward in time to our own world.
The mystery of the murder is eventually solved, but the mystery of the characters remains unsolvable and in that, Falling Creatures catches the essence of the human spirit. A feat achieved by very few books.
May 16, 2018
"We were close as moor stone and the ground that held it. Until someone uprooted us."
Falling Creatures is the first book in Katherine Stansfield's series of Gothic Cornwall mysteries. The story is narrated by Shilly, a young girl determined to find the killer of her lover, Charlotte, and who partners up with the odd Mr Williams who needs a guide around these parts to pursue his own investigation into Charlotte's murder.
Shilly first met Charlotte at the local Inn where both girls were taken to work as maids for Mrs Peter, a stern but kindly woman. Charlotte is a magnetic character, everyone is attracted to her. She knows plants and spells, and she slowly initiates Shilly into these practices as both become lovers. Then Charlotte is found murdered on the moor and an innocent farmhand is arrested for her murder.
The visuals and the sense of place in this novel are so well developed I could feel the wetness of the marshland, and the cold of the moor stone. Nature is one of the main characters here. Stansfield "grew up in the wilds of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall" her bio says and she has clearly given much thought and respect to nature's role and how it is used and perceived by the people of this book.
Stansfield's prose alone is delicious. She plays with rhythm to give a period style to her writing, giving the narration melody, without it ever feeling forced. The relationships between characters was my favourite part of this novel, people get into trouble because they help each other, nature knows people's secrets and those who pay attention to nature can know much. Mr Williams' secret is a fantastic statement to the strength of women's resolve.
Falling Creatures is based on real events.
Falling Creatures is the first book in Katherine Stansfield's series of Gothic Cornwall mysteries. The story is narrated by Shilly, a young girl determined to find the killer of her lover, Charlotte, and who partners up with the odd Mr Williams who needs a guide around these parts to pursue his own investigation into Charlotte's murder.
Shilly first met Charlotte at the local Inn where both girls were taken to work as maids for Mrs Peter, a stern but kindly woman. Charlotte is a magnetic character, everyone is attracted to her. She knows plants and spells, and she slowly initiates Shilly into these practices as both become lovers. Then Charlotte is found murdered on the moor and an innocent farmhand is arrested for her murder.
The visuals and the sense of place in this novel are so well developed I could feel the wetness of the marshland, and the cold of the moor stone. Nature is one of the main characters here. Stansfield "grew up in the wilds of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall" her bio says and she has clearly given much thought and respect to nature's role and how it is used and perceived by the people of this book.
Stansfield's prose alone is delicious. She plays with rhythm to give a period style to her writing, giving the narration melody, without it ever feeling forced. The relationships between characters was my favourite part of this novel, people get into trouble because they help each other, nature knows people's secrets and those who pay attention to nature can know much. Mr Williams' secret is a fantastic statement to the strength of women's resolve.
Falling Creatures is based on real events.
February 22, 2017
I received a free proof-copy from Allison and Busby Books in a giveaway from the publishers website.
Falling Creatures is set in the Cornish moors in 1844 and is a mix of a whodunit and a supernatural thriller. It begins gently, establishing the characters and their relationships, becoming faster paced as the mystery develops.
An enjoyable read with short chapters, easy to dip in-and-out-of or read in one go as suits. Its due for release in March, and would be a good holiday read to while away journey times.
Falling Creatures is set in the Cornish moors in 1844 and is a mix of a whodunit and a supernatural thriller. It begins gently, establishing the characters and their relationships, becoming faster paced as the mystery develops.
An enjoyable read with short chapters, easy to dip in-and-out-of or read in one go as suits. Its due for release in March, and would be a good holiday read to while away journey times.
May 21, 2017
Extremely atmospheric novel where the setting is as important as the main characters. The writing generates such a dark, somewhat gothic yet rather homely feeling as you read. The short chapters pull you in to the story and I found myself engrossed totally while reading it.
Yet, something didn't sit quite right with it. Shilly's relationship with Mr/Mrs Williams felt very forced and surreal, and the disclosure of Shilly's real name seemed very convenient. I didn't enjoy the story so much once Mr/Mrs Williams came into the picture because it seemed unreasonable for Shilly to so easily trust them, despite the attempts to portray why she ends up trusting them. But, saying that, I found Shilly to be a very interesting character. Her belief in the strange and magical was endearing, and her loyalty to Charlotte very likeable.
I felt that the plot resolved itself in a confusing and rather rushed way. Nothing about the conclusion is surprising, considering the historical accuracy, and it honestly felt like all of Shilly and Mr/Mrs Williams' attempts at changing the outcome were useless. I can't help but feel that this novel would have worked better as something more than just a murder mystery; with the characters' motives stretching further than simply reaching the verdict they believed in.
Saying all of that, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so easy to read and the history of the area is quite obviously a passion of the author's. I feel that this novel really does the real world event justice, and I'd certainly want to read more about these characters within this misty little world.
Yet, something didn't sit quite right with it. Shilly's relationship with Mr/Mrs Williams felt very forced and surreal, and the disclosure of Shilly's real name seemed very convenient. I didn't enjoy the story so much once Mr/Mrs Williams came into the picture because it seemed unreasonable for Shilly to so easily trust them, despite the attempts to portray why she ends up trusting them. But, saying that, I found Shilly to be a very interesting character. Her belief in the strange and magical was endearing, and her loyalty to Charlotte very likeable.
I felt that the plot resolved itself in a confusing and rather rushed way. Nothing about the conclusion is surprising, considering the historical accuracy, and it honestly felt like all of Shilly and Mr/Mrs Williams' attempts at changing the outcome were useless. I can't help but feel that this novel would have worked better as something more than just a murder mystery; with the characters' motives stretching further than simply reaching the verdict they believed in.
Saying all of that, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so easy to read and the history of the area is quite obviously a passion of the author's. I feel that this novel really does the real world event justice, and I'd certainly want to read more about these characters within this misty little world.
February 26, 2018
Although the plot meandered a bit in the middle and I lost the thread of who was who and what was happening, I really enjoyed this novel. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series featuring Shilly and Mr Williams.
Katherine Stansfield is adept at creating mood and a strong sense of place - the Cornish moors play a major role in the book, as the site of the murder and as an ethereal element in the solving of the crime. I also loved her pen profile of Shilly (a great character!) ... but Mr Williams remained somewhat elusive for me. Perhaps the next book will allow us to get to know and understand this character more.
Overall a well written, intriguing and enjoyable read.
Katherine Stansfield is adept at creating mood and a strong sense of place - the Cornish moors play a major role in the book, as the site of the murder and as an ethereal element in the solving of the crime. I also loved her pen profile of Shilly (a great character!) ... but Mr Williams remained somewhat elusive for me. Perhaps the next book will allow us to get to know and understand this character more.
Overall a well written, intriguing and enjoyable read.
December 25, 2017
I very much enjoyed this book. The start I thought was great with the interplay between the mysterious Charlotte and Shilly and once Charlotte dies, you miss her just enough. Perhaps too much even, although the effect of her still lingers in the pages.
However, without saying too much to reveal the plot, I still found myself questioning exactly why they were so sure Matthew didn't do it. Other than a strong feeling of "he wouldn't have done it."
Regardless, the transition into the story of Shilly and Charlotte and Shilly and Mr Williams was an interesting one, and at the end one which I found very fulfilling, leaving me in eager anticipation of the next in the series!
However, without saying too much to reveal the plot, I still found myself questioning exactly why they were so sure Matthew didn't do it. Other than a strong feeling of "he wouldn't have done it."
Regardless, the transition into the story of Shilly and Charlotte and Shilly and Mr Williams was an interesting one, and at the end one which I found very fulfilling, leaving me in eager anticipation of the next in the series!
April 23, 2018
Shape-shifting characters, the supernatural and a great detective take.

This is a bundle of delights rolled up into one great tale. If you like shape-shifting characters, a touch of the supernatural and a good crime to solve, wrapped up in a historical context, this is definitely your next read. Stansfield takes a factual story of a miscarriage of justice and spins it into a fiction of historical mysticism with a contemporary feel. With an ear for Cornish vernacular and an eye for the indelible landscape, you'll be in the capable hands of an accomplished author. Be ready for a surprise or two and sit back and enjoy.

This is a bundle of delights rolled up into one great tale. If you like shape-shifting characters, a touch of the supernatural and a good crime to solve, wrapped up in a historical context, this is definitely your next read. Stansfield takes a factual story of a miscarriage of justice and spins it into a fiction of historical mysticism with a contemporary feel. With an ear for Cornish vernacular and an eye for the indelible landscape, you'll be in the capable hands of an accomplished author. Be ready for a surprise or two and sit back and enjoy.
December 23, 2017
This is an atmospheric murder mystery set in 19th century Cornwall. Based on a real historical crime, the novel weaves together compelling, flawed characters with a healthy dose of the supernatural, all in the bleak but beautiful setting of Bodmin Moor.
December 31, 2017
This made a perfect, slightly spooky and atmospheric Christmas read for me. Based on a real crime, the Cornish landscape and characters were really well captured. I’m looking forward to Katherine’s next book already!
June 4, 2017
Fascinating historical murder mystery, exquisitely told.
April 10, 2018
An incredible, atmospheric read - a combination of gothic mystery, detective story and historical fiction.
April 26, 2019
Loved this story; the setting and the characters. It was atmospheric and true to its place and so believable. I totally accept Stansfield's version of events.
October 23, 2019
I enjoyed this gothic Cornwall mystery, especially the character twist. Will read more of this series.
August 14, 2025
An intriguing historical mystery based on true events.
March 8, 2021
Compelling historical mystery with strong horror/fantasy elements and deeply rooted in its local context.
I loved the characters, even when I wanted to shake them, and I’m very much looking forward to Book 2.
I loved the characters, even when I wanted to shake them, and I’m very much looking forward to Book 2.
April 5, 2017
Just finished, so still waiting for it to digest. It's a bleak book, following a girl who gains employment, falls in love with another worker, who is then murdered.
I know that I did enjoy this, but I didn't particularly like Shilly, I needed to know what had happened, and I did want her to be happy, but I didn't necessarily warm to her. I hated Charlotte, she was a manipulative minx if ever there was one. I'm still unsure whether she did feel anything for Shilly, or if she was just using her, like she used everyone else.
Mr Williams was quite a marvel, but still felt a bit like a stranger and Mrs Peter was a odd one.
So, in short, even though I didn't care for any only them, I needed to know how the story ended and who killed Charlotte.
I know that I did enjoy this, but I didn't particularly like Shilly, I needed to know what had happened, and I did want her to be happy, but I didn't necessarily warm to her. I hated Charlotte, she was a manipulative minx if ever there was one. I'm still unsure whether she did feel anything for Shilly, or if she was just using her, like she used everyone else.
Mr Williams was quite a marvel, but still felt a bit like a stranger and Mrs Peter was a odd one.
So, in short, even though I didn't care for any only them, I needed to know how the story ended and who killed Charlotte.
April 21, 2017
In a word, gorgeous. In more words, the supernatural aspects really appealed to me (which Ms Stansfield handled expertly), but I also loved the balance of rationality, the focus on facts, which kept everything uncertain, unfinished, nothing neat and tidy, which I prefer, because this mimics life. I felt as though I was a person in that world, where superstition and fancies held people far more under its sway than they could possibly do today, which just highlights the author's talent at bringing a modern day reader into a world far flung from our own reality. I continually had doubts what the truth was, felt real fear and of course revulsion at the terrible things Charlotte was capable of doing. I hated Charlotte's narcissism, but at the same time I pitied her. Was she really some sort of self-taught shaman or was she just really good at the power of suggestion. Her rawness, her vulnerability, her ability to catch people in her thrall, there was just something so appealing, yet revolting about her. I felt the author crafted her powerfully through Shilly's eyes.
Shilly I loved for her voice. She's a character with many layers, yet none of them are the same, you just keep peeling and discover more depth. She very interesting to me because she is so matter-of-fact, straight speaking and yet in many ways she's extremely uncomplicated, she's the perfect foil to the complicated and deceptive world the reader finds oneself immersed in.
I loved this book, which I read in less than 24 hrs. I loved everything about it, the page-turning momentum, the unputdownableness of it, the world, even though it was grim, was intoxicating, like escaping in a time machine to another place where the rhythm of life is nothing like we can imagine. I wanted to stay there, by the fire with them, I don't know why, I just did and so long as I had this book in my hand and I was reading their story, I was there, with them.
Brilliant, addictive, poetic, gorgeous.
Shilly I loved for her voice. She's a character with many layers, yet none of them are the same, you just keep peeling and discover more depth. She very interesting to me because she is so matter-of-fact, straight speaking and yet in many ways she's extremely uncomplicated, she's the perfect foil to the complicated and deceptive world the reader finds oneself immersed in.
I loved this book, which I read in less than 24 hrs. I loved everything about it, the page-turning momentum, the unputdownableness of it, the world, even though it was grim, was intoxicating, like escaping in a time machine to another place where the rhythm of life is nothing like we can imagine. I wanted to stay there, by the fire with them, I don't know why, I just did and so long as I had this book in my hand and I was reading their story, I was there, with them.
Brilliant, addictive, poetic, gorgeous.
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