SOLVED. Mystery read about 35 years ago and seemed a bit old fashioned then. Story for 9-11 year olds. A mystery set in cornwall maybe, girl from kenya who paints decides to paint an old inn fir a competition but her pictures keep getting destroyed. [s]

[Sam]

Please help find this book - think the inn was called the silver seahorse or something like that

[Capn]

There's a Mabel Esther Allan one I haven't read called The Conch Shell set in Cornwall - not sure about the painting/mural part, but if it sounds familiar, I do know someone who has read it. It's as rare as hen's teeth at the moment and not on OpenLibrary, etc. :(

There are a couple of lists you might like to peruse as well.

Cornish Children's Books:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

and the rather broad
Kid/YA books set in Ireland/Scotland/Wales/Cornwall:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Sam]

Thank you - it is not the Conch Shell. I doubt famous enough to appear on a list. I think the title had the name of the abandoned inn in it and it was the silver something or other. Thanks anyway.

[Capn]

Well I don't know - one of my pasttimes is digging up obscure and out of print books and listing them on Listopia. And I'm not alone...! :)

But you're right - if more people contributed, Listopia would be much more definitive. :)

There's another list:
YA & MG set in Cornwall
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

I'm not finding much with "silver", "seahorse", "inn" in Cornwall on WorldCat, if I'm honest (doesn't mean it isn't there, and it doesn't mean someone else won't find it!). Louise Cooper's The Silver Dolphin is from 2008 - I mention it only because it's muddying the Cornish waters...!

A Candle to the Devil on an outside chance. MC is from Wyoming, and a painting (or paintings?) are stolen. I doubt it's your book, but just in case it sounds familiar.

Can you remember anything about the cover? If there's a silver seahorse on that, we might have some luck with:
Seahorses on the cover:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Capn]

Did you read it in English originally?

[Sam]

Hi - yes it was English - I think cover had abandoned inn on it. Thanks for all your help.

[Capn]

Well I wish I could find it for you! :S I'll keep looking. :)

On a very outside chance - there's swiped paintings on the seaside (painting al fresco on the quay) in Cornwall in Over Sea, Under Stone. But this is a fantasy book, and I think you'd remember other details about it!

[Sam]

No - I have read that one. It’s not the one I am thinking of.

[Capn]

Another pot-shot to rule out:
Sylvia Game, The
(set in Dorset, has kids and paintings)

Your book sounds so familiar to me - I have a horrible feeling it'll be buried somewhere on my To Read list (in the 1000s). :S

[Sam]

No - it’s not that one. Thanks

[Ayshe]

The Mystery of the Silver Circle maybe?

[Sam]

Yes! That’s it. Thank you so much!