Atmospheric mystery set among the ruggedly beautiful scenery of Wales.
Okay, I’m a little biased when it comes to this book because I helped out with the proofreading, but for anyone who’d like to spend some time in Wales and enjoy the musical accent while sipping a hot cup of tea, Witch Bay is for you. I felt I was there in the village myself walking along the cliffs with Beth or strolling around with Gywn. The gentle pace and relatable characters made it a breeze to read. The Witch herself was suitably sinister – a beautiful but dangerous part of nature. The image of the yawning cave gave me chills.
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Blurb for Witch Bay
In a coastal village in Wales, someone is committing the perfect crime: people are disappearing without a trace. An elderly woman is the most recent disappearance. A day later, police find her body washed up on the beach. Senior officers record it as death by misadventure, but Village Constable Gwyn Thomas is certain her death and the other disappearances are connected.
Police suspicion is inevitable, but as with many crimes, an unintended consequence follows. This time the consequence has a name—Bethan, the dead woman’s niece. When she arrives from London to claim her inheritance, she refuses to accept her aunt’s death was accidental. Bethan begins hunting down and questioning village residents who might have information. As the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place, suddenly the tables are turned. She discovers she is no longer the hunter—she is the prey.
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About Pam
For several years, I wrote non-fiction articles published in Canadian and American magazines but my heart was really in storytelling.
Hi, I’m Pam Crompton. I grew up on the outskirts of a small village in Welsh farming country. When I was a little girl there was no television, and radio was limited to the news and music. For entertainment, people used to gather around the fire and tell stories or talk about something that happened just as they had from time immemorial. If I stayed very quiet, my mother would forget I wasn’t in bed and I could listen to the adults talk. Many of those stories stayed in my mind and eventually I included some of them in my collection Land of My Fathers.
Not all of the talk involved people we knew, a lot of it was folklore and history. I doubt there are many Welsh people who are not curious about and proud of their Celtic ancestry and who are not intrigued by Merlin. At school, history was my best subject; I found it fascinating.
When I left school, we moved to Carmarthen, a Welsh town named after Merlin, and history surrounded me, which I continued to study. I used some of this knowledge for my novel The Last Druid.
Although my most recent novel The Agency is set in Calgary, upcoming novels are set in Wales or England because those countries offer themselves as better settings to the stories I write than the wide open spaces of Canada.
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If Witch Bay grabs your fancy, you can find it on Smashwords or Amazon or visit Pam at her website here.
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Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 
It definitely grabs my interest! This is my kind of novel . . . murder, mystery, small coastal setting, an area that fascinates me. Adding to my TBR and wish list. The cover and title alone are enough to intrigue me.
I’ve come to the cosy mystery genre only recently, but I’m liking it. The coastal village setting was a big plus when reading Witch Bay.
The cover seems innocent enough until you read the blurb. Then you get that feeling of foreboding. And I like a book that flows easily, especially when it’s a mystery you are trying to solve. Sounds good Emma.
The cover shows off the lovely scenery, but the rock on the left looks somewhat sinister to me.
I feel as if I should sit on the shelf with this one the title is intriguing, although I like a folklore/Historical story I think it is worth giving it a chance P Crompton will go on my to read having Welsh history in my family I think my Grandparents would give me a ear burning if I didn’t at least look.
Hey, Debs. If you have Welsh family history, go for it. You’ll probably be able to hear the musical accent in your mind as you read, reminding you of your family.
I had a little shiver run up my spine. I love everything about this book. Thanks for sharing a new-to-me author.
sherry @ fundinmental
Shivers running up the spine. That is a good sign, Sherry.
I agree. ^_^ Have a great weekend.
On Wed, Aug 20, 2014 at 11:20 AM, Emma’s Ramblings wrote:
> Emma commented: “Shivers running up the spine. That is a good sign, > Sherry.”
The only cozy mysteries I’ve enjoyed are Agatha Christie’s. 🙂 This sounds like fun though.
shahwharton.com
I am more than a little ashamed to say I’ve never read an Agatha Christie book. When I hear the name I think fondly of my grandad who loved her work.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been reading more mysteries lately, and really, you had me at “Wales.” 😉
Hey, Jessica. I’m glad you were hooked that early. Haven’t been to Wales in a while, but would love to go back there.
You’re allowed to be biased, especially if you proofread this book. I’ve always wanted to visit Wales, but that’s not happening anytime soon, so why not live vicariously through P.L. Crompton? Happy Friday!
Thanks, Carmel. 🙂
Ooh I love this sound of this one – on the to-read list!! I’ve been to Wales plenty times (my brother went to uni in Cardiff), but come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set there – high time I did!
If you get around to bumping it to the top of your TBR list, come back and share your thoughts. My sister had her hen do in Cardiff – fun city.
I like the sound of this one. Mind you, I thought the author’s bio was just as interesting! 🙂 I love that gathered around the fire, stories were told. Reminds me of when my gran was still alive and we’d sit huddled close to her while she regaled us with fictional and non-fictional stories. Brought back memories just like that.
Hello, my dear. Pam’s bio is wonderful. From Wales to Canada, how amazing is that.
Your gran sounds like a cool lady.
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