Demelza (by Winston Graham)

(Amazon UK link)

I had barely heard of Winston Graham. But I recently acquired several of his 'Poldark' series books. And now I've started reading them, I am finding him an interesting author.

'Demelza' is the second of the series which began with 'Ross Poldark'. In this story, Demelza - who was first adopted as a waif, taken from her cruel father - finds her feet as Ross's wife. She also befriends her cousin Verity.

Drama ensues when Ross tries to rescue a miner from a terrible jail, and helps the local community plunder a wrecked ship.

Fever comes to the district. Demelza risks her health to begin to bridge the rift between Ross and his cousin Francis and Francis' wife Elizabeth.

I thought the book was fast-paced, well-written, and somehow compulsive despite it not being a genre I would normally read. This book stands alone, but it makes considerably more sense having already read the first book.