The Curse of Penryth Hall is a debut novel that follows American heiress Ruby Vaughn in a gothic historical mystery. Ruby, who lives and works with an elderly rare bookshop owner, is sent to Cornwall with a delivery of books. While she’s there, she stops in at Penryth Hall to visit her old friend (and flame) Tamsyn. In what was meant to be a quick overnight visit, Ruby is suddenly wrapped up in mysterious and dangerous happenings when Tamsyn’s husband turns up dead the following morning. Greatly superstitious, the townsfolk believe it to be the work of a longstanding curse, calling in Ruan their local Pellar (folk healer) to determine if the curse is well and truly back. Ruby, skeptical that anything supernatural is at play, teams up Ruan to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I’ve had a bad run with ARCs not quite meeting expectations as of late, and sadly I am are rounding out the year with yet another. The premise for The Curse of Penryth Hall was so promising. A historical 1920s story, set in England, with a mystery to boot? These are all topics that I greatly enjoy. Unfortunately, the book fell far short of my expectations.

The pacing was incredibly slow and if I had not had a review copy, I would have thrown in the towel early on. My favorite part of reading a mystery is the eagerness to keep turning the pages to find out what happened, and with this one I was not compelled in the slightest to do so. We’re following Ruby, yet it is not easily apparent why she as an American heiress is even in Britain? There are many references to the Great War and that she spent time tending to the wounded, yet we never fully are told what that experience was like for her nor what how many years have even passed? Meaning even upon finishing the novel, I could not tell you what specific year it was set in. As the story sluggishly moves along, we oh so slowly learn more about her backstory, but by the time we do, it’s done in very brief detail, and my curiosity was long gone.

One of the most prominent characters in the book is Ruan the Pellar and it was extremely difficult to even understand what a Pellar is. Ruby didn’t even know! I found myself googling the term to better understand, which has me questioning how the editor of the book did not insist that this concept be better explained. For those also wondering: a Pellar is a Cornish term for cunning folk or folk healers who practiced folk medicine and folk magic. As the mystery unraveled, I found myself thinking the prominence of Ruan and his folk magic increasingly odd… as Ruby’s primary goal was to disprove the curse and get to bottom of the killings. ***Spoiler alert*** the killer is discovered to be an ordinary human, nothing supernatural at play, but on the other hand we have Ruan a practitioner of folk magic, who oh yeah by the way can read Ruby’s mind? *head scratch* It felt as if the author could not pick which lane she wanted to stick to: the mundane happenings of men and the everyday vs. those steeped in magic.

All in all, despite its intriguing premise, The Curse of Penryth Hall’s downfall is its execution. With extremely slow pacing, lack of a clear direction, and an unsatisfying answer to the mystery at hand, I found the novel to be very underwhelming. Though this book wasn’t for me, those interested in a slower moving, historical mystery may have a good time. And perhaps there is an audience that is more well versed in Cornish history and terms, that will find things less confusing. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

While I really enjoyed the storyline and the plot, I felt the character development was lacking.
Had I been able to connect with them a little more I think this would have been a much higher rating for me.
The writing was fantastic but hard to follow at times.
Overall, for the right audience this book could be really great. A little patience with this one could go a long way. I’d say it would be a good read to bring along on a lazy beach vacation.

When rare book dealer Ruby Vaughn is sent to Penryth Hall to deliver some books, she knows she is visiting her past and a place to which she never wanted to return. What she didn't expect was a friend in trouble and a string of mysterious deaths linked to an ancient Cornish curse. She also didn't expect to be the focus of interest surrounding one of those deaths.

This book has a great premise, and the look at old Cornish beliefs and customs is very interesting. I learned about the "pellar," a wizard of sorts who is a local healer and breaker of spells. This book is a treasure trove of Cornish folklore. The mystery is intriguing with lots of clever twists. I definitely felt transported to Cornwall at that time.

However, It is way too cryptic and confusing at times. Ruby keeps her cards so close to the vest, even with the reader, that I didn't really feel I knew her well enough at all.

My rating is 3.5 stars, rounded up to four on sites with no half-star option

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin's Press. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This is a great book!!!!!! I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend this book to all historical fiction fans

A cozy mystery that begs to be read on a comfy couch with ambient lighting, a soft blanket and a dog curled up next to you…maybe a cup of tea 😆😆

Ruby is the spunky protagonist tasked with solving a mystery. As she goes to deliver some books to an old friend, Tamsyn, at her home Penryth Hall, she realizes how much she has changed but is determined to rekindle their friendship. After an unfortunate event where Tamsyn’s Husband, Sir Edward, is found dead, whispers of Penryth Hall being haunted begin to circulate and it looks like Tamsyn might be next. Ruby, determined to prove there is no curse, must find out what killed Edward and fast, before the house claims it’s next victim!

A good solid mystery over all that had you questioning the line between superstition and truth. Jess Armstrong did a wonderful job setting the scene. It truly was a story about Penryth Hall but given the allusions to previous relationship with Tamsyn, I’d wished she’d gone more into detail about Ruby and Tamsyn and how they came to part(maybe a prequel?) That being said, it appears that it may be lining up to be the start of a series? Looking forward to what Jess may have in store for us next!

The Curse of Penryth Hall is the debut novel for Jess Armstrong. The story follows an American heiress named Ruby Vaughn set in the 1920s. After a scandal, she goes home to Exeter. Her friend, Tamsyn and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth live in Penryth Hall here where Ruby and Tamsyn have not been close since their marriage. When Edward dies, the events in the story move forward where people believe there is a curse on the manor. This adds Ruan Kivell, who is believed to be able to break the curse, to the story. The mystery of the manor helps to drive this interesting novel where history and fantasy meet.

There is an interesting past that exists between Ruby and Tamryn that reveals itself more as the story moves forward. There is a history between them which is told through the words chosen and the writing itself. There are a lot of interesting details about Ruby in the story from American origins to being in France while circling back to England. There is a lot of time taken to build up the backstory of the characters and the rest of the story. Everything seems to be piecemealed together, which I can see some readers enjoying and others not. For me, I wish there was a little more backstory given in the beginning just to hook me earlier. She is a very complex character, but she was not my favorite. Other readers may like her enough, but she wasn’t likable to me. As for Ruan, his character was a little too inconsistent where it came across, at times, that he was an afterthought. Overall, everything together fell flat for me in some places, but it also had great potential and I can see myself reading more from the author in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Intriguing ideas poorly executed made this Gothic-leaning historical mystery a muddied mess. The historical setting, an ancient aristocratic curse, the Gothic atmosphere and touch of witchcraft, mingled with more traditionally cozy mystery elements, could have made for a fun read. Unfortunately, the story jumps all over the place, on both an immediate sentence-by-sentence level and the larger scale of the overall plot, and the end result was just too sloppy for me to enjoy as I'd hoped I would.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy.

Thank you to the author Jess Armstrong, publishers Minotaur Books, and SMPI, for an advance digital copy of THE CURSE OF PENRYTH. Thank you also to NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All views are mine.

I read this book twice! I loved the settings, and the mouthy female lead and her irascible senior roommate. Certain things about the mystery, I found deliciously Gothic, which I adore. The killer's methods delighted me and grossed me out! But unfortunately, I read this book twice because the plot lost me. Both times. Beyond the details, I couldn't connect with characters or plot because it was all too convoluted.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. I adore this mouthy female, what, detective? Inspector? A dire cynic smack in the middle of a supernatural tale. Excellent protagonist.

2. The dynamic between the first person narrator, Ruby, a young woman, and her irascible roommate, friend and benefactor(?), the older, disabled, and greatly resourced Mr. Owen, is very entertaining and funny!

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. The plot is so convoluted, I'm having trouble following the narrative. And unfortunately, the narrative is largely told in dialog, which I struggle to connect to without sufficient description.

Rating: 🧘🧘 gifted healers
Recommend? Maybe
Finished: Jul, Nov 2023
Format: Digital arc, Kindle
Read this book if you like:
🐦‍⬛ gothic
🔍 mysteries
🪤 creative murder
💇‍♀️ women's coming of age

I loved a lot of things in this book. Ruby is an incredible character with a complicated past and a whole lot of gumption. I admire her determination to live her life on her own terms. I also really like Mr. Owen, Ruan, Fiachna, and Mrs. Penrose (even though she was a little unsettling sometimes). I tried to like Tamsyn, but I just couldn’t do it. I enjoyed the push and pull between Ruby’s logical brain and her possible connections to the supernatural. Her dynamic with Ruan is fascinating and I want more. This book also has chapter titles, which I love. More books should have chapter titles!

I’ll admit there were a few things about this book that bothered me. A couple details didn’t quite add up for me. Maybe I missed something, but they felt like plot holes. I also found the solution to the main mystery to be unsatisfying. The culprit did a complete 180 with their attitude and convictions as soon as they got caught, which I found difficult to believe. I didn’t really like how that character was dealt with in the end. I know it’s a common thing for this genre, but I just didn’t feel it was warranted in this case.

To be clear, I really enjoyed this book. I did have a few hangups, but I think Ruby is a very intriguing character and I want to read more about her, her adventures, and her found family. I’m really hoping this will be the start of a series.

When Ruby accepts a delivery to 1940’s Cornwall, a murder, a curse and a witch are the last things she thought she’d encounter. Where clues and devilry abound, it takes quite a bit to get to the bottom of things, but what an adventure! Armstrong’s plot is captivating and the characters interesting and full of life, which kept me on the edge of my seat and wondering what could possibly happen next. A definite tbr for those mystery lovers, I thoroughly enjoyed this curse for sure.

Really enjoyed this gothic mystery a touch of the supernatural added to my enjoyment.Ruby is a character I really enjoyed all the twist and turns kept my interest and had me turning the pages.I will be recommending this historical mystery #netgalley #st.Martins

"...I was ever more convinced there was no such thing as demons, no monsters, no dragons, just evil men."

"Don't let time catch you. She's a terrible thief."

The writing in The Curse Of Penryth Hall by award winning debut author Jess Armstrong is an addictive atmospheric gothic murder mystery filled with otherworldly vibes, including a witchy presence.

After WWl Ruby lives a quiet life in Exeter that belies that she's an American heiress who has been sent away to England for some "indiscretions." Helping octogenarian Mr Owen run his rare bookshop she's tasked with traveling to the Cornish countryside to bring books to Ruan Kivell, who we learn is a "Peller - a healer, witch, a protector."

Despite misgivings she stops to visit her once best friend Lady Tamsyn. They haven't spoken since their falling out on Tamsyn's wedding day to Sir Edward. Through a tense dinner, where Ruby sees the results of Edward's abuse on Tamsyn, she stays overnight hoping to help her friend. But morning brings the brutal death of Edward and whispers of The Curse of Penryth Hall returning to the manor.

Reading this debut felt like entering a classic literature mystery. I also listened to voice actress Emma Love haunting interpretation of this eerie historical fiction mystery that added to the atmospheric tone throughout the story.

Ruby isn't sure of Ruan's abilities but neither can she deny their connection...and there's a connection that, for me, was more shocking than the reveal of the killer. Not every question is answered, not every relationship resolved, not every curse cured but hopefully we will have more of Ruby and Ruan in the future. It would be a curse to readers to end their story now.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I’m continuing to love gothic settings now that winter has set in. They just make me want to cozy up with a book by the fire while the world outside is dark and snowy.

I would have never guessed The Curse of Penryth Hall is a debut, but it is! Armstrong’s book centers around Penryth Hall, which may or may not be cursed and is set in the brooding moors of the Cornish countryside. I got Hound of the Baskervilles vibes particularly with the setting, the curse, and the mystery, which is a high compliment! That is one of my go-to books since I was a child.

Ruby Vaughn is an orphan, exiled from America and living in Exeter. She works at a cozy little bookstore specializing in rare books (include some old and dangerous books that may serve special clients). She meets Ruan Kivell when she’s delivering books to him in the Cornish countryside. Ruan is known as the Peller, which she likens to a Cornish exorcist, a witch, a physician, and a priest. When she meets Ruan again, she notices that his demeanor has shifted quite a bit from their first meeting, making him all the more intriguing.

This trek leads her back to the Cornish countryside which she swore she’d left behind for good, and to specifically to Penryth Hall where one of her oldest friends and former lovers Tamsyn lives with her husband, Sir Edward Cheowyth, and son. Penryth Hall is said to be cursed, and Ruby finds it unsettling at best. When Sir Edward is found dead in the orchard, there are whispers that the curse that lurks over Penryth Hall has claimed it’s next victim.

The origins of the curse center around one of the Chenowyth ancestors who left his beloved to marry a barmaid. The jilted woman went to a local witch, who placed a curse on the Chenowyth line and Penryth Hall that has plagued the family lineage. Ruan the Peller is the only one the townspeople believe can break the curse.

Though Edward wasn’t the best husband, I felt for Tamsyn because she worried her son would become the next victim of the curse one day. She didn’t particularly care that it had taken Edward, though. Ruby describes herself as a “feral, fatalistic thing, living from chance to chance.” She’s a strong character and she is scrappy. She’s not really the focus of the book, but more of a conduit to tell the story.

I found Ruby to be smart and courageous, which may come from her upbringing. She mentions that death hasn’t wanted anything to do with her, probably because she hasn’t been worth it’s notice. We learn that her parents and sister died during the war. Ruby herself served during the war caring for injured soldiers. Before that, Ruby was shunned from high society after a scandal at the young age of 16.

Owen has taken Ruby in and acts as a father figure. He’s a fascinating character on his own—he’s caring and humorous. He always has a bit of a twinkle or smirk which makes him and Ruby well-suited to one another. Ruby is a brazen woman (especially for the time period), and she’s a bit wild which makes her so fun to read about. Her friend Tamsyn (the mistress of Penryth Hall) we learn was actually a former lover of Ruby’s who broke her heart. Ruby still has feelings for Tamsyn, though their former relationship is not a focus on the book.

Though I liked Ruby as a bold woman narrator, I did find her character to lack some depth. I suspect this may turn into a series and if it does, I expect that we will continue to learn more about Ruby’s life and story. It is easy to see how the events we do know about her life may have hardened her, and that perhaps explains why even the reader isn’t fully privy to Ruby’s feelings. Also, as the title implies, this is really a book about the curse that plagues Penryth Hall. As with many gothic novels, the setting itself is really the main character, with all of the people acting in supporting roles.

A little bit of romance, a little bit of spookiness, and atmospheric gothic vibes. I loved the folklore and mystery surrounding Penryth Hall and the small countryside community. This is an enchanting gothic mystery with interesting characters and a great setting!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Thank you Minotaur Books and Dreamscape media for the #gifted ARC/ALC of THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL!

I listened to the audio of this one and I definitely think it’s the way to go. I loved the narrator’s voice as it reminded me a bit of Sophia Bush’s voice with that rasp. The best part was the accents that the narrator did for the Scottish and Cornish characters. It really helped add to the sense of place for the book!

THE CURSE opens with American expat heiress Ruby Vaughn living in Exeter with an old Scottish man and running a bookshop. When her boss sends her to Cornwall to deliver a trunk of mysterious books to the village's Pellar (a type of mystic/healer), she initially balks at returning to a place she swore she’d never go back.

Without giving too much away, she reconnects with an old friend whose husband is violently murdered later that same night. The village believes it's the curse come back to haunt the Chenowyth line and Ruby’s friend is convinced she’ll be the next victim of the curse.

This book falls in the moody, atmospheric, gothic camp so if those vibes are appealing to you then don’t miss out on this mystery!

THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL is out now!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6013991873
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0jzwO0LeS7/

Having survived a disastrous scandal and a broken heart, Ruby now spends her days away from high society. A quiet life running a rare bookstore suits her just fine. But when a book delivery sends her to a country village, that quiet life is suddenly anything but.

Traveling to Lothlel Green brings Ruby back to Penryth Hall, the one place she swore to never return, and back to Tamsyn. Once the very best of friends, the girls had dreams of running away together and carving out a life of their own — until Tamsyn chose to marry Sir Edward Chenowyth.

When Sir Edward is found dead the following morning, old village superstitions run rampant: the fearsome Penryth curse has returned. As more bodies pile up, the Pellar, a witch and seventh son of a seventh son, is called for and now Ruan and Ruby must work together to determine if there really is a curse — or is there a killer walking among them?

THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL has a lot going on: as a teen Ruby was involved in a disastrous scandal that left her shipped off to England. Later she went to the frontlines to aid wounded soldiers in France. Her parents and sister lost their lives aboard the Lusitania. Add in rare books and a possible expedition to Egypt with none other than Howard Carter himself! It’s..a lot (I mean, it’s all a Leah checklist but still, so much).

I don’t want to call this magical realism or fantasy, but there’s a supernatural element in Ruan. While much of his craft is herbal he does seem to have some otherworldly ability when it comes to Ruby: he can hear her thoughts. Initially it caught me off guard, but this actually worked for me!

The book itself was enjoyable and read very quickly. An epilogue sets up a starting point for a potential sequel and I can see myself reading a follow up, I’d be interested in seeing where things go with Ruby and Ruan (while there were hints overall this book was *not* a romance, if that’s something you’re looking to avoid in your mysteries). One thing that I couldn’t help but note is the sheer number of times characters snorted instead of laughed! A whopping 28 times!

In this historical mystery from Jess Armstrong, an American heiress finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery in the post-WWI Cornish countryside. Is it foul play or is it a local curse that caused the death? Will there be another victim?

This one had a bit of a slow start for me, but I ended up enjoying it and look forward to reading additional books centered around the main character, Ruby Vaughn. I enjoyed the gothic setting, how Ruby goes against the conventions and expectations set for women in that time period, and whatever is brewing between her and Ruan Kivell, the folk healer the villagers call the Pellar. (I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this will become a romance that spans the series.)

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

#TheCurseOfPenrythHall:

Thank you @macmillanaudio @librofm and @minotaurbooks for my gifted copy!

This had such a good premise and I had major high hopes for this one, but it fell flat to me. I didn’t really know what was going to happen, or when, but it wasn’t anticipation, it became more of annoyance of “well.. we’re waiting”

I felt the book was being cryptic in a way in didn’t have to be. Instead of providing us a solid foundation and background, we got bit by bit, which came out discombobulated. It felt like it was supposed to be layers of the onion being peeled away, but it had the opposite affect for me.

Overall, the curse part was great (I love when a title makes sense) but I just begged for more! Ruby seemed like such a good mc, but I just felt like she was being held back. The audio was great and flowed well considering.

Out now.

4.25 stars! -- This was a really solid historical murder mystery. I loved the Cornish setting in 1922, I felt like it added to some of the folk elements we get in this. If you're looking for a cozy mystery for the holiday season that has great character chemistry and a historical setting, this is the book for you!

Ruby's interior monologue is very distinct and she is quite a strong leading character. I definitely liked that some of the tension in this book comes from her past relationship with her best friend, Tamsyn. Tamsyn's character grew on me, since I didn't care for her much in the beginning (but this goes to show the author's ability to create and write character growth!). My favorite character was the folk healer, Ruan Kivell. Ruan and Ruby's chemistry was excellent and not overdone; we get sparse moments of this connection between them but it felt authentic and I loved the scenes where they are trying to puzzle the mystery and each other out.

I also loved the rag-tag group of supporting characters; the fatherly Mr. Owen, the protective Mrs. Penrose, and the wily Fiachna the cat all added greatly to the tale. I will admit I did not see who was the murder so I was surprised by the reveal, but it all made sense once explained.

It seems like this might be a series, and I really do hope we get more from Ruby and Ruan as they solve more mysteries!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy. This did not affect my review in any way.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is the debut novel of Jess Armstrong. A well-paced Gothic story centered around superstition, folklore, and murder, it was a great read.

Ruby Vaughn is sent to the town of Lothlel Green in the Cornish countryside to deliver books for her friend and employer, Mr. Owen. She delivers a trunk of books to Ruan Kivell, the town Pellar -- healer, witch, and finder of stolen goods. While in Lothlel Green, she stops at Penryth Hall to visit Tamsyn Chenowyth, the woman of the house and a friend she hadn't seen in years. Since Ruby is so far from home, she stays the night at Penryth Hall, expecting to leave in the morning. But she's awoken by a dream and the feeling of someone strangling her, then the death bell starts to toll. Sir Edward has been found murdered in the orchard, thus reigniting the curse of Penryth Hall. If the curse is real, then Tamsyn will be next. Can Ruby, along with Ruan, find out the truth?

This is a novel steeped in superstition and folklore. Can the Pellar really heal people? What is the connection between Ruby and Ruan? The town believes in the curse because thirty years ago the same thing happened to Sir Edward's uncle, but are curses real or is there a murderer in their midst?

The characters are well-written and fully developed. We get a lot of background between Ruby and Tamsyn, who used to be extremely close. Ruan is an interesting, likeable character who brings something different to the story. All the other side characters have their own voices and small stories.

The plot moves along at a nice pace, and the mystery has a few red herrings. Could Tamsyn have killed Sir Edward? Was it one of his mistresses or their husband? Or was it truly the curse?

All in all, a great Gothic mystery debut from Jess Armstrong. If you enjoy those genres, or a murder set in the rainy Cornish countryside, then this is definitely for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

The curse and its mystery really drew me in, as well as the characters. They were each very well developed and distinct, I loved their interactions and how they were influenced by each other. The mystery kept me reading, I was so intrigued and there were definitely some twists and turns that I didn’t predict, but loved. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who likes historical mysteries, with a side of the fantastical!