This took me forever and I truly gave it a try. I love a good mystery but I really could not get into it. it felt like there was a disconnection between the characters. on top of it Tamsyn and Ruby's friendship didn't translate well in the writing and she was so whiny.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is the debut novel of author Jess Armstrong. Reading someone's first book is always thrilling, but there's also a sense of trepidation. Will I love the story, or is it going to be a struggle to find one tiny thing I like about it? Well, I certainly lucked out here, because I LOVED this book! I sped through it, putting off things I had to do to get ready for Christmas. (Like I wasn't far behind enough!) I've got my fingers, toes and eyes crossed that this is the start of a series.

After the Great War, Ruby Vaughn has made a new life for herself in Exeter, England. An American heiress, she was banished to England due to an "indiscretion", but has found a place where she can be happy. She runs a rare bookstore beside her elderly employer, and rents a space from him in his home. Ruby does her best to forget her troubled past, but it ends up finding her anyway! She is sent deep into the Cornish countryside to deliver a box of books to a faith healer. She should have just dropped off the books and gone home, but Ruby makes the fateful decision to visit a place she vowed never to return to: Penryth Hall. Ruby’s once beloved friend Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth, live there. It's a dark, dreary place and after quite an uncomfortable evening, she plans to depart in the morning. But she's awoken by bells pealing for the first time in 30 years. Edward is found dead and torn apart in the orchard, and there's talk of a curse returning to the Hall. The villagers summon Ruan Kivell, the man whose books Ruby delivered; they believe he can break the curse. Ruan is a "Pellar", also known as a witch and healer. Ruby doesn't believe in curses, but the inhabitants of Cornwall do...and if the curse is real, Tamsyn will be the next victim. Ruby works with Ruan to find out the truth of Edward's murder.

This was an exciting mystery; I never knew what was coming next, and I NEVER figured out who the killer was until it was revealed. That doesn't happen very often. But it's the characters who are the main draw of this story. Ruby Vaughn had a lot of heartbreak in her life; she was sent away from her family then lost them, and her love for Tamsyn didn't end well. She also has memories of her actions in the war, driving an ambulance to pick up the wounded, where she was in deep danger. But she was happy where she was, working at the rare bookstore for a very kind man. Her bad behavior for which she was sent away hasn't stopped; she is well known for her parties, the memories of which tend to be hazy, soaked in gin and other vices. But she's happy nonetheless. When she's sent to Cornwall to deliver the books, she decides to visit Tamsyn at Penryth Hall. That definitely did not end well! Time with Tamsyn is uncomfortable, and Ruby definitely does not like Edward. She makes the decision to leave, but then Edward is found dead. No way could Ruby leave Tamsyn them, as the villagers thought her death would be next. I loved Ruby, though she made various stupid decisions in her life. I never understood her pull to Tamsyn. I didn't care for Tamsyn for some reason, and wished Ruby would give up thoughts of her. But then we have Ruan Kivell, who I adored from the get-go. I absolutely loved the man. He was a Pellar, believed to be a witch and a healer. He could be a very gruff man, but the disheveled Cornishman stole my heart. Though Ruby did not believe in curses or Pellars at all, it was hard to deny what she saw Ruan accomplish. What I loved the most was the odd connection between Ruby and Ruan. They seemed to know each other somehow. Ruan could "hear" what Ruby was thinking, and he could sense when she was in danger and calling for him. The dynamic between the two was fascinating, and it was my favorite part of the story. Supporting characters were wonderful! Mr. Owen, an octogenarian and Ruby's employer, was a kind man who seemed to adore her; he ends up getting in on the action. I'm a cat lover, so I was thrilled to meet Mr. Owen's cat Fiancha, who stowed away in Ruby's car when she went to Cornwall. Mrs. Penrose, the housekeeper at Penryth Hall was very endearing; I do believe Fiancha fell in love with her cooking! I hope with all my heart that this is the beginning of a series. I need to see more of the relationship between Ruby and Ruan. I am hoping against hope that I will see these characters again soon. Great first book, Ms. Armstrong!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book was ok. I think I was expecting a spookier read from the title. It had a surprising ending but it was a bit anticlimactic.

When the main character, Ruby is sent on an errand by her benefactor to the countryside, she decides it would be a good time to visit her old friend, Tamsyn. But from the moment Ruby arrives in this small hamlet, everything feels a little off. Then a murder occurs and people believe "the curse" is back. Ruby feels pulled into the mystery like a moth to a flame. She is also afraid for her friend. And then there's the "pellar" who she finds she's rather infatuated with. Of course, more murders occur and it appears that danger could be around the next corner.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The audiobook was quite enjoyable. The narration was done well and made the characters feel even more real to me. 4 stars

I truly enjoyed this book and believe the author left in open ended where there could possibly be added books written in this world. Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I chose to review both and the opinions contained within are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read The curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong.
The synopsis and the cover pulled me to this book. A strong female main character, a gothic mystery in the Cornish countryside after the Great War seemed to be a book perfect for me. However, I found myself picking it up and putting it down several times. The beginning just seem to drop you in the story, and I had a hard time connecting to Ruby. The plot was all over the place, leaving me trying to figure out the story. As this is a debut novel, I will check out her next book. 21/2 stars rounded up.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong is a strong debut gothic novel set in 1922, as England is recovering from its harsh losses during the Great War.
Ruby is a heavy-drinking young woman whose life at present is without direction. Her employer, Mr. Owen, is an eccentric bookseller, and sends her to Cornwall to deliver “forbidden books” containing magic formulas to his friend, the folk healer Ruan Kivell. Then Ruby becomes involved in her old friend Tamsyn’s domestic problems with harsh husband Sir Edward of Penryth Hall, and the old legends concerning tragedy and dark magic at said Hall.
The story is well-told and propulsive as it enveloped me in the atmosphere and intrigue. Ruby is a witty heroine whose ironic, pithy comments lend a bright and fresh tone to a dark tale. Her brusque manner and irreverent attitude serve to cover a softer, insecure Ruby below the surface. Her repartee with mysterious folk-healer Ruan Kivell is especially entertaining. As a cat fancier, I was pleased to enjoy the side antics of her stowaway cat, Fiachna.
This is a nicely paced, well-written period mystery that kept me turning the pages well into the night. It has a balanced mix of murder, magic, and a complicated protagonist who is one to cheer for as she dodges through the minefield of her past experiences and rises to meet the challenges coming at her in Cornwall.
The epilogue hints at a future adventure for Ruby and Mr. Owen, and I look forward to another inventive mystery featuring this cast of characters.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

TL;DR

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong is an atmospheric debut set in 1930’s Cornwall. It’s a wonderful setting with interesting characters. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

Some novels are immersive. I get lost in character or story or action. I get caught up world building. Rarely do I get caught up in scenery or setting of a novel. When it does happen, I love it. It’s always a joy to be surprised by a novel, especially when you read as much as I do. The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong was a novel where I got lost in the scenery and setting. It was unexpected and delightful. I wasn’t prepared for how much I was going to be immersed in this lovely novel, and I’m now a fan of Jess Armstrong.

Ruby Vaughn’s life after World War I is a hedonistic party-filled time. She is a woman who enjoys the visceral pleasures of life. When her employer sends her to Cornwall to deliver a box of books, she’s sent to a village where her friend – someone she loved – currently lives with her husband. Ruby decides to visit her friend, Tamsyn, despite the painful memories it brings up. After a contentious dinner, Ruby stays the night and is visited by a strange, realistic dream. She’s woken up by bells to find that Tamsyn’s husband lies dead in their orchard. The housekeeper says it’s the work of a curse, and the curse’s next victim will be the wife, Ruby’s friend Tamsyn. The local police officer comes and brings with him the local witch/healer/mystic, Ruan Kivell. Ruan, you see, is the seventh son of a seventh son, which makes him a Pellar, and he’s also the recipient of Ruby’s delivery. The Pellar is a position of respect within the village; he’s associated with the mystical side of life. In fact, he’s known for arranging marriages that work and last. He also believes that Ruby is in danger as well. Together, they have to figure out who killed Tamsyn’s husband and dispel the rumors of the curse before something happens to Tamsyn or to Ruby.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a first person novel told from Ruby’s point of view. It’s a novel that relishes in the scenery and the history. The pacing is a bit uneven but not enough to drag me out of the story. The scenery, the characters, and the language all create a truly atmospheric novel that is a joy to spend time with.

Atmospheric Setting

I’m not big on scenery because I have a harder time visualizing scenery more than, say character description or action. That said, Armstrong’s descriptions had me visualizing village life in 1930’s Cornwall. In addition, the action, the character’s speech patterns, and wonderful choices in detail pay off. I tried hard to think of a different description other than atmospheric, but really, it’s the best way to describe this novel. For a debut novel, this means I’ll be checking out whatever Armstrong writes next.

As you may imagine, I, a Midwestern American born in the late 70s, don’t know for certain what life was like in a small village in 1930’s Cornwall, England. Armstrong’s novel feels correct; it feels truthful. It’s a joy to read.

Ruby Vaughn & Ruan Kivell

Characters are what I cherish most in most novels. Here, I love the atmospheric setting the most, and closely following behind that are the characters. Ruby Vaughn is a woman that parties, that has a love life, and that lives her life for pleasure as we meet her at the beginning of the novel. As the novel progresses, we learn the deeps of who she is. She’s a hurt person for many reasons. First, she was shunned by her society in the U.S. for reasons that men are celebrated for. Next, her parents and sister are dead. Moreover, she was an ambulance driver in WWI and has all the associated trauma from that. Finally, she was hurt by Tamsyn, deeply hurt. She has a knee-jerk contrarianism that is annoying at times and that may be a protection mechanism. Keeping others at distance is a way to protect oneself from the pain of loss. I’d love to know if she was that way prior to all the trauma she experienced. Despite her interior hurt, she’s bold, forgiving, insightful, and caring. I imagine this will be a series with her as the protagonist; at least, I hope that that’s the plan. The way that Armstrong revealed Ruby’s character and how her time in Cornwall affected her was engaging.

Ruan Kivell, the Pellar, is a mystery throughout the book. He’s also a person of depth like Ruby. When she met him, I liked him, but for a while, he backslid for a bit. I found him to be a bit overbearing. But Armstrong had plans for the Pellar that turned out well. I want to go into more depth about some of his character changes – maybe, reveals – but they might be considered spoilers. So, I’ll take the side of caution and say that I like the relationship that he and Ruby develop. They work well together even if he is a bit overbearing.
Supernatural or Not

I love the idea of a curse being played out in a small town full of superstitious people. Here, though, it’s played out in opposing poles of Ruby, the realist, and the Pellar, the mystic. Even if Ruan doesn’t believe in the curse himself, to the villager and to the story, he represents mysticism. Armstrong uses them to bandy back and forth whether the curse is real or just a convenient cover for a murderer. It was okay; at times, it was overplayed and made me think of a Scooby Doo story; that at the end, Ruby would pull a mask off of old man Johnson. These times were few but they existed. When Armstrong pulled off the “is it/isn’t it” part of her storytelling, the story reminded me of the better episodes of The X-Files. In the end, this is a small complaint and didn’t affect my enjoyment much. As I said earlier, I’ll be here for Armstrong’s next book.

Conclusion

Jess Armstrong’s The Curse of Penryth Hall is a wonderful debut. It’s an atmospheric story in a wonderful setting full of interesting characters. This is a story that you’ll want to dwell in. Highly recommended.

The idea of a gothic mystery first drew me in, and I did enjoy the story, however it was just wasn't my favorite book. I had a hard time connecting with the story and the characters. Things were a bit confusing. I wanted to love this book but I just had a hard time.

This book is unique and totally up my alley!

It is set in the twenties in a small Cornish village, still deeply rooted in pagan beliefs. The atmosphere is spooky and gothic, with a murder at a dark manor house at the start of the novel. The villagers believe the death is linked to a curse that was cast upon the inhabitants of Penryth Hall and call in their local Pellar (a Cornish type of witch) as well as the local law officer for help.

Visiting the hall is Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress, with a no nonsense modern mindset. She is outspoken, and has no belief in the supernatural, especially Ruan, the Pellar.

As things progress, Ruby and Ruan become unlikely co-investigators as the try to solve the case.

I loved this book, great character development, interesting mystery and spooky gothic atmosphere. I’m hoping there is a follow up book!



Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review.

I don't know if I am the market for this book. I don't gravitate towards these types of mysteries very often. I feel this might end up a series also. I don't know if I want to start one. The synopsis said gothic mystery, and that is what really drew me in. I just could not really connect to this story, or maintain true interest. If you gravitate towards cozy mysteries, historical fiction, you might enjoy this more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

This book has generated a fair amount of buzz. It won a first mystery contest sponsored by the publisher along with the Mystery Writers of America. It is also an Amazon Editor’s Pick and a title that I have seen on some best books of the year lists. Kirkus Reviews states that this book is “An intriguing and altogether enchanting mystery.”

So…is it for you? It will be if you like gothic novels and old, rundown family homes/fortresses. You will like this one if you like a Cornwall setting and the 1920s time period. This book will intrigu thosewho want to spend time with an unconventional heroine who was a rebel and inherited a fortune upon the death of her parents. If you like a troubled marriage and mysterious (possibly even supernatural) deaths, turn the pages. And there is more.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a fun and intriguing read. I enjoyed the getting to know Ruby and those around her. A lot goes on. Not all may be fully tied up but this is still a pretty good first novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

**I will be holding my review**

Thank you to libro.fm for the ALC and Netgalley and Minotaur books for the eARC. This is an honest review.

This is a hauntingly beautiful gothic mystery that transports readers to the rugged Cornish countryside. Steeped in atmosphere and intrigue, the novel unravels a chilling tale of secrets, folklore, and a curse that threatens to bind the inhabitants of Penryth Hall. The book introduces us to the spirited and enigmatic Ruby Vaughn, who defies societal expectations. An American heiress grappling with the echoes of war and still heartbroken over the loss of her war-time love, Ruby finds herself delivering books to a folk healer and unexpectedly reigniting a friendship she vowed to leave behind. Ruby's unwavering resolve to protect her friend Tamsyn propels her into danger. The intricate dynamics between Ruby and Tamsyn, layered with a previous sapphic relationship, beautifully explore the complexities of their past. The unresolved nature of their past adds a bittersweet layer to the story.

Ruby's independent spirit and unwavering loyalty make her a compelling character to follow, particularly as she navigates the complex dynamics within the walls of Penryth Hall. Armstrong paints a vivid picture of Penryth Hall, a foreboding estate rife with dark secrets and whispers of a curse. The gothic elements are skillfully woven into the narrative, creating a sense of unease and anticipation that keeps you hooked. The introduction of Ruan, the enigmatic Pellar (folk healer/witch), adds another layer of intrigue, as he challenges Ruby's skepticism and delves into the heart of the mystery.
The audiobook's narration further amplifies the immersive experience, enhancing the allure of Armstrong's storytelling. The narrator was wonderful and balanced all of the different accents fairly well; a very difficult task.

My only complaint is that I longed for a more conclusive resolution to Ruby and Ruan's relationship. I hope a sequel to delve further into their captivating dynamic.

Ruby is the tenant/employee/companion for an elderly bookseller name Mr. Owen he sent her to the town where her sister lives in on the night she arrives sisters husband is murdered. Her sister thinks it’s a curse but Ruby does not believe in curses it is the 1920s in Britain Ruby is independent condescending arrogant and seems to have respect for no one let alone her self. I found it hard to finish this book especially when she started mocking the vicar which I found completely distasteful I know people are going to love this book but I myself did not there’s a lot I can overlook and say people will be people but I want to comes to peoples race or religion ET see. Not to mention this book was far from historically accurate which is a big pet peeve of mine. I want to thank Saint Martin’s press and net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This was an interesting and unexpected read. Set just post WWI, it’s the story of Ruby Vaughn, an orphaned heiress who makes a living selling books. She works for an elderly Exeter bookseller, and as the novel opens, he’s sending her to Cornwall to deliver a trunk full which he warns her not to open. Mystified, she complies. The village where he’s sending her is the home of her former best friend and perhaps former lover, Tamsyn. Tamsyn is married to Sir Edward Chenowyth of Penryth Hall, a marriage that broke their friendship.

As Ruby arrives in town she spots her old friend, Tamsyn, holding her toddler. From afar, she’s a vision; up close, it’s clear there’s something very wrong, as she sees bruising on her friend’s face and she’s a shadow of her former self. Never a fan of Edward, Ruby quickly assumes the worst, as does the reader. In every case in this book, reader, you will probably be wrong in your assumptions, which is what makes this a confounding reading experience.

The books delivered, Ruby spends the night at Penryth Hall, and wakes the next morning – after an uncomfortable and unpleasant dinner with Tamsyn and Sir Edward – to hear the pealing of bells. As Ruby goes to investigate, she discovers the housekeeper, who leads her to Sir Edward’s mutilated corpse. While Ruby was not a fan of the man, she’s still loyal to Tamsyn, and is drawn into the investigation surrounding his death.

The other person involved in the investigation turns out to be the person she’s delivered the books to, Ruan Kivell, who turns out to be the community Pellar, or local witch. It’s Ruan who examines the body first. The housekeeper insists it’s the curse of the hall returning after a thirty year abeyance, but Ruby and Ruan are pretty sure there’s a human hand at work.

Armstrong wants readers to make up their own minds from evidence presented. She presents the fact the Ruby and Ruan feel some kind of connection – he can literally “hear” her thoughts – and the fact that’s he seems to be able to perform some feats that can perhaps be only ascribed to witchcraft. Ruby is always skeptical, and she’s always looking at the human, not the supernatural, side of the coin, though she’s reluctantly coming to see that Ruan has some skills.

While this is set after the war, the feeling to me was more Victorian, and perhaps out in the English countryside in the 1920’s, that may have been the pervading feeling. The time period was the least interesting aspect of the book (unfortunately) as I picked it up wanting the experience of a read about a feisty Exeter bookseller in the 20’s. However, I enjoy being surprised at times, and this was one of those times.

It's really a character study. Ruby is so young, and despite the experiences of the war that have left her alone in the world, she still has much to learn, very much including figuring out relationships. Her primary relationships in the book involve Tamsyn and Ruan, two very different characters who present Ruby with very different questions and issues to sort through. She doesn’t have much time to sort through her feelings as this fast paced story doesn’t let up. She’s made to sort her feelings on the fly and she’s really not very good at it, though she does at last twig to the culprit.

This was a fey coming of age story loaded with folklore and the feel of the English countryside. I really enjoyed both Ruby and Ruan; like Ruby herself, I went back and forth on Tamsyn, which shows some real skill on the part of the author as she manipulates the reader without seeming to do so. I would be very much interested in the next installment of this series.

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.**