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!

3.75

The Curse at Penryth Hall is one of those books where I mainly just got in my own way. As you know if you’ve read any of my other recent reviews, I have a hard time jumping into an unknown author or series and this was the epitome of unknown. Is this a Gothic novel with fantasy? Is the curse just a smokescreen like on and Scooby Doo, demystified by lifting the hood at the end, all of the special effects disappearing to reveal one man or woman?

I can’t say I’m much of a fantasy reader at all and I think I chose this book when I was short of options and a bit desperate. Once I let go of the preconceptions, the angst, and the bias, it’s a fairly enjoyable read. I’ll spoil it by saying that this is a mystery. I won’t tell you whether it’s reality or a spectacle. I won’t tell you because I don’t know if I know the answer to that even now.

Ruby, a name I love for several reasons, is a free spirit, primarily because her life has shown her that getting attached or serious just causes heartache. She is house-sharing with a rich older man years after having been cast out of American high society because, as was not uncommon, young women weren’t told anything about sex and she allowed herself to get compromised. Then at some point I think a few years later, her family was killed leaving her an orphan. She served in the Great War as an ambulance driver to the casualty clearing stations. We learn before too long that she was in love with one of her best friends who she was sent to live with when she was kicked out and served with in France.

At first, I was annoyed with the idea of so many of these historical stories now being written with gay characters and story lines, but then I realized that they aren’t really modern stories, they just couldn’t be discussed in the past, let alone documented or fictionalized, until recently. In this case, I think it may have been more of a time and place and person than necessarily a binary preference.

Ruby is sent on an errand near Penryth Hall, where her former friend and lover is the lady of the house. She stays the night and before morning, the despicable Baronet husband of her friend is violently murdered. Everyone and their dog blindly blames the curse that took his uncle and aunt decades ago. It’s also not a good time to be a quirky stranger in a small village on a witch hunt. She develops a closeness of unusual proportions with the local Pennar who is like the town’s weapon against evil forces.

So, is this a mystery with a human behind it, or a curse, or a combination of human and mystical forces? I give them an A+ for a story that is unusual and creative. It’s not really deep or cunning, but there are enough moving pieces and questions that you aren’t really sure where it’s going or who to trust. If you want an unusual cozy-adjacent mystery with some Gothic elements and a bit of the roaring 20s, it’s a nice read. The end foreshadows a second book set in Scotland, so 1. expect more like this and 2. know that you can’t get all of the answers now if there are more books to come.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a mystery with just a pinch of fantasy. It follows Ruby as she visits the small town of Lothel Green to deliver some books to a mysterious man, who she soon discovers is the town’s own witch doctor. She also takes advantage of the little trip to the countryside to visit her old friend Tamsyn at Penryth Hall. Her trip takes a turn, though, when someone shows up dead and the towns folk start talking about a fated curse come back to haunt them.

In general, I liked the bones of this story - it was certainly mysterious and there was that little hint of magic that made you wonder of the killer was truly human. I think the setting and atmosphere was what shone in this book. The characters all had rich backstories and complex relationships alongside all of their own mental health issues. However, I did feel there was some spark, or some something, missing to truly bring them all to life. In particular, the growing something between Ruby and Ruan, the witch doctor, was *almost* there, but I feel like there was something missing in the end. There were a couple of questions left just slightly unanswered.

Overall, I would recommend if you’re in the mood for a mystery set in a superstitious, post-war, English countryside with just a hint of magic.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is the debut novel for author Jess Armstrong.

As the story opens, Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress, is given the task of delivering a crate of books to a remote village in Cornwall. It seems a scandal in America has been the reason for her being cast upon the shores of England and now Ruby must fend for herself. It is revealed that Ruby's former dearest friend, Tamsyn Chenowyth, lives in the same area as the folk healer who is to be the recipient of the books. They have not seen each other since Tamsyn's marriage to Sir Edward Chenowyth of Penryth Hall. It is a marriage that Ruby disapproves of completely. But she had received a letter from Tamsyn begging her to come a while ago and feels compelled to visit. Ruby spends the night at the manor, Edward is murdered in the orchard in a particularly gruesome manner and the locals blame it on the family curse of the Chenowyth's. A Pellar (a folk healer or witch) is called in to break the curse. It is the very person that Ruby delivered the books to: Ruan Kivell. . Ruby scorns the idea of a curse but not the idea that her friend and even her small son are in danger so she wants to find the truth. The unlikely duo of Ruby and Ruan join forces to set things right and to unravel the mystery.

This offering is a true Gothic mystery with the atmospheric undertones of the manor providing the backdrop with Ruby standing out as the forward thinking, modern girl. The story is carefully crafted, one tidbit at a time, as we find out things about the mystery and the characters themselves. I felt a bit like Ruby: impatient and wanting to know the truth all at once. But I commend the author on a good first effort. I hazard a guess that she might be a fan of Victoria Holt or Daphe DuMaurier as I felt whispers of that style, which I love too. I look forward to more novels by this author.

Thank-you to St. Martin's Press: Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC,

Gothic mysteries are often atmospheric, dark and spooky but this novel lacked all I enjoy in these reads. The plot missed so much in the story telling leaving gapping holes that were unresolved at its conclusion.

Thank you St. Martins Press for the complimentary copy.

A historical mystery with some elements of supernatural. I liked the premise here but there were a few things that threw me off. First, some of the things the author references early on makes it feel like the reader should already know it (like things about Ruby's backstory). I even double-checked to make sure it wasn't a sequel (which I couldn't find any evidence it was). I also felt like Armstrong couldn't commit to a mystery or a more supernatural spin on things.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong is the well written tale of Ruby Vaughn, who lands in the middle of the Cornish Countryside amid secrets, murders, moors, and a very special Pellar, Ruan Kivell. This story has humor, intrigue, twists and turns, murders and hope, it is an enjoyable read.
This book was given to me by NetGalley for review.