Set in Cornwall, this book is has a gothic atmosphere and a curse and a dead body to investigate. Ruby goes to visit her friend Tammy who lives in an old castle that inspires bad dreams and rumors of creepy things happening. When Tamryn’s husband is found brutally murdered, Ruby teams up with locals to find out what happened and to keep it from happening again.

The main character in Jess Armstrong’s new novel is truly “a character.” Ruby, an American who has been sent abroad following a scandal, is living with an elderly man who is an antiquarian book dealer. I like the characters very much, but there are a few irritations in Armstrong’s writing. Within the space of about five pages in chapter seven, for instance, she has Ruby say “you can't possibly believe…” numerous times.
There also seems to be some backstory missing. When I was nine chapters in, I started to piece together what Ruby and Tamsyn had been in “the Great War” in France, Ruby as an ambulance driver. But I have no idea why or how or about anything that happened afterwards. It seems clear that Ruby is in love with Tamsyn, but Tamsyn has gone back to England and married a minor nobleman, a monster of a man, who is of course the murder victim. Ruby says Sir Edward took Tamsyn apart “stone by stone.” What a strange phrase to apply to a human.
The introduction to the Cornish folk character The Pellar in the person of Ruan is quite interesting. It's up to Ruby and Ruan to figure out the curse and how the killer can be stopped.
What's real and what's not real? Is there a bogey or some other source of the evil that has befallen? Who was faithful and who was not? You'll have to read this “roaring 20s” mystery to find out.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is an excellent historical mystery with a bit of a gothic/paranormal flavor. Most of the action takes place in and around a village in Cornwall, England, in 1922. (There are a couple of mentions of Howard Carter, with people saying they didn’t think his expedition to Egypt would turn up anything worthwhile, which made me laugh, as he went on to discover the tomb of Tutankhamen!)

Ruby Vaughn is a wealthy, orphaned American expat, who got into all sorts of escapades and also served as a nurse in World War I. She is currently working for a rare bookseller and is tasked with bringing a large box of books to the village in Cornwall where an old dear friend, Tamsyn, lives (in Penryth Hall). The books need to be delivered to a man named Ruan, who is a “pellar” (I had to look it up), a sort of witch or wizard or folk healer. Ruby goes to visit Tamsyn and finds that all is not well in Cornwall! As you can imagine from the title, things go very wrong indeed.

The writing was lovely and I sped through the book. I could picture the manor house, the landscape and the small cottages. I enjoyed the characters of Ruby and Ruan, but it took me a while to warm up to Tamsyn, although I sympathized with her having an unhappy marriage. Some of the side characters were terrific, such as the housekeeper, Mrs. Penrose. I also adored Ruby’s cat! There are hints at the end of a possible sequel. I hope that’s the case.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was narrated beautifully by Emma Love, who did an outstanding job with all the various English/Scottish and American accents.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book!

Do you enjoy watching shows where a person goes to a small town on an errand/vacation and ends up sticking around to solve a murder? Then this book is for you. Think Hercule Poirot or Father Brown, but the main character is Ruby, an American heiress who runs a rare bookstore with her octogenarian employer and house mate in Exeter. Ruby is sent to the Cornish countryside to deliver a trunk full of rare books to a pellar (folk healer/witch), and decides to stop at Penryth Hall where her former best friend (yes, there is drama there) Tamsyn lives with her young son and husband. She's there all of one evening when the husband turns up murdered in an orchard. The pellar is called on because the locals believe there a curse has killed him. Now Ruby is determined to find out the truth before anybody else can be hurt by this curse, or human murder. While this book does include romantic relationships, I feel that it more explores the different relationship dynamics people can have rather than a straightforward romance. There is no shortage of complicated relationships here. Also, there's a cat. I truly hope this is the beginning of a series for our bookseller/heiress Ruby.

This was an interesting read with some intrigue and mystery woven into this gothic tale.

First, a book that starts with books is my kind of
book!

Second, a gothic mystery - say no more.

The 1920’s story was a great setting and the setting descriptions were really well done.

I had a difficult time connecting with the main character.

If you’re looking for a gothic mystery, this would be a good place to start.

This was a rather a dark gothic mystery.
It has some interesting characters and will keep you guessing. I thought I had it all figured out but I was wrong.. It remind me of some of the old Victoria Holt books I used to read

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!

I was SO EXCITED to dig into this book. It promised all sorts of goodies…and it delivered! Imagine me cheering right now, because man oh man did it DELIVER. It was everything I could have wanted and then some!

Despite it taking place in 1922, there are a lot of moments I think people will still find relatable. Ruby is a wonderful main character, and I adored her. She was witty and delightful, but she also wasn’t a total damsel in distress. Honestly, I thought she was hilarious.

I also very much enjoyed the atmosphere of this book. It was creepy and mysterious and you wondered what was going on. This book toes the magical and realistic aspects, but does it in a way that is utterly and totally believable.

This reminded me very much of an Agatha Christie murder mystery, but it had that magical aspect which I also adored. This was a great book, and I enjoyed all the other characters as well.

Ruan and Ruby had such a great chemistry with each other, I had a few moments that I laughed, and others where I was like “WHAT” and honestly it was the best. Absolutely enjoyed every minute of the banter between them.

Mysterious, gothic, creepy and atmospheric, this book hit all the right notes for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing. This book was right up my alley. I loved this Gothic mystery. It is set in a manor home in the English countryside. Ruby Vaughn has secrets of her own. She works for a bookseller in Exeter. She must deliver some books to a man in the Cornish countryside. Her long lost friend Tamysyn lives in Penryth Hall near by.. Tamsyn is married to Sir Edward Chenowth.. Ruby had not seen Tamysyn since the wedding. She plans to spend the night and leave in the morning. All this changes when Tamsyn’s husband Edward is found brutally murdered .Could it be the dreaded course of Penryth Hall? Ruby gets involved with Ruan Kivell, the man she delivered the books to. He is called the Pellar and is said to have mystical powers.
This is a wonderful atmospheric novel filled with mystery and suspense. It is filled with twists and turns with an ending I never saw coming. It is a captivating debut novel.

Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress, is living in Exeter and working at a bookstore with her octogenarian employer and house mate. Ruby has always avoided thinking about the past, but when she is tasked to deliver a box of mysterious books to a folk healer in the Cornish countryside, the past finds her. Her destination takes her to the doorstep of her estranged best friend, Tamsyn, who she has not seen since her wedding to Sir Edward Chenowyth.

Ruby joins the couple for dinner at Penryth Hall, a dark and foreboding manor. After an unsettling and tense evening, Ruby can’t wait to leave. Tamsyn is a shell of the woman she remembers - incredibly unhappy in her marriage, her only joy being her young son, Jori.

The following morning, Ruby wakes to the sound of Penryth Hall’s bells ringing for the first time in thirty years. Sir Edward is dead, meeting a gruesome end. With his death, there are whispers that the curse of Penryth Hall has returned. Ruby finds herself working alongside the local Peller, Ruan Kivell, to discover what really happened in the orchard that night and to break the curse of Penryth Hall.

I really enjoyed this debut novel. A cozy gothic mystery in the best sense. It is incredibly well written, atmospheric, and full of plot twists. The mystery is fresh and keeps you guessing - is it supernatural, is it not? Ruby is a fish out of water in the best way. She is incredibly likable, strong, and smart. She has an incredible work ethic, a lot of fun, and refuses to dwell on the past. She is also very loyal to the village, despite being an outsider there. Her relationship with Ruan is super interesting as well - they both seem to have an almost magical connection.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: December 5, 2023.

This debut historical mystery drew me in with its exciting premise, gothic vibes, folklore, and an interesting FMC in Ruby. She's unconventional for the 1920s when the book was set. Snarky and adventurous, fearless and reckless, she drinks to excess and has unresolved feelings for her former lover/friend Tamsyn, who happens to be the widow of the murder victim. Thus, despite the danger, she decides to investigate the murder locals ascribe to the supernatural curse, as Tamsyn might be next. She is assisted by Ruan, the local "Pellar," who is believed to be able to break the curse, and the two find they have an unusual connection. The forbidding Penrith Hall, with its curse, made the place almost a character in itself. The mystery was solid, with enough misdirection to keep the reader guessing and a satisfying reveal.

Overall, this was an enjoyable debut novel, but I felt like it could have been a bit tighter. The special connection between Ruan and Ruby, which appears to be supernatural, intrigued me, and I would have liked more details about it, but perhaps that's to come in future books. Ruby is a compelling character, but her backstory drips out bit by bit and somewhat ambiguously, with elements of her backstory referred to in ways that make it seem as though the reader should already know this information, even though this is our introduction to her. There were also a few pacing issues, and some characters fell a bit flat for me, but overall, I would be interested in seeing what Armstrong writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL by Jess Armstrong is read by Emma Love is a darkly whimsical Gothic novel perfect for the season!

I loved the ability to pair the audio with the digital book with this one. To have the accents done so well and distinctive is such fun for me and this was fantastic. It made reading the story so much more alive!

American heiress Ruby is happily running a bookstore in the Cornish village of Exeter after the Great War. When she brings an order of rare books to a folk healer deep in the countryside, she is intrigued. She doesn't want to dredge up old wounds but she is drawn to the home her former best friend who lives in Penryth Hall, and when her husband, Edward dies one fateful night, Ruby and folk healer Ruen join forces to discover the killer before anyone else becomes a victim of the curse!

I was a bit unprepared for the slight magical realism of this story. Once I embraced the abilities of Ruen and understood this aspect, it helped me to stop overthinking it! His magic is both covert and kind-of known, thus my dark whimsy label. Also, I learned what a Pellar was (a witch who breaks curses).

I enjoyed this mystery quite a bit, and had no idea who the culprit was. The family drama of the wealthy in the English countryside is usually fine fodder for a tale like this. I liked getting pulled into various suspicious with many possibilities. I even liked Ruby and Ruen's complicated connection.

If you are ready for a period murder mystery with a pinch of magic and a ton of atmosphere, this book and audio will be available on December 5th! A really fantastic read for these longer, dark nights.

Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media & @minotaur_books for this great story and letting me share my thoughts. I can see why Armstrong won your Mystery Writers of America Best Crime Novel Award! I will be excited to read what comes next as well.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a Gothic murder mystery, seeping with a moody, paranormal atmosphere that really worked for me.

I enjoyed the characters and found them interesting. I found Ruby (the main character) to be strong-willed, impulsive, and a bit reckless. Yet, she is also loyal, caring, and rational. I especially liked the relationship between Ruby and Ruan (the grumpy town pellar/healer). They butt heads over the nature of the mystery. Is it paranormal, or is there a logical explanation for the killings? Their banter brought their characters to life. While this gives off enemies-to-lovers vibes, don't expect too much romance.

I was captivated by the mystery and read this in nearly one sitting. Armstrong had me second-guessing every character. I thought everyone was the culprit at one point. It kept me turning the pages.

If I have any complaints, I would say the pacing is off. The middle dragged some for me, but it didn't stop me from continuing. I never felt like putting the book down.

This is the perfect snuggle-up and on a rainy day kind of read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a mystery set in a small Cornish village. This gothic tale is about friendship, family curses, and murder. This is a good murder mystery for those who love historical gothic literature. Thanks to author Jess Armstrong, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Curse of Penryth Hall, A Mystery by Jess Armstrong from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

“…a well-written, cleverly plotted, atmospheric mystery that offers the reader a deliciously intriguing tale … ”

A mystery with a gothic feel, The Curse of Penryth Hall set on a country estate in a Cornish Hamlet we meet bold, brash, and brave heiress, Ruby Vaugh, who flees from the fallout from one of her many scandals settles in Exeter after WWI. Ruby luckily finds lodgings with octogenarian and father-like landlord Mr. Owen. Luckily, she is fortunate to work with him at his bookshop and is tasked with delivering a mysterious chest of books to a folk healer, Ruan Kivell living in Cornwall, with her cat in tow. As she drops the books off she meets Kivell, as charming as he is unsettling to Ruby, but he leaves her with a definite impression.

Before her return to Exeter, she plans on a quick visit with former flame Tamsyn who now resides with her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth and their son at Penryth Hall. Unsure of what reception she will get since Ruby has not seen them since a drunk Ruby disgraced herself at their wedding. Tamsyn, vastly different from the friend she knew, is now a timid, obedient wife and a doting mother to her young son. Ruby is not sure what to think but while sitting at the dinner table she sees Sir Edward’s disdain she also notices faded bruises on her friend Tamsyn and the pieces begin to fit. She believes there is nothing she can do to help her friend and plans to leave first thing in the morning. That night in the guest room she is plagued by disturbing dreams, dreams of being strangled as she sleeps, when she startles awake, she sees a figure in white disappear into the darkness of the room. Confused and disturbed she goes to close her bedroom window to catch a glimpse of a lady in white make moving through the orchards outside. When woken by alarm bells Ruby, a former army nurse, rushes to help only when she stumbles across Edward’s dead body in the orchard. As a respected healer in the town Ruby’s path crosses with Ruan Kivell or as the locals call him “Pellar” when he arrives to attend to the body.

Penryth Hall, famous for its curse, has the locals pointing to it as the cause, along with Ruby the outsider who arrived just the night before. The odd and quirky partnership of Ruby and Ruan must find who or what killed Edward before Tamsyn and her son fall victim.

I really enjoyed this book, a well-written, cleverly plotted, atmospheric mystery that offers the reader a deliciously intriguing tale that will keep them reading to the wee hours of the morning. This was an incredible debut and I look forward to reading more from Jess Armstrong.

This one started out a strong four stars. Moody gothic setting. Spunky heroine. Murder with a twinge of the supernatural. Unfortunately, at the halfway point the story just somewhat stalled and the characters seemed to become a bit flat.

The ending hinted that this might be the first book of a series. It would be interesting to see where the author goes from here. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

No wonder this won a debut crime and mystery writing award!

It’s 1922. Ruby Vaughn is an American employed by an Octogenarian eccentric Exeter bookseller, Mr. Owen. She does odd tasks for him like delivering tomes to various customers.
She’s haring off to Lothlel Green near Tintagel, Cornwall (need I say more!) to deliver a trunk of books to Ruan Kivell, the Pellar (whatever that is!) Somehow the cat Mr, Owen’s cat Fiachna has managed her way into Ruby’s Crow Elkhart roadster.
Ruby is also calling in on her best friend and once lover, Lady Tamsyn Chenowyth at Penryth Hall, whom she’d fought with on the day Tamsyn had married Sir Edward Chenowyth. Tamsyn had sent a letter asking for Ruby’s help. Now, a year and a half since receiving the letter, and against her better judgement, Ruby decides to call in. After all she is passing by.
Ruby’s shocked by Tamsyn’s appearance, and the fading bruise on her cheekbone. She’s stunned when later, Tamsyn charges her to look after her son should anything happen to her.
What Ruby finds in Cornwall is death and dire circumstances, curses and superstitions, a healer cum witch who can read some of her thoughts, and ill feeling from the villagers.
We uncover much about Ruby as the story unfolds. She’s a reluctant heiress (her parents died when the boat they were on was sunk), she’s uncaring about her own mortality, she’s brave and adventurous, (an ambulance driver during WW1 on the front at Amiens), and she feels alone, except for the wise and welcoming Mr. Owen.
I relished Ruby, an unusual heroine who’s seen more than most.
I’m agog about what she will do next! I’m sure Ruan will be there somehow.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was such a fun read! A little fantastical/supernatural, a little budding romance, and best of all, a great mystery at the heart of it all! I very much look forward to following Ruby and Ruan and (hopefully 😉) watching their relationship grow, and see what other mishaps they fall into.

🖤 The Curse of Penryth Hall ARC Review 🖤

Thank you so much to Jess Armstrong, Minotaur Books and netGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a standalone historical mystery. Odd things are occurring at Penryth Hall and the lord of the house is dead. This isn’t the first time it’s happened, and everyone is convinced that the curse has returned. Ruby is determined to figure out what the curse is and the mystery of Penryth Hall.

This was a fun mystery read! I really enjoyed Ruby and her sassy attitude. She was vibrant and fun, while still being relatable. The world building was engaging and I enjoyed the bits of magical lore tossed in!

Overall this was a four star read for me! I enjoyed the characters, the world and the build up of the mystery. This book hinted at some romances, past and future, but had no on page spice so no rating will be given for smut

If you’re a fan of murder mysteries with curses, magical lore and fun characters, then absolutely pick this one up!

Please note: review will be posted on Amazon upon publication

I did not like this, not one bit.
I didn't really give a sh*t.
It was not fun, but now I'm done.
And off to have a comfort read.
Thank you (?) to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

I'm so sorry; I wanted to like this. I liked the concept enough. But I started reading and I was immediately confused. It didn't get better throughout the book either. I felt like I was jus dropped somewhere with no compass and asked to find my way out. I tried restarting and rereading multiple times, but this one was ultimately not for me.