An entertaining pseudo-Gothic that is well paced but short on atmosphere and originality.

The premise for this one follows the standard Gothic format, and in theory the setting is a good one. I’m surprised to see this book described at atmospheric, especially relative to other Gothic mysteries. It lacks any spookiness or sense of menace, which I consider a requirement for good Gothic fiction. The book makes some interesting forays into Cornish folklore and legend, but the lack of atmosphere relegates this component to academic information in service of solving the mystery. Which would be fine if the book hadn’t been aiming for Gothic.

The mystery itself is fine, has a decent enough solve, and is well structured. And I liked the heroine, even though most of the secondary characters are fairly archetypal.

On the whole this is an entertaining enough read, but the quality doesn’t stand up to truly good contemporary Gothic.

This tale of Ruby Vaughn, which seems like it's set up to be the first in a series, wasn't a hit for me. I didn't quite connect with any of the characters, including the main character Ruby Vaughn. Although the mystery of a newer husband being found dead with his body ravaged in the 1920s Cornish countryside was initially intriguing, it quickly petered out for me. And I didn't realize that Ruan was supposed to be a love interest until far into the book, after I had already friendzoned him for Ruby.

I think this might have more of an appeal for those who enjoy 1920s English cozy mysteries written in a slower, Older English style.

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

Title: The Curse of Penryth Hall
Author: Jess Armstrong
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating:4.5 out of 5

After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and house mate in Exeter. She’s always avoided dwelling on the past, even before the war, but it always has a way of finding her. When Ruby is forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, she is brought back to the one place she swore she’d never return. A more sensible soul would have delivered the package and left without rehashing old wounds. But no one has ever accused Ruby of being sensible. Thus begins her visit to Penryth Hall.

A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It’s an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth’s bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses―or Pellars―but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next Tamsyn.

To protect her friend, Ruby must work alongside the Pellar to find out what really happened in the orchard that night.

I liked Ruby a lot in this novel. She’s mostly very sure of herself, confident, and capable. She’s spunky, and I like her attitude. I also enjoyed Ruan a lot, the inscrutable, enigmatic Pellar. There were a lot of layers in this novel: old relationships, memories, current relationships, changed people and friendships, the local culture, the murder mystery…

The author did an excellent job of weaving all these layers together into a rich tapestry of story. I never figured out who the killer was, and the reveal surprised me. I enjoyed this read, and wondering how everything was going to work itself out kept me reading far too late into the night.

Jess Armstrong lives in New Orleans. The Curse of Penryth Hall is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(blog link live 12/5).

I found the book interesting however I didn’t really connect with the characters. It took me a while to adjust to the writing as it is set in the 20’s. I did enjoy the little murder mystery though and I think if the writing didn’t throw me off in the beginning and I could’ve connected with the characters, I would’ve given a higher review. I think people also into historical fiction would really like this book.

I must start off by saying I have been in a reading slump and unable to stay focused but not anymore! I started this book I. Morning and finished before nightfall. I really enjoyed this mystery, Ruby, Owen, the Pellar and Mrs. Penryth.

There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing, I did not realize who it was till Ruby did.

The ending leads you to believe that there might be a book 2 set in Scotland this time. I’m crossing my fingers there is.

Highly recommend this debut mystery to all my mystery loving friends, I know I will be adding Tess Armstrong to my favorite author list.

I requested and received an advance readers copy from St. Martin’s and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong is a captivating mystery novel that will transport you to the Cornish countryside and keep you on the edge of your seat. The story follows Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress who runs a rare bookstore in Exeter. After being forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, Ruby finds herself back in Penryth Hall, the home of her once-dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth.

When Edward is found dead in the orchard, the locals believe that the curse has returned, and that Tamsyn may be the next victim. Ruby, who doesn't believe in curses, must work with Ruan Kivell, the Pellar who the locals believe can break the curse, to uncover the truth behind Edward's death and protect her friend.

The writing in The Curse of Penryth Hall is beautifully descriptive, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. The author does an excellent job of building the atmosphere of the Cornish countryside, creating a sense of foreboding and mystery that permeates the entire story.

Overall, The Curse of Penryth Hall is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery. It is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that will keep you guessing until the very end. Jess Armstrong is a talented writer, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Ruby has a checkered past. She's an American heiress now living in the Cornish countryside, sent away by her family due to a scandal. World War I has ended and she is working at a rare bookstore in Exeter. Tasked with delivering rare books to a folk healer, The Pellar Ruan Kivell, in another village causes Roby to have to return to a place, and a person, that she never wanted to see again, Penryth Hall and her once closest friend, Tamsyn. Tamsyn has married Sir Edward Chenowyth and needless to say, Ruby is not a fan of his. During what Ruby hopes is a quick visit, she awakens the next morning to find Sir Edward dead in the orchard, the victim of a supposed curse that has been whispered about for years. In order to get to the bottom of what happened, Ruby must work with Ruan and the rest of the villagers to figure out what has happened and whether the curse is truly to blame.

This is a wonderful gothic novel filled with mystery, lore and legend, and a touch of the paranormal. Ruby is a strong lead character, dedicated to helping her friend no matter what. I love how the author kept me guessing the entire time, leading me to think the killer could have been anyone. This is a good back to curl up with on a rainy and foggy day and get lost in the atmosphere of it all.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book.
Ruby Vaughn works at a bookstore with a man she considers a father figure. She is told not to look at the books or try to read them. Ruby is told that they are for a folk healer that the townsfolk believe is a witch. While delivering the books she visits her childhood best friend Tameran at Penryth hall. She meets Tameran's husband Edward and son Jori. Edward is found dead that night and everyone believes it's the curse that killed his uncle. Ruby believes that it is a man and not a curse that killed Edward. Edward killed George who is the rightful heir of Penryth Hall and the biological father of Jori. Edward was planning to disown Jori making people none the wiser except Alice Martin, George's aunt and the woman he called mom but was actually his aunt. She also poisoned Ruby and Nellie who was meant to be George's wife but became Edward's mistress. Ruby gets injured by the townsfolk since they believe her to be a witch. Alice Martin is discovered to be the killer in order to avenge her sister and George and after being discovered jumps to her death in order to be with her sister and adopted son. Ruby ends up stealing Tameran's housekeeper who took a liking to both her and her cat. The story ends a week later with the healer starting a relationship with Ruby and her planning a trip to Scotland with the man she considers a father.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong was a spellbinding debut!
A wonderfully told gothic and mystical story I was viciously flipping the pages to my kindle.
A creative story with an intriguing mystery filled with interesting characters.
As to Armstrong‘s writing style, it’s very approachable and with the evocative description.
The pacing was perfect, the descriptions delicious, and the writing so engaging.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I decided to DNF this one at 40%. Not because it wasn't good but because I wasn't in the mood for it. I am feeling slumpy this month and I didn't want to make it worse by forcing myself through a book (again) that I wasn't completely enjoying. But I liked the main character and it had good atmosphere. I would definitely come back to it at a different time.

This book was well written however I don’t feel like I connected with the novel.

There were a couple times in this book where I just felt like I missed something. I did reread a couple sections without luck.

The curse of penryth hall is a stellar and unique debut by Armstrong. Ruby is an heiress who is sent to the Cornish countryside on an errand-to penryth hall-a place she swore she would never return. She ends up staying the night with her old friend. Tamsyn, and her husband, sir Edward. Eager to depart. Ruby plans to leave at dawn but is awakened by the ringing of the bells-signaling that a death has occurred. Sir Edward’s body was found in the orchard and people are worried that the curse of the hall has returned and Edward has died at the hand of a mysterious beast. Ruby senses there is something a miss and join forces with outsider, Ruan, a “pellar” who locals believe can break the curse that has kept the hall its grip. Secrets begin to unravel and everything Ruby thought she knew is flipped on its head as she gets closer to the truth.

The atmosphere is what carries this story as Armstrong perfectly evokes the tone of gothic writers who came before. The story has elements of mystery, the occult, supernatural, and a dash of romance. The characters and relationships between them can be hard to track at times, but that shouldn’t deter too much from the fun of the plot.
A worthwhile debut and looking forward to more from Armstrong in this genre!

I was so confused! I kept thinking I had dropped into the second or third book in a series- that Ruby's back story (her scandal, her sister, her parents, her service in France, her relationship with Tamsyn) had all been explained in an earlier book because surely the single sentences about all of the aforementioned were harkening back to a more extensive explanation. But no, they weren't. And know that fairly far into the novel, the fact that Ruby is American is dropped in. Whew. Now, without those issues, there's a decent mystery/romantic suspense here. Ruby has been sent to Cornwall to deliver books to Ruan, the local pellar (go with it) so she takes time to see Tamsyn, whose horrible husband is found dead the next morning, a victim of the curse of Penryth Hall. Ruby had a dream about him- or did she? She then sets out to answer the question of the curse. She's had a special relati0nship with Tamsyn but she's also attracted to Ruan. It's atmospheric and twisty and there's one heck of a cool cat. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here's hoping for another from Armstrong who shows promise.

This story was told in first person by Ruby. I enjoyed her banter with her octogenarian employer in the beginning of the story. I was also fascinated by the character of the Pellar and wished for his point of view often throughout the story as well as more on the mental connection he had with Ruby. I found the background for Ruby to purposefully ambiguous and her obsession with the Tamsyn of the past eventually became annoying repetitive and often clouded her otherwise analytical judgement.

The mystery was interesting and I was actually surprised by the resolution. I loved the dream sequences and the almost eerie feel to them. However, I was told that the story took place in Cornwall and I was told that the people of the village were superstitious but aside from two incidents, I didn’t feel like any of that was weaved into the story which made for a disappointing atmosphere for a supposedly gothic tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

American heiress Ruby Vaughn has survived the great war and is now living in Exeter and helping run a rare bookshop with the elderly owner Mr. Owens. Mr. Owens sends Ruby to the Cornish countryside to deliver some rare books. Ruby is reluctant to go as she has vowed never to return to the village there. Too many memories, but return she does. She re-connects with a friend from her past. Then her friends husband is murdered and the curse of his estate is brought to life again. He is not the only death and after Ruby is nearly killer, the murderer is revealed, not a curse.

The Curse of Penryth Hall was a delightful surprise for me. I'm love atmosphere and this entire story was dripping in it. I also loved Ruby as a main character and the chemistry between her and Ruan. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historically-set mysteries with heavy gothic vibes. There is just so much to enjoy here if you're looking for a light read.

This book. Was. So. Good. A real palette cleanser, mixing historical fiction, mystery, crime and a little dash of the fantastical in one propulsive, gorgeously gothic story. I adored the main character Ruby, who was strong willed, smart, and tenacious, as well as Ruan, the mysterious yet helpful Pellar. The setting of true life Cornwall, England is one I’m very familiar with, and I really felt transported there through the evocative language, finding myself pining for the chilly beaches and gorgeous moors landscape. Humorous at times, the book also reminded me a little of Agatha Christie, and kept me guessing in much the same way. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I there are hints at a broader storyline that could happen in possible sequel follow ups, and I for one hope that that author Jess Armstrong does indeed give us more. Ruby is something special.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the chance to read and in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book for review.

From the very beginning, I found myself deeply invested in Ruby Vaughn's journey, eagerly following her as she navigates the twists and turns of this captivating plot. The author's writing style is engaging and immersive, effortlessly drawing readers into the world of Penryth Hall and its enigmatic inhabitants.

'The Curse of Penryth Hall' is a book that will leave readers spellbound, yearning for more of its captivating storyline and unforgettable characters. It is a must-read for fans of gothic fiction, as well as those who appreciate skillfully crafted settings and intricate storytelling. Prepare to be transported to a world where the seemingly tranquil countryside holds dark secrets and where the power of belief and superstition reign supreme.

This was not a poorly written book, but I just didn't connect with it enough to feel the need to craft a review at this time. I do think I would try this author again, however.

I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into with this book. It’s the second dark gothic novel I’ve read this year and I’m finding myself loving the genre all over again. The Curse of Penryth Hall had a great pace. I felt myself wanting to read just one more page. Lots of great twists and turns that kept me guessing “who done it”. I’m excited to get my hands on more of Jess Armstrong’s books and hopefully there is a second book for Ruby and Ruan. I was left wanting more adventures.