Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy of this lovely book in exchange for an honest review.

Let me begin by telling you: it really <i>is</i> a lovely book. This is a great story for anyone looking for a fairly lighthearted mystery. As a thriller reader myself, I typically look for grittier, more intense stories, but it turns out this was the perfect change of pace for me after a long line of high-anxiety reads.

One of the aspects of <i>Penryth Hall</i> that I particularly enjoy is the simple writing style. It makes for very easy reading, which matches the genre of--dare I say--a cozy mystery very nicely. Now, perhaps that is an incorrect genre for this story: a cozy mystery. (I wouldn't know. I don't read them.) But that is what it feels like. A fun little fall/winter mystery book you won't want to put down.

Ruby Vaughn is very much the stereotypical "quirky, not-like-the-other-girls" main character, but those traits are not played up enough for it to be a bother. She is very run of the mill, but that also means she fits into the plot seamlessly.

Also, for my fellow readers who do not like overly/plentiful/gratuitous sexual content, I am pleased to announce that there is none. Hoorah! We win!

There is just so much to enjoy here if you're looking for a light read. I would definitely recommend it. Just don't be expecting something too serious. (Might I also add, it was a delight to read a story with a cat who is always just hanging around. I find very few stories, outside of my own, where that is the case, and it honestly adds a whole start on to my review. Thank you, Jess Armstrong, for the feline rep!)

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

American heiress Ruby Vaugh has managed to make a life for herself in the UK working at a rare bookstore. When Ruby’s employer instructs her to deliver a trunk of books to a town near Cornwall she goes against her better judgement and accepts. The task will take her to a place she vowed never to return to, Penryth Hall. Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s long estranged friend Tamsyn whom she hasn’t seen or spoken to since attending her wedding. Tamsyn now known as Lady Chenowyth is clearly living a lie, painting a picture of happiness with Edward that in actuality is anything but that. Ruby hopes to end her stay quickly but is delayed upon the discovery of Sir Edward Chenowyth’s dead body. With whispers of a curse abounding Ruby seeks the aid of the very man whose trunk of books brought her here in the first place. Together can they find the truth behind this mysterious death be it murder or curse and if it is a curse how can they break it.

The Curse of Penryth Hall takes place in the 1920’s, while being a period piece it also manages to have strong gothic atmosphere, romance, and even a paranormal side. Armstrong does such an amazing job merging all these elements together with the eerie setting, well thought out characters and unique plot. Everything about this book was described so fantastically that I really could see myself in Penryth Hall, I attribute this to the incredible effectiveness of the author’s prose. Ruby is a strong independent main character, her quick witted pluckiness and ability to see her own flaws made rooting for her easy. Ruan Kivell was the epitome of a brooding MMC which is completely befitting and in my mind necessary for any gothic mystery. The beginning was alittle on the slower side until you hit around the 30%, from then on the reader is taken from one scene to the next with ramping force. I truly did not see the twist or overall reveal coming. The ending does leave some openings as I anticipate this to have a sequel or become a series. This debut novel was everything I needed to fill my love of gothic mysteries. I look forward to seeing what future journeys this promising author takes us on.

This book is for anyone who enjoy taking adventures thru dark gothic manor halls while uncovering a village curse with the local grumpy witch. The Curse of Penryth Hall comes out December 5th, 2023.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

After being essentially exiled from America in scandal, Ruby Vaughn has built an independent life for herself in the post-Great War United Kingdom - she operates a specialized bookstore with her elderly roommate & his cat. She’s cajoled into delivering a shipment of books to the countryside & decides she may as well check in on an old friend while she’s in the area; then a body is discovered & talk of an old curse starts again…

I hope this is the beginning of a series, because I’d really like to know more about how Ruby & the mysterious pellar (defined as a sorcerer or wizard, I had to look that up) named Ruan are connected. When they first meet it’s because Ruby’s delivering books related to his calling, but then they inevitably keep running into each other over the course of her stay & begrudgingly join forces to figure out who or what is terrorizing the village & its surrounding farms & estates. Ruby feels like she already knows him somehow, & her pragmatic worldview is seriously tested as she hears stories & sees firsthand just how gifted Ruan is.

I enjoyed the mermaid tale in the beginning, & how Ruby loves swimming (be it in a pool or the sea), & Mrs. Penrose the housekeeper was one of my favorite characters.

This was a solid debut novel & I’ll be keeping my eye out for more Ruby Vaughn in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley & Minotaur for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Curse Of Penryth Hall

By: Jess Armstrong

5 Stars

I love getting my hands on a good mystery and this book presented me with just that. From start to finish, the mystery built. With every turn of the page I was drug deeper into the history, drama, and secrets behind the great "curse of Penryth Hall".

This story was a very fun read. It was action packed with history and mystery. It also had both romance and drama. The characters were fun to watch, Ruby being my favorite, of course. This story has a major grab factor. Once it sucks you into the mystery, its hard to put the book down. Do you know how hard it is to cook and read at the same time? Haha!! Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this book. It was a great read that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat till the very last page.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review.*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Ruby is a disgraced American heiress who grew up in England after she was exiled by her parents. She was in love with her best friend, Tamsyn, who broker her heart when she married an older man. When they meet years later, Tamsyn's husband dies mysteriously, and Ruby wakes up with bruises and a strange dream. With the help of the village witch, Ruan, Ruby must figure out what's going on before it's too late.

This book got off to a good start, but I was disappointed by the ending. I did enjoy the relationship between Ruby and Ruan, but there were so many loose plot lines that the author tried to link together. It also seemed like there was a need to keep some open to set up for a possible sequel? With the inclusion of the supernatural, between Ruan the Pellar, and the White Witch, Ruby's lack of mystical-ness was a bit of a let down, especially since that seemed to be where the book was leading with her mysterious blackouts and dreams. I enjoyed learning a little Cornish folklore, but this wouldn't be a book I would return to anytime in the future.

Thank you to net galley for providing me this advanced ready copy in exchange for a fair review.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a gripping gothic mystery and debut novel by Jess Armstrong. This novel was very brooding and atmospheric in the best way. I felt just and infatuated and curious Ruan Kivall the local Pellar. I love a good dark mystery especially during the October month.

Round up to 4 stars from 3.8. Excited to see what else is in store for this debut author

This was just a bit too slow moving for my liking. However, it was truly atmospheric and I loved Ruby’s character.

This is decent debut mystery that had a twisty ending I did not see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed Ruby and hope that she will appear in more books written by the author. Fans of mysteries with a gothic lean will enjoy this one.

Thank you #Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this wonderful book.

Overview of the story:
Ruby Vaughn an American heriess, works for a rare bookseller in Exeter. She finds herself catapulted into a huge murder mystery when she is sent out to give books to Ruan Kivell in Lothel Green. What Ruby does not know is that Ruan is the town's Pellar and this small town has many dark twisted secrets. Ruby herself is not a strange to weird things happening in her life or keeping secrets. Ruby is faced with seeing her friend and former lover Tamsyn, at Penryth Hall where she lives with her husband Sir Edward Chenowyth. The moment she arrives the feeling she gets from Penryth Hall is unsettling. The very next morning Ruby is woken up to bells and murder. Was it actually the curse? To find out what Ruby discovers in the novel, you must read The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Amrstrong today!

Possible Spoliers if you read on!

Plot:

I honestly thought for a historical mystery novel that this was excellent. I usually have an easy time figuring out who committed the crimes, but this one picked someone who I never suspected.

Character Developement:

I really enjoyed the depth that Ruby has as a character. I love that she plays a powerful female that takes risks. Ruby herself is anomaly and I love that she is like that. I also enjoy that it does not come out and say she is LGBTQIA, but due to her past romantic relationship with Tamsyn it is unclear.

Ruan Kivell, I enjoyed the mystery of his character. He never claims himself as a witch or wizard, but if you Google the meaning of Pellar it means sorcerer, wizard. Ruan charm and mystery is a perfect match to the headstrong Ruby.

Romance: -Spoliers
Since, I am an high school librarian I could see this book being a Adult Crossover to YA. The level of romance in this book, is minimal. Ruby and Ruan only kiss twice or three times, nothing else happens. Infact, they level each other at the end of the book.

It's 1922 and book seller Ruby Vaughn has been sent by her octogenarian employer and housemate to Cornwall to deliver a box of books to Ruan Kivell. She's reluctant because she hasn't been to that village since her former best friend Tamsyn married the local baronet Sir Edward Chenowyth. Ruby was in love with Tamsyn and feels betrayed that she threw her over for Sir Edward.

After meeting Ruan and dropping off the books, she proceeds to Penryth Hall where she encounters a decidedly gothic atmosphere. Tamsyn has changed a lot becoming much more withdrawn and is clearly unhappy. Ruby takes a strong dislike to Sir Edward who proves to be a philandering bully. But she wasn't expecting anyone to murder him the night she arrives. Nor was she expecting his death to be attributed to a curse that had previously taken his uncle and his uncle's wife.

Ruby had weird dreams of the death the night of Sir Edward's death and she was attacked in her bedroom. She even believes for a while that she might have been the one to kill Sir Edward. Ruan is called in to investigate since he is the Pellar - a witch who is believed to be able to break curses.

Ruby and Ruan develop an interesting relationship. He can read her thoughts which is something that Ruby is forced to believe despite her disbelief in anything supernatural. The two work together to try to determine who murdered Sir Edward since neither believe that it was a curse.

Ruby was a fascinating character. She is an heiress who was sent away from her home in New York when she was a teenager because of a scandal. She lost both her parents and sister when the Lusitania sank. She worked as an ambulance driver during World War I. She is determined to live in the present since the past held so much trauma for her. Tamsyn sees her as brave and daring, but Ruby feels that she has nothing left to lose. She tries to survive by drinking too much and doing dangerous things.

I enjoyed the gothic atmosphere of this story with its curses and superstitions. I liked that Ruby who might have some supernatural powers of her own in the form of prophetic dreams is determined to find a rational explanation for all the various events.

Fans of the gothic will enjoy this story filled with intriguing characters.

Ruby Vaughn is now one of my favorite literary characters! Loved her! Jess Armstrong's debut novel, The Curse of Penryth Hall is a spooky, creepy, supernatural, suspenseful, witty and funny treat! The characters are great, even though we don't get much back story for them. Ruby is the pushy strong willed American in early 1900's navigating her way thru stuffy, conversative, traditional Exeter. She's a force to be reckoned with and when her oldest friend, Tamsyn's husband is murdered and then Tamsyn thinks she's going to be next, a victim of a long believed curse, Ruby vows to get the bottom of what's happened. She doesn't believe in curses or witches or God for that matter. And all her long held believes will be tested when she finds herself in the Cornish countryside alongside Ruan Kivell, the one the locals call a Pellar.
I loved this story and hope they'll be more with Ms. Ruby Vaughn!!

This was a great start to a debut novel, however I feel that it needed some more attention to details. We weren’t really given a lot of information about the characters, and then it would come out of nowhere like I was supposed to know. I also felt that the pacing was too slow for my liking. I understand that gothic books usually are a little slower, but this one was just too slow for me and I was getting bored.

This just didn’t end up being a book I was really excited about having read.

I do want to extend my thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

With this being a debut I won’t be too harsh with my review. I feel like I was never told enough about characters and I was constantly trying to piece things together on my own about their stories and past and it didn’t always flow. I enjoyed the story overall and with some more work I can see this author going places!

Thank you St Martin’s Press for a eARC of this book for review!

The Curse of Penryth Hall follows American heiress Ruby Vaughn as she navigates a mystery involving an old friend, her husband, the town Pellar, and an old curse. In this historical fiction set after WW1, we get a little bit of everything: humor, atmosphere, a murder mystery, romance, and magic.

I really enjoyed this read! I’ve personally been in a bit of a murder mystery mindset, so I feel as though it came up to be read at an excellent time. When I first started it, I wasn’t positive how I felt about the writing and the pacing, but as I moved through the story I realized it worked so well for what was being told. Additionally, I love first person and Ruby’s mind is so quirky at times which I really enjoyed.

One of my favorite parts about this book, and obviously a very important part of it, was the murder mystery. I felt like it was really well done, I genuinely wasn’t sure what direction it was going in at any minute. Was it a curse? Was it a man, a woman, a spirit? I literally had no clue. I also did really like the little bit of romance that we got, and honestly I want so much more? ALSO I LOVED the cat. He was such an interesting little side character who didn’t really do much but made you feel as though he was a very important part of the story.

I will note though that there is suicide in the book, so please be cautious if this is something that is triggering for you.

Overall, I really enjoyed the read, I thought it was very fun, engaging, and well written, and I hope we get more in this world with these characters! It was a 4.25 star read for me!

I have received this arc in exchange for a honest review (and I am thankful that I was chosen to review this book). To be honest, the book may be liked by a lot of people. It incorporates mystery and elements of witchcraft/curses that was set in the early 1900s, but personally, I was a bit bored while reading this book and the style of writing and executing the plot did not resonate with me while reading. So, this book- just- wasnt for me

A historical cozy murder mystery with a dash of gothic tones and some romance! American heiress Ruby Vaughn has made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and housemate. She's trying to leave behind her past and her time during the Great War, particularly because she wants to forget her former best friend and the woman who broke her heart Yet when her employer sends her on her newest job, she'll be visiting the town where the same woman lives... and facing that heartbreak all over again. Ruby is meant to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside... where Penryth Hall is and where Tamsyn and her husband Sir Edward Chenowyth are. Ruby dislikes that Tamsyn had to marry such an awful man and in doing so also broke her heart. Yet now seeing Tamsyn, Ruby also notices that Edward has been abusing Tamsyn as well. Yet when waking up at Penryth hall one morning, it is reported that Edward has been killed and now Ruby doesn't know whether Tamsyn did it or not. Along to solve the case is Ruan Kivell, the person who Ruby was sent to give the books to. He is a Pellar, a man the locals believe can break the curse that is on Penryth Hall. Ruby doesn't believe in curses but something strange is definitely happening at Penryth and Ruby is determined to solve the case to save This one was an interesting murder mystery, it definitely got the cozy small village vibes with an interesting sapphic romance touch to the story and the main protagonist is Bi (from what I can tell) and overall was okay. The story was a bit slow at parts but I think some people might enjoy the slow pace of it for a cozy mystery. I was expecting a bit more from the big reveal of who did it and why but I guess the overall ending does make sense with the gothic vibes. Overall it was an okay read for me but I think others might have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A story of what happens when you are sent for errands and get caught up in a death that gets the town talking. Great characters and an inviting story line.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong is a wonderful spooky mystery thriller set in the 1920s with many twists and turns. I really liked the characters they were all well rounded and interesting. This book kept me riveted, so much so I stayed up all night reading it.

The Curse of Penryth Hall
by Jess Armstrong
The Curse of Penryth Hall is a historical cozy mystery with supernatural elements and Gothic overtones.
Summary
Ruby Vaughn has vowed to never return to Penryth Hall after the marriage of her best friend Tamsyn to Sir Edward Chenowyth. But her boss, Mr. Owen, has sent her to the village of Lothiel Green to deliver a trunk full of books to a man named Ruan Kivell. Before Ruby makes her delivery, she stops at the hall and finds a much-changed Tamsyn. Tamsyn is much thinner and has a bruised face. That evening at dinner, Ruby exchanges barbs with Sir Edward, until he excuses himself from dinner when he suddenly falls ill. The next morning his mutilated body is found by the housekeeper on the estate’s grounds. She insists the curse, which killed Edward’s uncle and his wife thirty years prior, is back and has killed Edward. When Tamsin hears the news, she insists the curse is coming for her next and forces Ruby to swear she will keep Tamsyn’s young son safe. Ruby’s scientific mind refuses to believe a curse is at work. She resolves to find the murderer behind Sir Edward’s death.
My Thoughts
This is a solid mystery with all sorts of twists and turns and an ending I didn’t see coming. The atmosphere is spooky with a castle falling into ruin and gloomy weather. Ruan Kivell, the local Pellar (a role which Ruan inhabits with mixed emotions), is a man with skill at healing others and putting Ruby’s emotions in turmoil. The verbal sparring between the two is funny and one of the best parts of the novel.
Ruby’s relationship with Tamsyn is complicated. They’ve been friends since Ruby was shipped from New York City to London after being seduced by an older married man when Ruby was sixteen. Ruined for a society marriage, her father sent her to live with his old friend and his family in London so Ruby could have a new start. At some point, Ruby wanted more from the relationship than Tamsyn could give-I think-and their friendship disintegrated. This relationship felt forced to me and distracted from the mystery.
Ruby is a deeply troubled character. Forced to leave home at such a young age, she loses her parents and younger sister years later at sea. She was an ambulance driver for the Great War, moving wounded soldiers from the front lines. Her relationship with Tamsyn fell apart during this period. Once Ruby returns to Penryth Hall, those old feelings for Tamsyn return, and Ruby doesn’t handle them well. Ruby becomes a bit self-centered and that was off-putting.
Overall thoughts
This isn’t a bad book. The mystery gets lost at times, and when that happened, I forgot why I was reading the book. As far as characters go, Ruan Kivell is the most interesting character, in my opinion. As far as the villagers are concerned, he has supernatural powers and is seen as the Pellar. Ruan is conflicted about his role and the pressure he is under to have all of the answers, especially when murder and an old curse is involved.
If historical mysteries set in the twenties, old English castles, and a hint of the supernatural is your thing, then this book may be for you. It really didn’t resonate with me, and if there are more books after this one, I probably won’t be reading them.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartin’sPress for a copy of #TheCurseofPenrythHall. All opinions are my own.

Publisher
St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery
Pages: 336
Pub date: 12/05/2023

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong was an intriguing book to say the least. I enjoy this genre and the author outdid herself. Great story line, plot, development of characters as well as thorough writing style. I enjoyed reading this book. It did not take much time to complete this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this intriguing story. I definitely recommend this suthor