Fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series should enjoy this Historical Mystery debut which I’m hoping leads to further adventures.

Following the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn finds herself exiled by her parents (for bad behavior) to Exeter, where she “works” for her octogenarian house mate in the running of an antiquity bookstore. When she is asked to deliver some books to a folk healer, Ruan Kivell, living in the Cornish countryside, she stops in to see her former friend, Tamsyn, who married a not-well-liked local baronet. When said baronet is gruesomely murdered, Ruby, along with Ruan (known locally as the Pellar) must determine if the murder is connected to a centuries-old curse following that family or if it’s for a more secular reason.

Great debut! Loved this one. From the supernatural tension, the atmosphere of the place and time of the story, and the eerie and dark feel of the never knowing what comes next…very well done. But it’s truly Ruby, as an unapologetically headstrong, relentless and capable heroine who shines. She’s such a wonderfully drawn character that I must say I will sorely miss her if this doesn’t turn out to be a series. She’s a flawed character with demons of her own to wrestle with, but she is loyal and cares deeply for those she loves.

Highly recommended.

My heartfelt thanks to the author, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing the free early arc of The Curse of Penryth Hall for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Moody, atmospheric, slightly fantastical and otherworldly. I initially thought this was going to be a cozy mystery, but quickly realized that it was going to be the kind of book that started with "it was a dark and stormy night." Once I got into the vibe, this is a fun and interesting read. The mystery is pleasantly convoluted and the characters well drawn. FYI, there is some sapphic love in this book. It looks like this may be the start of a series and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

What an exciting debut from Jess Armstrong! Ruby is such an engaging character, and her interactions with literally everyone else, especially Ruan, are fascinating. The setting in post-WWI Cornwall is a character in its own right - a very gothic, pixie-led, mystical place. I absolutely devoured this book as quickly as possible, and I can only hope this leads to more Ruby adventures!

I received a copy of this book from Minotaur Books.

I started this book but I could not finish it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is part romance and part paranormal mystery.. so many twist and turns to keep you on your feet. IF you like mysteries set in the past this is for you.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to review this book. My review will appear on my blog as well as episode 35 of my podcast which drops on Monday, November 20. I'll also post the review to Goodreads and Instagram that same week.

Review:

I went into this one expecting a paranormal ghost story, but that isn't what I got. Instead, this is more of a gothic murder mystery. That's not necessarily a bad thing; it was just unexpected, and I kept waiting for something ghost-like to happen, but it never did.

The book is set in post-World War I England and follows the adventures of Ruby Vaughn, a spirited American heiress who finds herself swept up in an alleged curse that is supposedly attached to Penryth Hall - the place where her dear friend Tamsyn lives with her son and her bully of a husband, Edward. When Edward is found murdered, rumors begin to swirl that the curse of Penryth Hall has surfaced and taken another life.

While the book wasn't exactly what I expected, I did enjoy it. Armstrong's writing effortlessly transports the reader to the Cornish countryside. The descriptions of the landscapes, the characters, and the eerie atmosphere of Penryth Hall are all beautifully rendered, creating a vivid and immersive reading experience.

The plot is filled with suspense and intrigue. What starts as a simple delivery of books quickly escalates into a hunt for the truth behind Edward's gruesome death and the alleged curse that looms over Penryth Hall. As Ruby and Ruan delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding the orchard, the tension builds, keeping the reader hooked until the very end. The blend of historical events, whispers of witchcraft, and local folklore adds an extra layer of complexity to the story, making it an engaging read.

As I alluded to earlier, despite initial expectations of a full-fledged ghost story, the supernatural elements in this novel are only hinted at. The legends of witchcraft and the curse did give the story a haunting atmosphere, but those seeking a more overtly paranormal experience like myself may be left wanting in that aspect.

The characters in this book are well-developed and engaging. Ruby, in particular, stands out as a likable and relatable protagonist. Her determination, resilience, and curiosity make her a compelling and endearing character. The relationships she forms with the other characters, particularly her friendship with Tamsyn, are heartfelt and richly portrayed.

While the majority of the characters are well-rounded and intriguing, my biggest gripe lies with the inconsistency of Ruan's character. I liked him, but there were times when he felt a little too mercurial. One minute, he seemed fun and laid back, but then, all of a sudden, he seemed to be flying off the handle about something. It was difficult for me to get a good feel for him. I wanted to like him more than I did.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that combined beautiful prose, compelling characters, and a captivating plot. While I had issues with Ruan's mercurial personality and wished for more paranormal elements, these things weren't enough to detract from the overall quality of the book. Fans of historical mysteries with a gothic atmosphere will definitely enjoy this one.

I received this from Netgalley.com.


I was expecting a Gothic mystery about <u><b>"books themselves are seldom the danger, it’s what’s within them that carries the risk.”</u></b> --- it just didn't deliver. The writing itself was okay but I was tremendously underwhelmed with the characters and their stories.

2☆

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. “The curse of Penryth Hall” is a book about the impulsive (and recently orphaned) American Heiress Ruby Vaughan as she travels to Penryth Hall - the home of her estranged best friend Tamsyn. Ruby never intended to stay, however, when a tragic death comes for one of the inhabitants of the manor, Ruby has to work with Ruan Kivell - the town’s mysterious Pillar - to solve the mystery of the curse that haunts the manor.

What I didn’t like about the book:

A.) The lack of exposition/backstory/general explanatory aids.

Usually I don’t like when books take too long to build up a plot and only get to the action later but it was kind of the opposite in this book. We get thrown right into the story with a brief blurb revealing that Ruby’s parents died after they sent her off to England and not much else. Then once Ruby gets to Corinth countryside, we are told that she has been there before for the wedding but she did something to embarrass herself and has no recollection of it at all. This really wouldn’t bother me at all if it weren’t fort for the fact that Ruby’s time at Penryth Hall in the past is what made Ms. Penrose so fond of her. Without that background information, her affection felt misplaced and confusing.


Another thing I didn’t like was how we as the readers didn’t really get the “lore” behind the curse until over halfway into the book. From the moment Lord Chenowyth died, everybody kept stating that it was the curse over and over again but nobody really described what that entailed or how the curse came to be until much later which was a bit disappointing.

Another example I can think of is how one of the characters makes a throwaway comment about how Ruan and Ruby were born on the exact same day during an eclipse or something of the sort, and how that might relate to why they have their psychic connection. However, this is never expanded on again (since Ruby doesn’t seem to care about it all that much) and we as the readers are just left to wonder what it could possibly mean. A final example would be everything related to the white witch and her prophecy about how Ruby would destroy Ruan and how it clearly affected Ruan very deeply but he tried to brush it off.

I can only hope all these loose ends are a lead-in for a sequel book because otherwise everything will be a bit confusing.



B.) Ruan’s hot-and-cold personality.

Don’t get me wrong, I like brooding, mysterious MMCs as much as anyone but Ruan character got boring quick. I understand that he can be more goofy when he’s just Ruan himself but he has to get more serious when the town needs him to be the Pellar. However, I wish we got a bit more backstory as to how he came about to be this why and how he truly feels about it; the pressures the goes through, his fears and doubts about his job, that sort of thing. One moment he’d be all nice and caring but then he’d get closed off and angry in the next moment for seemingly no reason. It was very hard to keep up with.



What I did like:


A.) The trope-iness of it all


Although Ruan was an inconsistent character, I did enjoy his relationship with Ruby and how it progressed . Although there were a lot of basic romances tropes between them (ex. Psychic connection, have to work together to solve mysterious, their fates are linked together, etc.), I think the way they grew to trust and lean on each other was quite endearing and I want to read more about them.


B.) Ruby’s personality

I liked that she was a force and hot-headed without being too impulsive or unthinking. Ruby’s actions were for the most part, very rational and I greatly appreciated that. I also liked her quippy one-liners about Freud or the state of the church and the “holy” men around her. It made her feel very real and somewhat modern.


Overall, I give this book a 3.5 stars and I really hope to read more about these characters sometime in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Figuring out who is behind everything going on in and around Penryth Hall was not an easy task. For me, it was a case of who I didn't want it to be, and who I did want to see go down for everything seemed to have gotten off quite lightly. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't really connect with any of the characters in this 1920s murder mystery. The FMC has some depth, and her background is quite sad. But, while I felt bad for her, I wasn't necessarily connecting with her. The MMC just aggravated me with his strange behavior. He'd be friendly and flirting one minute, and almost cruel and dismissive the next. The writing itself was well done, so if you enjoy mysteries set in this time period, you may want to grab this one in December.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong follows ex-pat Ruby, who is on a trip to the Cornish countryside to deliver a trunk of books to Ruan Kivell. The last time Ruby was at Penryth Hall was to attend the wedding of her best friend Tamsyn Turner to Sir Edward Chenowyth. She has no recolection on what happened during her stay. 18 months ago Ruby recives a letter from Tamsyn, ask Ruby to come to Penryth Hall to help her. Ruby ignored Tamsyn's request. Now she must help Ruan, the town's Pellar with discovering who is behind the "curse" at Penryth Hall. Ruby is a strong, funny protagonist in book. You can't help but to fall in love with her. She speaks her mind which gets her into trouble at times. The ending felt like there is going to be a series and I can't wait to see if I am right. Read a likes would be A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fratality, both by Kate Khavari. Murder by Degress by Ritu Mukerji. The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner. These authors have very strong and intelligent female protagonists who you can't help but to fall in love with them.

This novel provides an immersive reading experience to those who love gothic mysteries and lovely descriptions.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love a good Gothic mystery, but this one seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis. The main character, Ruby, is trying to be sassy and cool like Phryne Fisher, but comes off as self-centered and inconsiderate of others. She also seems totally fine with massive gaps in her memory. The story kind of pivots into a love story with the burly local witch, and then they are investigating someone's suicide, and I really stopped caring.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. So thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

I’ve read the word gothic and immediately thought this is gonna be a great read cause that is my fav sub genre.
But unfortunately this was such a hard book to get through. I forced myself into reading it and the plot was pretty much nonexistent. I know there are people out there that prefer that so I’m sure if you like that you’ll like this one.
But i need a complex plot and complex characters so this was a mediocre reading experience for me.

I am not sure how to review this book. It’s a book that should have been right my alley but I had the hardest time with it. I kept putting it down and reading other books in between. It was pretty well written but there seemed to be very little plot to follow and it wandered here and there and everywhere. The plot needed to be tightened as it lacked focus. I couldn’t really relate to the main character. She didn’t seem to fit into the time period of the book. I would be open to trying this author again but not if this is going to be a series.

I absolutely enjoyed this book! I couldn’tput it down. So twisty and turny. So descriptive and well written to where I could easily envision what was going on. I loved the period of time chosen to write about, it added a level of charm. There was romance without there being romance, which I really liked. Who doesn’t want to read about curses and mystery?! I look forward to reading more about Ruan and Ruby. I hope we hear more from them!

I struggled to like Ruby and this took me a long time to finish because she never hooked me and I didn’t enjoy the process of learning her backstory. Anyone expecting a romance should know this isn’t a HEA or HFN, but the gothic vibes of the mystery hit.

Okay, this is a hard one to rate! I will say this: I really enjoyed the setting, the story development, the mystery (I did not see the whodunnit coming!) and the characters. Mr. Owen, Ruby, Ruan, Mrs. Penrose, even the cat! Loved them all.

There were a few small things that bothered me, and I wonder if they will get cleaned up in editing (I received an advanced copy). Like some of the female characters would call Ruby, “my lover.” This was WEIRD for me, but it would make so much sense as “love” or “luv,” instead.

Finally, and this is a spoiler, I found the bisexual romance in here honestly a little unnecessary. I don’t mean this to sound hateful; what I mean is it felt sort of forced or contrived. So these wealthy young women were in a relationship? During the war? What on earth was that like for them? What drove them together? How did they overcome the social barriers to get there?

Because we don’t get those answers AND both women have more profound relationships with men, it felt unnecessary to me. We need more context, particularly historical context, for it to work.

I’m still giving this 4 stars because despite these things, I ended it wishing desperately for a sequel! I really hope the author has this planned as a series.

Magic, mystery, a curse, and several red herrings. This book was quite enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this to fans of history, magic, and female leads turned detectives

Jess Armstrong's new book is the perfect read for chilly fall nights with its gothic vibe, murder mystery and plucky main character. Main Character Ruby finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery when she visits her old friend, Tamsyn, and is not there but one day when Tamsyn's husband is brutally murdered. With the help of the local pellar (or witch, which every small town has of course) Ruby must uncover the mystery of who wanted Tamsyn's husband dead and why. With some romantic vibes thrown in for fun between Ruby and the pellar, Ruby cleverly finds the culprit and solves the mystery. And if I'm correct, I sense that we may see Ruby show up, hopefully, in another book by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

Ruby Vaughan is an heiress who, to avoid the secrets from her past, helps run a bookstore with her octogenarian landlord, miles away from her hometown in Exeter. But, as pasts are known to do, Ruby’s catches up to her when she returns to Exeter on a book delivery and runs into her former best friend, Tamsyn, who is now married to a baron and whom Ruby hasn’t spoken to since leaving the war. Obligated to check on her friend, Ruby returns to Penryth Hall and quickly learns that her friends’ happy life is a lie. When Tamsyn’s husband is found brutally murdered, people in town begin to speculate that the “Curse of Penryth Hall” has struck again, seeing as the murder follows a pattern from many years before. But Ruby doesn’t believe in curses and she is convinced to stick around and find out the truth- even if that makes her the next target.

"The Curse of Penryth Hall", the debut novel by Jess Armstrong, is equal parts romance — or not — and paranormal mystery — or maybe not that, either. Armstrong keeps you guessing with plenty of twists in this page-turner set in Cornwall in the 1920s. I enjoyed the setting of the novel and some of the characters. I felt that both Ruby and Ruan could have been a little more developed (what was the scandal that made Ruby leave America?), and Ruan's brooding got a little much at times. I thought Tamsyn was kind of boring. But the housekeeper, Mrs. Pensrose, was a delight (as is Mr. Owen).

The first 50% of the book, for me, was slow and I had a tough time committing to it. Then it picked up and I finished it within 2 hours. It was an enjoyable read and I hope that Ruby Vaughn and Ruan Kivell continue to be the detective duo they've been set up to be. I loved the setting and the gothic feeling of the book. I would read others!