I read an advance copy of this book provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review.

I love a Gothic novel and an old creepy house. This novel has TWO old houses AND a charming cottage. Sold.

Ruby is an American heiress who hasn’t recovered from losing her family or the horrors of the Great War. She’s likable, impulsive and the kind of character you want to see get things figured out. She is sent to deliver a trunk of mysterious books to a mysterious client of her landlord and boss. She reconnects with an old friend on the same day the friend’s husband is murdered. Or maybe it’s a curse. Like all my favorite Gothic novels, it might be something supernatural or it might just be run-of-the-mill evil people.

My only complaint is that I would have liked to see the sparks flying between Ruby and Ruan do a little more burning

The Curse of Penryth Hall is SO GOOD. I read this book at the beginning of Autumn, and let me tell you, when people are looking for seasonal mood reads- this is IT. The dark setting, energy, and town are stunning. This has multiple mysteries wrapped up in one and a bisexual main character who has romantic tension with several characters! I will 100% be recommending this to anyone who loves a gothic setting and wants a good mystery.

Ruby Vaughn works for a bookseller in 1920s Exeter. Her grandfatherly employer tasks her with delivering a trunk of books to a folk healer in a village Ruby knows from her past. When Ruby arrives, conflicted feelings bubble to the surface, but she decides that she must check in on her estranged friend Tamsyn, the lady of Penryth Hall. Soon Tamsyn’s husband is found dead and whispers of witches and an ancient curse abound. Ruby gets caught up in the intrigue as Tamsyn begs Ruby to protect Tamsyn’s son from the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses, but strange events put her in danger at every turn.

In “The Curse of Penryth Hall '' Jess Armstrong develops complex characters with many secrets. The atmosphere is delightfully gothic with an old Hall, curses, accusations of witchcraft, attempts at charms of protection, and a somewhat reluctant village Pellar. The story starts off with a bang (“whatever you do, don’t open the trunk of books”) and keeps going until the very end. It’s hard to put down.

The publisher’s blurb says that the reader is introduced to Ruby Vaughn in “The Curse of Penryth Hall,” so I hope this means that we will see more of Ruby and her adventures. There are a few unanswered questions and an opening for another story that leave readers wanting more.

This book is great for those who like atmospheric and gothic mysteries.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Minotaur Books, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Perfect spooky read for these darker, colder October days! If you love Miss Fisher or Enola Holmes, you will love this! Just spooky enough to be fun, but not so much so that I didn’t want to read before bed. A fun read!

This is like a mix of Miss Fisher and Sherlock Holmes. It was fun, but the supernatural elements are very basic here. It is a cosy mystery, not really very Gothic.. Ruby makes several jokes about being stuck in a murder hamlet and she was a really good MC. I think this is the beginning of a good and fun series that even under the background of the war and some trauma, managed to be somewhat light.

“The Curse of Penryth Hall” by Jess Armstrong ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Gothic Mystery. Location: Devon and Cornwall, England. Time: August 1922

Dear Jess Armstrong: Please make this the 1st in a series!

Expat American heiress Ruby Vaughn has a dark brown bob, and drives a Crow-Elkhart roadster. She runs a rare bookstore in Exeter with the secretive (and Scottish) Mr Owen (her 80+ year old employer/housemate), and Fiachna the black house cat. Ruby makes a delivery to a folk healer 60 miles away in the tiny Cornwall village of Lothlel Green, a place she swore she’d never visit again. A sensible person would have delivered the package and left-no one ever accused Ruby of being sensible.

Just outside Lothlel Green, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s former best friend Tamsyn, and her husband, the morally corrupt Sir Edward Chenowyth. When Penryth’s bells ring for the 1st time in 30 years, they find Edward dead in the orchard-and villagers whisper of a returned curse. Ruan Kivell is the village’s Pellar (folk healer/witch). Vllagers believe he can break the curse they say will kill Tamsyn next. To protect Tamsyn, Ruby must work with Ruan to find out who killed Edward.

Author Armstrong has written a witty, atmospheric, gothic mystery. It’s full of dark undercurrents that may or may not be paranormal, a jazz age heroine, a handsome brooding hero, a cat who shows up in unexpected places, and of course a village curse. She has a knack for using witty prose, particularly with her flawed but appealing heroine.

Armstrong’s debut book is the winner of the Mystery Writers of America / Minotaur Books First Crime Novel Competition, and its 5 stars from me! Thank you to Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Jess Armstrong for this early ecopy. Publishes 12/5/2023.

Ruby Vaughn spends her time living with her elderly house mate and boss of the bookstore she works in. Living carefree she chooses not to dwell in her sordid past that has caused her family to toss her out. However one fortuitous morning her boss asks her to take a trunk of books sealed and not to be opened to CornWall to a man named Ruan Kivell.
Ruby meets a mysterious man along the way who thinks she is a mermaid when found on a rock far off shore after the tides have gone, he tells her a charming folktale and leaves her wondering when she may see him agin. She decides to stop in and see her friend Tamsyn who wed Edward a few years prior and caused the rift between herself and Ruby. Ruby still feels nothing but distaste for Edward and plans to leave as soon as possible until she hears the bells of Penryth Hall chime and finds Edward killed in the orchard. Quickly the towns local Pellar is called and to Ruby's astonishment Ruan Kivell shows up to check the corpse declaring that it could be the curse that has caused Edward's death.
Ruby scoffs at the idea of this and instead decides that she will be the one to set these simple minded folk straight about curses, she swears to find the killer. Amongst looking for the killer though she begins to wonder if maybe curses could be real? Ruan seems to be capable of things she has never seen before. Will Penryth Hall, Tamsyn and this local Pellar be Rubys undoing?

Thank you #Netgalley for the chance to read #TheCurseOfPenrythHall by #JessArmstrong in retuurn for a fair and honest review.

This book is great for spooky season: moody, atmospheric, with a creepy gothic setting. Ruby and Tamsyn drove ambulances together during the war but have since grown apart. When Ruby is sent on an errand to the town where Tamsyn lives bodies start to pile up and there is talk of old magic, curses, and witchcraft at play by the townspeople. Ruby is determined to prove that there is a killer on the loose and not some ancient dark curse.

Ruby is a strong, independent main character. I enjoyed learning more about her. The author gives us snippets of her backstory, so we find out bits and pieces about her past that shaped her and her relationship with Tamsyn.

I enjoyed the spookiness of this book. The setting of an old castle in the lush Cornish countryside was perfect for this type of story. I thought there were some pacing issues in the middle 1/3, but the ending kept me on the edge of my seat! There were some twists and turns a long the way but it wasn’t the creepiest or most shocking of thrillers. I didn’t see the big reveal coming but for some reason it didn’t leave me super shocked either. Overall I really enjoyed this story and would read more from this author!

Ruby Vaughn is an heiress, who, due to some "non-womanly" acts has been excommunicated from her family in America. Making her own way, she has found a job working for an extensive bookseller in Exeter UK. Ruby regularly delivers book sales to the buyers, but when she receives her next delivery, she feels a sense of duty to take a few minutes to visit with a lost friend. However, when she gets there she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, or a curse...

The story follows a somewhat stereotypical structure, but I appreciated the story and the mystery. The characters were interesting, and the plot entertaining. There is also a wonderful persnickety feline. Overall, I thought this was a well-written, entertaining novel, and I would recommend as a fall read.

High expectations seem to be a problem for me lately. I wanted so much from this book.

I loved the opening. The snarky banter between Ruby and her boss hooked me.

Then Ruby goes off on her trip to Penryth Hall, the gothic mansion where our adventure begins. And that’s where the story fell apart for me.

Pacing lags and the story drags.

We get little from or about Penryth Hall, which is odd considering it’s the focal point of the title and premise. The gothic vibes are mostly absent. It feels like we’re reaching toward something supernatural or paranormal, but we never get there, making it irrelevant and pointless.
I’m not sure this story knew what it wanted to be. I expected magic, curses, intense atmosphere…

What I got was mostly a drama-filled historical mystery with a hard-headed damsel in need of saving. You could easily eliminate the magic and curse without losing much of anything in this story.

Excellent historical mystery that successfully maintains a cozy feel while still incorporating all the gothic elements you could ever want: a rambling manor house, an intrepid, whip-smart flapper heroine, curses, secrets, and a broodingly attractive (and witchy) hero, all set on the wind-swept coast of 1920s Cornwall. If you like your mysteries twisting and dark--but not too dark--you'll thoroughly enjoy this suspenseful story. Fans of the Miss Fisher series and Agatha Christie will find much to love in Armstrong's beautifully written and skillfully plotted debut! Save it for a dark and stormy night.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Review Copy of this book

Jess Armstrong’s new novel The Curse of Penryth Hall, is a complete delight for fans of folklore, fairy tale, and murder mysteries! The story follows Ruby Vaughn, an American socialite living in England after World War I, who is asked by her boss, a rare book shop owner, to deliver a box of books to a folk healer in the Cornish countryside. Ruby uses the errand as an excuse to visit her old friend Tamsyn, the wife of Sir Edward of Penryth Hall. When Edward is brutally murdered, it appears he has become the victim of an ancient family curse, and Ruby must stay at Penryth Hall to investigate the true cause of his death in the hopes of protecting Tamsyn’s life.

The folk healer who receives Ruby’s box of books is Ruan Kivell, a Pellar who serves the town with his insights, visions, and herbal remedies. There is both competition and attraction between Ruby and Ruan, and their tumultuous relationship sizzles as they uncover clues to help them solve the murder. Ruby, a woman who hates the past and appreciates science, believes the killer is human, but Ruan, the seventh son of a seventh son born in the superstitious Cornish countryside, must investigate the supernatural angles of the crime as well.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is filled with exciting action, luscious Gothic detail, and fascinating Cornish legends and folklore. The landscape is both startlingly realistic and haunted by giants, witches, and Merfolk. The description made me feel like I was visiting an ancestral mansion, and the expertly drawn characters, each with a past full of secrets, kept me turning pages. I couldn’t put this one down! I highly recommend this story to fans of classic mystery novels.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

On a whim I read The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong early & I did not regret it for a second. It was perfect for my mood: a ghostly, post-WWI setting, a murder mystery, an unconventional heroine who flies in the face of societal expectations. (She lives with an older man she isn’t related to! She was once in love with her female best friend! She was an ambulance driver in the war! She has had lovers, as in multiple!)

Said heroine Ruby Vaughn is asked to deliver some books. On the journey she reconnects with her former best friend—whom she was once in love with & who broke her heart—& encounters a local witch—hopefully a future love interest!—rumors of a curse, & murder.

With bisexual rep, a really great mystery, & a thrilling sense of atmosphere, this was really fun to read. I can’t wait to read the next book & I am hoping hoping HOPING there’s a future slow burn romance!

5 ⭐️. Out 12/05.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess’s white hand holds the book in front of various green, red, & orange flowers.]

Thank you Netgalley.com for the the Advance Reader copy of The Curse of Penryth Hall. I found this novel to be entertaining but lacking spark. The characters,the setting and the mystery worked well but it slogged along and I had a very difficult time finishing this novel. However, I will say that a casual reader looking for a historical mystery would love this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC this debut novel. A perfect read for spooky season!! *I absolutely loved the vibe and atmosphere of this book. Will definitely recommend this patrons looking for a good spooky read.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is an enthralling read. Ruby, the protagonist, is a captivating character, embodying a unique blend of world-weariness and recklessness. Armstrong skillfully weaves a brooding and captivating mystery around Ruby, ensuring that readers will be compelled to turn the pages. This novel is a must-read for fans of suspense with a Gothic flavor, as it promises to be devoured with great enthusiasm.

I enjoyed a lot of this book, but reading it is a bumpy and uneven experience. Revelations about characters often come in out of absolutely nowhere, as though they're something the reader already should know but definitely hasn't encountered before. This makes it hard to string the mystery together, and it feels pretty unsatisfying.

An unconventional young woman confronts a ruined friendship, a brutal killing, and the superstitions of a small Cornish town.

It’s 1922, the Great War is over but not forgotten, and Ruby Vaughn is living life on her terms. She has lots of family money (though no longer a family), endured a scandal in her youth that resulted in being packed off to England, and now helps Mr. Owen, an elderly Scotsman, run a bookshop in Exeter. She lets a room from him, where when she isn’t running about the country delivering books to his customers she host salons and parties which seem inevitably to get more out of hand as the night progresses. After just such a desolate evening, which caused the latest housekeeper to quit in horror at the revelries, Mr. Owen asks Ruby to run a trunk of books to a small village in Cornwall, The only problem is that is the one place in the world to which Ruby has sworn she would never return…the place where Tamsyn, the one person left in the world whom she truly loved ,married another. Now Lady Chenowyth, Tamsyn married a baronet whom she didn’t love and lives at Penryth Hall, a gloomy old pile, and Ruby hasn’t seen, written to or spoken to Tamsyn since the wedding several years ago. Ruby isn’t given a choice, and she sets off reluctantly for Lothlel Green. There, she will meet the man Mr. Owen called a “bit of a folk healer”, Ruan Kivell, who turns out to be a much-revered witch/sage/sorcerer known locally as a Pellar; an odious rector; and reconnect with Tamsyn and her disagreeable husband. Ruby planned to head out the following morning, especially when dinner at Penryth Hall was dreadful, but a body turns up dead, the town is convinced it is due to a curse, and are pretty sure that Ruby herself is involved in it. Ruby must team up with Ruan, to whom she both feels a connection and wants to avoid, to look into what happened. Is Tamsyn involved, or in danger? Can Ruan keep the village from turning on the stranger in their midst? And will Ruby be able to make peace with her shared past with Tamsyn and move on with her life?
In this debut novel from Jess Armstrong, we have an unusual protagonist in Ruby. She is clever and fearless, but also is living her life in a way that she finds ultimately dissatisfying and boring. She drinks (among other things) to excess, trying to fill the void in her life. Early in the book, the reader knows little of what went wrong with Ruby’s relationship with Tamsyn, and why she cut off ties with her, and also what happened with her family, but little by little more of both stories is made known. Ruby has a very unusual relationship with Mr. Owen (and his cat), who tolerates her excessive habits more than most men of that day would have done. She’s impulsive, which gets her into more than one sticky situation, but she is also fiercely independent and takes pride in defying conventions of the day. Ruan Kivell, the Pellar, is also not completely content with his lot in life. He does his best to live up to his townspeople’s’ expectations even as that dooms him to a solitary life. The pleasures and problems of small town life and the legends of Cornwall are very much part of the story, and I found myself rooting for Ruby to find out the truth not only about the murder but also about her relationships with Tamsyn and Ruan. This is less Jacqueline Winspeare and more Julia Kelly or Celeste Connally. A fun and quick read, with a likeably flawed heroine and a fascinating setting, I enjoyed reading The Curse of Penryth Hall and look forward to the further adventures of Ruby Vaughn and her coterie. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy in return for my honest review.

The first few pages of this novel were immensely engaging. I loved how we are introduced to the 20's aesthetic in the English Countryside, it drew me into where I was and who I was reading about. I also enjoyed reading through the protagonist's perspective. Ruby was a beautifully built character that stayed true throughout the novel. She is feisty and considerate and unsure of herself at times which makes her feel more real. In the first developments of the story, I was very intrigued and felt the need to keep reading, trying to piece together weird clues! In the middle section, I felt at times that the story dragged on, including details and such that didn't feel necessary. Like when the 2 boys are in the woods and encounter the woman. While I loved the ending and thought it had great shock factor, it made me realize that there were aspects that didn't seem necessary to get to this point. That was really my only hesitancy with the book, the points where things seemed to dull down and not add to the story as a whole. But overall I really enjoyed it and would most likely recommend to others.

Jess Armstrong’s delicious debut novel 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, when centuries of superstition lived cheek by jowl with the advances of the bright, new 20th century of science and progress.

Disgraced American heiress Ruby Vaugh has made a new life in Exeter, England, as a bookseller. A delivery of sorcery books to the village of Lothlel Green in Cornwall causes Ruby to cross paths with a beloved friend from the past, someone from whom she parted badly. The very next day, the friend’s husband is murdered by disembowelment. Yikes! The villagers in Lothlet Green are convinced it’s the long-ago curse placed on the lord of Penryth Hall. But Ruby’s got her doubts. She’s also got her doubts about her friend Lady Tamsyn Chenowyth and a mysterious local Pellar (read: witch). Readers will love journeying with iconoclastic Ruby as she unravels what happened. And I hope, I hope, I hope I’m right, and this is the start of a series!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.