-historical fiction
-gothic
-murder mystery
-UK setting

I loved the historical aspect and gothic setting of this book. Something was lacking for me with the characters and plot itself. I enjoyed the murder mystery but it was so slow paced that by the reveal, I was much less invested. If it were a faster pace then I think it would have been 4 stars instead of 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Weirdly interesting. I couldn't really anticipate what was going to happen next, refreshing. The characters had interesting things to say, and did things I didn't expect them to do, so *hats off to you*.

American heiress Ruby Vaughn is content to leave the past behind her and focus on her life in Exeter working in a bookstore. But the past isn’t done with her yet. Ruby is tasked with delivering a package to the Cornish countryside—a place that she has sworn never to return after things with her once dearest friend Tamsyn fell apart. The past may have drawn her back in, but Ruby is the one who makes the decision to let it fester. When Tamsyn’s husband is found dead and the bells of Penryth Hall toll for the first time in thirty years, Ruby finds herself working alongside Ruan Kivell, the person whose package Ruby came to town to deliver, to find out what happened that night and prevent the supposed curse of Penryth Hall from claiming its next victim: Tamsyn.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in an atmospheric gothic mystery story, Armstrong has got you covered. The world building is beautiful, utilizing prose that is reminiscent of the classics while not making me (someone who is not a huge fan of reading the classics) want to fall asleep. It was like journeying to the Cornish countryside and stoked at the embers of my wanderlust—which is both a wonderful and terrible thing.

The focus of the story is squarely on Ruby, Ruan, and Tamsyn, but Armstrong manages to flesh out even minor characters in a way that had me wanting more. The relationship dynamic between Ruby and both Ruan and Tamsyn was so lovely to watch play out, especially as the two are such different parts of Ruby's life—Tamsyn being part of her past and Ruan being part of her present. Armstrong plays with these dynamics in a way that had me completely unsure who I was rooting for in the end (because, let's be honest, I'm always rooting for some kind of romance!)

Throughout the story, I found it difficult to figure out what was going to happen next, which I absolutely loved! An added layer to the questions of what happened the night of Tamsyn's husband's death was the questioning of whether curses, magic, and the like were pieces of superstition or if Ruby has actually entered into a bit of a magical locale. And the ending! It completely threw me for a loop—not once did I see that coming! The story wraps beautifully and, in my opinion, leaves the door open for more exploration with some of these characters. I don’t know what the author has planned, but I definitely wouldn’t mind revisiting these characters—especially Ruan (insert all the heart eyes here).

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

A little bit of a fantastical mystery, this book was a light read that was a bit confusing at times. I never felt a true connection to the characters. Not sure if it's because I didn't relate to them or if there wasn't enough background information. The mystery itself was good though!

The Curse of Penryth Hall is the debut novel by Jess Armstrong. I was drawn into this book by its stunning book cover!

Ruby is an American heiress, after a scandal she was sent away to the English countryside where she worked in a rare book store. Her boss sent her on a delivery to Cornwall. Since she was in the area, she decided to drop in to see her old friend/love interest Tamsyn. On the first night of Ruby's visit, Tamsyn's husband, Sir Edward is brutally killed. They call in their local pellar/healer to get answers in solving this murder.

I did enjoy this book but I did feel like it needed more character development. There were lots of twists and turns and sometimes it felt like there wasn't enough backstory and it was a bit confusing. The plot was entertaining, I just wish that there was more description to fully understand it. I would rate this book at 3.5 ⭐️ - rounding up to 4.

I have high hopes for Ruan and Ruby…I would love to see a follow up story about their future/romance!

𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℍ𝕒𝕤:
Gothic Mystery
Cornish Folklore
Historical Fiction
Murder Mystery
Paranormal Characters
English Countryside Setting
LGBTQIA Rep
Magical Powers

Thank you to @netgalley& @minotaurbooks for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The storyline was a little confusing but I did love the concept of the book! Thanks #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I liked the premise and the Cornish coast setting (I also love anything Gothic as a general rule), but found the pacing to be a bit of the slog and the characters on the under developed side.

// 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 //

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆
Genre: Mystery

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑰𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆:
• Historical Mysteries
• Gothic Settings
• Curses

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
This was a little different - a mixture of mystery with a historical (post WWI) timeframe. I found the book to be a cozy historical mystery with an atmospheric estate. The presumed curse of the property adds an extra layer to the story. Ruby’s character is avoiding her past but is forced to confront it when she is sent to deliver books to a folk healer. She is very strong and independent, but also very loyal. She is a standout woman of her time. Ruby is determined to discover the truth after her estranged best friends husband is murdered. The town is determined it is the curse, but Ruby suspects foul play. The dynamic between Ruan (the healer) and Ruby was engaging and fun. There is a connection between them that isn’t quite a romance, but has the potential to become one (maybe? If there were to be a sequel?). They work together to solve the mystery despite the towns expectations of Ruan. The only relationship that was a little murky to me was the one between Ruby and Tamsyn. Ruby is very local to her - part of me understands, but the depth of history just lacked for me to fully grasp it.

I enjoyed this book. It didn’t standout among all the books I’ve read, but I would not dissuade someone from reading it. If there is a sequel Id also be interesting in following Ruby and Ruan’s story.

This was a pleasant read. Ms. Armstrong made excellent use of the red herrings. I really liked that.
I received an ARC of this book.
Thank you Net Galley, Minotaur Press and Jess Armstrong.
#NetGalley#MinotaurPress#JessArmstrong

tl;dr
A murder mystery dressed up like a gothic novel with a fun, but complicated lead.

Thoughts
Like many gothic novels, this book features a sad, willowy lady in an old mansion that may or may not be cursed. However, this sad lady is not the lead. Rather, our MC is the sad lady's bold, pragmatic friend (and ex-lover), determined to prove there's no such thing as a curse. And honestly? I'm here for it. Ruby's a fun lead, part unruly rebel, part academic thinker. She's got am messy history she'd rather not think about, but she also uses it to propel herself forward into new things. She fits into the genre, but doesn't give herself over to it, and instead we get a nice balance of gothic atmosphere and some solid mystery solving. There are clues to find, and witnesses to interview and a tangle of history to pull at. The middle slows down a bit along with the mystery, with maybe just a few too many people for me to keep track of, but the ending still clicked neatly into place. There's a light smattering of romance here, but it's secondary to the mystery. A good read, owing mostly to how interesting the main character is. It appears she'll be solving more mysteries in the future, and I look forward to reading them.

DNF - I tried several times to push through this book and give it a chance, especially given that I'd heard such great things about it. Unfortunately though, this one just wasn't for me. The combination of the density of the writing style, the sluggish pacing, and characters that I couldn't connect with no matter how hard I tried made for an imperfect storm that I just wasn't able to weather through. Perhaps this particular story is just better suited to those who live in this genre.

I was excited to receive this book because it sounded right up my alley. I had a hard time getting into the book and an even harder time relating to any of the characters. The book was well written but it just didn’t keep my attention like I had hoped.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is the first book in a gothic mystery series by debut author Jess Armstrong. Released 5th Dec 2023 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is a creepy/atmospheric mystery set in Cornwall in the interwar period. It's a fusion of genres: mystery, dark broody gothic tale, even a dash of romance, and it manages to coalesce them into a thoroughly enjoyable read. There is some lack of depth in some of the characterization, but especially for a debut work, it's surprisingly cohesive, well constructed, and with a moving gravitas.

Although it's not derivative at all, fans of cerebral academic mysteries will find a lot to like here. There are hints of Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier, and Diane Setterfield, though again, it's its own creature and should be appreciated as such.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 10 hours 40 minutes and is very capably narrated by Emma Love. She has a beautifully nuanced voice and manages a credible job of the extremely varied accents (American, West Country, RP, etc) with no discernable hiccups in the dialogue. Her voice is light with bright tonals and isn't obtrusive at all, letting the prose take center stage. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars. Well worth a look. The second book in the series is due out late 4th quarter 2024 from the same publisher. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, buddy read, or bookclub selection.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Curse of Penryth Hall definitely lives up to the gothic descriptor. The setting almost felt like a character in and of itself; it was almost palpable while reading. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of those who believe in the curse, those who just purported the idea out of expediency, and those who absolutely did not believe. It helped add some nuance to the story. I do think there were things that could have been elaborated more, for example the history between Ruby and Tamsyn as well as developing Ruan's backstory and abilities a bit more. I see that this is a part of a series, though, so hoping some of this can be fleshed out more in further books.

Absolutely loved this and wish it was a series so I could continue reading more of Ruby and Ruan. This was very well written and fun to read. Would recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery.

A bookseller with a mysterious past reluctantly teams up with the village healer to solve the murder of her old friend’s husband, which may or may not be tied into an ancient family curse. What’s not to love? Certainly not the main characters - Ruby Vaughn and the Pellar (a witch healer, one of the Cornish cunning-folk), Ruan Kivell, who are as eccentric as they come and yet oddly endearing. This was a little less dark and a little cozier than I expected it to be, but that’s not really a quibble. The setting of Cornwall is benign at times and treacherous at others, “a bleak and beautiful place” (10); the villagers all have secrets to hide, and Ruby feels at odds with her friend, Tamsyn, who has changed since they knew each other as ambulance drivers in France during the Great War. I really liked Ruby’s energy, courage, and directness, and would love another story featuring her and Ruan.

This was an interesting book. It took me a little to get into, as there was some background that made me assume this was the second in a series (mainly because I've personally had a bad habit of accidentally picking up later books in series before the first one!). Thankfully however, that was not the case this time. The background was helpful to understand Ruby's character, and her decision-making process. While there were times I would not agree with her, I also was not around for the Great War or have had to deal with the threat of a curse over me and one of my formerly close friends. I think that this was a good mystery, and I would have rated it higher if I was looking for a historical mystery when I originally picked up the book.

I've removed my review as part of the boycott for St. Martin's Press and all its imprints (including Minotaur Books) until a response is made to the racist, Islamophobic, and queerphobic comments made by one of their employees.

"The Curse of Penryth Hall" by Jess Armstrong is a captivating historical mystery that takes readers on a journey through the aftermath of the Great War and the eerie Cornish countryside. Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress, finds herself entangled in a web of old wounds and dark secrets when she is forced to deliver a box of books to Penryth Hall.

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of a post-war world, where Ruby has built a life for herself running a rare bookstore in Exeter. The author skillfully blends the historical setting with elements of mystery and a touch of the supernatural, creating an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and foreboding. Ruby's avoidance of her past is shattered when she returns to Penryth Hall, a place she swore she'd never revisit.

Armstrong's portrayal of Penryth Hall as a foreboding fortress adds to the story's sense of unease. The sudden death of Sir Edward Chenowyth in the orchard and the ringing of Penryth's bells for the first time in thirty years set the stage for a mystery that goes beyond the realms of the natural. The introduction of Ruan Kivell, a Pellar believed to break the curse, adds an intriguing supernatural element to the plot.

Ruby's reluctance to believe in curses and Pellars provides a realistic and relatable layer to her character. As the locals fear the return of the curse and predict Tamsyn's impending doom, Ruby must confront her skepticism and work alongside the Pellar to uncover the truth behind Edward's gruesome end. The collaborative effort to solve the mystery adds depth to the characters and keeps readers engaged.

"The Curse of Penryth Hall" excels in building suspense and maintaining a sense of mystery throughout the narrative. Armstrong's writing style is evocative, transporting readers to the Cornish countryside and immersing them in the unfolding drama. The novel seamlessly combines historical elements, supernatural intrigue, and a compelling mystery, making it a delightful read for fans of the genre. I give it four stars for its atmospheric storytelling, well-developed characters, and the seamless integration of historical and supernatural elements.

I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one.