Two things that always make me happy? A beautiful book cover and a well-written debut. Jess Armstrong’s The Curse of Penryth Hall delivers on both!

Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress, and Ruan Kivell, a Cornish folk healer band together to solve a baronet's murder, as Ruby's past ties to the victim's wife Tamsyn creates danger for her. Will Ruan be able to protect Ruby, or will an old witch's curse bring more death ... including hers? It's an engaging story I'm happy to recommend!

I did an immersion read, listening to the audio while following along on my Kindle. Emma Lord nailed the accents and made the story even more fun.

What I liked:

▪️ Interesting and well-drawn characters
▪️ A great dynamic between Ruan and Ruby
▪️ An absolutely adorable, mischievous cat named Fiachna - I wish he was mine!
▪️ A solid mystery with a believable ending
▪️ A wonderful audio narration by Emma Lord
▪️ Really lovely prose that brought the setting and atmosphere alive
▪️ The Cornish folklore was really interesting!

Some things I didn't prefer:

▪️ A few too many fancy “dictionary” words. I love intelligence. I don't love looking up definitions!
▪️ Ruby and Tamsyn’s backstory didn’t feel fleshed out - why did Ruby still like her?
▪️ The ending between Ruan and Ruby felt incomplete - is there a sequel coming? I'd be cool with that!

All said, I really enjoyed this debut and can’t wait to see what Jess Armstrong writes next!

Well written book about friends and a who done it murder mystery. Everyone is suspect including a curse. Of course there is a curse. Dead husband. Best friends. Towns people. Yes there are lots of suspects.

This book was a bit of a fun read for me that ends with a possibility of a next book.

This was a hard review for me. It would have been too easy to give something away.

Read and enjoy. It's worth it.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts.

4/5 stars

The Curse of Penryth Hall is set in the period right after World War I, when England is still reeling from the senseless loss of far too many men, and the survivors are all too frequently disabled by shellshock. Jess Armstrong’s heroine Ruby is a strong-willed American heiress who left the U.S. in disgrace after a sex scandal; she now works for an elderly bookseller, who dispatches her to deliver an order to a man in Cornwall. Ruby’s old friend Tamsyn lives nearby, so she figures she may as well drop in on her as well.

Shortly after Ruby’s arrival, Tamsyn’s dreadful husband is found dead, his corpse mutilated in such a way that makes the townsfolk assume that this is an old curse rearing its head again. Sensible Ruby is quite sure that curses aren’t real, but something strange seems to be afoot; for instance, the man to whom she delivered the books is a pellar, a kind of healer/warlock, and he appears to possess the ability to read Ruby’s thoughts.

There’s a good mystery here, but the book may have suffered a bit from the fact that I alternated reading the ebook with listening to the audiobook, which made me more aware of Armstrong’s writerly tics. One of them is the overuse of the word “brow”: “gestured with a furrowed brow,” “she furrowed her brow,” “her brow furrowed,” “I furrowed my brow,” etc. I may not have noticed it if I was just reading, but something about hearing the word so many times made it really stand out. Armstrong is already a fine storyteller, but perhaps a stronger editorial hand next time will make her a better author.

In The Curse of Penryth Hall, Ruby Vaughn is the former WWI ambulance driver who helps her employer with his rare book business. The child of deceased wealthy parents, the American ex-patriot lives in Exeter (Devon, England) with her boss Mr. Owen. She parties, passes out, recovers and parties again. Mr. Owens, thinking (which never bodes well) Ruby needs a mission, sends her to deliver a load of books to Tintagel, a village in Cornwall. The recipient of the books is Ruan Kivell, the local Pellar – a sort of folk healer.

Ruby’s friend Tamsyn lives nearby, so a side trip has Ruby reuniting with the woman who was once her dearest friend. Things are not exactly cheerful at the eerie Penryth Hall. Tamysn is hard to read and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth, appears to be cold, judgmental, and maybe abusive. Before Ruby can make her getaway, Edward is murdered. The locals call in the Pellar and now Ruby, Ruan, Tamsyn and the villagers of Tintagel have a mystery on their hands.

There is no lack of suspects, including a curse that was supposed to have killed previous Chenowyths. Many people believe in curses. Ruan has an unusual set of skills that helps him follow evidence but also makes him the local authority that people both respect and fear his ‘magic’. Ruby is the skeptic who scoffs at the curse and does not believe Ruan is a wizard. This makes for an interesting relationship between Ruby and Ruan. I enjoyed watching this relationship develop. At times they were antagonistic and at times helpful to each other. Throughout, they become closer and each came to understand the other. Ruby’s pragmatism also puts her at odds with the villagers at times. But her resolve to solve the mystery also endeared her to several of the locals even if she was somewhat alien to the people of Tintagel.

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a twisty, gothic mystery steeped in both superstition and soundness. Deftly defined characters had me changing my suspicions about who the guilty person was with each chapter. The ending hints at a possible next book in a series. I would love to be able to read more about Ruby and Ruan.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.

Loved the mix of historical fiction with mystery and a bit of mysticism. A story of a book delivery that changes her life. Characters that you want to meet and can’t wait to see what happens in the next one.

I grew up (10 years and on up) reading gothic romances of the sixities, seventies, eighties, and even nineties. I have wanted more recent gothics with a newer writing style to take the gothic genre to new heights. This is the best of the old gothic stories with updated takes and suspense.
The characters of Ruby Vaughn (strong and flawed heroine), Ruan Kivell (the local "Pellar," in English folk he practiced Magic and Witchcraft, was a healer, diviner and breaker of spells) a compelling and mysterious man, and Tamysn (the recent widow who appears haunted and terrified) each provide layers and nuances to the story. Although Ruby and Ruan initially butt heads, there is something between Ruby and Ruan, something ancient and mystical that I dearly hope will be further explained in subsequent books. Mr. Owen and Mrs. Penrose are great secondary characters that I'm glad will be returning.
The setting of Cornwall with the deep sense of history and persistant old folk ways sets the gothic atmosphere to perfection. The plot has many twists and turns that kept me guessing. The mystery may seem simple at first but it is actually more complex and involved. The lurking image of a ghost, the Pellar's near magic healing abilities, and the family secrets slowly doled out are perfection and kept me reading on and on. The climax was great with some suspense. The wrapup ties up all the loose ends, except whether Ruby and Ruan will see each other again and figure out their strange connection. Something to look forward to, I hope.
I admit the first chapter or two didn't grab me, but I'm glad I stuck with it because once Sir Edward Chenowyth is murdered the story had me in its spell and I could barely put it down to sleep. I highly recommend.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

I have not read many gothic mysteries before this one and I would say that perhaps the genre is just not for me. I felt that this one dragged and not in a way that kept me reading to find out more but rather in a way that made me lose interest in the mystery.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong was perfectly spooky and atmospheric. If you’re looking for your next gothic mystery, be sure to check out this debut (and winner of the Mystery Writers of America First Novel Crime Award).

It’s 1922 and American heiress Ruby Vaughn has made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer in Exeter. One day her boss asks her to deliver a box of books to a folk healer Ruan Kivell, living deep in the Cornish countryside. Ruby decides that after she delivers the books, she will stop by nearby Penryth Hall to her once dearest friend
Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. Ruby assumes this will be a quick visit since Sir Edward is such an unlikable person.

Less than 24 hours later, though, Edward is dead–he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. Is it really a curse or a human killer? Ruby is convinced that curses don’t exist but is unable to explain the unraveling mysteries in this small village. And Tamsyn insists that she and her young son will be the next targets so Ruby works with Ruan to find the true killer.

This is such a spooky (but not scary) read full of romance, danger and folklore. Armstrong’s characters are strong and her writing brings the setting and mystery to life. I may have physically been in my mid-western house, but in my mind I was in the rainy and mysterious woods around Penryth Hall. I honestly thought I had the whole mystery figured out, but I didn’t. Such a good ending. I look forward to reading more from Armstrong! @minotaur_books

THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL by Jess Armstrong won the Mystery Writers of America/Minotaur First Crime Novel Competition and was a LibraryReads selection for December 2023. It is an extremely atmospheric mystery set involving a gruesome death in the Cornish countryside. Young Ruby Vaughn is an American Heiress finding her way at the end of WWI; she has settled into helping an elderly bookseller and delivers some books to Ruan Kivell, a man her employer calls a folk healer and one whom the locals call the Pellar due to his extraordinary powers. When the Lord of the manor's mutilated body is found, there is much talk of the return of a curse. Although they don’t believe in curses, Ruby and Ruan gradually uncover sinister secrets and past family relationships as they attempt to puzzle out what is happening. Library Journal praised this debut's "elegantly crafted, supernatural-tinged plot" and gave THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL a starred review.

This was a bit of a wild read and I loved all the twists and turns. I did not see that last one coming, which is one of my fave things ever! I really would love to see this be a series b/c I really love Ruby and want to see what happens in her life...what is her connection to the Pellar and where will it lead??

#TheCurseofPenrythHall
#NetGalley

Courtesy of Minotaur Books and Netgalley,
I received the ARC of The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong. This debut gothic mystery is set in Cornwall, England, post WWI in a small atmospheric village. Worldly and adventurous American heiress Ruby Vaughn becomes involved in trying to solve a murder, along with the local Pellar (sorcerer and healer). I found this character driven story to be an absorbing page turner!

I was immediately drawn to this book when I saw that its description was Gothic Historical Mystery. The genre did not disappoint. Full disclosure, I am not a reader who enjoys characters that don't make sense for their time period and the leading lady, Ruby, fit that description so out of the gate, I had a bit of a negative reaction to the story, but as it went on, I came to appreciate that her being from a wealthy socialite family but outcast for her behavior actually made this story work in ways it wouldn't have otherwise. The mystery was solid. I loved the bit about basically alchemy being synonymous with witchcraft during the time period and am always fascinated about how different communities saw that skill differently. In Salem, they were often burned at the stake. In this community, they were revered as magical....although, to be fair, the book didn't really explore how the town would have reacted if someone being aided by the witch wouldn't have had a positive outcome. Anyway, after my initial annoyance, I grew to really like the book and read it really quickly.

Gothic and atmospheric, this tale of mystery and murder is an introduction to a fascinating character, if we get to see more of her.

Ruby is a firebrand-a displaced woman making her own way in post WWI England. We get to see her forging her own future, ruminating on her very colorful past, and spending the present fully in both her heart and mind. I found myself eating up every bit of her and wanting so much more.

Unfortunately, the mystery itself was dime store paperback simple - a plot that could have found itself in any book set in the English countryside over a hundred years. What we didn’t get was Ruby in the war, Ruby in Paris, Ruby on adventures with Mr. Owen to parts unknown. It was those things I was wanting more than anything. I really thought I might have been mistaken and this was the continuation of a series, but it looks as if it’s a stand alone. I hate to judge a book based on what it’s not, but I was very disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

How can you not love a gothic mystery with
supernatural vibes! This book was filled with
twists, murder, and a beautifully atmospheric
setting in the English countryside. It's very rare
that a murder mystery stumps me, but just
when I thought I had it all figured out, I was
proven wrong.
Overall, I was completely enthralled by this
magical and mysterious story. I highly
recommend it if you enjoy gothic mysteries
with some magical elements. I'm sincerely
hoping this is the start of a series because I
would love to read more about Ruby and Ruan
Kivell. I'm sure any future adventures would be
well worth the read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Dpinions expressed in this review are my own

I really liked the vibes of this book, the sort of gothic-lite mystery. I really enjoyed Ruby as a main character, and I loved her interactions with Ruan. I really hope this ends up being the start of a series because I need more of the two of them.

The beginning of this book really hooks you, and I was enchanted by it. But then… it kind of lost me in the middle. The ending wrapped up really well which made the middle worth it. The idea for this book was so original! One of the most unique gothic mysteries I have read.

The Curse Of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong was a dark atmospheric Gothic Manor mystery set in 1920s Cornwall. Ruby Vaughn, an exiled American heiress and socialite with a tragic past has set up with a bookstore and it wonderful octogenarian owner in Exeter and does the occasional job for him while at the same time maintaining her flamboyant flapper lifestyle - imagine Peregrine Fisher with a tragic slightly darker bent.
When one of her odd delivery jobs brings her to the Cornish countryside to bring books to a local pellar she uses the occasion to visit an old friend and former lover now Lady of the manor at Penryth Hall. She had not put much effort into the friendship after her friends marriage but seeing her belligerent and womanizing husband and her subdued friend is a lot to take in, even more so when after Ruby spends the night at their home Penryth Hall and the husband is discovered murdered the next morning. There is a curse but Ruby believes that it is much more likely that human hands were involved and starts investigating together with the pellar who has his own reasons for not ascribing the death to supernatural reasons. There are twists and turns and the mystery kept me intrigued and on my toes. I loved my reading of this debut novel and really hope this is the start to a series! Ruby's dardevil approach to life in the 1920s gave me definite Ms.
Fisher vibes and makes me want to join her on her next adventure.
This is a fantastic books for fans of historical mysteries
- delving into a time and place while enjoying a mystery !
I have a good friend who lived in Exeter for 16 years and still vacations in Cornwall every summer. With this book I may have found the perfect Christmas gift for her!

I really really enjoyed MOST of this book. I was hooked from the beginning and had it set in my mind that this was going to be a 5 star read. Unfortunately, I do feel as though it fell flat around the halfway point and I had to push myself to keep reading up until about 80% of the way through. But it did pick back up again and I did enjoy the ending. Overall wasn’t a terrible read, but it isn’t one I think that I will continue to think about over and over again. I will continue to read books by this author though in the future.

I enjoyed this historical fiction/mystery. It’s atmospheric but also kind of fun (as fun as a book about murder can be?). There is magical realism - or real magic? I don’t even think the characters knew. I loved the main character. The ending definitely had a twist. There are a lot of unanswered questions which I am hoping means there is another book.

Loved the Gothic and mysterious vibes of this book. The characters were interesting, I especially liked the banter between Ruby and Ruan and the father-daughter like relationship between Ruby and the older gentlemen she lives with. Some strange and very creepy things were going on in this story and the twists just kept coming! The story dragged a little bit in the middle for me but the ending was worth it.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Content warnings: Death, infidelity, gore, suicide, toxic relationship, sexual content.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, St-Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC for review. All opinions are my own.