Overall, this was an entertaining read. I did get a bit tired of all of the secrets everyone was keeping from one another. Just have a freaking conversation already! The will they, won’t they with Ruan and Ruby was also getting tedious. I think this book could have used some editing and could have been shorter. Not all of the details were necessary and all of the subplots became a bit cumbersome. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

Ruby, Mr Owen and Ruan are all back for this exciting sequel to The Curse of Penryrh Hall.
Mr Owen gets Ruby to attend a seance at Manhurst Castle were many secrets are revealed. Someone dies and Ruby is determined to find out who did it. Mr. Owen, Ruby and Ruan's lives are on the line..
Very intriguing story which kept me guessing. I loved this sequel and all the surprises that came with it. I hope Jess Armstrong writes a third novel.

The Secret of the Three Fates
By Jess Armstrong

After having read and enjoyed "The Curse of Penryth Hall", I looked forward to this, the 2nd in the Ruby Vaughn series. I have to say I was not disappointed. The same cast of characters – Ruby, with her scandalous past; Mr. Owen, her secretive and curmugeonly mentor; Hecate, the witch; and Ruan Kivell, the Pellar – but with a new and different plot line.

This is a classic "whodunit". Lies and omissions abound, women are being murdered. Who or what is behind all this? In a story where virtually no one is who you think they are, the author keeps you guessing right up to the end.

And the best thing about this book is that it definitely indicates that there will be at least a 3rd book in the series!

This book is a second in the series starring Ruby Vaughn and Mr. Owen. Mr. Owen receives an invitation to a seance to be held in the Scottish Border. Mr. Owen desperately wants to speak once more to his deceased wife along with finding out what his deceased son wants to warn him about. The seance is being hosted by three mediums called The Three Fates. One by one the mediums are being murdered and Ruby and Mr. Owen quickly become the prime suspects and someone or something is determined to stop them from discovering the real killer.

This has really good characters and a solid mystery, but something failed to hook me. Maybe it just want the right time for me to read this. But I did enjoy the progressive ideas of our main character!

Ruby's back at it again! It's impossible not to root for her and there's always something around the corner

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!


** 3.5 stars rounded up (to 4 stars)

A lot of the issues I had from the first book were resolved more neatly in this one:

1.) The author did a good job at introducing the context behind certain scenarios or the significance of certain characters popping up and their relevance to the plot

2.) Ruan was no longer hot-and-cold with Ruby and he was able to very clearly articulate how he felt about her throughout the book. It was very heartwarming to read!

3.) The mystery was clearly stated from the beginning and it was a lot easier to follow


Overall, I enjoyed reading this book way more than the first and I cannot wait to see what Ruby and co. get up to in the next book!

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to “The Curse of Penryth Hall.” We got to know more about Ruby, Mr. Owen, and our favorite Pellar, Ruan. I actually liked this installment even more than the first and I cannot wait for the next book! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Great follow up to the first! Ruby's story picked up right where you wanted it to and the storyline felt fresh instead of a recycled mystery novel. I appreciated the undercurrent of the initial plotline and that it ended on a soft cliffhanger, which left me ready for a third.

The Secret of the three Fates is a wonderful sequel to the Curse of Penryth Hall.
Ruby is back for a new adventure. Mr. Owen and Ruby are off to Manhurst Castle to acquire manuscripts. Low and behold they attend a mysterious séance Things go wrong. Secrets are revealed. Of course there is mystery and murder and mayhem. Guess who shows up? Yes Ruan is back.
This is a very well written novel that will keep you guessing what is going to happen next.
Don’t miss this next adventure of Ruby and Ruan.
A very enjoyable book.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this arc.

I'm totally hooked on the dynamic duo of the Bookwork and the Pellar. Please keep writing about them. I finished book one and immediately jumped into this book because I HAD to know more about the mysterious man and what it is to be a Pellar.

As far as sequels go, this one was a solid contender that had a good ratio of carrying over elements from the first book and holding its own in this new adventure. While I feel that the romance bit of the story was a bit loosely written and not as nuanced as it could be, it bears the same blunt, obvious, traditional nature of a mystery novel such as this one. I do feel that the character of Ruby is relatable, but on the whole, I think that the series thus far follows a pretty standard set of tropes (think Poirot). Still an enjoyable read and had me tapping through pages at a consistent pace.

When I learned that the sequel for "The Curse of Penryth Hall" was available, I knew I wanted to read it. "The Secret of the Three Fates" by Jess Armstrong continues the story of Ruby, Mr. Owen (Ruby's boss) and the mysterious and handsome Ruan.

For some unknown reason, Mr. Owen wants Ruby to attend a seance with him. This makes absolutely no sense to Ruby because she knows neither of them believe in such things.

It's not long before the corpses start piling up. Ruby and Ruan start by investigating a death that the locals are calling suicide, but really was murder.

The story moves quickly and it was fun to see Ruby and Ruan get to know each other better. The ending was satisfying-- not a frustrating cliffhanger.

Since "The Secret of the Three Fates" is the second book in a series, I would recommend reading "The Curse of Penryth Hall" first.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader's copy. This is my honest review.

I am excited that Ruby and Ruan are back together trying to solve this case. In the second book of the Ruby Vaughn series, Ruby is now at Manhurst Castle with Mr. Owen. It isn't long before the two of them are the main suspects in a murder. Ruby and Ruan must work together to uncover secrets that someone is determined to keep hidden. The gothic atmosphere in this historical mystery is nicely offset by Ruby and Mr. Owens's light verbal sparing. The mystery is well done and I was surprised by the ending. I am excited to see what these characters get up to next.

Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

The Secret of the Three Fates
by Jess Armstrong
Pub Date: Dec 03 2024

American heiress Ruby Vaughn still hasn't entirely forgiven her octogenarian employer and housemate Mr. Owen for bringing the occult into their lives during her recent trip to Cornwall. He claims their journey to Manhurst Castle in the Scottish Borders is simply to appraise and acquire illuminated manuscripts for their rare bookshop, however when Ruby discovers there are no manuscripts and receives news of a séance to be held that very night, she begins to grow suspicious about the true reason why they have come.

The Great War left grieving families willing to sacrifice anything for the chance to say goodbye to a lost loved one. Mr. Owen is no exception. He is desperate to speak to his son, but he doesn’t want to face the spirits alone. When the séance—hosted by a trio of mediums billing themselves as The Three Fates—goes awry, Mr. Owen’s secrets begin to unravel, threatening to reveal a history that he has been running from for half his life. Something Ruby knows all too well how to do.

When Ruby finds one of the Three Fates murdered the night of the seance, she and Mr. Owen quickly become the prime suspects. To clear their names, Ruby enlists the help of Ruan Kivell, the folk healer Pellar who helped her weeks before in Cornwall. As their investigation progresses Ruby and Ruan realize someone is determined to prevent them from uncovering the truth about what happened to the dead medium.

I really enjoyed this and flew through it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

After falling in love with the mysteries and characters of The Curse of Penryth Hall I was so excited to return to Ruby's world for a sequel. This time around we get to follow Ruby on another crazy adventure, but Mr. Owen's secrets take center stage. Murder, spirits and more Ruan! What else could you want.

The Secret of the Three Fates, the second installment of the Ruby Vaughn Mysteries, was quite the page turner! Ruby, Ruan and Mr Owen are back in a new mystery that hits close to home. Ruby must discover the truth and save Mr Owen from himself. I highly recommend this series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for the advanced copy in return for an honest review! #3 please, now!

The second book in this series definitely delivered!

I really enjoyed Ruby Vaughn and her cast of characters in "The Curse of Penryth Hall" but I was hoping for more from the plot. This second book of the series brought it! Creepy séances are a large part of this murder mystery, where guests of a small house party are dying -- and its up to Ruby and her Pellar, Ruan, to determine if the culprit is living or dead.

An excellent, atmospheric mystery with a healthy dose of romantic and familial love as well. Already eagerly anticipating the third book!