I'm honestly giving this one 3.5 stars but I rounded up.
This was my first Elizabeth Penney book and is the first in a new cozy mystery series, featuring herbalist Nora and her family's haunted castle in Yorkshire.

Nora needs to turn the castle into a Bed & Breakfast of sorts, and keeping an old castle in working order is no easy task. The actress sister, mead-making brother, eccentric father, ever-faithful house staff Janet, and the resident ghost must all pitch in to pull this one off.

Wouldn't you know that the first weekend of guests also brings a murder in Nora's beautiful garden? Hunky detective Finlay Cole with his precious pup Lady happens to be one of the inaugural guests. Can Nora keep Percival the precarious ghost under wraps, keep herself and her father out of suspicion, all while keeping the inn running? Will there be any more murders? You'll have to read to find out!

I don't know that I'm a big fan of Nora, she seems to be a little dull and lackluster. I hope the forthcoming books give Nora more personality. I would also love to see Sir Percival be more active because what's a haunted castle without an interfering ghost?

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's press, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book. Current publication date is set for May 27, 2025.

Nora is trying to save the family castle, and to do that she needs to turn it into a B&B. Several town people hate the idea and try to fight her, but she wins out. The grand opening comes and goes, but the next morning the body of her biggest enemy is found in the castle gardens. Between trying to figure out what happened, smugglers and the appearances of Sir Percival, the castle ghost, Nora is kept quite busy. And di we forget to mention that one of her guests just happens to be the new detective in town?

Nora Asquith is finally ready to open a bed and breakfast in her home, Ravensea Castle after a local woman, Hilda Dibble has tried to stop Nora every step of the way. However, just after welcoming her first guests, Hilda is found dead on the property and Nora is a suspect. Add in the castle ghost, Sir Percival, who is trying to assist Nora in discovering who actually killed Hilda, and Nora’s family, sister Tamsyn, a beautiful actress and their father, everyone is involved in trying to solve who killed Hilda.

This was a delightful mystery. The characters were fun to get to know. The village sounds a lovely place to visit. The flow of this mystery was well developed, building from each chapter, the reader has a suspicion of who the killer could be and why but you’re never quite sure if this is the truth or a misdirection. Adding the layer of an death decades earlier helps adds to the mystery. Very enjoyable read.

Among many wonderful things about 'Bodies and Battlements' by Elizabeth Penney is that it is the first in a series. I found the well executed story engaging in all ways, from characters to locale to mystery. The best part is that the plans for more were expertly set up so that I am not annoyed by a gratuitous cliff hanger, but that I am actually deeply interested in the continuation of the storylines. I can't recommend this highly enough, and I can't wait for more!

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in ELizabeth Penney's new cozy mystery series. I was swept into the story right from the start and absolutely loved the setting of Ravensea Castle. The quirky, loveable cast of characters was perfect, from Nora's family and the castle guests, to the ghost of Sir Percival. The mystery was intriguing, the subplots interesting, and I'm especially looking forward to seeing where things go between Nora and detective Finley Cole. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you #NetGalley and #MinotaurBooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
#cozymystery #bodiesand battlements #elizabethpenney

In order to continue living at the family home, Ravensea Castle, Nora Asquith is determined to turn it into a successful
bed and breakfast destination Nora is hopeful that their first guests will find it a beautiful and enjoyable place to
vacation. Unfortunately, when the body of the woman who opposed the Castle being turned into a B&B is found on
the castle grounds, the future of the Castle is in jeopardy. As Nora looks into the guests and friends of the dead
woman, surprising connections are revealed. First in a new series.
#BodiesandBattlements #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney

Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney is the first in the Ravensea Castle mysteries. What an enjoyable read! This book has everything that I love in a cozy mystery - a British castle, interesting characters, a dog and even a ghost haunting the castle! The setting is interesting and seems very true to life, a castle becoming a hotel to survive and provide for the upkeep of such a big place, and the characters are realistic, but lots of fun. The main character is smart and does not purposely put herself in harms’ way, which is a joy after reading too many cozies with main characters that seem to do that constantly. The mystery was fun to figure out and I am already looking forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Penney is hands-down one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. She has a couple series out there and starts a new one with this delightful mystery set in an ancient castle on the English Yorkshire coast. Our protagonist is the usual plucky heroine/business owner intent on running a successful venture - here it’s a family castle turned B&B. We have the faithful family retainers, the somewhat eccentric parent, the requisite adorable pets and family ghosts, the hunky policeman, and a smattering of family & friends to round out an appealing cast of characters.

The mystery blends a new murder with a fatal accident from the past, and the author deftly introduces all sorts of red herrings and complications until she winds everything up with a confrontation in an old smuggler’s cave. The setting in the old castle, complete with extensive gardens and grounds, is captivating and lends interest to the murder mysteries. The author does a great job of setting up events for future entries in the series, which I will eagerly await.

Recommended for cozy mystery fans.

What is cozier than castle-turned-bed and breakfast with a helpful ghost an off duty cop as a guest and a couple murders? It’s like reading a PBS Masterpiece mystery.

Bodies and Battlements by Elizabeth Penney fits snugly in the categories of cozy mystery and light romance. It is set in an ancestral castle ( albeit, a *small* castle) turned B&B-- but only just-- we enter during the B&B's "soft opening"-- on the scenic coast of Yorkshire. I found this book enjoyable and non-stressful (life is too stressful, who needs their pleasure reading to be stressful, too?). The writing is smooth and I don't recall any glaring typos or grammatical errors. There are actually a couple of budding romances in the wings plus a an ancestral ghost ( what's a castle without a ghost?). While not utterly riveting, Bodies and Battlements is a pleasurable read. I believe it is book 1 in a series, so there should be more fun happenings at the castle in the future. I look forward to seeing how things will shape up. My thanks to the publisher, Ms. Penney and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

Nora Asquith lives in the same castle her family has lived in for over a thousand years but that may come to an end if they don’t up their income. Her plan to turn it into a bed & breakfast is finally coming into fruition despite the vigorous objections of villager Hilda Dibble but that may all come crashing into ruin when Hilda is found dead in the garden when the first guests are in house. Convinced she or her father will be suspects Nora starts and investigation while also finding herself attracted to the new detective inspector in town, Finlay Cole.

The pros - We have a great setting, a haunted castle with a ghost that actually interacts with our characters. The obligatory cat, then a kitten, a huge goofy dog and the new cop has a rescue dog as well. The characters are pleasant and we want to get to know them better, especially why Fin Cole transferred from London to a small coastal town. The murderer is not obvious and was not on my radar until just before the reveal.

The cons - They are small ones but a bit distracting. There seem to be some continuity errors or at least ambiguities. What seems to be the next day may or may not be two or three days later. It is not really clear if the whole thing beginning to end takes place over less than the week the guests were to stay or longer. Nora seems overly obsessed, even for a cozy mystery, that she or her dad will be accused when there is no indication that the police suspect either one of them. One big plot twist, which was fairly evident at a certain point, is not really explained - a character is the illegitimate child of a person who died, probably murdered, decades ago but there is no explanation as to why the child was given up for adoption instead of the parents just getting married.

Overall I enjoyed the book, I look forward to more in the series. The author’s other series, The Cambridge Bookshop mysteries, doesn’t have the same, maybe lack of editing, issues so I have high hopes for the next one in this series because he characters are all interesting, even the minor characters. Recommended.

Bodies and Battlements is a fun cozy mystery. Nora has opened her castle home as a bed and breakfast, and her first guests are arriving. When enemy Hilda crashes the welcome party, Nora is shocked. A worse shock comes after the party, and Nora and her sister work to solve a murder. I enjoyed Elizabeth Penney's writing. She created an entertaining story with great characters. If you enjoy cozies, you'll want to read this one. I received a free copy from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

Nora’s family has lived in the Ravensea castle for generations, but castles are expensive to keep up and repair. So Nora is opening the castle as a B&B, despite some difficulties caused by one new resident in particular. Hilda has been a real thorn in their side throughout the process, so when she shows up with her sidekick during their soft opening, Nora is irritated and suspicious. Soon, there is a murder, a shady investor, and talk of smuggling. Nora is determined to investigate, to clear her family of any suspicion. One of their opening guests turns out to be the new detective for their area (and handsome), so there is romantic interest as well.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery and the setting. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

What a read! It really kept the pages turning to find out what was going to happen next. In a bid to keep their haunted castle, Nora and her family are opening it up to guests. And then a murder, what else could go wrong! It has murder, mayhem, history, ghosts and the wild beautiful countryside. Plus a touch of romance. I can't wait for the next in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous books, I was primed to enjoy this one from page one. For the most part, despite an unexpected slow start, my anticipation was justified. The only real issue I had was that I wasn't at all fond of main character Nora Asquith initially. Probably understandable as she is just about to open the doors to Ravensea Castle's first paying guests. Yes, in reality, romantic as a castle might appear to live in, they are expensive to keep up. As a result, Nora decided to transform a portion of the historic, supposedly haunted castle to paying guests. It's been a long, tedious process to not just ready the castle but jump through all the bureaucratic hoops placed in front of her, not to mention that her own sister, actress Tamsyn Asquith wasn't really in favor of the move. So, why is Tamsyn there? And, who is this couple showing up and expecting to stay that didn't reserve a room? Then Hilda Dibble, a local who not only opposed the conversion of the castle but tossed repeated roadblocks in front of Nora shows up. What is she doing there and why was she in such a hurry to suddenly leave? That's just the beginning. Things begin to happen, not to mention Sir Percival, one of the resident ghosts, makes his presence known and then, yikes, the next morning Nora finds Hilda's dead body near the fountain in the garden. I'd say her endeavor to save the family home isn't off to a good start although, hmm, the dog-owning guest Nora found attractive, Finley Cole, turns out to be a detective. Well, at least he on the spot of the crime immediately.

Things get complicated fast. I won't detail the plot any further other than to say it's an intriguing mix of old world charm with the castle setting, cute pets, ghostly interventions, an endangered family legacy, shady deals, secrets and more secrets, and, ahh, budding romances. I ultimately liked the characters once we got into the book, even ghostly Sir Percival, who you'll warm to as you learn his backstory. They all have secrets. I'm hoping to learn more about Nora's plan to create and sale items like soaps and herbs made at the castle, too. Nora's family seems solid, albeit her father seems to fall into the stereotypical scholar/researcher/professor role while being able to spin a great story of the castle's past. Will Nora be able to sort out whodunit? Will she drive Finley nuts in the process?

Bottom line, although it took me longer to fall into the story than expected, I found it an intriguing read and am looking forward to seeing where Nora's adventures take us next. I mean, we get to hang around in a genuine castle, with lovely gardens and a view, so not exactly a hardship. Also have to admit, I'm going to be curious where the romances lead. My thanks to #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for this early introduction to Ravensea Castle and all its inhabitants. Something tells me this series may quickly become a "must read" for me. Great characters, intriguing mysteries, fun pets, and a few ghosts drifting about. Give it a read!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Nora is an herbalist whose family has owned a castle for hundreds of years, but in the present day, her family decides to turn the castle into a bed and breakfast. Things turn downward, however, when a local luminary, Hilda, is found dead in one of the gardens. Now the business is in jeopardy, but Nora is considered a suspect as Hilda had opposed the castle’s renovation. Coincidentally, one of the first guests happens to be Detective Finlay Cole. Nora decides to take it upon herself and do her own investigation, aided by the help of her sister and a castle ghost

I loved in particular a few things about this book: the setting of the British castle being made into a bed and breakfast, as well as the cover! Something a little different to this genre was the incorporation of the castle ghost, Sir Percival. I liked the balance of the characters in this book, ranging from a curious Nora to the informant ghost to the castle itself. Plus, the mystery itself was good enough that I was guessing until the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nora and her family have opened their British castle as an inn in an attempt to increase their income and maintain the castle. It has been a rocky start and when a body is found in the garden as the first guests arrive she fears all is lost. A charming start to a new cozy mystery series. I cannot wait for #2.

Fun new series set in a haunted castle in Yorkshire. Just the right mix of humor, romance, and ghosts to keep you turning the page!

I really enjoyed Bodies and Battlements. It had well written characters that you can connect with and a story line that was easy to follow. When reading a first in series I like to get to know the characters and the setting and she did a great job of that. I'd love to see more of Sir Percival because it appears he's trying to communicate.

If you are a fan of castle settings with a resident ghost or want to give one a try, then this is for sure one for you. I'm not usually one to enjoy a castle setting but I really enjoyed this one. Elizabeth Penney you knocked this out of the park!!

This was a great start to a new cozy mystery series. It was very very cozy. I loved the setting and I loved that the mystery revolved around a castle turned bed and breakfast.
I loved the complex murder/mystery and the amazing character cast. Everyone was truly likable, realistic, and had great chemistry.
The vivid descriptions make it easy to picture the setting. Plus, there are enough plot twists and turns to keep me engaged throughout.