Plenty of secrets, quirky characters, and an old family castle turned B and B set the stage for a fun cozy mystery and first book in a new series.

Elizabeth Penney has brought us a new cozy mystery series, beginning with herbalist Nora and a haunted castle in Yorkshire.

Nora is turning the castle into a bed and breakfast. It costs a lot of money to keep a castle in working order!

But with a resident ghost and a dead body in the garden, it isn’t starting out too well.

I didn’t care for Nora. Her personality seemed to be missing. And no humor.

I’ll wait for the next one.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press May 27, 2025

I honestly wasn't about to add one more book to my very tall to-be-read stack; however, a book that takes place in a castle--I couldn't resist it!

I am delighted that I added this one. I loved everything about it! From the mysterious events on the castle grounds, two dead bodies and a ghost named Sir Percival, there is a lot going on in the book. There are little tidbits that make the characters interesting to read about. The main character Nora, who came up with the idea of turning their home into a bed and breakfast, makes soaps with the yummiest ingredients. Nora's sister, Tamsyn, is an actress who is very hurt after being dumped by the man she acted with. Arthur, dad to the sisters, has taken up the role of host and added his own interesting tales about the history of the castle in gatherings with the guests.

The mystery itself was a good one that was neatly wrapped up by the end, and the sisters have more ideas to promote their business. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!

I loved this cozy mystery! In Bodies and Battlements, you'll find colorful characters, adorable cats and dogs and even a ghost! There are also the beginnings of some cute new romances. Multiple suspicious characters and plenty of red herrings kept me from being sure who the killer was. The seaside castle setting was perfect and really added to the atmosphere. Nora was generally a likable character, but she did do one thing that annoyed me. She literally said she had no problem throwing other people under the bus to take suspicion off herself and her family, yet she was irate when someone else did the same thing. That was just so hypocritical it made me like her less. Other than that she was fine, and I enjoyed her relationships with her family and Finlay. I also liked reading about the soaps and teas and whatnot she was making as well as all the delicious sounding food and drink. It added a nice cozy touch. There were a couple of things I hope will be fixed before publication. A few phrases were repeated, and I questioned why there were two characters named Patrick. You had Father Patrick and Patrick Horn. It seems like one of them could do with a name change. I'm looking forward to continuing on with this series. It would be fun if they learn to communicate in some way with the ghost and he can be more helpful in the future. I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Bodies and Battlements was the cutest and coziest of mysteries in a new mystery series from Elizabeth Penney. In it, we find Nora Asquith, an herbalist, who is trying to convert her family castle into a bed and breakfast, replete with ghosts and all. She is trying to accomplish this with a shoestring budget, in order to save her family home and grounds and keep it in the family.

Despite pushback from a neighbor and her own sister, Nora eventually gets the permits needed to open the venture, only to have her first round of guests to be greeted by a murder on the Asquith castle grounds.

Lo and behold, one of the very dishy guests happens to be the new detective inspector.

The unfortunate thing is that their father is on the guilty list. Nora and her newly-unemployed sister are determined to clear their father’s name, but in order to do that, they must first find out who really killed the town busybody.

This cozy mystery has all sorts of plot twists and until the last chapter, one isn’t sure of who actually did it. Even the ghost seemed to have been sending out mixed messages.

I can’t wait for Penney’s next installment in this series!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for this fantastic ARC!!

Nora Asquith is determined to turn her family’s thousand-year-old Ravensea Castle into a successful bed and breakfast, securing its future in the scenic village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. But when Hilda Dibble—a local woman who opposed the castle’s transformation—is found dead in the knot garden, Nora’s dream venture is suddenly in jeopardy. Even worse, she’s the prime suspect.

One of the castle’s first guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is now thrust into solving a murder. But Nora and her actress sister, Tamsyn, aren’t about to leave their fate in the hands of the authorities. As they dig into their guests’ secrets, they uncover entangled motives, long-buried grudges, and even hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle’s resident ghosts. As the sisters race to solve the mystery, they must also ensure their business—and their family’s legacy—survives.

Bodies and Battlements is a delightful blend of cozy mystery, historic intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural. The castle setting, with its eerie history and quirky staff, adds a layer of charm and suspense. Nora is a strong protagonist, balancing her determination with a keen sense of curiosity, while the supporting cast—including the mischievous Sir Percival—adds depth and humor.

This book is perfect for fans of atmospheric whodunits, blending old-world charm with modern sleuthing. The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with enough red herrings to keep readers guessing. If you love cozy mysteries with a touch of history and a dash of ghostly intrigue, Bodies and Battlements is an enchanting start to a promising s

This is a first in a new series and I think the perfect start. The setting is really intriguing, a historic family castle that needs to generate an income to survive. The characters have depth and I can imagine the relationships growing and changing as the author develops the series. This mystery kept me guessing. There were two murders, but as with a typical cosy, nothing too gruesome. I will look forward to the next book.. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

Bodies and Battlements is a cozy mystery that peaked my interest early on.
Nora is converting the family castle into a bed and breakfast, hoping to generate enough income to keep it in the family.
When local resident Hilda Dibble tries her best to block Nora at every angle, she becomes annoyed when the bed and breakfast is approved.
It's no secret that Nora dislikes Hilda, so when she stumbled over Hilda's body by the fountain, she's not surprised to become a suspect in her murder.
There are so many quirky and colorful characters in this story, I was entertained until the end.
This story is well done and I'm excited to see what's in store for them next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Bodies and Battlements.
This reminds me of an Agatha Christie book. Set in England I found this to be very interesting and suspenseful.
This is not my typical ‘cup of tea’ however if you favor these complicated yet deliciously complex novel, this one is for you. 3.5 stars

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Since 1138, the Asquith family has called Ravensea Castle in Monkwell, Yorkshire home. Sitting above Robin Hood’s Bay the castle, with its towers and battlements has become a bed and breakfast destination that, Nora hopes, will delight guests and keep the family from losing the castle.

Things are moving along smoothly, much to Nora’s delight and the herbalist is set to welcome the castle’s first guests. Then the unthinkable happens and Hilda Dibble, a local woman who’d fought to stop the development of the bed and breakfast, is found dead in the knot garden. Nora finds herself the prime suspect.

Can Nora and her sister, Tamsyn, find the real culprit and solve the murder mystery?

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Serving as the first in the author’s projected series, this narrative is both laid back and intriguing. With so much at stake for the Asquith family, the concern for making a go of the bed and breakfast is easy to understand.

With a strong setting and some delightfully quirky characters [especially the ghost, Sir Percival], this cozy mystery keeps readers guessing as the unfolding narrative offers a few unexpected surprises.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#BodiesandBattlements #NetGalley

Bodies and Battlements is the first in a new cozy mystery series. Ravensea Castle has recently been converted into a Bed and Breakfast and they are welcoming their first guests. Everything is going fine-ish until a local woman is found murdered in the garden and the Asquith family, guests and staff become potential suspects.

Nora has potential to be a great character. She’s determined to keep the castle in the family by making the B&B a success. She also grows herbs and flowers in the garden that she makes into lotions, soaps, etc. She is sane and solid, in the midst of her actress sister, eccentric father, quirky staff, and resident ghost, but that does make her seem a little boring. We do have the start of a romance that might be fun, but it’s with a cop, which I’m a little tired of.

The setting is fabulous – the castle, the town, the seashore. And the pets – two cats and a dog, are adorable and helpful.

The plot moves along at a nice place. There a few shenanigans going on and it all wraps together well. I appreciate that Nora works with the police and lets people know where she is going. Overall, it’s fine, but not outstanding.

I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read! It's fast paced and kept me entertained the entire time.

The setting of an old seaside castle really made this for me. I also found the relationship between the sisters to be quite a lovely addition to the book.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of low intensity mysteries and have already told my mom she needs to read it!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC copy of Bodies and Battlements in exchange for an honest review.

Light-hearted mystery about a woman who has transformed her family castle into a Bed & Breakfast only to have a murder intrude on her plans. When a vocal opponent of the castle-hotel is found dead, Nora knows she has to find the murderer or watch her dreams go up in smoke. The first in a new series by this author and it shows promise.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

In this new series about a mysterious castle turned bed and breakfast. Secrets will be had n this rustic background. What ghosts wlll lbe discovered in thd castle? A cast of quirky characters who run the place.