After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and house mate in Exeter. She’s always avoided dwelling on the past, even before the war, but it always has a way of finding her. When Ruby is forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, she is brought back to the one place she swore she’d never return. A more sensible soul would have delivered the package and left without rehashing old wounds. But no one has ever accused Ruby of being sensible. Thus begins her visit to Penryth Hall.
A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It’s an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth’s bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses—or Pellars—but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next victim: Tamsyn.
To protect her friend, Ruby must work alongside the Pellar to find out what really happened in the orchard that night.
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Rating: 4 Stars
My Review: A cozy mystery that begs to be read on a comfy couch with ambient lighting, a soft blanket and a dog curled up next to you…maybe a cup of tea 😆😆
Ruby is the spunky protagonist tasked with solving a mystery. As she goes to deliver some books to an old friend, Tamsyn, at her home Penryth Hall, she realizes how much she has changed but is determined to rekindle their friendship. After an unfortunate event where Tamsyn’s Husband, Sir Edward, is found dead, whispers of Penryth Hall being haunted begin to circulate and it looks like Tamsyn might be next. Ruby, determined to prove there is no curse, must find out what killed Edward and fast, before the house claims it’s next victim!
A good solid mystery over all that had you questioning the line between superstition and truth. Jess Armstrong did a wonderful job setting the scene. It truly was a story about Penryth Hall but given the allusions to previous relationship with Tamsyn, I’d wished she’d gone more into detail about Ruby and Tamsyn and how they came to part(maybe a prequel?) That being said, it appears that it may be lining up to be the start of a series? Looking forward to what Jess may have in store for us next!
About the Author
Review
“An atmospheric, fast-moving debut. . . This debut won the Mystery Writers of America/Minotaur First Crime Novel Competition, a well-deserved honor for a book whose gutsy main character and immersive world-building will remind readers of Margaret Dove in Evie Hawtrey’s And By Fire.” –First Clue
"This riveting romp. . . is a devilishly delightful read!” –B.R. Myers
“Perfect for fans of Hester Fox and Simone St. James.” –Anna Lee Huber
"Clear your calendar before you pick up The Curse of Penryth Hall, because once you start reading you won't want to stop." –Katharine Schellman
"Will have readers on the edge of their seats, and leave them wanting more of Ruby Vaughn." –Kate Khavari
"Curious and enthralling.” –Lydia Kang
"A witty and clever debut.” –Kelley Armstrong
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