AD* | After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and housemate 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.
The Curse of Penryth Hall is a dark and atmospheric historical mystery set in the haunting landscape of post-Great War Cornwall. With a plot that promises tension, intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural, the novel certainly sets the stage for an engaging read. However, despite its compelling premise, the book doesn't quite manage to live up to its potential. It ended up leaving me with mixed feelings as I turned the final page.
The story follows Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress who has made a quiet life for herself in Exeter, working in a bookshop. However, her past soon catches up with her when she is tasked with delivering a box of books to a folk healer in the Cornish countryside. This errand takes her back to Penryth Hall, the home of her once dear friend, Tamsyn, and Tamsyn's husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. When Edward is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Ruby finds herself drawn into a web of local superstitions, dark secrets, and the possibility of a deadly curse.
One of the strengths of The Curse of Penryth Hall lies in its pacing. Armstrong skillfully balances the development of the plot with the exploration of her characters, ensuring that the narrative remains engaging throughout. The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader invested. The blend of character-driven storytelling and plot progression is well-handled, allowing the tension to build effectively, particularly as Ruby and the enigmatic folk healer, Ruan Kivell, delve deeper into the truth behind Edward's death.
However, I found it difficult to connect with the characters themselves. Ruby felt somewhat distant, and this made her difficult to warm to. This detachment extended to the other characters as well, particularly Tamsyn, who failed to elicit much emotional investment from me despite her significance to the plot. As a result, this lessened the impact of the story's darker moments.
Coupled with a slow start, this made it hard to fully immerse myself in the story. Additionally, while the Cornish setting is evocatively described, I would have appreciated more emphasis on world-building. A more detailed portrayal of the village and its superstitions could have enhanced the creeping tension and sense of unease that the novel aims to create.
The Curse of Penryth Hall does have its merits. It is tense and mysterious, offering an intriguing blend of historical fiction with an LGBTQIA+ focus. However, the lack of connection with the characters and the missed opportunities in world-building meant that, for me, it fell short of its potential.
Rating: 3 stars
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