In the village of Cornwall, a curse is more than just lore. “The Curse of Penryth Hall: A Mystery” is a new gothic fiction story that is said to “bring the ancient Cornish countryside to life,” according to the book’s author, Jess Armstrong.
The story begins by introducing the readers to the story's main character, Ruby Vaughn, an American heiress who runs a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and housemate. She has always tried to avoid dwelling on the past, especially after World War I, but it always seems to find a way to get to her, which is demonstrated when Ruby is forced to return to the Cornish countryside to deliver books to a folk healer. During her trip there, the stitchings of old wounds were successfully torn away from Ruby, compelling her to visit Penryth Hall, a foreboding fortress and the home of Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband Sir Edward Chenowyth.
After an unsettling evening, Ruby intended to leave Penryth Hall and return to her bookstore. Her plans suddenly change when, for the first time in 30 years, the mansion’s bells rang for the sudden death of Sir Edward, who was gruesomely murdered in Penryth’s orchard. News of his demise immediately swept through the village of Cornwall like wildfire, causing rumors of an old curse to arise and causing panic. The news of the “curse” returning also brings Ruan Kivell to Cornwall, a person led there with the aid of Ruby’s books and is said by the townspeople to be a Pellar, a man said to break the curse. With Ruan’s help, Ruby must find out what truly happened in the orchard or risk the safety and health of her friend.
One cannot talk about a potentially great story without talking about its author. Jess Armstrong is making her authoring debut with this story, as it is the first story she has written.
The book came out on Dec. 5, with prices ranging from $14.99 to $30.71 depending on where one looks.