The Secret of the Three Fates

This was a most enjoyable historical gothic mystery with a slight paranormal twist. It is set in the early 1920s of the Scottish Borderlands. Ruby Vaughn, our plucky and free-spirited protagonist, is an American heiress who fears nothing. After a valorous stint as an Army nurse in WWI, she charges in where others fear to tread. She works for an aging English antiquarian who dragged her off to Scotland under the ruse of appraising and acquiring some illuminated manuscripts. In actuality, he desires participation in a seance with the hope of contacting the spirit of his deceased son. Although son Ben does not make a appearance, another spirit does, misadventure is afoot and it isn't long before the bodies start piling up.

This show more continuation of the Ruby Vaughn mystery series is as equally engaging as the last, The Curse of Penryth Hall. It too includes the Pellar, Ruan Kivell and the sexual tension between him and Ruby continues a bit further along.

This was a highly atmospheric, somewhat dark mystery. The writing is rich and the characters colorful. The scene setting is cinematic in scope and the tension is steady throughout. This was a most entertaining mystery and I eagerly await Ruby and Ruan's next adventure.

I am grateful to author Jess Armstrong and her publisher, Minotaur Books, for having provided a complimentary uncorrected digital galley of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher:‎ Minotaur Books
Publication Date: ‎ December 3, 2024
Number of Pages: ‎336
ISBN:‎ 978-1250909886 show less

The Secret of the Three Faiths is a follow-up to The Curse of Penryth Hall featuring Ruby Vaughn, a disgraced heiress who relocated from America to Britain and lives now as a wealthy breaker of convention and assistant to eccentric bookstore owner. In Penryth, the store's owner, Mr. Owen, sent Ruby to Cornwall where she wound up delivering a rare set of arcana to folk healer Ruan Kivell—and then, with Ruan's help, solved a murder that was threatening both physically and metaphysically. I love a bookish mystery, but have reservations about supernatural being added in, but Penryth was an excellent read, supernatural included.

In The Secret of the Three Faiths, Ruby has accompanied Mr. Owen to a Scottish castle claiming he needs her help show more valuing a collection of illuminated manuscripts. It turns out, however, that there are no illuminated manuscripts, and what Mr. Owen really wants is Ruby's moral support at a seance where he hopes to contact the spirit of his beloved son who died young.

As one might expect, the seance is cataclysmic, and, as one might also expect, one murder and possible others occur at the estate. Cue the arrival of Ruan to help Ruby sort out the mystery, a process that is complicated when Mr. Owen confesses to the crime, which he most certainly did not commit.

As with Penryth, I was leery of the supernatural element, but that leeriness was superceded by excitement as the tale played out. Armstrong deftly balances the tensions between the rational and the otherworldly so that readers, along with Ruby, will find them selves dancing back and forth between logic and belief.

I do suggest reading Penryth before this title, since events of the first shape the second, but it certainly wouldn't be tragic if you found yourself reading Three Fates first.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own. show less

The second Ruby Vaughn historical mystery moves her to the hills of Scotland. She is traveling with her octogenarian boss Mr. Owen in search of rare illuminated manuscripts. However, when she arrives at Manhurst Castle and finds no manuscripts but rather a seance in the offing, she is angry at her boss.

While Ruby wishes to put the past and the war behind her, she knows that many are willing to do anything for a last message from those they lost. Mr. Owen is no exception. He is desperately eager for a message from his son Ben. But the seance conducted by three women who call themselves the Three Fates goes awry when the oldest of the fates and the one who wrote to Mr. Owen to encourage his attendance dies.

Gradually family secrets come show more out including some of Ruby's since the owner of the castle was once an acquaintance of hers from the time she caused a scandal in New York that forced her from her home at sixteen.

But it is Mr. Owen's secrets that are the most devastating to Ruby since she had had no idea that he was keeping so much from her. However, once her love and loyalty are given, she'll do anything for the person who inspired those emotions.

Ruby isn't alone in trying to figure out the mysteries of the past. Ruan Kivell has also been called to the castle. Ruby and Ruan have a complicated relationship which began in the first book. They are falling in love, but Ruby is terrified at the thought of loving someone again. She's rather face ghosts and murderers than her feelings.

This was an engaging story. I like the 1922 time period where people are still dealing with the losses of World War I. I really enjoyed Ruby's complex relationship with both Mr. Owen and Ruan. show less

It’s set in Scotland and the second in the Ruby Vaughn series, so what else did I need to dive into this book? Despite it being 1922 Ruby Vaughn is a self-assured, forward thinking modern woman who rarely offers apologies - I like her. Mystery, a bit of the occult, murder, many references to Ruby’s fall from polite society and a very special love interest kept me turning the pages late into the night. A brief aside - I loved the title headings of the chapters.

I loved The Curse of Penryth Hall and hoped it would be followed by a strong addition - The Secret of the Three Fates capitalized on its history and moved the ball further down the court. I can only wonder what is coming next. While you might be able to read this installment as show more a standalone I would recommend reading The Curse of Penryth Hall first. Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy. show less

This is a five-star review for The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong.

Ruby Vaughn is back in this clever and captivating follow up to The Curse of Penryth Hall. Jess Armstrong has woven an intricate and satisfying mystery set in 1920s Scotland. Ruby is an absolute delight! A modern woman in a time when that wasn't always appreciated. She is smart, capable, and a bit reckless.

This time our favorite book seller is on the hunt for a killer at a remote Scottish estate. Mr. Owen, her employer and friend, has asked Ruby to accompany him to Manhurst Castle. He believes a spiritualist there has a message from his deceased son. Things go awry during the séance when the lead medium becomes possessed and utters a cryptic message for show more Ruby.

When the medium turns up dead a few hours later, Ruby finds herself the prime suspect. She is determined to clear her name and find the real killer, even if that means going up against a powerful group of men who call themselves the Eurydiceans.

With the help of her friend, the enigmatic Pellar Ruan Kivell, Ruby sets out to unravel the tangled threads of this mystery.

As the body count rises, Ruby must use all her wits and courage to outsmart the killer and uncover the truth behind the secret of the three fates.

The setting is beautifully rendered, and the characters are richly drawn.

This is an atmospheric and suspenseful read that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical mysteries, strong female characters, and a touch of romance.

What I loved:
Ruby is an amazing protagonist. She's flawed and funny, but she's also incredibly brave and resourceful. She is also haunted by her past and we see those vulnerabilities affect her choices.

Ruan is the perfect foil for Ruby. He is quiet and brooding, yet beneath that is a good heart. He is struggling with his powers and we see the toll it is taking on him.

The mystery kept me guessing until the very end. There are so many twists and turns, and I had no idea who the killer was until the big reveal.

The setting was stunning. The author really brought 1920s Scotland to life.

I loved the touch of romance. The connection between Ruby and Ruan is smoldering and I'm excited to see where their relationship goes in future books.

Overall, I thought The Secret of the Three Fates was a brilliant mystery. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

*UK:* https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14876/9780749031633

*US:* https://bookshop.org/a/108255/9781250909886 show less

Compelling story kept my attention from start to finish. I enjoyed the classic who-done-it plot with plenty of characters as potential suspects. Although this book works as a standalone, I wished I had read the first for clarity and also because it sounded like a good story. Being set in 1922 lent a nice atmosphere for a séance as people were earnestly delving into the occult at that time. Spooky things happen. Ruby is interesting, hard-headed, tenacious and sometimes foolhardy. My con is her constant deflection, in her effort to keep her secrets to herself she's rude sometimes. I wished someone would have called her on it instead of keeping a stiff upper lip and letting it go. I believe in good manners, but I guess I'm too American show more not to call her out. The book blurb gives away about as much as I feel can be revealed without spoiling the experience for someone else.

#NetGalley #TheSecretoftheThreeFates #JessArmstrong #RubyVaughnmystery #MinotaurBooks #mystery show less

I adored Jess Armstrong’s delicious debut novel, and I was hoping it would be the start of a sequel. And it was! Disgraced American heiress Ruby Vaugh is back, and this time she travels with her beloved friend and boss, Mr. Owen, from her new home in Exeter to Scotland. Mr. Owen gets her there on false pretenses for a séance, one held by three mediums working in tandem. To tell anything more would ruin this wonderful mystery.

For those who read The Curse of Penryth Hall, Cornish Pellar (read: witch) Ruan Kivell puts in an appearance, as does someone else from Lothlel Green. However, those new to the series will still love this sequel. I don’t know how I can wait for the next in the series!

In the interest of full disclosure, I show more received this book from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. show less