A nice start to a new series featuring a castle, Nora (and herbalist), her sister Tamsyn (an actress) and Sir Percy (a ghost!). Nora's worked hard to create a bed and breakfast so when the woman who was most opposed to it turns up dead in the garden she's the prime suspect. DI Finlay Cole is new to town and given the circumstances he's got to investigate her but Nora and Tamsyn set off on their own. This is a worldbuilding read where you meet the sisters, their family (including Sir Percy) and their pets as well as people in the village. Will Finlay eventually become a love interest? It's a classic coy from a veteran in the genre. Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. A good read.

This was an easy to read cozy mystery. It’s a nice start to this series. I liked Nora and her family. I liked her interaction with Finlay and can’t wait to see where this relationship goes. I’m looking forward to more in this series

This book is the first installment in a promising new series. The castle setting, along with its resident ghost, may not be totally unique, but it certainly is a fun setting. The characters are likable and pretty well developed. We do know what the main characters do for a living, but I did find myself wondering what Nora’s father did in order to maintain the family castle before Nora turned it into a B&B. The mystery itself was entertaining and well paced, leading to a satisfying conclusion. This was a good introduction to the series.

What a great new series! I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Nora Asquith finally got all the government approvals to turn her family's castle Ravensea into a bed and breakfast in the quiet village of Monkshood, in spite of newly arrived villager Hilda Dipple and her many complaints to the village council. The first guests have arrived, and Nora is determined to give them 5-star service. What she didn't plan on was to wake up the next morning and find Hila Dipple dead in her herb garden. She's decided she needs to solve this before her dreams of a successful business turn into a nightmare.

This is a wonderfully entertaining cozy mystery. I just had to keep reading until I was finished. The mystery was well crafted. I enjoyed the dynamic of the Asquith siblings and their father. You couldn't help but like Nora and the secondary characters. I am looking forward to learning more about Sir Percival and getting to know Findlay more. Also, who doesn't love a story with cute dogs and cats!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books (St Martin's Press) for the chance to read this ARC and give my opinion.

I picked this one up because I love Elizabeth Penney’s writing, and I wasn’t disappointed! This is the first book in her charming new series, Welcome to Ravensea Castle. Set in the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire, herbalist Nora Asquith runs a cozy bed and breakfast out of her ancestral home—Ravensea Castle. Business is thriving until a sudden and suspicious death throws everything into chaos, causing guests to flee and rumors to swirl. Determined to protect her reputation and save her livelihood, Nora takes matters into her own hands to uncover the killer. With a richly atmospheric setting, an engaging protagonist, and a satisfying mystery, this is a delightful start to a promising series.
#bodiesandbattlements#NetGalley

What a great start to a new cozy mystery series! Elizabeth Penney’s Bodies and Battlements is the first book in the Ravansea Castle series. Herbalist Nora Asquith has worked hard to convert part of the family home into a bed and breakfast. Only three suites are available for now, but the first guests are arriving today. The castle overlooks the village of Monkwell in Yorkshire, England. The day after the guests’ arrival, Nora finds Hilda Dibble dead in the castle’s knot garden. Hilda had opposed the bed and breakfast plan vehemently. It turns out that one of the guests is the new detective inspector, Finlay Cole. Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate themselves.

The characterization is well done. Nora is hardworking, good at small talk, protective of her family, and skilled at digging in her heels when opposed. She also operates Castle Apothecary and sells products to local businesses. Tamsyn can be dramatic and difficult, but she has good instincts. She also resists overt displays of affection. Their father is somewhat eccentric and is researching the family history. They have an English mastiff and a cat. Finlay is orderly, observant, and has a passion for his profession. He also has a rescue dog. The secondary and tertiary characters have an appropriate amount of depth for a first book in a series.

Filled with suspense, occasional action, and memorable characters, this was a fun read. While readers mainly follow the amateur sleuths Nora and Tamsyn, they also see aspects of the police investigation. The plot is somewhat straight-forward, but with a few twists and red-herrings, and one big surprising twist near the end. Themes include murder, friendship, family, greed, relationships, betrayal, romance, and much more.

The world-building and atmosphere were terrific. I was easily transported to the castle by the sea overlooking the picturesque village. There are also a few extras thrown in such as the resident ghosts, especially Sir Percival Asquith, a knight and ancestor of the family, as well as a couple of potential romances. However, the main storyline is the solving of the murder with a few other crimes along the way. The ending is satisfactory and sets up a possible thread for the next book in the series.

Overall, this book was a fun and enjoyable read. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with great atmosphere and memorable characters, then look no further than this novel. I’m looking forward to reading book two.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Elizabeth Penney provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 27, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

A promising start to a new cozy series. The setting and characters were charming and well rounded, and when you add in a ghost you can't go wrong. I did figure out who was guilty pretty early on but the reasons were layered and well mapped out.

Bodies and Battlements is the first in a new series by Elizabeth Penney, and in my opinion, it’s fabulous! I have loved this author’s previous series, so I was excited to read this new book.

With visually descriptive language, the setting comes alive so I feel as if I’m actually at Ravensea Castle’s Bed & Breakfast, walking in the gardens, eating gourmet food, walking along the seaside cliffs, and meeting the resident ghosts.

The dialogue is engaging, the plot is steadily paced, and I stayed in the middle of all the non-stop action.

I very much look forward to the next in the series!

Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of the book. I’m happy to give my opinion of the new story.

Bodies and Battlements is the first in a new cozy mystery series introducing Ravensea Castle’s Nora Asquith. Ravensea Castle has been converted into a bed and breakfast and the guests are just beginning to get settled in when a murder occurs. The biggest critic for the new Bed and Breakfast, Hilda is found dead in the garden. Now determined to save her family’s business Nora and her sister Tamsyn begin their own investigation into the guests and their secrets. An interesting ghostly resident of the castle adds a hint of the paranormal to season an already interesting cozy with great world building and interesting characters. The mystery is interesting and easy to read for an entertaining cozy that promises to be an interesting series. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

New author, new series! A well told cozy mystery where the past mysteries resurface when a present murder has connections to the past. Nora and her family are trying to keep their beloved Ravensea Castle afloat, by slowly turning it into a bed and breakfast. Who wouldn’t want to spend the night there? But when ghosts appears and there is a murder on the grounds things aren’t looking very promising. So Nora and her sister with the help of DI Finlay Cole start to unravel who dunnit, but only to find another crime or two.
I am so pleased that I found a new author thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This was a well written story that kept a good pace and didn’t rush the end as many cozy mysteries do. A little bit of a naughty ghost, lovable pets, a touch of romance and a good story. This is a great start! By the way all opinions expressed are my own.

Bodies and Battlements is the first novel in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney. There is some romance and mystery and several characters, who are enjoyable. The setting is a 1000 year old English castle, recently turned into a B & B, as a way to earn enough money to keep the castle in the family. Nora is the central character, who also makes soaps and other toiletries, as a way to create more income. Together with Nora is her sister Tamsyn and brother Will, their father, and the cook Janet and the outside helper, Guy. Since Bodies and Battlements is a cozy mystery, there is also a handsome detective inspector to help solve the murder(s).

The plot of Bodies and Battlements works well. The mystery holds the reader's attention, with murder and romance blended together, as well. I enjoyed Penney's newest series. Bodies and Battlements is fun and kept my attention. Thank you to Minotaur St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. I am looking forward to the next novel in this series. The above comments are my own.

4 Stars.

Great 1st in this new series. Packed full of action and surprises. Looking forward to more. This author writes some great series.

It took me a few days to get into this book, not sure why. it seemed like a lot of build up at the beginning that wasn't going anywhere. Once I got a bit further it grabbed my attention and I wanted to keep reading. I liked Nora and Finlay together, It seems like this is a new series and I'll love hearing about their relationship as the series continues. Tamsyn is an interesting character, although at the beginning she seemed very self-centered. By the end she seemed to have matured more. Once you get into it, it's a very entertaining read and I had no idea who had committed the murder until it was revealed. Great read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

Bodies & Battlements introduces a new cozy mystery series set in a castle on the wild Yorkshire coast in England. Nora is a busy lady with a natural product line and a castle she is converting to a bed and breakfast.
The castle has been in the family for a 1000 years and there are ghosts. Nora has a history focused father, an actress sister Tamsyn and a mead making brother Will.
The elements combine well to give a delightful setting to the mystery that unfolds. The author hides the villain well with several options to choose from that need ruling out one by one.
Nora and Tamsyn become a team and both find likely candidates for love interests.
It really does feel like this book has all the good things. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a great first entry in a promising new cozy series. I particularly liked the setting in the family castle. Great location, cute pets, and even a ghost!

A delightful bed & breakfast cozy! This has all the traditional cozy notes, including quirky relatives, a cop boyfriend and a gorgeous setting (complete with ghosts!) It does start a bit abruptly: for example, we are told the "currently alive body" is a bad person but don't get to actually see it before they expire. Still, this was a perfect beach or rainy day book to while away the hours.

This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced, cozy mystery novel. It has a likable and intelligent female protagonist, vividly described, beautiful settings, wonderful secondary characters, supportive family, wit, humor, a touch of romance, adorable pets, a ghost, murder, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. I am looking forward to reading future novels in this delightful new series. Many thanks to Ms. Penney, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley, from whom I received an advanced reader copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this one! The picture of the charming setting was painted so beautifully & Tamsyn and Nora have such an authentic relationship. The cover didnt do anything for me and I’m surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did!

I loved every aspect of this book. It was a delight to see the two sisters interact, relax and grow closer. There was clean romance. Two sweet dogs and a cat. The setting in a Castle turned Bed and Breakfast was unique. There was even an ancestral ghost, Sir Perceval, who had quite the personality. The suspense was edgy. Looking forward to the next in the series. Highly recommend for a light hearted, fun read.

I was blessed with an ARC, and this is my own, unbiased review.

I waffled back and forth on this book. At some points, I really enjoyed it--learning about the castle's history, the super cozy British setting, getting to know about Nora's herbalism hobby. But there were other points that really annoyed me--I'm sick and tired of Dad characters who are checked out and disconnected from life except for the occasional blustering personality, I also didn't love Tamsyn and Nora's off and on again relationship, and lastly, that ending...it had so much potential but fell so completely flat for me. Everything felt rushed and pieces dropped into place haphazardly until the murder was solved and the book was over. It felt like whiplash and it felt like I'd missed so much--yet I hadn't. There would be no way to solve this mystery as a reader, and that bothered me. Because I love to solve it with the amateur sleuth, not just randomly stumble upon the answer and get all the clues at the end.
Will I read the second book? Probably. I liked the story enough to give book two a chance. But I hope it's better!