Nobody does a gothic mystery like Jess Armstrong, and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the 3rd installment of the Ruby Vaughn series. Ruby, an American heiress, may dabble in illegal sales of books and her gumption brings me back to the series each time.

Ruby Vaughn returns to us in THE DEVIL IN OXFORD and this has become my favorite in he series. It's winter and Ruby is hoping for some peace and quite when her octogenarian housemate and employer, Mr. Owen invites her to an exhibit. What should be an easy evening turns deadly.
Once again thrown into the middle of a mystery, this time the death of disgraced scholar Julius Harker, Ruby will partner with old friend Ruan (he's back!) to uncover secrets in this shady murder.

This series has such a cool gothic vibe, and I love anything set in the 20s. While this could be read as a standalone, I highly recommend grabbing the first two books, it provides a lot more flavor and background to the main characters.

Atmospheric, twisty and fast-paced, this is the third book in the Ruby Vaughn series set in 1920’s Great Britain. The country and its people are still dealing with the aftermath of WW1…so many young men dead, young veterans physically or psychologically wounded, lack of jobs or opportunities for former soldiers…the “lost generation”. Ruby is also a lost soul in many ways and yet she’s smart and stubborn and exceedingly brave. A young American heiress, Ruby was sent to England before the war because she was caught up in a society scandal. while there, her family died during the sinking of the Lusitania in 1916. She served as an ambulance driver at the front during WW1 and now works for and lives with Mr. Owen’s, lovely, elderly bibliophile who is also a Viscount at his book shop. He’s mysterious and gets Ruby into situations that turn out to involved solving a murder. During one of those investigations, Ruby meets and falls in love with Ruan Kivell, a veteran who Mr Owens has known for many years and helped be admitted to Oxford University before the war. Ruan is from Cornwall and also happens to be a pellar…local term for a witch. Ruby and Ruan have a long path to love over the course of the book series. In this book, they are at Oxford to meet with Mr Owens’ friends and fellow book lovers/collectors. While there, a prominent but disgraced former professor is murdered and an old friend of Ruby’s from the war is caught up in the mystery somehow. Corrupt cops, arrogant academics, the British Secret Service, illegal drug trade and stolen Egyptian artifacts all mix together to make solving the murder a slog for a Ruby and Ruan. This is a great series…

I can never get enough of Ruby & Ruan! There back on the case together in London after some romantic stumbles. Ruby gets unintentionally drawn into a murder investigation after the body of an antiquities dealer (and associate of Mr. Owen) is found mutilated inside an Egyptian sarcophagus in his own exhibit!

As always, there's plenty of danger, secrets, suspects, sneaking around and Ruan sweetness to leave you wanting much, much more from this series! Romance is turned up to 11 in this book! Savor it like a fine wine. We get even more layers to Ruby and Ruan's pasts and Armstrong also tees up a great cliffhanger - could someone from Ruby's family actually have survived the sinking of the Lusitania? I can't wait to find out!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the fabulous ARC! Pre-order now folks! It's a winner.

This was such a moody little romp through Oxford with a murder, a mysterious artifact exhibit, and just enough unresolved romantic tension to keep me flipping pages. I hadn't read the first books in the series (oops), but I still followed everything just fine — and honestly, now I kind of want to go back and catch up?

The vibes are very dark academia meets amateur sleuth, and the pacing really works — not too slow, not too chaotic. Ruby is chaotic just enough, and while sometimes I was like "girl, make better choices," I was still rooting for her. Also, I loved the whole rare book angle and the sort of "creepy but cozy" energy going on with Mr. Owen.

Was it super gothic? Not really. It felt more like a clever historical mystery with a hint of weird vibes and a sprinkle of magic-but-maybe-not? But the twisty plot, the touch of romance, and the whole scholarly drama thing totally made up for it.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I've been very much enjoying this series. It's the perfect mix of magical realism/romance/historical mystery for my tastes! Exciting to see where Ruby and Ruan go next!

This is the first book in the Ruby Vaughn series that I read. I selected it because I was recently in Oxford thought a book set in Oxford would be fun. I was not disappointed. I will admit I was a little concerned since it was labeled as Goth, but i really didn't see that. It certainly dabbles a bit in witchcraft, but even that is at a minimum.
I probably was at a disadvantage not having read either of the other books in the series first. I always felt like I was missing some important piece of information about their personalities. Ruby's character seemed inconsistent to me -- at times very mature and level headed, and at others the exact opposite. Nevertheless. I found the story engaging and Ruby's quest amusing.
If you are looking for a fun mystery set in Oxford, I would highly recommend the book. I look forward to going back and reading the rest of the story.
I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC copy for my unbiased review.

I love the Ruby Vaughn books, and was interested to read the next installment. As always, it was a thrilling mystery set during a time period that I find is under-represented in historical fiction, and the gothic bent of the book made it just the kind of thing you want to curl up and read on a rainy day. This series is a great read, and the newest addition to it does the previous books justice.

Fans of Ruby Vaughn, rejoice - she’s back!

When an unveiling of an Egyptian exhibit in Oxford reveals a very newly dead man, it will take everything in Ruby and Ruan's power to unearth the truth. With scholarly rivalry, glimpses into our protagonists' pasts, and a will-they-won't-they situation looming in the background, this book is a worthy successor to the others in the series.

Highly enjoyable and addictively readable. Clear your schedule, you are not going to want to put this one down.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

We're back with our favorite cast of characters with #3 in the Ruby Vaughn series & this might be the best one yet! The gorgeous cover, the atmospheric and dark academia Oxford setting, a winter mystery & our courageous fmc who refuses to stay out of trouble. 

Bodies seem to pile up wherever Ruby turns up, and Oxford is no different! Get ready for academic rivalries, missing artifacts, and a murder that has everyone trying to bury their secrets. 

Oh and that cliffhanger? You know I'm already eager for Ruby 4!

Ruby Vaughan was looking forward to a quiet Christmas in Oxford. When her employer, Mr. Owen, gets two tickets to view a exhibit of artifacts collected by Julius Harker, Ruby thinks she is in for an interesting evening. So when Julius Harker's body is found inside one of the artifacts on display, Ruby knows there must be something going on. When her good friend asks for Ruby's help in investigating the murder, Ruby agrees without hesitation. However, as more people start turning up dead, Ruby realizes that time is not on her side if she wants to keep her friends, and herself, alive. Third book in a series and I think it would have been helpful for me to have read the first two, but it was still a good mystery.

It is December 1922 and the Christmas season finds Ruby Vaughn in Oxford with Mr. Owen and Mrs. Penrose to attend a gathering of antiquarians. Following her rejection of Ruan in Scotland, Ruby is whining about her perceived inadequacies and her feelings for Ruan, while still being reckless, impulsive and difficult.

Oxford is awash in rumors and tales of misbehavior by a particular antiquarian set to open an exhibition of Egyptian artifacts supposedly from Napoleon’s expedition. When he is found in a stone box with his tongue cut out and his accountant/partner is arrested, Ruby is recruited by an old friend to solve the crime. What follows is convoluted and confused. People are lying, misdirecting and misunderstanding more than seems reasonable to this reader. Ruan shows up adding many complications both plotwise and romantically. Plus there is a side plot, dealing with a woman claiming to be Ruby’s dead mother that seems to be there mostly to foreshadow the next book.

The action is fraught, many are injured, though only the bad guys die, and the calm at the end of the storm is a bit abrupt. The series is not really improving for me but for cozy romantasy fans who like some action and danger in their stories it should still deliver for you.

Thanks to netgalley and the published for an advance copy.

Another fantastic Ruby adventure! Loved the setting, the mystery, and the romance. Ruby continues to show tremendous growth, and this one may be my favorite one yet!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

This is the third book in Jess Armstrong's "Ruby Vaughn" series. It is possible to start the series with this book, but you would be missing much of Ruby's backstory, as well as an introduction to many of the recurring characters in Ruby's world. Nevertheless, if you enjoy dark academia and can appreciate a foray into the underbelly of archeological scholariship, you probably will enjoy this book.

Antiquarian and (reluctant) part time sleuth, Ruby Vaughn, gets herself involved in a murder investigation in Oxford this time around. Ruby and her employer, Mr. Owen, are visiting Oxford where they attend an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities by the disgraced scholar Julius Harker. Ruby is looking forward to her vacation in Oxford partly to sort out her feelings for the folk healer, Ruan Kivall, she met back in Cornwall in book one. When Harker's rather disappointing collection is unveiled, the body of Julius Harker is found in a funerary box with his tongue cut out. Harker's business partner, a man named Mueller, is arrested even though there is no evidence to connect him to the crime. Ruby is reluctantly drawn into the investigation by her friend Leona. Leona is a scholar of Egyptian antiquities who works for the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. She was a friend of Harker's and she asks for Ruby's help in solving his murder. Luckily for Ruby, Ruan shows up in Oxford and agrees to help her with the investigation. They soon discover that Harker's murder is just the tip of the iceberg. There are all kinds of shady dealings in the world of Oxford scholarship and antiquities.

What made me happiest about this third book in the series is that Ruby finally figured out her feelings for Ruan, and repaired their relationship. I was torn-up over this in the last book. I was also happy to hear more about her work during World War I and how her friend (and lawyer) Hari fit into the picture. Plus there is the sweet father/daughter like relationship between Ruby and Mr. Owen as well as appearances by her fluffy cat Fiachna.

This was a great installment in an engaging series. It's a wonderful mystery that edges slightly out of cozy, but has an intriguing plot, well written characters, and a dynamic setting.

4.5 stars. This is my favorite book of the series so far! Jess Armstrong's writing keeps getting better with each book, and it seems like she has really hit her stride here. This time Ruby's adventures take her to Oxford around Christmastime, where she is accompanying Mr. Owens as he visits some old friends. While attending an unveiling of a controversial new exhibit on Egyptology and other archaeological curiosities, Ruby discovers the body of the exhibit owner in a sarcophagus. She inevitably is pulled into the investigation when her own friend is caught up in the web of lies, murder and black-market gangs that are operating out of Oxford and the Ashmolean Museum. Despite the dramatic way that Ruby and Ruan left off in the previous book, Ruan doesn't hesitate to come to her aid when she writes a semi-drunken letter to him. They try to put their personal issues/questionable relationship status to the side while investigating the series of murders that keeps circling closer to them and the ones they care about.

Ruby and Ruan make an excellent team as they try to sort through the rampant lies and corruption swirling around them, as well as the escalating body count. Both are forced to question their friends and people they thought they knew -- no one is exactly who they seem in this insulated academic community. I like that Ruan trusts Ruby and her skills, but still remains protective of her (in a non-stifling manner). He seems resigned to the fact that she is going to plow ahead, and does what he can to back her up using their unique telepathy to help find her when she's in danger. Ruby, in turn, helps Ruan deal with the uncertainty of his own powers of healing (and who knows what else) and with memories of his short but unpleasant history at Oxford while a student.

We also get a further glimpse of Ruby's time in the war and how it ties into her questioning her own sanity at times. There is a lot more to be revealed how that, in turn, ties in with her special powers that have been hinted at through the series. I'm looking forward to reading more on that, as well as the supposed impostor (or is it?) who claims to be her long-lost mother, in the next book.

Thank you to Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

"The Devil in Oxford" can be read as a standalone book, which is what I did. However, I think the reader will benefit from having read the previous two books, as there appears to be multiple recurring characters (Ruby, Ruan, Mr. Owens, etc.) and a lot of backstories involving those characters which will probably make the story more enjoyable. Also, the prior books will likely make the occult/mind-reading/witch element of the story make more sense. In this murder mystery, the reader will delve into the worlds of academia (especially anthropology and archaeology), antiquities (including the illegal trade in antiques), the antiquarian book trade, high society, illegal drugs, and police corruption. There are multiple interconnecting subplots that will keep the reader guessing.

I would say that this mystery is definitely leaning towards being on the cozy side. This book is marketed as being gothic, but it really doesn't feel that gothic to me. But that could totally be a personal opinion and others may disagree. But it's just something I noticed and thought I would mention. It is definitely a historical fiction situation though, so maybe that is what was supposed to make it a gothic? I don't know, I'm spit-balling.

We get some nice character development and expansion on the pasts of the main characters in this book. And although we get that additional information on those characters, I still did struggle to really like them, especially Ruby. I don't know why exactly, but I just really struggled with her as the hero of this story. It feel very natural for her (and I'm not saying all heroes need to be born to be heroes, but it needs to feel like it is within their character to act that way). She just wasn't a believable hero.

I didn't love the writing at times, but I could tell that the things I didn't like about it were used to add suspense or to create bigger moments. It just felt a little confusing at times.

Overall, this did have some good twists and reveals, so it did its job!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

The Devil in Oxford is the third book in the Ruby Vaughn series by Jess Armstrong. I loved books one and two and couldn’t wait to read the third book. It did not disappoint! There was a tightly woven mystery that kept me guessing until the very end. I had no idea who was behind the murders and I was so surprised. That doesn’t often happen when I read a mystery, so I really enjoyed that. There were lots of quirky characters and there were old books and artifacts that were fascinating. But most importantly there was lots of Ruby and Ruan! I loved reading about Ruby and her pellar as they solved another mystery and explored their ever deepening bond. They are a very interesting couple and I can’t wait to read more about them! I loved finding out more about their time during the war and the introduction of a character from that time proves to be quite interesting. There were several big questions left unanswered, so now I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up

Overall I enjoyed this cozy mystery - the twists and turns, the various characters, and how it all came together. Additionally, we got more into Ruan and Ruby’s past which was a nice build as it’s clear Ruan is here to stay.

One thing I noticed - for a series that’s advertised as historical gothic mysteries, this book was more historical and less gothic than expected (I.e., Ruby had senses of dread throughout the book but that was mostly it).

A few critiques which lowered the overall score - the biggest of which is I find Ruby herself challenging to like as the heroine. A lot of her actions didn’t make sense (e.g., being too worried about her friend to go to a dinner only to go and get drunk, walking around with a notebook that had all her notes on the murder but also her friend’s home addresses, etc). Additionally, the writing sometimes felt like in order to create a sinister vibe, it undermined Ruby some, e.g., Ruby could sense doing XYZ was a terrible, dangerous idea and did it anyways. While the intention was likely to show her as reckless, given she didn’t actually do much to solve any of the murder herself, it made me question her capabilities.

Thank you to Jess Armstrong, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

After Ruby and Ruan's misadventures in Cornwall and Scotland, I have been eagerly awaiting this next installment of both their sleuthing and romantic journey to Oxford! Mixed in with promises of Egyptology, meeting Mr Owen's antiquarians and a growing body count, I devoured my advanced reader's copy (ARC) within days.

And Ms Armstrong certainly didn't disappoint as the book opens with another mystery that our intrepid amateur detective cannot resist, especially when in aid of a newly revealed friend, Leona, and their regular fencing matches, who notices Ruby's absent-mindedness as she fixates on the state of how she left things with Ruan in Scotland. The new mystery is just what she needs to distract her amidst Mr Owen's boring antiquarian old fogies (and the delightful return of housekeeper, Mrs Penrose).

Before she knows it, Ruby is sarcophagi-deep next to another body only to find herself back in the arm of her swoon-worthy pellar who begrudgingly slips back into his role as her Watson (if only to prevent Ruby from injuring herself yet again). In some ways, perhaps it's the return to the familiar as the two find themselves back to some breaking and entering, puzzling through arcane clues as they sort through their unique bond and connection. There are more swoon-worthy moments between the two (which have been here for from Book One), and those who also love the romance will not be disappointed (in fact, could we please have more in Book Four?)

I also liked learning more about both Ruby and Ruan's backstory via their war experiences, more about Ruan's time as a student at the university, and interestingly, the other backstory of imposters showing claiming to be Ruby's mother. Without spoiling anything, there are hints of the activities happening during this inter-war period in terms of espionage and the political tensions that surround all of the characters and provide a realistic historic context to the world stage of the time...and the potential for other scrapes that this pair may find themselves in for the future.

As wonderful as this story was, I did feel there was something missing in terms of the "otherworld" elements that the first two books were steeped in. It felt more like an ordinary historic mystery (of which I am an avid fan) instead of the gothic feel that I have come to associate with this series. Also, having worked in and visited Oxford multiple times, I felt the descriptions of the city didn't do it justice in terms of its more magical qualities, and like it could have been set anywhere else. These are just minor things that I felt weren't the same, and I hope will return in the next installment!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me the opportunity to get this ARC.