The third book in the Ruby Vaughn series is the best one so far! This story is little less gothic than the first two, leaning more into dark academia vibes. I thought the mystery elements were set up well, and I enjoyed watching them come together. The location at Oxford was a nice change from the more isolated estates in the previous novels, allowing for different types of characters and settings.

I was glad that both Mr. Owen and Mrs. Penrose were back, and appreciated the further glimpse into Ruby’s wartime service. Ruan’s backstory at Oxford was a little convenient to the plot, but I just went with it. I liked the inclusion of Hari in the story (he was previously introduced via telegram in book two), and I’m looking forward to more of him in the future.

There aren’t as many otherworldly elements this time; it reads more like a standard historical fiction mystery. However, I do get the impression that the author is setting up the next book to dig into what powers Ruby may possess, as well as what connects her with Ruan, and I will be looking forward to it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for the ARC.

I cannot get enough of this series! The history, the gothic atmosphere, the mysteries and twists, and of course the characters. I loved going to Oxford, with its museums full of antiquities and learning more about Ruan’s time a student. The murder plot kept me on the edge of the seat, but it was the two side stories (Ruby’s romance and connection with Ruan and the continued speculation about her mother) that kept me furiously turning the pages. This story once again raises as many questions as it answers, so I’m already eagerly awaiting the next installment. I can’t wait to see what Ruby/Ruan/Mr. Owen/Mrs. Penrose/Fiachna get up to next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A great addition to the series. Decent forward momentum of the relationships, introductions of new characters I hope we get to see again. But honestly, Ruby drove me crazy sometimes! There’s independence, and then there’s foolishness. And quite often, Ruby was acting the fool. That said her actions in no way lessened my enjoyment of the book/series! Thanks to Minotaur for the ARC.

Together with Mr. Owen (with whom she runs a rare book shop), Ruby is ready to spend a quiet time in Oxford during the Christmas season for the annual antiquarian society meeting. She is quite determined to put Ruan Kivell (a Pellar – you can read this book on its own but you will definitely need to read the previous books to really get a feel for him) out of her mind and spend some time with a wartime friend.
But as always things don’t go as planned, and when a body shows up at an exhibition she attends, all the quietness is gone. Her friend asks her for help, and Ruan shows up …
I love this series! And I am sooo looking forward to the next one. Lovely twists and turns.

This is the third book in the Ruby Vaughn series I have read. I was originally captured by the gothic vibes, historical fiction elements, and murder mystery. However, The Devil in Oxford seemed to stray away from the gothic vibes of the first two books and leaned into the cozy vibes of winter in Oxford. I did not get the occult vibes from this book. I thought it would lean more into the Cthulhu mythos without the creatures or have some Egyptology based on the cover. I even thought it would dive into Ruby's potential gifts, as it was highlighted so much in the last book.

I was disappointed that none of these things happened. I liked the setting of Oxford in winter and enjoyed the wide variety of characters. I wish we got to spend more time with each side character. I enjoyed Ruby's development with Ruan and how they were finally able to figure out their relationship or at least both mutually confessed they feel the same. I loved exploring Oxford and walking in Ruby's shoes to the different parties and events she went to. I love Leona as a character, as she had her secrets and was known for her intelligence in multiple languages.

My gripe with this book (spoilers) is that the killer turned out to be the good guy, who is mentioned at the start and barely visible, and connected to one of the main characters. They are in the clear, having a connection with one of the main characters. This also happened in the last book with Mr. Owen and the Duke. I do not like books that have repetitive patterns, whether it is how the killer is killed or having similar connections in other books. There are so many different things you can do for a murder mystery so to me, there is no excuse to repeat anything unless it is the same person doing the killing.

Although The Devil in Oxford is my least favorite in the series, I will continue to read the series in the future. I hope that in the next book, we get a better understanding of Ruby and Ruan's gifts.

This is the third book in this delicious and in my opinion under-rated series. The setting is England in the 1920s. The genre is gothic mystery.

The main characters Ruby and Ruan are an unlikely mystery solving duo, and both intriguing in their own way. Ruby is a disgraced American heiress. Ruan is a Cornish folk healer/witch.

The setting of this novel is Oxford, and many of the characters are Egyptologists (fascinating in its own right).

Why I love this book/series: 1) fascinating, well fleshed out multilayered characters 2) spooky dark gothic vibes 3) excellently plotted and paced murder mystery,

I highly recommend, and can’t wait for book number 4!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

This series has completely stolen my heart! I wouldn’t consider myself to be a gothic girlie, but I was hooked on Armstrong’s gothic aesthetic the second I picked up The Curse of Penryth Hall and discovered Ruby Vaughn and Ruan Kivell. There’s something so satisfying and almost soothing about this series and I can see myself rereading this series for years to come (considering I rarely reread, this is a feat!).

Book 3 picks up right after the events of book 2 (this series is best read in order, though there should be enough context that you could pick it up at any point). Ruby is still reeling over her decision to step away from Ruan and struggling with her connection to the otherworld. She, Mr. Owen, Mrs. Penrose and the cat have set off to Oxford to celebrate Christmas. However, it’s Ruby, so of course she finds herself standing next to a dead body shortly after their arrival! And who should magically appear there that same night but Ruan Kivell! The two set out to find the culprit and deal with their burgeoning feelings. Ruby also has the added stress of dealing with an imposter claiming to be her long dead mother, only this time, there’s some truth to the woman’s claims.

There were a lot of things going on in this book. We have the classic mystery, the continued exploration of Ruby and Ruan’s connection, more backstory on Ruby’s time during the war and her family history, and side characters that are more than they seem. A lot to pack into a 330 page book! The murder mystery is solved but felt a bit confusing, though Ruby herself was really thrown by this one, and I think this added to being able to connect with her and the story. Ruby and Ruan do resolve their conflict and finally come together, though it’s not quite a HEA yet. I really wanted more exploration of the otherworldly connection Ruby and Ruan have, both together and separate, but assume this will come in future installments. I truly can’t wait to see where Armstrong takes this series next!

Thanks to the publisher for the arc via netgalley. All opinions are my own.

From the moment I cracked open The Devil in Oxford, I was hooked. Jess Armstrong weaves together gothic atmosphere, simmering suspense, and sly wit into a story that feels both timeless and deliciously fresh. The setting is so vividly drawn that I could almost smell the damp stone and hear the echo of footsteps in shadowed corridors.

The mystery unfolds with perfect pacing—every twist landed exactly when I thought I had it figured out, only to prove me wrong. The characters are complex and magnetic, each one hiding secrets that beg to be uncovered. Armstrong balances the dark with just the right amount of charm, making it impossible to stop reading.

If you love a mystery that’s moody, clever, and utterly immersive, this is one to savor. The Devil in Oxford doesn’t just tell a story—it wraps you in it, heart pounding until the very last page.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

This was an excellent edition to this series. We catch up with Ruby after the end of book two. She is still reeling from realizing she has feelings for Ryan Kivell as well as her growing sensitivity to the other world.

Ruby is with her employer on another adventure but it wouldn’t be a Ruby book without a murder. And murder finds Ruby again much to her dismay. Ruby is perfectly fine with not getting involved until a close friend begs for her assistance. And of course Ruan shows up to help despite Ruby accidentally insults him in a letter that she thinks tells him that she cares for him. In her defense, she was drinking at the time of said letter writing.

This book delves more into Ruby’s mysterious past and more of her secrets that she’s not quite willing to confront yet. And poor Ruan suffers a heartbreaking betrayal that has Ruby truly worried for him at the end of the book.

I’ve enjoyed this series so much. Jess Armstrong knows how to write a good mystery as well as painting the environment. It’s clear that she puts a lot of research into her writing and I am so excited to see where she takes this series!

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.