The Devil in Oxford - (Ruby Vaughn Mysteries) by Jess Armstrong (Hardcover)

About the Book

"If someone were to ask American heiress Ruby Vaughn how exactly the occult came to play such a large role in her life, she would immediately point to her octogenarian housemate and employer, Mr. Owen. Together, the pair run a rare book shop in Exeter. Mr. Owen's penchant for arcane, unusual--and occasionally illegal--books has been known to get Ruby into her fair share of trouble. And after the last year, she is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday in picturesque Oxford while Mr. Owen attends the annual meeting of his antiquarian society. Secretly, Ruby is also looking for a holiday from her confounding feelings for Ruan Kivell, the intriguing folk healer Pellar that she met in Cornwall. When Mr. Owen secures two tickets to an upcoming exhibition of artifacts amassed by disgraced scholar Julius Harker, Ruby reluctantly agrees to attend. The evening turns out to be more eventful than either of them bargained for"--

Book Synopsis

Set after the Great War, Jess Armstrong's USA Today bestselling and award-winning series is historical gothic murder mystery at its best, and Ruby Vaughn returns in The Devil in Oxford.

If someone were to ask American heiress Ruby Vaughn how exactly the occult came to play such a large role in her life, she would immediately point to her octogenarian housemate and employer, Mr. Owen. Together, the pair run a rare book shop in Exeter. Mr. Owen's penchant for arcane, unusual--and occasionally illegal--books has been known to get Ruby into her fair share of trouble. And after the last year, she is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday in picturesque Oxford while Mr. Owen attends the annual meeting of his antiquarian society. Secretly, Ruby is also looking for a holiday from her confounding feelings for Ruan Kivell, the intriguing folk healer Pellar that she met in Cornwall.

When Mr. Owen secures two tickets to an upcoming exhibition of artifacts amassed by disgraced scholar Julius Harker, Ruby reluctantly agrees to attend. The evening turns out to be more eventful than either of them bargained for. Harker's dead body is discovered amongst the collection, his business partner is hastily arrested, and Ruan arrives...wanting to speak with Ruby. It seems both the arcane and her Pellar have followed Ruby to Oxford.

The murder case is suspicious at best, but the last thing Ruby wants is another investigation. That is, until an old friend comes begging for Ruby's help. It soon becomes painfully clear that there is more going on in Oxford than meets the eye. Ruby and Ruan will have to uncover the dark secrets of the competitive world of antiquities while trying to understand the peculiar force that keeps drawing them back together.

Review Quotes

Library Journal--One of the Best Books of the Year

"Sublimely entertaining. . . The literary equivalent of catnip for historical mystery readers who like their crime fiction served with up with a soupçon of gothic spookiness, a hint of romance, and a generous splash of deliciously clever wit." -Library Journal (starred review)

"An excellent historical mystery with gothic and romantic touches." -Booklist (starred review)

"Picture an interwar version of Nancy Drew, or perhaps a grown-up version of Enola Holmes, and you will have a pretty decent snapshot of Ruby Vaughn." -BookPage

"The engaging first-person narrative, the detailed description of Oxford a century ago, the wonderfully depicted characters, and the clever twists and turns that the plot takes all make for a delightful mystery." -Bookreporter.com

"A bustling, elegant whodunit fueled by suppressed lust and enigmatic characters." -Kirkus Reviews

"Armstrong is back and stronger than ever. . . one of the best mysteries I have read this year." -Historical Novel Society

"A nicely drawn period piece." -firstCLUE

Praise for the Ruby Vaughn Mysteries

"Delightful." -People

"Evocative gothic atmosphere, a rich sense of post WWI England and an intriguing, strong heroine." -South Florida Sun Sentinel

"Atmospheric." -Library Journal (starred review)

"An ever-twisting, page-turning narrative set against a haunting gothic backdrop." -Kirkus Reviews

"Irresistible." -Publishers Weekly

About the Author

JESS ARMSTRONG is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ruby Vaughn Mysteries. Her debut novel, The Curse of Penryth Hall, won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. She has a master's degree in American history but prefers writing about imaginary people to the real thing. Jess lives in New Orleans with her historian husband, two children and ever growing number of pets and plants. When she's not working on her next project, she's probably thinking about cheese, baking, on social media, or some combination of the above.