The Secret of the Three Fates (Ruby Vaughn Mysteries, 2)
Spiritualism, occultism, mediums, seances, the inexorable lure of the supernatural and mystical—all on the upswing after World War I, when so many died leaving family and relatives yearning for one last glimpse of their loved ones. This makes a compelling backdrop for Armstrong’s second Ruby Vaughn mystery, which takes place at Manhurst Castle, in the shrouded mists of Scotland. Antiquarian book hunter Ruby Vaughn and her octogenarian employer, Owen, travel to Scotland to attend a séance held by three renowned mediums, one of whom, Lucy Campbell, has specifically urged Owen be there. The loss of Owen’s son in the war, compels him to believe this may be his one last chance. The temperature plummets, candles snuff out, a spirit speaks, tempers flare and Owen rushes from the scene. A note requests Ruby meet Lucy that night on the bridge, where signs of spellcasting are evident, but Lucy is already dead, and Ruby is too late to save her.
Armstrong packs a lot of action in here, and the novel pulled me along so quickly at times, I found myself deliberately holding back, taking stock, carefully percolating the who, why, what, and where. I enjoyed the novel immensely but couldn’t help feeling that I had not fully grasped either the relationship between Ruby and Owen; or between Ruby and Ruan (the Cornish pellar) and that I should have read The Curse of Penryth Hall first. It doesn’t help that Ruby doesn’t understand her relationship with Ruan either, but that made me even more eager to read their origins for myself and make up my own mind. The Secret of the Three Fates is dialogue-and character-driven and leans heavily on previous events, however, it is an excellent follow-up in a recommended series, with my respectful suggestion that the novels are even better read in order.
