Armstrong brings readers to 1923 in the fourth Ruby Vaughn Mystery with The Lost Souls of Saint Oda’s.
The American heiress runs a rare book shop in Exeter, England with her octogenarian employer, Mr. Owen, and has high hopes this year will allow her to not only leave investigating behind, but to spend more time with the Cornwall-based healing pillar, Ruan Kivell, whose romance has been conducted around their previous cases.
But when her solicitor brings her concrete news that her mother may have survived the sinking of the Lusitania that took her father and sister in 1915, she must travel to the Belgian hospital to see if there is the slimmest possibility this could be true.
With Ruan accompanying her, the two travel to the hospital at Saint Oda’s priory, a combination of asylum, orphanage and long-term hospital. But it seems the woman believed to be her mother has died only a few days before their arrival.
Refusing to believe this has happened, Ruby and Ruan continue to look into Saint Oda’s and find more suspicious deaths, and several missing patients, including a young girl.
Not knowing who to trust, especially after an attempt on her life, Ruby digs in and finds the occult may be mixed with murder.
The historical mystery adds more than a touch of gothic to the story, along with romance between Ruby and Ruan, making for an atmospheric read. Add in a touch of humor and the pellar’s ability to read Ruby’s thoughts, and you have an interesting mix as the two persist without knowing who they can trust.
Character-driven and bewitching, with a surprise ending.
