Happy Tuesday, My Lovelies! Let's also wish a very happy Pub Day to Elizabeth Penney's Dungeons and Danger, book two in her Ravensea Castle Cozy Mystery Series!
Y'all who have followed me for a little while know how much I appreciate a well-written cozy mystery series. For me, it's all about the characters and community, and Elizabeth Penney has created a lovely little seaside town in Yorkshire replete with a profusion of quirky and intriguing characters. And as the two titles above hint at, the community also has a castle reached by a causeway from the mainland. The castle has been in the Asquith family for almost a century, and the family are the main characters in the series. Herbalist Nora Asquith has recently converted the castle into a bed and breakfast in order to keep it in the family.
In this post, I will give mini reviews for both books in the series.
In my opinion, endearing animal characters are a must in cozy mysteries. Meet Rolf the English Mastiff and Ruffian the cat.
About Bodies and Battlements
Format 288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published May 27, 2025 by Minotaur Books
The first in a new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney investigates a suspicious murder in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast.
Herbalist Nora Asquith is delighted to welcome Ravensea Castle’s first guests to the picturesque village of Monkwell, Yorkshire. After a thousand years of ownership, her family has decided to convert the castle into a bed and breakfast. But when Hilda Dibble, a self-appointed local luminary, is found dead in the knot garden the next morning, Nora’s business is not only at risk—she’s a prime suspect.
Hilda had opposed the hotel plan every step of the way, and although she didn’t succeed in stopping the venture, her disagreements with Nora seem to only further her motive. One of Ravensea’s guests happens to be Detective Inspector Finlay Cole, who is new to the area and now finds himself with a murder case in his lap.
Nora and her actress sister Tamsyn decide to investigate for themselves. They look into the entangled dealings of their newly arrived guests, while also getting hints from Sir Percival, one of the castle ghosts. As they learn, Sir Percival’s tragic death centuries ago sheds light on present-day crimes. Surely they can get to the bottom of this mystery while keeping their new business afloat . . .
My Review
I love the atmosphere of the story, especially with the ghostly characters who actually help Nora solve the murders. Sir Percival tries to not only give hints about the crimes, but he also protects his family from danger. I also like Detective Inspector Finlay Cole. He gives Nora enough room to investigate, and he knows when it's appropriate to step-in and help. There are absolutely no red flags where Finlay is concerned, and I love that he and Nora are a match. There are many twists and turns in this mystery, and one was extremely surprising to me. And although the first books in any new cozy mystery series must establish setting/world building, Elizabeth Penney does a fantastic job describing Monkwell and Ravensea Castle without doing the plot and characterization a disservice. I love this book, and it's definitely a promising start to the series.
About Dungeons and Danger
Format 288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Expected publication May 26, 2026 by Minotaur Books
The second in Elizabeth Penney's Ravensea Castle cozy mystery series, set in a haunted castle-turned-B&B in Yorkshire, UK.
As Halloween approaches, Ravensea Castle is bustling with excitement as Nora Asquith welcomes the fall season guests to her family's newly converted bed and breakfast. A historian studying the movements of the Vikings has traced their exploits to Ravensea. A certain Viking woman, known as the Red Maiden, landed here and the historian believes she buried a treasure hoard before the castle was built. He is hopeful he can find the hoard now. Nora can't help but wonder if the enigmatic castle ghost she's always referred to as the woman in red could be this very Viking?
Meanwhile, a team of four ghost hunters is coming to stay at Ravensea for the filming of Britain's Got Ghosts. Former students of the historian, the group arrives with their own rivalries and baggage. They try to see who can make the most paranormal contacts and end up getting more than they bargained for.
When the historian is murdered during a Viking festival on castle grounds and his notes go missing, Nora can't help but wonder if the treasure was why he was killed . . . and could it be connected to the visiting ghost hunters? Additional "accidents" befalling the hunters raise the stakes as Nora races to find the killer—and the treasure—before another death occurs.
My Review
One reason I enjoyed this one is that we get to see more of Nora and Tamsyn's brother Will and their father Arthur. Will is the founder of the Viking festival meant to promote his mead business. Nora struggles helping her brother with the festival as she attempts to keep tabs on the four ghost hunters and the historian. The professor promises to find the Viking hoard(treasure) and split the gains 50/50 with the Asquith family. There are many areas on the castle property that are dangerous, and when the ghost hunters seem more interested in hunting treasure without supervision, Nora is concerned about her guests' safety and true motivations. The mystery is very riveting in this installment, and none of the guests seem trustworthy. I love the ending and conclusion to book two, and I cannot wait until the next installment.
So what do you think? Now is the perfect time to get in on this series with only two books in it so far. Both will make lovely editions to your Summer TBR.
DISCLOSURE: I received both books from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Until next time...
Happy reading!
Ricki Jill
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