Reviewed by Enchanted Owl
Rating: 4/5
4.5/5 ⭐️
Atmospheric, twisty, and completely addictive!
The Devil in Oxford is the third book in the Ruby Vaughn series. It sweeps you straight into 1920s Oxford, where rare books, Egyptian relics and whispers of the occult collide, especially at Christmastime. Ruby Vaughn is our smart, stubborn and endlessly likable heroine, is hoping for a quiet holiday but, naturally, that doesn’t happen. Instead, she stumbles upon a murder when disgraced Egyptologist Julius Harker is found dead among his artifacts.
I have not read any other books in this series, nor anything by this author, so I was going in completely blind. I didn’t feel like I was missing any context from previous books, so this is a great standalone read. I felt like the author, Jess Armstrong, nailed the dark academia vibes and blended the gothic mystery with just a touch of romance very nicely. The writing is immersive, lush and beautifully done with the world building. I could practically feel the winter chill in Oxford’s cobbled streets and hear the footsteps echoing through the shadowy halls of the museum. Ruby is a fantastic protagonist that is witty, flawed and fiercely independent. Her dynamic with Ruan adds some depth without stealing the spotlight from the mystery, and Mr. Owen, the octogenarian antiquarian with a dangerous love for arcane books, is an absolute delight. Oxford at Christmas, secret societies, a dead scholar and a heroine who can’t stop poking at danger, what more could you want?
Definitely recommend for anyone who likes the dark academia with a touch of historical fiction! I might have to go add the other books in the series to my TBR.
TheDevilInOxford
Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur books and Jess Armstrong for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and give my thoughts on it.