Welcome, friend! Today I am chatting with author, Elizabeth Penney, about her latest book, Bodies and Battlement. Elizabeth is the author of more than two dozen cozy mysteries, including the Apron Shop series. The first in the Cambridge Bookshop series, Chapter and Curse, was a 2022 Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee. Elizabeth spent her early years in England and France and now lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she pens novels and tries to grow things.
Featured in my new releases of the month, Bodies and Battlements is perfect for those who love a cozy mystery and castles. Enjoy the interview and let me know in the comments if you will be reading the book! I sure am.
Bodies and Battlements
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 . . .
Get to know the author: Elizabeth Penney
Bodies and Battlements introduces readers to Ravensea Castle and the village of Monkwell. What inspired you to set this new series in a haunted British castle-turned-bed and breakfast?
The process of inspiration is often murky and hard to discern in retrospect. Sometimes there’s a period of brainstorming and musing and an idea eventually emerges. In this case, my idea was helped along by a wonderful book, one of my favorites: I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith. Instead of having my characters rent the castle, though, they are the original family in residence, from 1138. They’re also struggling, hence the bed and breakfast idea to bring in cash. Regarding the castle itself,
Eilean Donan inspired my imagination. A crumbling castle on its own point of land. What an incredible setting, right?
And what’s an ancient castle without a ghost or two? While I generally don’t write paranormal books, I have experienced haunted houses.
The picturesque village of Monkwell and the historic Ravensea Castle provide a rich backdrop for the story. Are these locations inspired by real places in Yorkshire, or are they purely fictional?
With its coastline, moors, and history, plus great works of fiction set there, Yorkshire is a fantastic setting. I based Monkwell on Robin Hood’s Bay, a fishing village on the coast.
Nora teams up with her sister, Tamsyn, to investigate the murder. How would you describe their relationship, and how does it influence their approach to solving the mystery?
Although close, Nora and Tamsyn lead very different lives. Nora stayed at home, helping her father manage the castle and starting her herbalist business. In contrast, Tamsyn is a well-known actress who has been leading a glamorous lifestyle in London and elsewhere.
There’s a little resentment on Nora’s part when Tamsyn objects to random guests in “her” castle. However, when it comes right down to it, Tamsyn is fully on board with helping Nora solve the mystery. Nora is great at research and sleuthing while Tamsyn’s charm and ability to put on various personas smooth the way.
Given the historical and botanical aspects of the book, what kind of research did you undertake to depict the castle’s history and Nora’s herbalist practices?
I often include historical elements in my stories, inspired by locations, events, clothing, the arts, or real lives. My approach is a fairly deep dive. I seek out original documents and images for accuracy and inspiration. I also research details. I want to create an evocative yet accurate picture. My philosophy about fiction writing is: it didn’t happen but it could have.
I’m also a gardener and a long-time student of natural and alternative medicine. My mother raised us on health food and Rodale, the original Prevention magazine. Recently I’ve been dabbling in making tinctures for personal use. Writing Nora meant adding to my existing library so I can speak knowledgably about her work. In the series, I don’t go beyond general information about teas and personal care products, maybe a cough syrup or two. It’s not the role of the series to give medical advice nor would I want to.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in Bodies and Battlements that you find yourself going back to? What makes it stand out to you?
I have to admit to a certain fondness regarding Sir Percival, a ghost from the Wars of the Roses era. Here is a scene with him.
I pulled out the drawer in an end table standing under a bad portrait of the first Baron Asquith, thankful I’d stocked up on emergency supplies. After fumbling around for a sage smudge and a box of matches, I struck a flame and lit the bundle of herbs. Not for the first time, I considered asking Father Patrick to perform an exorcism. But when it came down to it, I’d never had the heart. Ravensea had ghosts, yes, but they were our ghosts. Remnants of our history, so to speak.
“You’re a bad, bad boy, Sir Percival.” I waved the bundle around and wisps of fragrant smoke drifted through the corridor. “Don’t you be scaring our guests, you hear me?” I marched along the carpet, stopping every few feet to wave the sage, watching to make sure no sparks escaped.
Near the gallery overlooking the Great Hall, the air stirred, more a gathering of molecules than anything solid. Ah, there he was. I went in that direction, aiming the smudge like a weapon. “Go on, scoot.”
Dust motes began to swirl, someone sneezed, and then, with a dismal clank of metal, the air cleared. Good. He was gone. And hopefully he would stay that way.
The novel blends elements of mystery, history, and the supernatural. What themes were you eager to explore in this series?
The supernatural aspect is new to me in this series and I’m having a lot of fun with it. The ghosts aren’t main characters by any means but they do provide clues in their own distinctive ways. In the first book, Sir Percival’s life does have bearing on the mystery, in the sense that his experience mirrors one of the character’s struggles. Without the beheading, of course.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are interested in writing cozy mysteries or blending genres as you have in your books?
Before I settle on an idea for a new series, I do tons of research. Tons. I look at the books recently published and publisher deals to spot 1) what’s been done and 2) trends. The goal is a premise that intrigues readers and makes them eager to read the series.
- An apron shop on the main street of a quaint Maine coastal town
- A 400-year-old bookshop selling rare books and manuscripts in Cambridge, UK, with its 30 historic colleges
- A mystery series set in an ancient, crumbling, haunted castle on the Yorkshire coast
When it comes to creating characters, I try to make them unique individuals. The same with story ideas. The suspects, action, and resolution then flow from the unique set of circumstances created by the story. It’s also important to create a premise that can carry multiple books and offer opportunities for character growth.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I appreciate all my readers!
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me and share with my readers.
Thank you! The questions were thought-provoking and fun.
Thanks for joining us! Connect with Elizabeth Penney on her website. Add this book on Goodreads. It is available wherever books are sold!
Many thanks to Minotaur Books for connecting me with the author and giving me a chance to highlight this book on my blog in exchange for an honest review. 🙂 Stay tuned for the review!
Check out other mystery reads on my book review index page!
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