The Secret of the Three Fates

Armstrong’s second Ruby Vaughn mystery (after The Curse of Penryth Hall) sees the return of quippy detective Ruby, who is also an American heiress and the manager of a rare bookshop. Ruby and Mr. Owen, her octogenarian employer and housemate, travel to Scotland to examine some rare manuscripts. Ruby is unaware that Mr. Owen has ulterior motives for inviting her, as he wants to contact his dead son at a séance conducted by a group of mediums. When Ruby finds one of the mediums dead, she and Mr. Owen become prime suspects. Ruby must work to clear their names and uncover a secret that someone is willing to kill for. Narrator Emma Love ably embodies the detective’s bright, inquisitive nature and captures Ruby’s varying modes of expression, from swooniness to fast-paced snark. Though there is less distinction among the various male Scottish characters, their accents are well done and consistent. Most of all, Love captures the ambiance of the séance, offering spooky, singsong, and raspy voices without losing any accent work.