Ravaged Rook Renaissance

Penelope Paws Cozy Mystery #4

by Saint Vincent

Alchemy. Woe. Deliverance.

In NYC, Penelope Paws, expert pet sitter and accidental sleuth, chases precarious trails through the city’s shadowlands.

Her best client was murdered, and his legacy lingers—a mysterious potion everyone wants, but none understand.

Secrets screech louder than subway brakes. Potion vials vanish, talking animals wrangle, and murder leaves a messy pawprint.

One vial could topple the evil Ivory Trail, or unleash chaos fit for a city zoo.

Armed with wise-cracking Edgar the crow, elegant Midnight the tuxedo cat, and the offbeat Night Owls, she darts down brownstone streets and forgotten tunnels.

Treacherous criminals, cryptic clues, and animal mischief hound her every step, as danger circles ever closer.

To save the city, Penelope must outwit its most cunning predators—both human and ethereal—and risk everything for her loyal friends.

But every victory demands a sacrifice. Edgar’s bravery may cost him everything, leaving Penelope to grapple with a city saved but a heart forever changed.

Some mysteries heal, others haunt—and the darkness under Manhattan never forgets.

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2025

Reviews

[Lorraine O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #4 in the series and I recommend reading the others before reading this one. It will help clear up some of the confusion. Penelope is continuing her friends word and using found journals from her deceased alchemist. She has 2 pets and the 3 of them have some kind magical of relationship, it is unclear about whether or not Penelope is some kind of magical person. She works with the police and a group of friends who have all these hidden places to meet or hide while working on this case. Their friend was working on some alchemy potion that could do, we don't know what. There are several inconsistences as to what things are regarding one of the animals and the alchemy vials. Keeping all that in mind, it is a race to try and figure out the clues and find the vials before the bad guys. They encounter these villians and fight for their lives at least 4 times before the final encounter. So it is not a relaxing cozy mystery as some have said. These people are up all night long every time they find a clue until they figure it out. The tension is almost constant but worth reading about and trying to figure out the puzzle. I gave it 4 stars because of the confusion and also because it is very exciting. I am an ARC reviewer.

[Maria Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alchemy. Woe. Deliverance.

In NYC, Penelope Paws, expert pet sitter and accidental sleuth, chases precarious trails through the city’s shadowlands.

Her best client was murdered, and his legacy lingers, a mysterious potion everyone wants, but none understand.

Secrets screech louder than subway brakes. Potion vials vanish, talking animals wrangle, and murder leaves a messy pawprint.

One vial could topple the evil Ivory Trail, or unleash chaos fit for a city zoo.

Armed with wise-cracking Edgar the crow, elegant Midnight the tuxedo cat, and the offbeat Night Owls, she darts down brownstone streets and forgotten tunnels.

Treacherous criminals, cryptic clues, and animal mischief hound her every step, as danger circles ever closer.

To save the city, Penelope must outwit its most cunning predators, both human and ethereal, and risk everything for her loyal friends.

But every victory demands a sacrifice. Edgar’s bravery may cost him everything, leaving Penelope to grapple with a city saved but a heart forever changed.

Some mysteries heal, others haunt, and the darkness under Manhattan never forgets.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book of the Penelope Paws series. I highly suggest that you read the first three books before starting this book. There were several gaps in this book that would most likely have been covered in previous installments. Vincent creates a dark world that focuses on good vs. evil. The story is complex and a bit complicated. The heroine, Penelope, is a strong character who wants to save the city from the chaos that the members of the Ivory Trail want to unleash. At times, the story seems repetitive and I struggled to stay engaged. The ending completely surprised me (in a good way). Overall, I feel this is not your typical cozy mystery but I know there are readers out there that would appreciate the suspense and the magical elements of this series.

*I was given this book as a gift and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Annarella]

Ravaged Rook Renaissance is an exciting and fun mystery story. It follows Penelope Paws, a pet sitter who becomes a detective after her best client is killed. The book mixes crime and humor in a creative way. There are talking animals, secret tunnels, and a dangerous potion that could change everything. The characters are colorful and easy to like, especially Edgar the clever crow and Midnight the stylish cat. The story moves quickly and keeps you guessing until the end. It is not too dark, but it has enough tension to make you want to read more. The ending is emotional and shows the value of friendship and courage. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a touch of fantasy, this book is a great choice. It is both entertaining and original, perfect for relaxing reading.
Recommended. Many thanks for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

[Melissa Cavanagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a gentle surprise—nothing too flashy, but really lovely for quiet moments in the evening or to pass the time while travelling. I found the writing to be engaging, but not demanding, which I really enjoyed.

I found the story enjoyable and comforting. The kind of read that leaves you feeling a little more settled, like a warm cup of tea. If you’re after something low-key and calming, this one’s worth grabbing. Penelope is the kind of determined, loyal heroine I enjoy reading about and the story overall is one I'm sure I will read more than once. I now really want to read the other books in the series also!

My review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) which I received for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun addition to the Animal Action Cozy Mystery Series. Penelope along with her tuxedo cat, Midnight and a talking crow Edgar work with The Night Owls group in the Shadowlands hidden beneath the city to help solving crimes, especially against animals. When Penelope's client was murdered and a secret potion is missing, So with Midnight and Edgar and Oliver's do Max, Penelope and the Night Owls try to decipher the cryptic clues to solve the murder and find who stole the special vial. This is an entertaining addition to the series that keeps you guessing. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ravaged Rook Renaissance is Book 4 in A Penelope Paws Cozy Mystery by Saint Vincent. I thought that this was a very enjoyable mystery. I liked how the author gave a very quick background of the first three books. The characters are well written and I love the talking crow, Edgar, tuxedo cat, Midnight, and the Night Owl. Penelope is best animal client is murdered… well, it is personal to her. I felt that there was surprises and the author built the ending to be intense. I believe that this book and series should be on your TBR list. I received an arc for free and an leaving my review voluntarily.

[Mrs K.Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ravaged Rook Renaissance is a great story about Penelope and her tuxedo cat Midnight and a talking crow Edgar work with a group The Night Owls group and they all work together to find the many puzzle pieces. I love how the animal Midnight a cat , Edgar a crow and Max who is Oliver's dog all work with the group to protect the information they find. The group combines with NYPD to hopefully achieve success.
Excellent story and series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a dark little read. A race for power/greed that they would kill for and did. Penelope, Edgar, and Max fight to keep the dark powers away from the contained evil. This odd team tracks down the potion that will spread evil, and fights those who would exploit it. Edgar is the real hero of the story, but he's MIA after the showdown. Penelope greaves his loss greatly. Huge surprise twist at the end that had me sobbing. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.

[G.Terenzio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penelope Paw, with the help of her faithful companions cat Midnight and crow Edgar,  try to unravel the mysterious legacy of Harold Finchley. Harold left embedded clues all over town and Penelope and her friend Oliver and The Night Owls work against the clock to outsmart the evil members of the Ivory Trail.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.  The story drew me in right away and kept me turning the pages to see what happened next.  I couldn't wait to see how things turned out. I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tiffany Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book five stars because it was a real good book to read.There was action and suspense.It kept me wanting to read it.The characters were all good to read about.Anyone that has not read this book,you should.
Tiffany Reed

[Nicole Presnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

good story with likable characters

[Anne Pyles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing story, likable characters, creepy villains. What’s not to love? I recommend.