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Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries #17
The Curse of the Ascot Mansion: A 1920s Historical Mystery
Are the rumors of a curse on the Ascot Mansion true?
New York 1927
Rumors about a curse have plagued the Ascot Mansion since before it was built in the Gilded Age. Now, the final matriarch of the mansion has decided to sell it and hold a silent auction for most of the contents. Sadly, this does not save Roselyn Ascot from the fate of the two prior Mrs. Ascots who once resided in the mansion.
When Penelope Prescott (née Banks) finds Mrs. Ascot murdered on the third floor of the mansion during the auction, there are two additional upsetting surprises.
First, someone has slashed the priceless Caravaggio painting that initially secured Roselyn’s place in the powerful Ascot family.
Second, Penelope’s estranged grandfather, Lester Williams, is found standing over Roselyn’s body holding the murder weapon.
Though Penelope’s mistrust of her grandfather is well earned, she refuses to believe he is a murderer. Armed with her own sharp investigative instincts—and Lester’s unconventional, and occasionally unethical approach to uncovering the truth—Penelope must dig into the mansion’s supposed curse, untangling decades of misfortune. The trail leads back to a forgotten turn-of-the-century tragedy: that of a young footman, whose suspicious death is inextricably connected not only to Roselyn Ascot…but also to Lester Williams.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: In a prior book, The Great Gaston Murder, Penelope’s grandfather was named Leonard. For editorial reasons, and to avoid some confusion, his name is officially Lester Williams.
The Curse of the Ascot Mansion is the seventeenth book in the Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries series. Join Penelope as she joins forces with her deceptively charming grandfather to solve yet another murder.
New York 1927
Rumors about a curse have plagued the Ascot Mansion since before it was built in the Gilded Age. Now, the final matriarch of the mansion has decided to sell it and hold a silent auction for most of the contents. Sadly, this does not save Roselyn Ascot from the fate of the two prior Mrs. Ascots who once resided in the mansion.
When Penelope Prescott (née Banks) finds Mrs. Ascot murdered on the third floor of the mansion during the auction, there are two additional upsetting surprises.
First, someone has slashed the priceless Caravaggio painting that initially secured Roselyn’s place in the powerful Ascot family.
Second, Penelope’s estranged grandfather, Lester Williams, is found standing over Roselyn’s body holding the murder weapon.
Though Penelope’s mistrust of her grandfather is well earned, she refuses to believe he is a murderer. Armed with her own sharp investigative instincts—and Lester’s unconventional, and occasionally unethical approach to uncovering the truth—Penelope must dig into the mansion’s supposed curse, untangling decades of misfortune. The trail leads back to a forgotten turn-of-the-century tragedy: that of a young footman, whose suspicious death is inextricably connected not only to Roselyn Ascot…but also to Lester Williams.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: In a prior book, The Great Gaston Murder, Penelope’s grandfather was named Leonard. For editorial reasons, and to avoid some confusion, his name is officially Lester Williams.
The Curse of the Ascot Mansion is the seventeenth book in the Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries series. Join Penelope as she joins forces with her deceptively charming grandfather to solve yet another murder.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2026
About the author
Colette Clark
24 books110 followersColette Clark lives in New York and has always enjoyed learning more about the history of her amazing city. She decided to combine that curiosity and love of learning with her addiction to reading and watching mysteries. Her first series, Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries is the result of those passions. When she’s not writing she can be found doing Sudoku puzzles, drawing, eating tacos, visiting museums dedicated to unusual/weird/wacky things, and, of course, reading mysteries by other great authors.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 14, 2026
The Curse of the Ascot Mansion by Colette Clark absolutely consumed me. This wasn’t just a story, it was an experience. The kind where the atmosphere wraps around you like fog and refuses to let go.
Ascot Mansion itself? Chilling. Oppressive. Almost breathing. Every hallway felt heavy with secrets. Every shadow felt intentional. Colette Clark doesn’t just describe a setting, she builds it so vividly you can practically hear the floorboards creak beneath your feet.
The slow unraveling of the mystery had me on edge the entire time. Every clue felt layered. Every reveal felt earned. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story twisted in that subtle, sharp way that makes your stomach drop in the best possible way.
And Penelope… oh Penelope. Watching her navigate the secrets of Ascot Mansion with her intelligence, intuition, and quiet strength reminded me exactly why I fell in love with this series in the first place. She doesn’t just solve mysteries, she steps into them, fully aware of the risks, and that bravery is magnetic.
The Curse of the Ascot Mansion has everything:
✨ a setting that feels alive
✨ twists that sneak up on you
✨ that addictive undercurrent of danger
✨ and Penelope being the brilliantly compelling force she’s always been
But here’s the part that makes this book even more special to me:
The Penelope Banks series was the very first series I ever read on my Kindle, many years ago. It’s the series that reignited my love of reading. The one that pulled me out of a slump and reminded me how powerful stories can be. Without Penelope Banks, I don’t know if I ever would have fallen back into the bookish world the way I did.
This book is haunting. Twisty. Rich with atmosphere. Packed with tension. And layered with that addictive emotional undercurrent that makes you care so deeply about what happens next.
It reminded me why I started reading again in the first place.
And that? That’s magic. 💖📖✨
@coletteclarkauthor is utterly brilliant!! ✨
Ascot Mansion itself? Chilling. Oppressive. Almost breathing. Every hallway felt heavy with secrets. Every shadow felt intentional. Colette Clark doesn’t just describe a setting, she builds it so vividly you can practically hear the floorboards creak beneath your feet.
The slow unraveling of the mystery had me on edge the entire time. Every clue felt layered. Every reveal felt earned. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story twisted in that subtle, sharp way that makes your stomach drop in the best possible way.
And Penelope… oh Penelope. Watching her navigate the secrets of Ascot Mansion with her intelligence, intuition, and quiet strength reminded me exactly why I fell in love with this series in the first place. She doesn’t just solve mysteries, she steps into them, fully aware of the risks, and that bravery is magnetic.
The Curse of the Ascot Mansion has everything:
✨ a setting that feels alive
✨ twists that sneak up on you
✨ that addictive undercurrent of danger
✨ and Penelope being the brilliantly compelling force she’s always been
But here’s the part that makes this book even more special to me:
The Penelope Banks series was the very first series I ever read on my Kindle, many years ago. It’s the series that reignited my love of reading. The one that pulled me out of a slump and reminded me how powerful stories can be. Without Penelope Banks, I don’t know if I ever would have fallen back into the bookish world the way I did.
This book is haunting. Twisty. Rich with atmosphere. Packed with tension. And layered with that addictive emotional undercurrent that makes you care so deeply about what happens next.
It reminded me why I started reading again in the first place.
And that? That’s magic. 💖📖✨
@coletteclarkauthor is utterly brilliant!! ✨
April 17, 2026
What a tangled web
It all started innocently enough. Pen and cousin Cordelia are going off to an auction at the Ascot mansion. It’s starts to get complicated when Pen spies her estranged and morally dubious grandfather in attendance and gets more so when screams fill the air. A murder of the last resident Mrs. Ascot is it the curse or something a bit more earthly and sinister?
A very twisty plot. Weaving together events from twenty seven years ago and the present all connected and information used for such nefarious purposes. While officially retired Pen can’t quite seem to write off that dubious grandfather and let him rot. So she goes off and uses her talents to uncover truth which as it turns out is just so very sad. Seems money can’t buy you everything after all. I did enjoy the complexity and the surprise twists very much. I can’t say I like Kitty very much though I begrudgingly admire her gumption especially considering the times in which the story is set. I miss Lulu and Benny they were always good for some shenanigans and comic relief. I also miss the closeness that Jane and Pen had working together. I hope that she appears more and not just as visiting the adorable Poppy. I think it’s extra hilarious that the stuffy and regimented Reginald Banks is undone at the mere mention of Poppy. She has all the men in the family firmly wrapped around her teeny little fingers. I’m not sure what’s next for Pen et al but I do know it will be a fabulous read just like this book!
It all started innocently enough. Pen and cousin Cordelia are going off to an auction at the Ascot mansion. It’s starts to get complicated when Pen spies her estranged and morally dubious grandfather in attendance and gets more so when screams fill the air. A murder of the last resident Mrs. Ascot is it the curse or something a bit more earthly and sinister?
A very twisty plot. Weaving together events from twenty seven years ago and the present all connected and information used for such nefarious purposes. While officially retired Pen can’t quite seem to write off that dubious grandfather and let him rot. So she goes off and uses her talents to uncover truth which as it turns out is just so very sad. Seems money can’t buy you everything after all. I did enjoy the complexity and the surprise twists very much. I can’t say I like Kitty very much though I begrudgingly admire her gumption especially considering the times in which the story is set. I miss Lulu and Benny they were always good for some shenanigans and comic relief. I also miss the closeness that Jane and Pen had working together. I hope that she appears more and not just as visiting the adorable Poppy. I think it’s extra hilarious that the stuffy and regimented Reginald Banks is undone at the mere mention of Poppy. She has all the men in the family firmly wrapped around her teeny little fingers. I’m not sure what’s next for Pen et al but I do know it will be a fabulous read just like this book!
May 13, 2026
Oops. It's not Ascot in England. This is an American historical mystery. I won't even read American fiction until they smarten up south of the border, get gun laws which protect school children and impeach the in competent resident of the White House. I picked this book up by mistake. Wake up America.
March 9, 2026
Motherhood Hasn’t Stopped Pen from Meddling
Motherhood hasn’t slowed down Pen. I much prefer Benny and Lulu to Pen’s obnoxious grandfather. The murder wasn’t really plausible. That said I always enjoy following Pen’s pursuit of the culprit. I enjoyed the book.
Motherhood hasn’t slowed down Pen. I much prefer Benny and Lulu to Pen’s obnoxious grandfather. The murder wasn’t really plausible. That said I always enjoy following Pen’s pursuit of the culprit. I enjoyed the book.
February 18, 2026
Always a great read
Even though I twigged to the murderer before the end, it was a thrilling story with interesting characters. Good job!
Even though I twigged to the murderer before the end, it was a thrilling story with interesting characters. Good job!
March 2, 2026
A Penelope Banks mystery is always a good read.
May 14, 2026
Oh, for an editor...
It was challenging to follow and the missing words in sentences didn't help. The book had promise but was too drawn out.
It was challenging to follow and the missing words in sentences didn't help. The book had promise but was too drawn out.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews