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A Rip Through Time #3
Disturbing the Dead
Disturbing the Dead is the latest in a unique series with one foot in the 1890s and the other in the present day. The A Rip Through Time crime novels are a genre-blending, atmospheric romp from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.
Victorian Scotland is becoming less strange to modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson. Though inhabiting someone else’s body will always be unsettling, even if her employers know that she’s not actually housemaid Catriona Mitchell, ever since the night both of them were attacked in the same dark alley 150 years apart. Mallory likes her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray, and is developing true friends―and feelings―in this century.
So, understanding the Victorian fascination with death, Mallory isn't that surprised when she and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing when it comes time to unwrap the mummy, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. And upon closer inspection, it’s not a mummy they’ve unwrapped, but a much more modern body.
Victorian Scotland is becoming less strange to modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson. Though inhabiting someone else’s body will always be unsettling, even if her employers know that she’s not actually housemaid Catriona Mitchell, ever since the night both of them were attacked in the same dark alley 150 years apart. Mallory likes her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray, and is developing true friends―and feelings―in this century.
So, understanding the Victorian fascination with death, Mallory isn't that surprised when she and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing when it comes time to unwrap the mummy, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. And upon closer inspection, it’s not a mummy they’ve unwrapped, but a much more modern body.
337 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
About the author
Kelley Armstrong
276 books32k followersKelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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April 27, 2024
In
Disturbing the Dead
, Kelley Armstrong combines a murder mystery and a time travel aspect in a historical setting in this third book in the Rip Through Time series. Modern day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson is becoming more comfortable living in Victorian Scotland. She’s inhabiting the body of a housemaid who was attacked in the same Edinburgh alley as Mallory, but 150 years ago. Mallory is enjoying her job as assistant to undertaker and medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray and assisting him and Detective Hugh McCreadie in a variety of cases.
Mallory and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing, Gray and Mallary are asked to step in and do the unwrapping. All doesn’t go well.
Mallory is a character with plenty of depth. She’s hardworking, kind, relatable, loves puzzles, and is an idealist. She’s good at seeing clues and connections in people’s speech, mannerisms, and expressions. While she makes for a strong female protagonist that readers can cheer on, she flouts convention and is sarcastic as well as being an independent thinker unafraid to speak her mind, which isn’t normal for women in Victorian times. Gray is passionate about his work, enthusiastic, confident, occasionally relaxed and teasing. He’s a pioneer in the field of forensics, has an eye for detail, and has a scientific curiosity. Isla, one of Gray’s sisters, is a chemist who is brilliant, strong-willed, and kindhearted. McCreadie is clever, good-natured, and a bit of an adventure hound. The remaining supporting cast of characters are well-developed and provide insight into individuals in various roles in a Victorian household as well as those they interact with.
Kelley Armstrong has a fluid writing style that quickly brings readers into the well-paced story. They also get insight into the state of police forensics during this early era and a few insights into how investigations and searches occur in 1869 in Scotland. Other themes include family, relationships, friendship, racism, gender identity, poverty, helping others, how servants were treated, and attitudes toward, expectations of, and limitations on women.
The addition of two subplots adds another dimension to the story. There are some twists in the storyline with a large surprise about two-thirds of the way through. The ending has plenty of action and wraps things up nicely. There is a hint at a couple of potential romances, but nothing more. The world-building is wonderful and feels accurate for the times. Humor is sprinkled throughout the tale.
Overall, this is a moving, well-written, suspenseful, and entertaining novel with great characterization as well as some pivotal stressful and emotional moments. Understanding how Mallory gets to this time in history is explained in depth in book one so I recommend starting with it. The author’s writing style is engaging and draws readers into the story quickly. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Kelley Armstrong provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be May 07, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.48 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Mallory and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing, Gray and Mallary are asked to step in and do the unwrapping. All doesn’t go well.
Mallory is a character with plenty of depth. She’s hardworking, kind, relatable, loves puzzles, and is an idealist. She’s good at seeing clues and connections in people’s speech, mannerisms, and expressions. While she makes for a strong female protagonist that readers can cheer on, she flouts convention and is sarcastic as well as being an independent thinker unafraid to speak her mind, which isn’t normal for women in Victorian times. Gray is passionate about his work, enthusiastic, confident, occasionally relaxed and teasing. He’s a pioneer in the field of forensics, has an eye for detail, and has a scientific curiosity. Isla, one of Gray’s sisters, is a chemist who is brilliant, strong-willed, and kindhearted. McCreadie is clever, good-natured, and a bit of an adventure hound. The remaining supporting cast of characters are well-developed and provide insight into individuals in various roles in a Victorian household as well as those they interact with.
Kelley Armstrong has a fluid writing style that quickly brings readers into the well-paced story. They also get insight into the state of police forensics during this early era and a few insights into how investigations and searches occur in 1869 in Scotland. Other themes include family, relationships, friendship, racism, gender identity, poverty, helping others, how servants were treated, and attitudes toward, expectations of, and limitations on women.
The addition of two subplots adds another dimension to the story. There are some twists in the storyline with a large surprise about two-thirds of the way through. The ending has plenty of action and wraps things up nicely. There is a hint at a couple of potential romances, but nothing more. The world-building is wonderful and feels accurate for the times. Humor is sprinkled throughout the tale.
Overall, this is a moving, well-written, suspenseful, and entertaining novel with great characterization as well as some pivotal stressful and emotional moments. Understanding how Mallory gets to this time in history is explained in depth in book one so I recommend starting with it. The author’s writing style is engaging and draws readers into the story quickly. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Kelley Armstrong provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be May 07, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------------------------
My 4.48 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
June 27, 2024
A Rip Through Time Series is one of my favorite series, so I can’t even explain how excited I was to finally read a new book about Mallory Atkinson. This series is everything for me!! And let me tell you, as the rest of the series, this book is absolutely amazing!!! It's like all my favorite elements – a lot of Victorian drama, time-traveling shenanigans, and a contemporary detective - combine together in this wonderful story! I couldn’t ask for anything more!
The main character, Mallory Atkinson, is a fantastic homicide detective who, for some reason, ends up back in Victorian Scotland. She is living in somebody else's body, working as an assistant to a medical examiner, Dr. Duncan Gray. They receive an invitation to Sir Alastair Christie's home for a mummy unwrapping party (yes, you read it correctly). But imagine their surprise when they open it, and find a fresh corpse instead of a mummy!
This book's characters are so vividly drawn that they seem to jump off the page. With their combined skills at mystery solving and butt-kicking, the entire group resembles the perfect dream team. It's lovely to see how they've always supported one other, even throughout centuries. And the bond between Duncan and Mallory is so heartwarming!! I really enjoy their witty banter and their emotional connection. It makes me feel all kinds of emotions!
And I have to say that Armstrong has an impeccable eye for historical detail. She clearly did her homework, which greatly increases the story's credibility. I could really imagine being in Victorian Scotland with all those characters!
If you enjoy epic adventures, emotional relationships, and time-traveling entertainment, "Disturbing the Dead" is a must-read! Highly recommended!
The main character, Mallory Atkinson, is a fantastic homicide detective who, for some reason, ends up back in Victorian Scotland. She is living in somebody else's body, working as an assistant to a medical examiner, Dr. Duncan Gray. They receive an invitation to Sir Alastair Christie's home for a mummy unwrapping party (yes, you read it correctly). But imagine their surprise when they open it, and find a fresh corpse instead of a mummy!
This book's characters are so vividly drawn that they seem to jump off the page. With their combined skills at mystery solving and butt-kicking, the entire group resembles the perfect dream team. It's lovely to see how they've always supported one other, even throughout centuries. And the bond between Duncan and Mallory is so heartwarming!! I really enjoy their witty banter and their emotional connection. It makes me feel all kinds of emotions!
And I have to say that Armstrong has an impeccable eye for historical detail. She clearly did her homework, which greatly increases the story's credibility. I could really imagine being in Victorian Scotland with all those characters!
If you enjoy epic adventures, emotional relationships, and time-traveling entertainment, "Disturbing the Dead" is a must-read! Highly recommended!
May 30, 2024
The third book in a series, Disturbing the Dead is not a standalone and you must read the first two books in the series to understand what happens in this book. Mallory, a woman who time travelled from the modern day into Victorian Scotland into the body of a young and pretty maid helps her employer to solve crimes as police consultants. When asked to attend a party of a mummy unwrapping, Mallory and Dr. Gray find a more recent body instead.
Kelley Armstrong is one of my all time favorite authors and this book proved yet again why I love her. I was riveted by this book and was finding excuses to keep listening to it as much as possible. In some regards in this third book we got some closure as the reader on certain topics. But what I really love is Mallory the main character and all of the relationships she has built with all of the side characters. That's what Kelley does best, bringing a cast of characters to life as if they're people you would know, even in Victorian Scotland.
This has quickly become one of my favorite series, and I hope there's a plan for MANY installments in the future because I cannot get enough of them.
I was gifted an advanced listening copy of this book via libro.fm as a part of their librarian ALC program
Kelley Armstrong is one of my all time favorite authors and this book proved yet again why I love her. I was riveted by this book and was finding excuses to keep listening to it as much as possible. In some regards in this third book we got some closure as the reader on certain topics. But what I really love is Mallory the main character and all of the relationships she has built with all of the side characters. That's what Kelley does best, bringing a cast of characters to life as if they're people you would know, even in Victorian Scotland.
This has quickly become one of my favorite series, and I hope there's a plan for MANY installments in the future because I cannot get enough of them.
I was gifted an advanced listening copy of this book via libro.fm as a part of their librarian ALC program
May 13, 2024
3.5 sort of “meh” stars, rounded down due to extreme verbosity. This is the third installment in the “Rip in Time” time travel-mystery-historic mash up. I loved the first for it’s originality & I think I also maybe liked this one better than #2, but it was just way, way too long & wordy and took me a helluva long time to finish, nearly DNF’d more than once. Thought the best part of this one was the time-jump part as I felt the mystery itself was pretty weak & obvious. Not sure if I will continue the series or not at this point, will wait to see what other reviews first, perhaps.
April 27, 2024
It was nice being back in Victorian Scotland in the gripping and shocking third installment in the "A Rip Through Time" series by Kelley Armstrong. As with the previous books in the series A Rip Through Time and The Poisoner's Ring) I was fully invested in this well written and well thought out mystery. I continue to be captivated by the relationships between the characters, the setting, and their detective work solving yet another mysterious case.
In Disturbing the Dead, Mallory, a detective from the 21st century who found herself transported into the body of a house maid in Victorian Scotland, is attending a mummy unveiling with Dr. Duncan Gray. Everyone attending the event is excited to see a real mummy but end up shocked when the body that is uncovered is not that of a mummy but someone, they all know.
This is such a great series. It combines many of the things that I enjoy in books: atmosphere, tension, a mystery to be solved, great characters, and suspense. Kelley Armstrong also carried off the time travel aspect of this book very well. Mallory was strangled in the exact same alley as was Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid in Victorian Scotland, 150 years ago. Can you imagine waking up in a different time where everyone is wearing different clothing, there are no modern conveniences, you are being called by a different name, and expected to perform the duties of a housemaid. Not to mention, having to cope with a different pecking order and the expectations placed on women at that time. While Mallory initially struggled being in a different time, she was able to make friends, be accepted, and find a purpose.
I enjoyed the mystery and how everything played out in this book. I also adore the characters, their banter, the situations they find themselves in, and their teamwork. Kelley Armstrong has another hit on her hands!
I had the audiobook and the kindle version of the book. The narrator of these books is amazing and continues to do a great job of bringing the characters and book to life.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
In Disturbing the Dead, Mallory, a detective from the 21st century who found herself transported into the body of a house maid in Victorian Scotland, is attending a mummy unveiling with Dr. Duncan Gray. Everyone attending the event is excited to see a real mummy but end up shocked when the body that is uncovered is not that of a mummy but someone, they all know.
This is such a great series. It combines many of the things that I enjoy in books: atmosphere, tension, a mystery to be solved, great characters, and suspense. Kelley Armstrong also carried off the time travel aspect of this book very well. Mallory was strangled in the exact same alley as was Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid in Victorian Scotland, 150 years ago. Can you imagine waking up in a different time where everyone is wearing different clothing, there are no modern conveniences, you are being called by a different name, and expected to perform the duties of a housemaid. Not to mention, having to cope with a different pecking order and the expectations placed on women at that time. While Mallory initially struggled being in a different time, she was able to make friends, be accepted, and find a purpose.
I enjoyed the mystery and how everything played out in this book. I also adore the characters, their banter, the situations they find themselves in, and their teamwork. Kelley Armstrong has another hit on her hands!
I had the audiobook and the kindle version of the book. The narrator of these books is amazing and continues to do a great job of bringing the characters and book to life.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
May 17, 2024
Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong
A Rip Through Time series #3. Historical mystery, police procedural with a slight paranormal time shift. Best read as part of the series in order.
Mallory Atkinson is a police detective. Or she would be if she could get home. Mallory is stuck in Victorian Scotland because of a weird time slip. She’s a maid and part time assistant to Doctor Gray in 1890 since she woke up in the body of another woman that was strangled in the same place but different time.
Together Duncan Gray and Mallory investigate the murder of a man wrapped like a mummy and try to find the missing Egyptian artifacts. Tunnels and marketplaces and the help of the Queen send Mallory and Gray on a twisted path to find the murderer.
🎧 I alternated and reread passages between an ebook and an audiobook. The series is narrated by Kate Handford who is simply amazing with voices and emotional expression. She has one voice for Mallory, an accented different voice for Mallory when she is talking as if she’s the maid, and a very distinct voice for Doctor Gray. I looked up the narrator more than once to verify it was really just one person. There are other voices as well for secondary characters, but the best part is following along with the mystery and being drawn into history and situations as they are happening, and being drawn in by the passion.
I listened to this at 1.5 which is my preferred speed. It best matches my reading.
I loved reading print still as I see the images in my head like a movie. Listening for me is more about hearing the personality such as the snark or sarcasm and tension. Mallory has a strong personality that just jumps out of this narrative.
Which did I like better for this book? It’s a toss up. Both are equally well done.
Dramatic, entertaining, and enthralling.
Chapter 29 through 32 killed me. I was an emotional wreck.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio.
I’ve also purchased the book in multiple formats so I can go back and enjoy it again.
*For fans and people that prefer continuity, book 2.5, Cocktails & Chloroform, should be read prior to this story. There are a couple of minor references in Disturbing the Dead to the novella. I may not have noticed if I read the books further apart, but was glad I had when they came up.
A Rip Through Time series #3. Historical mystery, police procedural with a slight paranormal time shift. Best read as part of the series in order.
Mallory Atkinson is a police detective. Or she would be if she could get home. Mallory is stuck in Victorian Scotland because of a weird time slip. She’s a maid and part time assistant to Doctor Gray in 1890 since she woke up in the body of another woman that was strangled in the same place but different time.
Together Duncan Gray and Mallory investigate the murder of a man wrapped like a mummy and try to find the missing Egyptian artifacts. Tunnels and marketplaces and the help of the Queen send Mallory and Gray on a twisted path to find the murderer.
🎧 I alternated and reread passages between an ebook and an audiobook. The series is narrated by Kate Handford who is simply amazing with voices and emotional expression. She has one voice for Mallory, an accented different voice for Mallory when she is talking as if she’s the maid, and a very distinct voice for Doctor Gray. I looked up the narrator more than once to verify it was really just one person. There are other voices as well for secondary characters, but the best part is following along with the mystery and being drawn into history and situations as they are happening, and being drawn in by the passion.
I listened to this at 1.5 which is my preferred speed. It best matches my reading.
I loved reading print still as I see the images in my head like a movie. Listening for me is more about hearing the personality such as the snark or sarcasm and tension. Mallory has a strong personality that just jumps out of this narrative.
Which did I like better for this book? It’s a toss up. Both are equally well done.
Dramatic, entertaining, and enthralling.
Chapter 29 through 32 killed me. I was an emotional wreck.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio.
I’ve also purchased the book in multiple formats so I can go back and enjoy it again.
*For fans and people that prefer continuity, book 2.5, Cocktails & Chloroform, should be read prior to this story. There are a couple of minor references in Disturbing the Dead to the novella. I may not have noticed if I read the books further apart, but was glad I had when they came up.
April 22, 2024
Once again, Kelley Armstrong puts us in 1869 Edinburgh, in Disturbing The Dead. This is the third book in the A Rip Through Time series, and now I can’t wait for book four!
Mallory, a 21st century Canadian detective, is in Scotland to be with her dying grandmother, and mysteriously finds herself transported not only to 1869, but in the body of a younger housemaid, Catriona! Mallory is the ultimate “fish out of water,” having to get used to 19th century clothing and customs, and with this being the third book, she’s doing a pretty good job of it. She’s also gotten very fond of the people in her household, who luckily are more progressive than the average Victorian. Dr. Duncan Gray is a biracial doctor who runs his family’s funeral business and does research on bodies when he can and helps the police on occasion. Gray’s sister Isla is a chemist and she’s a great character as well. They both know what Mallory’s story really is. The number of people who are privy to this information keeps expanding, gradually. Mallory is now being introduced to people as Gray’s assistant.
This time the mystery involves an unwrapping of an Egyptian mummy, for the delight of the upper-class folks in Edinburgh. When the mummy is unwrapped, though, it’s not an ancient Egyptian but a contemporary body, one that everyone there knows. A fun subplot involves finding out who is writing popular broadsheets about Dr. Gray’s and Mallory’s “adventures,” wherein Mallory is depicted only as a sexy, pretty sidekick.
There’s a delightful twist about 2/3 through the book, which was really well done.
You could read this as a standalone, but you’d miss a lot of backstory. You will simply have to accept the situation and enjoy the mystery story and the characters.
I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. The audiobook was well narrated by Kate Handford once again.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Mallory, a 21st century Canadian detective, is in Scotland to be with her dying grandmother, and mysteriously finds herself transported not only to 1869, but in the body of a younger housemaid, Catriona! Mallory is the ultimate “fish out of water,” having to get used to 19th century clothing and customs, and with this being the third book, she’s doing a pretty good job of it. She’s also gotten very fond of the people in her household, who luckily are more progressive than the average Victorian. Dr. Duncan Gray is a biracial doctor who runs his family’s funeral business and does research on bodies when he can and helps the police on occasion. Gray’s sister Isla is a chemist and she’s a great character as well. They both know what Mallory’s story really is. The number of people who are privy to this information keeps expanding, gradually. Mallory is now being introduced to people as Gray’s assistant.
This time the mystery involves an unwrapping of an Egyptian mummy, for the delight of the upper-class folks in Edinburgh. When the mummy is unwrapped, though, it’s not an ancient Egyptian but a contemporary body, one that everyone there knows. A fun subplot involves finding out who is writing popular broadsheets about Dr. Gray’s and Mallory’s “adventures,” wherein Mallory is depicted only as a sexy, pretty sidekick.
There’s a delightful twist about 2/3 through the book, which was really well done.
You could read this as a standalone, but you’d miss a lot of backstory. You will simply have to accept the situation and enjoy the mystery story and the characters.
I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. The audiobook was well narrated by Kate Handford once again.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
May 10, 2024
Disturbing the Dead is the third book in the Rip Through Time historical mystery/ time travel series by Kelley Armstrong and it is just as enjoyable as the previous two books. It’s been six months since Mallory, a police detective officer in present day Vancouver, woke up in another woman’s body in Victorian Edinburgh after an assault. She has become more accustomed to her new life especially now that she has become Dr Duncan Grey’s assistant in his work with the police. This time they have been invited to the unwrapping of a mummy, a prospect both Mallory and Duncan find disgusting but it is not an invitation that can be ignored. When they arrive, the host seems to be unavailable so Duncan is coerced into doing the unwrapping, only to find, not a mummy inside, but the missing host. The ensuing investigation will take them to some dark places including an underground market where almost anything can be acquired if you have the right item to barter.
This book is compelling, well-written and perhaps the most macabre addition to the series, touching on some of the stranger aspects of Victorian life, not just their fascination with Egyptology but some rather disturbing folk remedies and I have to say I loved every minute of it. There are hints of more to come in the series and I am so looking forward to Mallory’s continued sojourn in the past. I received both an ebook and audiobook and read along while I listened. The audiobook is narrated by Kate Handford who does an excellent job including recreating the atmospheric feel surrounding much of the tale.
Thanks to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to enjoy this book in exchange for an honest review
This book is compelling, well-written and perhaps the most macabre addition to the series, touching on some of the stranger aspects of Victorian life, not just their fascination with Egyptology but some rather disturbing folk remedies and I have to say I loved every minute of it. There are hints of more to come in the series and I am so looking forward to Mallory’s continued sojourn in the past. I received both an ebook and audiobook and read along while I listened. The audiobook is narrated by Kate Handford who does an excellent job including recreating the atmospheric feel surrounding much of the tale.
Thanks to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to enjoy this book in exchange for an honest review
April 22, 2024
This is the third book in the Rip Through Time series, and while with mystery series I don’t usually insist you read them in order, for this one I do. I love these books and this one is by far my favorite (so far). This book contained a twist I wasn’t really expecting, and at first I was not happy, but it was really done super well. I know, I shouldn’t have had doubts, but I am merely human. Mallory and Dr. Gray and Isla are invited to a mummy unwrapping party and while the thought kind of sickens her she can’t help but be swept there. Unsurprisingly at the unveiling is the discovery of a murder and Mallory immediately starts to held the Detective and Dr. Gray. What was unexpected is the discovery that the hosts for the party were familiar with them because someone has been writing a serial of their adventures giving Dr. Gray all of the credit and putting Mallory in the role of pretty side kick. This book frequently had me laughing and I truly love these characters. I am hopeful this will be far from the last in this series. I started this one with the audiobook and I loved the narrator, she truly brought Mallory’s voice to light and part of me wishes I could have been patient enough to finish it that way as some of the later scenes would have been so much better read to me in what I see as her voice, but patience has never been my virtue and I finished the second two thirds by kindle which is by far faster for me. I gave this one 4.5 stars rounded up for catching me off guard with a twist.
March 25, 2024
I absolutely love ❤️ this series so much and hope Kelley Armstrong writes a million more books in this series. Mallory and Dr. Duncan Grey are kind of like Sherlock and Watson, if one of them were a time traveling woman stuck in the body of a house maid in Edinburgh. Mallory even calls him a consulting detective once (20 years before the stories were written and silently apologized to Arthur Conan Doyle), and now Dr. Grey has decided to call himself that.
There are so many red herrings in the stories that I had absolutely no idea who was the murderer. After reading so many cozy mysteries, half the time, you can figure it out in the second chapter. Definitely not here!
Definitely a must read for mystery readers and fans of the time travel genre!
There are so many red herrings in the stories that I had absolutely no idea who was the murderer. After reading so many cozy mysteries, half the time, you can figure it out in the second chapter. Definitely not here!
Definitely a must read for mystery readers and fans of the time travel genre!
July 23, 2024
3.5 stars
I was surprised and happy that Kelley Armstrong included not only the Victorian obsession with all things macabre, including the mummy unwrapping party element in this novel but also the Edinburgh Seven, who were the first matriculated undergraduate female students at any British university. They began studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1869. It intrigued me, so I researched it further. Still, she also provided necessary discussion in the story around how disturbing and disrespectful this is and elaborated on how women who wanted to study to become doctors were ostracized.
Disturbing The Dead is the third title in the "A Rip Through Time" series. You could read it as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the first book in the series to get the characters' backstories and see their growth.
It was a slow-burn whodunnit mystery with likeable, relatable, well-developed characters, humour, and witty banter between Mallory and the central characters. But it didn’t distract from my enjoyment; my patience paid off.
I was lucky enough to be granted the e-arc and the alc. It was my first time listening to Narrator Kate Handford; she did a fantastic job with the Scottish accents. I could distinguish between the various characters' voices, and she transported me to Victorian Edinburgh, Scotland. I felt like I was there. It was a fully immersive experience. I could smell and taste the tea, biscuits, and clotted cream pastries. I could feel the emotion.
Six months have passed, and Mallory is still stuck in 1869 Edinburgh— trapped in the body of twenty-year-old Catriona Mitchell, a pretty buxom blonde but amoral con artist employed as a housemaid by the unconventional Gray family. Her relationships with Isla, Dr. Duncan, and Detective Hugh McCreadie have grown over time; she has become like family and has become his permanent personal assistant. There are a few staff members and family members who still do not know of Mallory trapped in Catriona’s body. Mallory Atkinson is a thirty-year-old from the twentieth century who was once a successful homicide detective in British Columbia—currently promoted to Dr. Duncan Gray’s assistant. This career change wasn’t a choice Atkinson consciously made. She had a near-death experience while visiting her dying grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. When she awoke, her consciousness was in the twenty-year-old body of Catriona Mitchell in mid-19th-century Edinburgh, Scotland.
By this novel's time, Dr. Gray and his younger widowed sister, Isla, are aware of Atkinson's unbelievable background. Detective Hugh McCreadie is Dr. Gray’s closest friend and knows Mallory’s story. Between her background in the 21st century and Dr. Gray’s work as an undertaker in the 19th, it is unsurprising that they all find themselves working together to solve murders and mysteries.
Dr. Gray’s older sister, Lady Annie Leslie, invites the four to accompany her to Sir Alastair Christie's home. They are going to witness the unwrapping of an Egyptian mummy. Mallory is intrigued by the idea of seeing a mummy but also uneasy with the ghoulish enjoyment she knows Edinburgh’s high society will take in this event. When it is time for Christie’s party guests to observe the unwrapping, he is nowhere to be found. Sir Alastair is late to his party, and his wife calls on Duncan and Mallory to unwrap the corpse to help the woman keep Alastair's patron, Lord Muir and their guests happy.
Imagine Mallory's and Duncan's surprise when they unwrap a dead body, not an Egyptian mummy, arousing shock and horror in the guests. Thankfully, Hugh quickly jumps into detective mode, ensuring that the constables will transport the dead body to Duncan's lab. Mallory and Duncan begin working to solve the case, examining physical evidence and getting a sense of the dead man's relationships, including those with his Egyptian brother-in-law Salim Awad and the complicated one Alastair had with Lord Muir, including a young woman who had demonstrated her displeasure and disgust at the mummy unwrapping party to guests outside Sir Alastair's earlier in the evening. She is among “The Seven” women permitted to study medicine at the local university.
Dr. Gray Mallory, Isla, and McCreadie endeavour to discover the who and why behind Sir Alister Christie’s death. Because of Mallory’s and Duncan's fondness for adventure, the two find themselves talking to people around town as they check out Alastair's connections. Soon, their inquiries do not go unnoticed, which puts them in peril.
A hiccup in the case that adds some humour is that someone has recently started chronicling their detecting adventures in a dramatic, vivid, and wildly sexist fashion. When pamphlets show details about their current investigative efforts, Mallory suspects someone they know is the writer. Isla deals conclusively with this mystery writer, while Mallory, Dr. Grey, and McCreedie can focus on exposing the killer.
A growing attraction between Mallory and Dr. Gray complicates the investigation. She is conflicted because of her time travel—can Mallory return to her time, and will she want to go if the opportunity arises? How far should she go in her new life—
Interestingly, Armstrong answers a question I've had from the series' outset in this book and ties up a thread, taking a situation that has troubled Mallory throughout her time in Victorian Edinburgh and answering it heartwarmingly. I am eager to know how this development will be further integrated into the series. Still, I also love the more settled, positive way Mallory feels after getting some questions answered by the ending. I can’t wait for the next adventures that await these characters.
I want to thank Macmillan Audio, St.Martins Press and NetGalley for the e-arc and ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Disturbing the Dead is now available
I was surprised and happy that Kelley Armstrong included not only the Victorian obsession with all things macabre, including the mummy unwrapping party element in this novel but also the Edinburgh Seven, who were the first matriculated undergraduate female students at any British university. They began studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1869. It intrigued me, so I researched it further. Still, she also provided necessary discussion in the story around how disturbing and disrespectful this is and elaborated on how women who wanted to study to become doctors were ostracized.
Disturbing The Dead is the third title in the "A Rip Through Time" series. You could read it as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the first book in the series to get the characters' backstories and see their growth.
It was a slow-burn whodunnit mystery with likeable, relatable, well-developed characters, humour, and witty banter between Mallory and the central characters. But it didn’t distract from my enjoyment; my patience paid off.
I was lucky enough to be granted the e-arc and the alc. It was my first time listening to Narrator Kate Handford; she did a fantastic job with the Scottish accents. I could distinguish between the various characters' voices, and she transported me to Victorian Edinburgh, Scotland. I felt like I was there. It was a fully immersive experience. I could smell and taste the tea, biscuits, and clotted cream pastries. I could feel the emotion.
Six months have passed, and Mallory is still stuck in 1869 Edinburgh— trapped in the body of twenty-year-old Catriona Mitchell, a pretty buxom blonde but amoral con artist employed as a housemaid by the unconventional Gray family. Her relationships with Isla, Dr. Duncan, and Detective Hugh McCreadie have grown over time; she has become like family and has become his permanent personal assistant. There are a few staff members and family members who still do not know of Mallory trapped in Catriona’s body. Mallory Atkinson is a thirty-year-old from the twentieth century who was once a successful homicide detective in British Columbia—currently promoted to Dr. Duncan Gray’s assistant. This career change wasn’t a choice Atkinson consciously made. She had a near-death experience while visiting her dying grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. When she awoke, her consciousness was in the twenty-year-old body of Catriona Mitchell in mid-19th-century Edinburgh, Scotland.
By this novel's time, Dr. Gray and his younger widowed sister, Isla, are aware of Atkinson's unbelievable background. Detective Hugh McCreadie is Dr. Gray’s closest friend and knows Mallory’s story. Between her background in the 21st century and Dr. Gray’s work as an undertaker in the 19th, it is unsurprising that they all find themselves working together to solve murders and mysteries.
Dr. Gray’s older sister, Lady Annie Leslie, invites the four to accompany her to Sir Alastair Christie's home. They are going to witness the unwrapping of an Egyptian mummy. Mallory is intrigued by the idea of seeing a mummy but also uneasy with the ghoulish enjoyment she knows Edinburgh’s high society will take in this event. When it is time for Christie’s party guests to observe the unwrapping, he is nowhere to be found. Sir Alastair is late to his party, and his wife calls on Duncan and Mallory to unwrap the corpse to help the woman keep Alastair's patron, Lord Muir and their guests happy.
Imagine Mallory's and Duncan's surprise when they unwrap a dead body, not an Egyptian mummy, arousing shock and horror in the guests. Thankfully, Hugh quickly jumps into detective mode, ensuring that the constables will transport the dead body to Duncan's lab. Mallory and Duncan begin working to solve the case, examining physical evidence and getting a sense of the dead man's relationships, including those with his Egyptian brother-in-law Salim Awad and the complicated one Alastair had with Lord Muir, including a young woman who had demonstrated her displeasure and disgust at the mummy unwrapping party to guests outside Sir Alastair's earlier in the evening. She is among “The Seven” women permitted to study medicine at the local university.
Dr. Gray Mallory, Isla, and McCreadie endeavour to discover the who and why behind Sir Alister Christie’s death. Because of Mallory’s and Duncan's fondness for adventure, the two find themselves talking to people around town as they check out Alastair's connections. Soon, their inquiries do not go unnoticed, which puts them in peril.
A hiccup in the case that adds some humour is that someone has recently started chronicling their detecting adventures in a dramatic, vivid, and wildly sexist fashion. When pamphlets show details about their current investigative efforts, Mallory suspects someone they know is the writer. Isla deals conclusively with this mystery writer, while Mallory, Dr. Grey, and McCreedie can focus on exposing the killer.
A growing attraction between Mallory and Dr. Gray complicates the investigation. She is conflicted because of her time travel—can Mallory return to her time, and will she want to go if the opportunity arises? How far should she go in her new life—
Interestingly, Armstrong answers a question I've had from the series' outset in this book and ties up a thread, taking a situation that has troubled Mallory throughout her time in Victorian Edinburgh and answering it heartwarmingly. I am eager to know how this development will be further integrated into the series. Still, I also love the more settled, positive way Mallory feels after getting some questions answered by the ending. I can’t wait for the next adventures that await these characters.
I want to thank Macmillan Audio, St.Martins Press and NetGalley for the e-arc and ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Disturbing the Dead is now available
March 29, 2024
I have always enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's writing and her ideas into a fine story line.
In this one, we are back in the past in Victorian Scotland. Mallory Atkinson is enjoying her time working as an assistant to Dr Duncan Grey as it fits her so well being a detective in modern times. The body switch took place between she and Catriona Mitchell in a dark alley as Catriona is being strangled. Mallory seemed to have stepped through a veil of time as she exchanges places with Catriona as both women are/were straggled in the same alley one hundred fifty years apart.
She becomes accustomed to the times and is accepted in the household initially as a maid and then when her secret is out to the family becomes Duncan's assistant.
The fascination with mummies at this time begins this mystery as they are all invited to a mummy unwrapping and the identity of this mummy has resulted in a murder. Duncan and Mallory are asked to help with the case and their investigation brings many surprising results, as well as a trip into her own times for Mallory, and the developing closeness of both Mallory and Duncan.
Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a cop of this book due out in May.
In this one, we are back in the past in Victorian Scotland. Mallory Atkinson is enjoying her time working as an assistant to Dr Duncan Grey as it fits her so well being a detective in modern times. The body switch took place between she and Catriona Mitchell in a dark alley as Catriona is being strangled. Mallory seemed to have stepped through a veil of time as she exchanges places with Catriona as both women are/were straggled in the same alley one hundred fifty years apart.
She becomes accustomed to the times and is accepted in the household initially as a maid and then when her secret is out to the family becomes Duncan's assistant.
The fascination with mummies at this time begins this mystery as they are all invited to a mummy unwrapping and the identity of this mummy has resulted in a murder. Duncan and Mallory are asked to help with the case and their investigation brings many surprising results, as well as a trip into her own times for Mallory, and the developing closeness of both Mallory and Duncan.
Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a cop of this book due out in May.
April 12, 2024
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Continuing this time travelling series by Kelley Armstrong, I was pleased to have been provided with an ARC of the latest novel. Mallory Atkinson is still stuck in 1869, but has become used to her surroundings. When she is invited to a mummy unwrapping alongside her employer, Mallory and Dr. Gray witness that their host has been murdered and wrapped in the mummy cloths. Now, with a killer on the loose, they will need to be identified and caught, allowing Mallory to use some of her skills. However, a major event derails this and Mallory is soon left outside the formal investigation. Armstrong does well to keep the story on point and the reader fully involved throughout.
After a freak accident in an Edinburgh alley one night, Mallory Atkinson has come to accept being trapped inside the body of a Victorian housemaid in 1869, as well as all the obstacles that brings along with it. While she still wishes to unite with her loved ones in 2019, Mallory has been able to made some headway in balancing her homicide detective profession and appearing to be young Catriona Mitchell. Few know her secret, which is likely for the best, but this forces her to be extra careful when engaging with those who knew the maid before the incident.
Working alongside Dr. Duncan Gray, the local undertaker and part-time medical examiner, Mallory is able to use her skills to help solve some local cases. She has assisted with some significant investigations that have garnered some great press, but this latest one tops them all. When Dr. Gray and his family are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie, Mallory is asked to accompany them. At the party, during the heightened main event, Sir Christie’s body is found wrapped in the cloths. Who might have plotted and executed such a plan in short order?
While Mallory and Gray work to solve the case, they turn over some stones that yield highly controversial truths. It is during an attack one night that Mallory finds herself in a great deal of trouble, something that could exclude her from being able to participate in the investigation as effectively as she might like. Scrambling to ensure the wrong person is not fingered for the crime, Mallory will have to do all she can to resume participation in the investigation, no matter the cost. Armstrong continues this great series with a twist like no other to turn the series on its head.
This collection of books remains addictive, much like the other Kelley Armstrong novels I’ve read. There is something about her writing that has me wanting to know more without the need to wait. The narrative flows well, setting the tone from the outset, and briskly moving along effectively. The intensity is realised before long and the reader is pulled into the middle of the action. The characters help complement the strong storytelling offered. Those readers who have followed the series will have come to understand some of the major characters, though the minor ones are just as interesting in their interactions. Armstrong is able to use her keen knowledge of Victorian Scotland to paint a picture and does so with ease, while also contrasting things with 21st century Canada.
Plot points are key to the novel’s success, which Kelley Armstrong has mastered up to this point. The twists and turns of the story help create a wonderful reading experience, which I am always eager to discover. I love that I cannot predict what is coming and how it will fit into the larger story. With the revelation in the latter part of this novel, no one can be entirely sure how Mallory Atkinson will use her new knowledge to her benefit and those around her!
Kudos, Madam Armstrong, for keeping things intense until the final page.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Continuing this time travelling series by Kelley Armstrong, I was pleased to have been provided with an ARC of the latest novel. Mallory Atkinson is still stuck in 1869, but has become used to her surroundings. When she is invited to a mummy unwrapping alongside her employer, Mallory and Dr. Gray witness that their host has been murdered and wrapped in the mummy cloths. Now, with a killer on the loose, they will need to be identified and caught, allowing Mallory to use some of her skills. However, a major event derails this and Mallory is soon left outside the formal investigation. Armstrong does well to keep the story on point and the reader fully involved throughout.
After a freak accident in an Edinburgh alley one night, Mallory Atkinson has come to accept being trapped inside the body of a Victorian housemaid in 1869, as well as all the obstacles that brings along with it. While she still wishes to unite with her loved ones in 2019, Mallory has been able to made some headway in balancing her homicide detective profession and appearing to be young Catriona Mitchell. Few know her secret, which is likely for the best, but this forces her to be extra careful when engaging with those who knew the maid before the incident.
Working alongside Dr. Duncan Gray, the local undertaker and part-time medical examiner, Mallory is able to use her skills to help solve some local cases. She has assisted with some significant investigations that have garnered some great press, but this latest one tops them all. When Dr. Gray and his family are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie, Mallory is asked to accompany them. At the party, during the heightened main event, Sir Christie’s body is found wrapped in the cloths. Who might have plotted and executed such a plan in short order?
While Mallory and Gray work to solve the case, they turn over some stones that yield highly controversial truths. It is during an attack one night that Mallory finds herself in a great deal of trouble, something that could exclude her from being able to participate in the investigation as effectively as she might like. Scrambling to ensure the wrong person is not fingered for the crime, Mallory will have to do all she can to resume participation in the investigation, no matter the cost. Armstrong continues this great series with a twist like no other to turn the series on its head.
This collection of books remains addictive, much like the other Kelley Armstrong novels I’ve read. There is something about her writing that has me wanting to know more without the need to wait. The narrative flows well, setting the tone from the outset, and briskly moving along effectively. The intensity is realised before long and the reader is pulled into the middle of the action. The characters help complement the strong storytelling offered. Those readers who have followed the series will have come to understand some of the major characters, though the minor ones are just as interesting in their interactions. Armstrong is able to use her keen knowledge of Victorian Scotland to paint a picture and does so with ease, while also contrasting things with 21st century Canada.
Plot points are key to the novel’s success, which Kelley Armstrong has mastered up to this point. The twists and turns of the story help create a wonderful reading experience, which I am always eager to discover. I love that I cannot predict what is coming and how it will fit into the larger story. With the revelation in the latter part of this novel, no one can be entirely sure how Mallory Atkinson will use her new knowledge to her benefit and those around her!
Kudos, Madam Armstrong, for keeping things intense until the final page.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 14, 2024
Disturbing the Dead is the third book in a time traveling mystery series set in Victorian Scotland. Mallory Atkinson is a modern day cop, but a murderous encounter in a dark alleyway leaves her somehow stranded in another time and another woman’s body. While she struggles to find a way home she also has to survive in 1860s Scotland, and she becomes entangled in the life of Dr. Duncan Gray, an undertaker and medical examiner. She’s soon assisting him in solving cases, forming friendships, and finding herself wondering – does she really want to go home?
In this book Mallory and Gray are invited to a mummy unwrapping, only to discover the body under the wraps is no ancient Egyptian, but their absent host. There’s no shortage of possible suspects and motives, and they race to find the killer before it’s too late and an innocent accused instead.
Armstrong is one of my must-buy authors and I enjoy all her books. The plot is always twisty and entertaining, and the pacing is just right. In this book we get a little bit more growth in Mallory’s feelings for Gray. It’s obvious they’re the end game pairing, but I love when there’s a slow burn, will-they-won’t-they dynamic to the romance over several books. I don’t want them to hook up immediately, I want some denial, angst, longing. Earn the inevitable romance! Armstrong is a master of that dynamic and this book doesn’t disappoint.
We get more in the ‘will she get home’ plot as well, which is good; there’s only so long I think you can have that tension strung out before it gets old, and I think we’ve walked the line just right.
Plot is important, but as always it’s the characters that really make or break a book. I love the relationships and connection between all the characters, and I feel like they have real depth and uniqueness. They’re all fun to read, and I love Mallory as the POV character.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
In this book Mallory and Gray are invited to a mummy unwrapping, only to discover the body under the wraps is no ancient Egyptian, but their absent host. There’s no shortage of possible suspects and motives, and they race to find the killer before it’s too late and an innocent accused instead.
Armstrong is one of my must-buy authors and I enjoy all her books. The plot is always twisty and entertaining, and the pacing is just right. In this book we get a little bit more growth in Mallory’s feelings for Gray. It’s obvious they’re the end game pairing, but I love when there’s a slow burn, will-they-won’t-they dynamic to the romance over several books. I don’t want them to hook up immediately, I want some denial, angst, longing. Earn the inevitable romance! Armstrong is a master of that dynamic and this book doesn’t disappoint.
We get more in the ‘will she get home’ plot as well, which is good; there’s only so long I think you can have that tension strung out before it gets old, and I think we’ve walked the line just right.
Plot is important, but as always it’s the characters that really make or break a book. I love the relationships and connection between all the characters, and I feel like they have real depth and uniqueness. They’re all fun to read, and I love Mallory as the POV character.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
April 9, 2024
4.0 Stars
I am absolutely addicted to this historical thriller series. Admittedly, I am a sucker for the “person out of time trope” but the author writes the premise so well.
To the best of my knowledge, this author did a lot of research and infused those historical accuracies (whenever possible) into the fictionalized plot.
This is the third book in this series, but it continues to feel fresh. I appreciate that the story does not feel completely static but instead the characters advance with each installment.
I love spending time in historical Scotland with these characters and highly recommend this one to readers, especially those who love Outlander.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I am absolutely addicted to this historical thriller series. Admittedly, I am a sucker for the “person out of time trope” but the author writes the premise so well.
To the best of my knowledge, this author did a lot of research and infused those historical accuracies (whenever possible) into the fictionalized plot.
This is the third book in this series, but it continues to feel fresh. I appreciate that the story does not feel completely static but instead the characters advance with each installment.
I love spending time in historical Scotland with these characters and highly recommend this one to readers, especially those who love Outlander.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 21, 2024
Ok- so I have been frantically reading ARC’s and needed a breather! Wanted to read something on my TBR list. I was so happy when Libby notified me my hold was ready. I love Kelley Armstong’s Rockford series, Haven’s Rock series, and Cainsville- except for the last 2! And I really, really loved the first two in this series. Alas, here is where disappointment set in.
In the previous novels you have Mallory, a detective who travelled back in time to Victorian England. She is taken in by Duncan and Isla Gray, a brother and sister. Duncan often helps his detective friend McCreadie by being an unofficial coroner. In the previous novels there was tension because Mallory had to tell where she came from, win their trust, etc. The mysteries were very engaging, and I loved meeting all the characters and seeing relationships and characterization development.
In this third novel, much of this is missing. Even though Mallory “assists” McCreadie in investigations (he knows her true identity), she often takes over showing her expertise. In the former books we were able to see that Mallory made mistakes and misjudgments because she had to maneuver Victorian England and come to grips with societies expectations and opinions of women, socio classes. In this novel, she is perfect- making no mistakes, intuition on target, etc. It became monotonous, and I found for the first time I was not attached, and was a little annoyed by her. And Duncan suddenly became very, very human. The last book had them working to repairing their work relationship. It was like a time slip within a time slip! 🤦♀️
There was also a lot, and I mean a lot of repetitive dialogue. The case was threadbare, but this book was long.
And I won’t even comment on the ending- ridiculous. For those of us invested in this series, the brush off of what Catriona went through felt disingenuous. Yes, she supposedly was an awful character- but no info about her experience in present day? This goes against the whole theme of the stories- investigation through science and caring for all the people!
I am not sure if I will continue this series. I think I will stick with Haven’s Rock!
In the previous novels you have Mallory, a detective who travelled back in time to Victorian England. She is taken in by Duncan and Isla Gray, a brother and sister. Duncan often helps his detective friend McCreadie by being an unofficial coroner. In the previous novels there was tension because Mallory had to tell where she came from, win their trust, etc. The mysteries were very engaging, and I loved meeting all the characters and seeing relationships and characterization development.
In this third novel, much of this is missing. Even though Mallory “assists” McCreadie in investigations (he knows her true identity), she often takes over showing her expertise. In the former books we were able to see that Mallory made mistakes and misjudgments because she had to maneuver Victorian England and come to grips with societies expectations and opinions of women, socio classes. In this novel, she is perfect- making no mistakes, intuition on target, etc. It became monotonous, and I found for the first time I was not attached, and was a little annoyed by her. And Duncan suddenly became very, very human. The last book had them working to repairing their work relationship. It was like a time slip within a time slip! 🤦♀️
There was also a lot, and I mean a lot of repetitive dialogue. The case was threadbare, but this book was long.
And I won’t even comment on the ending- ridiculous. For those of us invested in this series, the brush off of what Catriona went through felt disingenuous. Yes, she supposedly was an awful character- but no info about her experience in present day? This goes against the whole theme of the stories- investigation through science and caring for all the people!
I am not sure if I will continue this series. I think I will stick with Haven’s Rock!
May 6, 2024
I absolutely adore this series and it just keeps getting better. Armstrong is an amazing writer and has pretty much proven herself time and time again with any book, any series she writes, and this one, is at the top of my list for being one of my favorites. It is just so unique and so well written. The characters are fleshed out, and well rounded and there is always character growth in each new installment. I love everything from the time period to the wonderful setting, to the intriguing mysteries and of course, the captivating and fascinating characters themselves. Another well done mystery that I just couldn't get enough of!
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
May 6, 2024
4.5/5 stars
This is the third book in the A Rip Through Time series (there is also a novella). This is a mystery time travel series set in 1869.
I absolutely adore seeing modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson in her new life in Victorian Scotland. I don't normally read historical fiction. But this series features a contemporary heroine. And I cannot get enough of her solving mysteries.
I adore the characters in this book, especially Dr. Gray and his sister Isla. I love whodunnits and this one was so good. Also the author included an unexpected surprise that I really enjoyed. Overall this is a wonderful series. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Thanks Minotaur Books and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
This is the third book in the A Rip Through Time series (there is also a novella). This is a mystery time travel series set in 1869.
I absolutely adore seeing modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson in her new life in Victorian Scotland. I don't normally read historical fiction. But this series features a contemporary heroine. And I cannot get enough of her solving mysteries.
I adore the characters in this book, especially Dr. Gray and his sister Isla. I love whodunnits and this one was so good. Also the author included an unexpected surprise that I really enjoyed. Overall this is a wonderful series. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Thanks Minotaur Books and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
May 15, 2024
Just when I thought this was another very good installment in a very good series, Kelley Armstrong throws a giant twist into the second half of the book.
Armstrong’s time travel books fulfill all of the wishes I have as a reader when I read time travel books. “Future” characters get to use their knowledge, they figure out ways to capitalize on their situation, and they communicate with people back home. It’s incredibly satisfying.
The mystery in this book is fascinating and relates to the craze for all things Egyptian in the late 1800s.
The slow burn romantic subplot is both wonderful and frustrating because there is incremental progress in the relationship between Duncan and Mallory, but always a little bit less than you wish. But the unresolved tension is part of the charm of these books, so let’s keep this going!
Armstrong’s time travel books fulfill all of the wishes I have as a reader when I read time travel books. “Future” characters get to use their knowledge, they figure out ways to capitalize on their situation, and they communicate with people back home. It’s incredibly satisfying.
The mystery in this book is fascinating and relates to the craze for all things Egyptian in the late 1800s.
The slow burn romantic subplot is both wonderful and frustrating because there is incremental progress in the relationship between Duncan and Mallory, but always a little bit less than you wish. But the unresolved tension is part of the charm of these books, so let’s keep this going!
June 6, 2024
4.5 Stars
Disturbing the Dead was another exciting mystery in the Rip Through Time series! It’s the third book in a series best read in order. The Grays are invited to a mummy unwrapping, which is distasteful to Mallory with its insensitivity to the dead, but this is 150 years ago. However, the unwrapping serves up a shocking surprise! Mallory, Duncan, and Detective McCreadie hunt up a killer and thief.
It’s been fun seeing how Mallory deals with the lack of forensic advances and technology in solving these cases. I also enjoy the relationship between Mallory and Duncan. There’s been a romance brewing, the slow-burn kind. I also enjoy Mallory’s friendship with Isla, Duncan’s sister. The two have scientific minds and big hearts!
I was happy that Mallory’s place as Dr. Gray’s medical assistant was more solidified. There were a few ends tied up that have been hanging through the series so far, and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. I look forward to the next mystery!
A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.
Disturbing the Dead was another exciting mystery in the Rip Through Time series! It’s the third book in a series best read in order. The Grays are invited to a mummy unwrapping, which is distasteful to Mallory with its insensitivity to the dead, but this is 150 years ago. However, the unwrapping serves up a shocking surprise! Mallory, Duncan, and Detective McCreadie hunt up a killer and thief.
It’s been fun seeing how Mallory deals with the lack of forensic advances and technology in solving these cases. I also enjoy the relationship between Mallory and Duncan. There’s been a romance brewing, the slow-burn kind. I also enjoy Mallory’s friendship with Isla, Duncan’s sister. The two have scientific minds and big hearts!
I was happy that Mallory’s place as Dr. Gray’s medical assistant was more solidified. There were a few ends tied up that have been hanging through the series so far, and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. I look forward to the next mystery!
A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the galley of this novel. Below is my honest review.
If you've followed my reviews for a while, you'll know that I eat up pretty much everything that Kelley Armstrong writes. I really love this series, because it's like a mix between an The Alienist and Outlander with fun mysteries and a dash of a very slow burn romance.
This one ties up a few loose ends that have been dangling, but opens up a bunch of new cans of worms and dumps them everywhere. The mystery isn't as compelling in this one, at least to me, which was odd because I've always loved stuff surrounding ancient Egypt. For me, in this installment, what really drove the story was the character development, both on a personal level and in relationships.
I really love this series, and the new normal means that there should be many more to come. Personally, I can't wait for the next. Thank goodness Armstrong has multiple releases a year to tide me over.
Highly recommended, but I do suggest reading the others in the series first.
If you've followed my reviews for a while, you'll know that I eat up pretty much everything that Kelley Armstrong writes. I really love this series, because it's like a mix between an The Alienist and Outlander with fun mysteries and a dash of a very slow burn romance.
This one ties up a few loose ends that have been dangling, but opens up a bunch of new cans of worms and dumps them everywhere. The mystery isn't as compelling in this one, at least to me, which was odd because I've always loved stuff surrounding ancient Egypt. For me, in this installment, what really drove the story was the character development, both on a personal level and in relationships.
I really love this series, and the new normal means that there should be many more to come. Personally, I can't wait for the next. Thank goodness Armstrong has multiple releases a year to tide me over.
Highly recommended, but I do suggest reading the others in the series first.
May 2, 2024
“Disturbing the dead” is I believe the third instalment in the homicide detective Mallory Atkinson series, however I read this as a stand-alone having not read the previous books and I was still able to fully understand everything and enjoy the plot without feeling I was missing anything.
The plot combines historical crime fiction with present day, our FMC has found herself investigating murders in the 1860s when she is really from our modern society. Mallorys employer Dr Duncan Gray is aware of her timeline hopping situation, and together they investigate the mystery surrounding a suspicious death.
They are invited to attend a mummy unwrapping, but they find themselves unravelling a mystery instead of mummified remains. I loved the aspect of a murder occurring during such an event, as well as the historical aspects, having to use wits and intelligence to investigate without having access to modern day crime solving technology.
I enjoy both characters and their working relationship, the ease at which they work together.
I thought the narrator, Kate Hanford did an absolutely fantastic job of portraying all the different characters as well as multiple accents, and enjoyed listening along to the plot.
Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books for the EARC and ALC.
Publish date: May 7th 2024
The plot combines historical crime fiction with present day, our FMC has found herself investigating murders in the 1860s when she is really from our modern society. Mallorys employer Dr Duncan Gray is aware of her timeline hopping situation, and together they investigate the mystery surrounding a suspicious death.
They are invited to attend a mummy unwrapping, but they find themselves unravelling a mystery instead of mummified remains. I loved the aspect of a murder occurring during such an event, as well as the historical aspects, having to use wits and intelligence to investigate without having access to modern day crime solving technology.
I enjoy both characters and their working relationship, the ease at which they work together.
I thought the narrator, Kate Hanford did an absolutely fantastic job of portraying all the different characters as well as multiple accents, and enjoyed listening along to the plot.
Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books for the EARC and ALC.
Publish date: May 7th 2024
March 31, 2024
*SPOILER-FREE REVIEW*
Whoa! I didn't see THAT coming!!! Disturbing the Dead is a fascinating addition to the A Rip Through Time Series. I can't even imagine being invited to a mummy unwrapping party but that's how the book opens! It's a bit of a stretch even for Mallory, a detective from the 21st century who has just started adjusting to her life inhabiting the younger and curvier body of a house maid in Victorian Scotland. It probably helps that she's been recently promoted to assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray.
I see some reviewers are going into detail about the huge twist this book has. WHY??? All I will say is that I was stunned by the twist and that I'm very happy I went into it blindly, not knowing anything other than what had happened in the previous two books.
I suppose Disturbing the Dead could be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading all three books in this fantastic series in order.
Many thanks to both #MinotaurBooks and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of DisturbingTheDead This book is #3 in the A Rip Through Time series, with the expected publication date of May 7, 2024. #KelleyArmstrong
Whoa! I didn't see THAT coming!!! Disturbing the Dead is a fascinating addition to the A Rip Through Time Series. I can't even imagine being invited to a mummy unwrapping party but that's how the book opens! It's a bit of a stretch even for Mallory, a detective from the 21st century who has just started adjusting to her life inhabiting the younger and curvier body of a house maid in Victorian Scotland. It probably helps that she's been recently promoted to assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray.
I see some reviewers are going into detail about the huge twist this book has. WHY??? All I will say is that I was stunned by the twist and that I'm very happy I went into it blindly, not knowing anything other than what had happened in the previous two books.
I suppose Disturbing the Dead could be read as a standalone but I highly recommend reading all three books in this fantastic series in order.
Many thanks to both #MinotaurBooks and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of DisturbingTheDead This book is #3 in the A Rip Through Time series, with the expected publication date of May 7, 2024. #KelleyArmstrong
April 11, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here is my unbiased review.
While I enjoyed the story, the prose is littered with prescriptive ideology and unnecessary interjections that detract from the narrative flow and come across as defensive. Defensive of KA's period knowledge and research, defensive of KA's politically correct values. I don't doubt that this book was well-researched and that KA has ironclad personal values... but her storytelling suffers under the weight of needing to prove herself.
For instance, the plot of this story is about a mummy unwrapping party, and KA took enormous pains to ensure her readers were aware that she and her characters do not condone such practices, and miraculously every main character shares the same values. This book is an absolute study in defensive storytelling.
Next, KA's characters have become noticeably perfect. No one is changing, learning, or growing, no one is making meaningful mistakes. Every single character that we are intended to like is a glowing and perfect representation of 21st Century politically correct social values, and everyone else is a villain in the making.
The time-travel component to this story felt rushed, as though the loose end of gaining closure with her family needed to be tied up today or never at all, and yet we gain no insight into what Catriona's experience has been. I was left wondering, why? Why now? Why like this? I don't mind a bit of black box problem solving; this just felt rushed. A box to be checked.
I've been a fan of Kelley Armstrong for so long, but her time travel series(s) have me scratching my head. Are these growing pains for exploring a new genre? Where is her editor, and why don't these glaring weaknesses get addressed?
I finished this book but I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think I will continue with the series, either.
While I enjoyed the story, the prose is littered with prescriptive ideology and unnecessary interjections that detract from the narrative flow and come across as defensive. Defensive of KA's period knowledge and research, defensive of KA's politically correct values. I don't doubt that this book was well-researched and that KA has ironclad personal values... but her storytelling suffers under the weight of needing to prove herself.
For instance, the plot of this story is about a mummy unwrapping party, and KA took enormous pains to ensure her readers were aware that she and her characters do not condone such practices, and miraculously every main character shares the same values. This book is an absolute study in defensive storytelling.
Next, KA's characters have become noticeably perfect. No one is changing, learning, or growing, no one is making meaningful mistakes. Every single character that we are intended to like is a glowing and perfect representation of 21st Century politically correct social values, and everyone else is a villain in the making.
The time-travel component to this story felt rushed, as though the loose end of gaining closure with her family needed to be tied up today or never at all, and yet we gain no insight into what Catriona's experience has been. I was left wondering, why? Why now? Why like this? I don't mind a bit of black box problem solving; this just felt rushed. A box to be checked.
I've been a fan of Kelley Armstrong for so long, but her time travel series(s) have me scratching my head. Are these growing pains for exploring a new genre? Where is her editor, and why don't these glaring weaknesses get addressed?
I finished this book but I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think I will continue with the series, either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2024
As much as I loved A Rip Through Time and The Poisoner's Ring, I have to say that HANDS DOWN this third installment in the series is the best yet. When is book three ever better than book one? Right here, and you should read them all so you can get to the happy place I'm in now.
In Disturbing the Dead, the characters have grown into enchanting people we know and care about, the time period (1860s Victorian Edinburgh) is getting much more intriguing, and we even get a little romance. And we see our dear Mallory make some hard decisions, some I never saw coming.
I laughed out loud, I cried, I sat on the edge of my seat trying hard not to jump ahead but dying to know what thrilling thing was going to happen next. I literally read the whole thing in one weekend. If someone doesn't make this into an HBO or Netflix series, we're all going to miss out.
In Disturbing the Dead, the characters have grown into enchanting people we know and care about, the time period (1860s Victorian Edinburgh) is getting much more intriguing, and we even get a little romance. And we see our dear Mallory make some hard decisions, some I never saw coming.
I laughed out loud, I cried, I sat on the edge of my seat trying hard not to jump ahead but dying to know what thrilling thing was going to happen next. I literally read the whole thing in one weekend. If someone doesn't make this into an HBO or Netflix series, we're all going to miss out.
June 15, 2024
*3.5 stars rounded up. This is third installment of the Rip Through Time series and I do recommend reading them in order as the story builds one upon another. Previously in this series, a near-death experience transports modern-day homicide detective, Mallory Atkinson, back in time to 1869 Edinburgh, Scotland, where she awakens to find herself inhabiting the body of a buxom young housemaid in the household of Dr Duncan Gray, a scientist who does business as an undertaker and medical examiner. Eventually she shares her true story with Dr Gray and proves her worth and investigative skills, so that now she has now become his assistant.
As this story begins, Duncan's older sister, Lady Annis, invites them to come along to a 'mummy-unwrapping' party at the home of Sir Alastair Christie, who has recently returned from Egypt with two of them. It will be the event of the season, fancy dress and all. But that night something goes terribly wrong and once again Duncan and Mallory are drawn into helping solve the mystery.
Of special note, there are some nicely-handled twists to the plot that answer some intriguing questions about the time travel aspects of the story. I enjoyed how all that works out and thought it ingeniously done.
BUT: Is Mallory even trying to 'pass' as a proper Victorian-era woman at this point? Often her language and actions seem so modern--even swearing at times. Gasp! So far she's putting up with the cursed corsets and long dresses but there are some hints that she may be wearing pants soon. How will that work in proper society?
A PET PEEVE: Too many times the author writes that someone 'snorts', a sarcastic response to something ridiculous that is said. I personally don't know that many people who rudely snort in conversation and these characters are supposedly refined, educated, professional, upper-middle class people. I found myself noting each time the word is used once again, which of course threw me out of the enjoyment of the story. The book needs some tighter editing over things like that, imho. I know, quibble, quibble, but it's the English teacher in me coming out.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new time-travel mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. I am currently reading an arc of the next book in the series, book #3.5, Schemes & Scandals, publishing in October, 2024. (And yes, someone has already 'snorted', lol.)
As this story begins, Duncan's older sister, Lady Annis, invites them to come along to a 'mummy-unwrapping' party at the home of Sir Alastair Christie, who has recently returned from Egypt with two of them. It will be the event of the season, fancy dress and all. But that night something goes terribly wrong and once again Duncan and Mallory are drawn into helping solve the mystery.
Of special note, there are some nicely-handled twists to the plot that answer some intriguing questions about the time travel aspects of the story. I enjoyed how all that works out and thought it ingeniously done.
BUT: Is Mallory even trying to 'pass' as a proper Victorian-era woman at this point? Often her language and actions seem so modern--even swearing at times. Gasp! So far she's putting up with the cursed corsets and long dresses but there are some hints that she may be wearing pants soon. How will that work in proper society?
A PET PEEVE: Too many times the author writes that someone 'snorts', a sarcastic response to something ridiculous that is said. I personally don't know that many people who rudely snort in conversation and these characters are supposedly refined, educated, professional, upper-middle class people. I found myself noting each time the word is used once again, which of course threw me out of the enjoyment of the story. The book needs some tighter editing over things like that, imho. I know, quibble, quibble, but it's the English teacher in me coming out.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new time-travel mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own. I am currently reading an arc of the next book in the series, book #3.5, Schemes & Scandals, publishing in October, 2024. (And yes, someone has already 'snorted', lol.)
May 7, 2024
Praise for the latest in the Rip Through Time series!
A return to Victorian Edinburgh and the freak out life of a thirty year old, twenty-first century detective, who went to the aid of a woman being strangled in her time and woke to found herself trapped in the body of a nearly illiterate housemaid to a Dr. Duncan Gray. The maid Catroina had been a young, well endowed servant with sociopath tendencies, consequently Mallory has had trouble winning over her fellow servants. They’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop!
Now six months later Mallory Atkinson (her real name) is a valued member of the doctor’s household and has become Duncan’s forensic assistant. Mallory had been a dedicated homicide detective. She knew all about DNA, fingerprints etc. She has to be careful not to let her knowledge outstrip the times.
Much to her disgust Mallory is to attend a mummy unwrapping party with the Dowager Countess Lady Annis her siblings. Suffragette chemist sister Isla, Dr. Gray, her illegitimate brother, and Detective Hugh McCreadie (Gray’s friend)
The unwrapping begins, only to find the missing host within in said wrappings.
Now they have a murder to solve which necessitates the descent into a mysterious underground market, the meeting of the illusive Queen Mab, the Edinburgh Seven (females seeking to attain entrance to the medical profession), and a host of further surprising happenings which had me on my toes. This time the investigation is somewhat stranger than usual (although that’s an epitaph I’d apply to the entire series thus far).
A fulsome read!
A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
A return to Victorian Edinburgh and the freak out life of a thirty year old, twenty-first century detective, who went to the aid of a woman being strangled in her time and woke to found herself trapped in the body of a nearly illiterate housemaid to a Dr. Duncan Gray. The maid Catroina had been a young, well endowed servant with sociopath tendencies, consequently Mallory has had trouble winning over her fellow servants. They’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop!
Now six months later Mallory Atkinson (her real name) is a valued member of the doctor’s household and has become Duncan’s forensic assistant. Mallory had been a dedicated homicide detective. She knew all about DNA, fingerprints etc. She has to be careful not to let her knowledge outstrip the times.
Much to her disgust Mallory is to attend a mummy unwrapping party with the Dowager Countess Lady Annis her siblings. Suffragette chemist sister Isla, Dr. Gray, her illegitimate brother, and Detective Hugh McCreadie (Gray’s friend)
The unwrapping begins, only to find the missing host within in said wrappings.
Now they have a murder to solve which necessitates the descent into a mysterious underground market, the meeting of the illusive Queen Mab, the Edinburgh Seven (females seeking to attain entrance to the medical profession), and a host of further surprising happenings which had me on my toes. This time the investigation is somewhat stranger than usual (although that’s an epitaph I’d apply to the entire series thus far).
A fulsome read!
A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
March 10, 2024
This book is a must read of the series! First of all there is so much more to this novel than just a murder mystery set in Victorian Scotland. Mallory is an extremely likable and strong character. I love the fact that she is bringing her 21st century skills to the 19th century. Second, I learned a little more about the struggle that women faced to practice in the medical field. Third, I loved that the author keeps you guessing and I never quite figured out the mystery until it was finally revealed. Plus this novel has a really interesting twist that helps fill in some of the gaps from the previous novels.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, time travel, murder mysteries, and strong female characters. Also this novel touches on ancient Egypt which is always a fascinating subject. I can't wait to read more.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, time travel, murder mysteries, and strong female characters. Also this novel touches on ancient Egypt which is always a fascinating subject. I can't wait to read more.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
May 26, 2024
I’m glad I stuck with the series! The writing has improved, the murder mystery here was much better, and the main characters have really grown on me (plus a few of the side characters, as well).
Really enjoyed the time travel plot points in this installment!
Four stars.
Really enjoyed the time travel plot points in this installment!
Four stars.
October 26, 2023
The best one yet...I had tears!
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