Caffeinated Reviewer

I am absolutely loving Kelley Armstrong’s time-slip novels and A Rip Through Time delivered a suspenseful murder mystery as a modern-day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland with a killer on the loose. As the first novel in the Rip Through Time series, you’ll want to add it to your must read pile today!

In this series debut from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, a modern-day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland—in an unfamiliar body—with a killer on the loose.

May 20, 2019: Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother. While out on a jog one evening, Mallory hears a woman in distress. She’s drawn to an alley, where she is attacked and loses consciousness.

May 20, 1869: Housemaid Catriona Mitchell had been enjoying a half-day off, only to be discovered that night in a lane, where she’d been strangled and left for dead . . . exactly one-hundred-and-fifty years before Mallory was strangled in the same spot.

When Mallory wakes up in Catriona's body in 1869, she must put aside her shock and adjust quickly to the reality: life as a housemaid to an undertaker in Victorian Scotland. She soon discovers that her boss, Dr. Gray, also moonlights as a medical examiner and has just taken on an intriguing case, the strangulation of a young man, similar to the attack on herself. Her only hope is that catching the murderer can lead her back to her modern life . . . before it's too late.

Outlander meets The Alienist in Kelley Armstrong's A Rip Through Time, the first book in this utterly compelling series, mixing romance, mystery, and fantasy with thrilling results.

Have you watched the TV series The Alienist? If you loved it as much as I did, this series is for you! It’s May 20, 2019, Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh. Her gran is dying and when she takes a break from her bedside vigil to go for a run and clear her mind, she is brutally attacked. She awakens in another body in the year 1869. She discovers the girl was also attacked in the same location and left for dead.

I slipped into this story, and it held me in its grip from the first page. It had all the elements I love in a time-slip, but Armstrong added murder and social classes.

Mallory is now Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid in the home of Dr. Gray and his sister, both dabble in science. He is an undertaker who moonlights as a medical examiner. Detective McCreadie has brought him an intriguing case, the strangulation of a young man, similar to the attack on herself.

Armstrong weaved her magic and drew me into the story. Told in first person by Mallory as she adjusts to her new, however temporary, life and works to solve the murder and discover what happened to her. She is drawn to Dr. Gray’s examination room, and he is intrigued by her observations.

Mallory/Catriona was such an interesting character. Here is this detective in the body of a thief turned housemaid who wasn’t a kind character and she has to not only acclimate to this century but prove she has turned over a new leaf, so to speak. Then there are the detective and forensic aspects, not to mention what has and hasn’t been developed yet. While some of the forensic aspects, have been discovered, most of the police and the medical doctors who act as coroners think the scientist are quacks. I found it all fascinating and well researched.

The author did a splendid job of introducing character from the head housekeeper to the criminals Catriona sold secrets to. I loved afternoon teas with Detective McCreadie, Dr. Gray, his sister and Mallory to discuss the case, clues, and developments. It truly had an Alienist vibe with only a hint of romance, and I cannot wait to return to 1869 and tackle more cases with them.

Perfect for fans of historical murder-mysteries, early forensics, engaging characters and time-travel stories.

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About Kelley Armstrong

Kelley 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.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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