Honestly my favorite in the series yet!

<i>Disturbing the Dead</i> is the third <i>A Rip Through Time</i> mystery, following modern-day homicide detective Mallory, who is transported back in time to Victorian Scotland. There, she helps medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray solve crimes, alongside his chemist sister Isla and their policeman friend Detective McCreadie. In this book, Mallory, Duncan, and co. are invited to a mummy unwrapping party (#justvictorianthings), only to discover that the mummy's remains have been replaced with those of a much fresher corpse.

My biggest complaint about the first two books in the series was that I felt like Mallory oftentimes had a judgmental attitude toward the past and the people in it. Too often for my liking, her narration was littered with references to the Victorian era and how "backward" it was, but this book was much improved in that regard. Mallory has come to have a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of historical society, the difficult social mores, the positive aspects of Victorian society, and the thrill of progress. I was happy to see this.

The book had a pretty shocking twist around 60-70%, which was exciting, though I did think my enjoyment waned a little bit towards the end.

4 stars!

4 stars = I really liked it. Disturbing the Dead has a murder at a mummy unwrapping party - who said those Victorians didn't know how to have a good time (while defiling some one elses ancestors) and it had a surprise midway through the story just about the time I had planned on going to bed, so I had to stay up longer to see how things played out. I've been liking this series with the modern police detective lead who was transported back to Victorian era Scotland into the body of a housemaid working for an unusual man who consults with the police on autopsies connected to murder cases. It has a similar vibe to the Rockton books in some ways.

ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley expected publication May 27 2024. This is an unpaid review

For readers of Kelley Armstrong‘s A Rip Through Time series, this third book is a real game changer and put everything on the line! New readers to the series will get enough of the background to understand that modern day, Canadian detective Mallory Atkinson has fallen through time and is now in Victorian Scotland, where she works as a housemaid for the undertaker/medical examiner, doctor Duncan Gray.

I’ve loved this series since the beginning, but this one was especially unique with the inclusion of Victorian mummies as part of their mystery in this book. The crime fighting household of Dr. Gray is invited to a mommy unwrapping, where upon they find a modern day body, rewrapped in the mummy bandages!

Following the pattern set and the other books, Mallory and Dr. Gray, along with some other members of the household and their detective friends investigate and solve this mystery… but along with that, we get a lot more of Mallory struggle with her time shift and she has to make some some big decisions. A lot of character development occurs in this book for not just Mallory, but for Dr. Gray and his siblings.


Thanks to St. Martin’s Press MacMillan Audio for the review copy.

I’m not usually a time traveler book reader, but the blurb on this one sounded intriguing. And probably the mummies grabbed me lol. This is the third book in the series, so I definitely would’ve benefited from reading the first two. But it was definitely interesting! And I look forward to reading the beginning of the series and then quite possibly rereading this again. The way I should’ve done it to begin with lol. I look forward to reading more from this author.

A lovely third installment for our heroine that wraps up some storylines and sets the scene for new plot points.

Being a maid in Victorian Scotland is probably no modern woman's dream job but Mallory Atkinson, a Canadian police detective transported back to Edinburgh in Victorian times has learned to make do and now by the third installment in this fantastic historical(?)mystery series she is firmly ensconced in Dr. Duncan Gray's household. No longer just a chamber maid but his trusty assistant she gets to accompany him and his sisters to a mummy unwrapping at professor Alastair Christie only to discover that the mummy being unwrapped is the esteemed professor himself. Soon Inspector McCreedie, Mallory and Dr. Gray are all wrapped up investigating the unsavory goings on surrounding the traffic in human remains and Egyptian finds. This book finds an intriguing way to address the vagaries of time travel head on and the historical perspective on the love for antiquities and superstitions of time is on brilliant display, I truly loved my reading !

This excellent and thrilling historical crime mystery delivered plenty of twists, one of which forced Mallory to make life-changing decisions.

Mallory had been promoted to full-time assistant to Dr. Duncan Gray and the household was looking for a suitable person to take over her housemaid duties. These two remarkable individuals were becoming more and more comfortable with each other, and I loved their interactions. They made an excellent team. As for the secondary characters, I so enjoyed Annis’s no-nonsense personality and the housekeeper’s surprise involvement.

The investigation kicked off at a mummy unwrapping party when a body was discovered underneath all the wrappings, instead of the expected mummy. Mallory and Gray had a whole host of suspects to consider, and they vacillated quite a bit between the options as they gathered more information. Secret tunnels and an underground market all contributed further to the excitement.

Don’t expect a romance, though. There were plenty of heated looks and thoughts, which neither Mallory nor Gray acted upon, for various very valid reasons.

I can highly recommend this series if you like time travel, historical fiction, and crime-solving all in one place. It is definitely best to read the books in order.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mallory Atkinson, Vancouver homicide detective, is strangled to death and awakens in the body of a housemaid in the home of 1860's Edinburgh undertaker and medical examiner Dr. Gray. By Disturbing the Dead, the third case of Dr. Gray and his now assistant Mallory, the doctor and the police inspector know that Mallory has expertise about murder from the future; Egyptian mummies are all the rage in this time and in a mummy unwrapping Dr. Gray finds instead of the mummy the murdered Egyptologist. Whodunit and why? Enjoy this thrilling adventure.

I really loved Armstrong's A Stitch in Time time travel romance series and this has elements of that, but the romance subplot is so drawn out in comparison. I was actually starting to feel like maybe this had settled down into a whodunit series until a plot twist about 50% in that sucked me back into the story. Now I'm looking forward to seeing where this ends up going.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to review.

Another enjoyable story from the A Rip through Time novel. With interesting, well- drawn characters, a smart story, and witty dialogue, this is another winner from Kelley Armstrong. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Mallory Atkinson, a modern day detective, has found herself in 1860s Scotland. She has been invited to a mummy unwrapping party. Only to discover it is not a mummy…but a recently murdered body!

Let me preface this with I have been extremely sick this week. And I believe this is why I could not get into this book as well as I did with The Poisoner’s Ring. I kept zoning out during this one.

There is no better place to time travel to than 1800 Scotland. I love reading about the idiosyncrasies in this time period. I also enjoyed all the different situations Mallory found herself in. She would have to remind herself exactly where she was. But, she is on the case and she IS going to find the murderer!

The narrator, Kate Handford, did a very good job with all the voices.

Need a good time travel novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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 is the best book on this series for sure ! I laughed a lot reading it and loved the overall development of the series

My fav character in this book in this Annis - just the first few pages alone are priceless 🤣I wish we got more of her in the rest of the book . Overall I loved the development of the side characters as well as the romance between Mallory and Duncan

I had forgotten that this series takes place in Edinburgh- which I will be visiting again over the summer - definitely adding the Vaults into my list of things to see after reading this book

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

Time-travel or mystery thriller are not genres I usually read, but this is such a wonderful combination. I love the setting of the novel in Victorian era Edinburgh. The main story is about Mallory Atkinson, a modern day police detective, who travels back in time 150 years and wakes up in the body of young housemaid Catriona. Mallory is working as an assistant to Dr. Gray as they aid his detective friend in a murder investigation - this investigation is to find the murder of Sir Alastair, whose body was discovered during a mummy unwrapping. The are many interesting characters, including Dr. Gray's sisters: the outspoken and intimidating Annis and chemist Iris. I'm looking forward to more books in this series to catch up on Mallory and Gray's adventures.

DISTURBING THE DEAD is the third instalment in Kelley Armstrong’s adult A RIP THROUGH TIME time travel, mystery series focusing on thirty year old, Vancouver, Canada Police Detective Mallory Atkinson, and undertaker/investigator Dr. Duncan Gray. DISTURBING THE DEAD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading book one A RIP THROUGH TIME for back story and cohesion.

SOME BACKGROUND: In the spring of 2019 while visiting her ailing grandmother in Edinburgh Scotland, thirty year old, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada police detective Mallory Atkinson is attacked in an alley only to wake up as a nineteen year old housemaid in the year 1869, a housemaid who was also attacked and left for dead in the same alley where Mallory was found. Not only has our heroine time travelled back one-hundred and fifty years but she is no longer physically the same woman she was just minutes before. Working as a housemaid for Dr. Duncan Gray and his sister Isla, realizing life as she knew it was no longer under her control, Mallory must assume the position of nineteen year old Catriona Mitchell, a young woman whose history is questionable and dark. Working alongside Dr. Gray and Detective McCreadie, Mallory uses her abilities as a detective to help.

Told from first person perspective (Mallory) using two timelines, DISTURBING THE DEAD follows in the aftermath of the murder of Sir Alastair Christie. The unveiling of an Egyptian mummy finds the people of Victorian Scotland both curious and disturbed including several women who are trying to establish themselves as students at the local medical college but when Sir Alastair goes missing along with several Egyptian artifacts, and his body is discovered in the most unlikeliest of situations, fellow curiosity seekers Dr. Duncan Gray and Mallory Atkinson, with the help of Detective McCreadie, begin an investigation of their own. When fingers are pointed at several potential suspects, Mallory and Dr. Duncan Gray find themselves surveying secret tunnels and underground markets for answers, only for Mallory to be attacked, once again.

The secondary and supporting characters are numerous and colorful. We are once again introduced to Dr. Gray’s household, as well as his sisters Annis, and Isla, as well as Detective McCreadie. The requisite evil has many faces.


DISTURBING THE DEAD is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, jealousy and greed, time travel and acceptance. The premise is intriguing and captivating; the numerous characters are entertaining and charismatic.



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It's been six months since homicide detective Mallory Atkinson woke up after an attack only to find she was occupying the body of Victorian era housemaid Catrina. While her employer, undertaker and detective consultant Duncan Gray, and his sister Isla know the truth of her identity, she must still play the part for everyone else. Isla has hired a new housemaid in order for Mallory to become a full-time assistant to Duncan and his best friend Detective Hugh McCreadie. In this latest adventure, they are invited to attend a mummy unwrapping in the name of science. When their host fails to appear, Mallory and Duncan are asked to take over, but the body they uncover isn't centuries old, but freshly murdered.
I'm enjoying these stories so much, both the unique Victorian mysteries they're solving and Mallory's adjustment to her new life as housemaid and undertaker's assistant. I'm also enjoying the developing relationship between Mallory and Duncan, with his oddly perfect gifts and his hilarious reaction to the "soft-core" accounts of his and Mallory's adventures. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In disturbing the dead, a rip through time number three by Kelly Armstrong Mallory Atkins is settling into life in Scotland during the 1800s. She is becoming quite well known it’s not only a woman assistant to Dr. Gray but for her and Dr. Gray’s adventures in solving mysteries. She was well aware that people talked about her and Dr. Gray in their mysteries but was not prepared when going to a mummy unwrapping party that the children of the host would not only know her but be enamored of her and the good doctor. Win professor sir Alistair doesn’t show up for his own get together and is soon found dead Mallory knows they have found the next case but is ill prepared for where the case will lead them. Just like the last book the cases victims and perpetrators are caught up in a situation that we will be familiar to most history fans and once again Kelly Armstrong does a great job enter twining a popular event with the events of Mallory and Dr. Gray. They also get a new housemaid but like always not for long but the next one they choose is quite surprising. This was a great book Mallory learned something new about the letters she sent Dr. Gray comes close to professing… Something to Mallory I DK and here we go again I have to anxiously wait for the next one. I want to say I listen to the audiobook in the first two audiobooks I thought the narrator did a superb job it seems now she barely even tries to do Scottish accents having said that I still listen to the audiobook instead of reading the Kindle because she has such a nice voice but wish she would go back to doing Dr. Gray and the good detectives accents. I thought Jack was a great addition to the family. I also once again want to say kudos to Kelly Armstrong for her great achievement in making this is historical Lee accurate as possible. I said it before and I’ll say it again these books are from my favorite series I love them and cannot get enough and also definitely recommend this book. I listen to the audio and read the beginning on Kindle and both are real winners but thought the narrator has a great voice as always just wish she would’ve stepped it up with the accent it’s as if she is getting tired of doing it and I really hope that’s not the case. I want to thank McMillan audio for my free arc copy via netGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A Rip Through Time series is possibly one of my favorite series of all time. I love the characters and the world. In Disturbing the Dead, Mallory and Dr. Gray are off on another mystery, and this time, mummies are involved. The case was interesting, and I loved how everything was tied up at the end. This installment has some crazy stuff happen, and once I was past 50%, I couldn't stop flipping the pages. I'm so happy to hear that Kelley Armstrong already has book 4 done! Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced e-copy!

Growing up, I enjoyed time travel stories, but the books I read featured variations on H.G. Wells’s classic, “The Time Machine.” These stories featured a scientific gizmo that allowed a character to enter a different era. Sometimes, in a slight variation, the characters would go through a warp-like portal to the same effect. But I wasn’t a fan of stories in which characters found themselves inside other people’s bodies in the past. That is, until I read Kelley Armstrong’s charming novel, “Disturbing the Dead.” This book made me believe not in time travel but in the viability of the body swap story as an enjoyable subgenre.

“Disturbing the Dead” is the third novel featuring modern-day police detective Mallory Atkinson. While visiting Edinburgh, Scotland, she was transported 150 years in the past, inside the body of a housemaid, Catriona Mitchell. Fortunately, Catriona’s employer, Duncan Gray, was sophisticated enough to accept her story. Even more fortunately, Duncan was somewhat of an amateur detective with whom Mallory, in her new body, worked to solve cases.

In “Disturbing the Dead,” Duncan and Mallory attend a party at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. Despite my first hunch, Christie is not an ancestor of Agatha Christie’s first husband. Like Agatha’s second husband, he is an archaeologist who has just returned from Egypt with many artifacts, including a mummy. The party’s highlight is the unwrapping of the mummy to see what lies beneath the bandages. But when Duncan (who has a medical degree) and Mallory unwrap the mummy, instead of a long-dead Egyptian, they find a recently dead Christie.

Despite having one of the best corpse-discovery scenes in recent memory, the whodunit aspects of “Disturbing the Dead” are routine. There are only a few suspects, and the last chapters seem cribbed from an episode of “Moonlighting,” with Duncan and Mallory trying to trap the killer. But the mystery surrounding the mystery is much better. Christie’s murder isn’t the only crime which occurred that day. Someone absconded with the original mummy’s remains, and Mallory now searches for their whereabouts to see if they reveal a clue to the killer’s identity.

Mallory’s search for the mummy’s remains, perhaps to be used for medicinal purposes, is far more interesting than her search for the killer. Her journey takes her to a late-night occult flea market, appropriately called a goblin market. There, vendors peddle arcane herbs and common fakes to unwary buyers. I’ve read a lot of occult fantasy over the years, but this was my first encounter with a goblin market. I was utterly fascinated by Mallory’s trip and her bizarre companions.

Many historical novels feature archetypical characters that readers will immediately recognize. Nearly every character in “Disturbing the Dead” differs vastly from what readers might expect. The best example is Queen Mab, the local expert on preventing—and ending—pregnancies. She serves as Mallory’s “sponsor” on the trip to the goblin market, where Mab obtains some of the wares she uses. Either Queen Mab or the goblin market would be enough for me to recommend “Disturbing the Dead.” But the book contains at least a dozen similar characters and scenarios.

Mallory serves as the narrator of “Disturbing the Dead.” Her narration is an additional delight in the book. She provides insight from sources like the novel “Catch-22” and the movie “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” to befuddled 19th-century listeners. And Mallory wonders about the scientific and cultural differences between life in 1869 and 2019. A major subplot in the book involves the first handful of women admitted to medical school in Scotland. Not surprisingly, they do not receive a warm welcome from their fellow students and faculty. Several of them figure in the storyline. And when Duncan Gray’s exploits are published in local tabloids, Mallory immediately notices the similarities between Gray and a similar consulting detective who would enthrall the reading public a few years later.

“Disturbing the Dead” is a time travel mystery that readers who rarely like mysteries or time travel stories can enjoy. It’s the third novel in the author’s series about Mallory’s adventures. However, the author does an excellent job filling readers in on the book’s central premise and recurring characters. Those like me who haven’t read the earlier books won’t understand all the references to previous storylines, but that won’t diminish this book’s entertainment factor. “Disturbing the Dead” may disturb a few readers’ sleep patterns as they keep some enjoyable late hours finishing the book.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book. I chose to review it and this in no way impacts my opinion of it.

Disturbing the Dead is book 3 in the A Rip Through Time series by Kelley Armstrong. If you haven’t read any of this series yet and enjoy time travelling historical mysteries, I highly recommend starting with the first book in the series, A Rip Through Time.

This novel starts out with Duncan, Mallory and friends being invited to a ‘mummy unwrapping party’. When the host goes missing, Duncan and Mallory step up to unwrap the mummy and keep the party goers entertained. But when it’s discovered that the mummy wrappings contain a much fresher body than they anticipated, the real excitement begins.

I was so excited to receive an e-arc of this novel as I have a great love for this series. Now I know you’re all saying “but Alice, you just have a great love for Kelley Armstrong” and you aren’t wrong, but this series has been so fun and exciting and this instalment isn’t any different.

I found this novel to be so fun to read and I loved trying to solve the mystery before the characters could. Armstrong has such a way with words that I could almost pretend that I was in Victorian Scotland along with the characters from this novel and I was part of their team. I cannot speak on the accuracy as I am a Canadian who has not yet visited Scotland, but she paints a lovely photograph.

I have never been one for historical novels but Kelley Armstrong has a style of writing that never fails to draw me in. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys mystery/thriller style novels with a hint of time travel. You will not be disappointed.