Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong. Below is my honest review.

Yet another fantastic entry in A Rip Through Time, this time following Mallory and Gray and company to the highlands of Scotland for the wedding of McCreadie's sister. Of course, there have to be complications - including a history between McCreadie and the groom. Turns out, the groom is a man from the social circle that Gray and McCreadie were a part of in their youths, and McCreadie's family had an arranged engagement between him and the now-groom's sister, which McCreadie effectively ended, causing massive rifts. Things are further complicated by things at the estate, and eventually there's a murder.

Luckily for everyone involved (except the killer, and well, the victim), the crackpot team of Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are there to solve the case.

This one was really good, but I will give you a warning - there are some potential triggers revolving around grooming, sexual assault, etc.

Highly recommended. But you'd be wise to read the previous books in the series first for all the backstory. Though if you choose to, it's still a great novel on its own merits... you'll just miss some of the depth.

This is the first book by this author that I've read. I absolutely loved it! Now I want to go back and read the others. Such a fun story that begs to be continued. Awesome story that can be read alone but I think would be even better if whole series is read in order

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the eARC of Death at a Highland Wedding! I picked up this series after loving Armstrong's Rockton books, and it is such a fun take on a more classic mystery. Set in Victorian Scotland, modern Vancouver detective Mallory is (now by choice) inhabiting the body of a housemaid working for a undertaker with an interest in forensics and his sister, a chemist. The trio, along with DI McCreadie, travel to the wedding of McCreadie's sister and then have to investigate a death at the wedding. If you have an interest in the early days of forensics, the Victoria era, or just enjoy historical romance and mystery, I think you would enjoy this series! (I do think starting at the beginning would help orient to the characters & their relationships)
This installment is absolutely my favorite yet. Mallory is more comfortable in "her" skin, and the interactions between the characters are less fraught with some of the previous societal tensions. The team works well together, and learning more of McCreadie's story added a lot to the series. If you are caught up with the series I think you will love this installment!

Our time traveling heroine Mallory is headed to a Highland wedding in Victorian Scotland where there will simply be dancing, a marriage, murder, intrigue and scandalous affairs. You know, they usual. While this latest chapter in Mallory’s story can be read as a stand-alone, I feel you would miss out on so much character building and the intensity of the will-they-wont-they relationship between some of the characters, specifically with Mallory and Duncan. Which is the slowest of slow burns that truly has me screaming at the page to just be together already. Outside of the romantic entanglements, the mystery was well thought out and detailed. I had myself flipping pages back to find what I had initially missed reading or picking up on and when the pieces of the puzzle started coming together. I was a little disappointed in myself I hadn’t fully formed the whole picture, which is only a testament to how well thought out the mystery was written. If you ae a lover of mysteries, historical time travel and a hint of romance, I would recommend picking up this book (this series really!)
I have been thoroughly enjoying the Rip Through Time series and Death at a Highland Wedding was yet another installation that had me clamoring for more. I am itching to see what happens next with the rag-tag group of societal misfits and what mystery Mallory, Duncan, Ilsa and McCreadie will find themselves a part of next.
Thank you to St.Martins Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley and Kelly Armstrong for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions in this review are strictly my own.

Death at a Highland Wedding is part of A Rip Through Time Mysteries. Mallory is a present day Canadian police detective living in Victorian Scotland.
Hugh’s sister is getting married and they go to the countryside hoping for a nice, happy time. Unfortunately, there is a lot of tension in the wedding party and in the locale. The previous owner forced families off the land to build the hunting lodge. When a guest is murdered, the young constable is not amenable to their help but he has arrested the wrong person so they investigate anyway.
A very good mystery right to the end.

This book gets the Rip Through Time series back on track for me. I loved the setting of the highland manor, I loved the gossipy nature of all the clues as to who liked who, who loved who, who hated who, and why. I loved that so many different women characters got things to do, especially Isla. And who doesn't like kittens? (A mother wildcat dies in a horrible way off-screen in this book but her kittens do survive, if animal abuse/death is an issue for you.)

Mallory and Grey have a bit of drama- clearly they both are extremely into each other and clearly both of them are clueless as to how to deal with these feelings. This didn't matter as much to me as how our detectives learned more about the murder victim and who might have wanted him dead. The victim struck me as a bit off from the very beginning so I wasn't too surprised when evidence was found that upheld my suspicions.

Fans of this series will not be disappointed in this instalment. The quartet travels into the Highlands to attend the wedding of McCreadie's sister to his old frenemy, but the titular death is only part of the story.

We finally have the opportunity to learn more about McCreadie and how his background shapes the relationship he has with Isla.

The book is filled with unexpectedly funny moments and references to Canadian pop culture, and contains a refreshing twist on the usual supposed good guy turning out to be evil.

Once Again Kelley Armstrong hits it out of the park...
If you read this series then this one will not disappoint.
*strong characters
*interesting plot
*story pulls you in and in no time you are finished the book
*Mystery and romance what a great combination

ourth book in the series.
Mallory Atkinson is a homicide detective who now lives 150 years in the past in Victorian Scotland. Her employer Dr. Duncan Gray, his sister Isla and their friend Detective Hugh McCreadie know her true identity as she uses her knowledge of modern investigation methods to help them. As they travel to attend the wedding of McCreadie's younger sister ,strained relationships and a broken engagement are revealed. When a person is murdered, the investigation is on to clear the bridegroom who is being held for the murder. The investigation will reveal the secrets that will resolve the investigation. Strong characters, interesting relationships.
#DeathataHighlandWedding #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

Death at a Highland Wedding is book four in the Rip Through Time series and is best read in order as part of the series. Mallory has found contentment trapped in the past in the body of a young maid playing assistant to undertaker and forensic expert Dr. Duncan Gray. A trip to a wedding finds Mallory, Duncan, and Detective Hugh McCreadie investigating a murder that they have no jurisdiction over. The landscape even proves deadly in the latest case as Mallory, Duncan, and Hugh uncover secrets and a murderer in the latest mystery. I love the slow build of chemistry between Mallory and Duncan while her character brings a unique influence to the historical setting. The story is full of suspense and keeps you guessing until the end for another great addition to this series. My love for the characters and the uniqueness of the storyline keeps me adding each new book to my must read shelf. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I love this series so much. Kelley Armstrong writes the most thought out, well explained stories.
The mystery is always well done, the back story is always continued in a satisfactory way. I have read pretty much every book she's written, and I will continue to read them all.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Another excellent time slip mystery by Armstrong. This is in the middle of a series, so the characters are already set up, but evidently, there is much progress in their relationships. The mystery is a slippery, convoluted conundrum, well executed so the reader can follow every clue and guess the killer at the same time as the characters. Mallory was a 30+ detective in modern day Scotland when she fell through time. Now, she is a 22-year-old maid assisting a coroner and a Victorian detective to solve murders with techniques that are barely feasible in that time period. Since 22-year-old maids generally do not assist the police or physicians, or work beside men in general, this presents a few difficulties on many levels, along with the risk of the killer coming after you with a shillelagh or bear trap. I enjoy the sensible characters, the way they handle their unusual companion, and the insights into the history of police detection—plus the puzzle of whodunnit. A great historical read as well as a mystery and romance, what’s not to love?

I love the premise of this series - a modern detective thrown back in time to 1869 Scotland, still solving murders but without our current tools, and while enduring the sexism and stereotypes of the period.

I'll be honest, I'm actually not the biggest fan of Kelley Armstrong's writing style; in particular, the dialogue often sounds stilted and overly formal, even between characters who know each other well. The mystery plots are fine, but not especially memorable, However, I can't stop myself from picking up these books. Mallory and Gray are such interesting characters and their relationship keeps me reading. I wish this would be adapted into a TV series.

4.5 Stars ⭐️

I was thrilled to see that there was a new book out in this series. This is the 4th book and I have enjoyed every single book so far. The premise of the storyline is of a 31 year old 21 century woman -modern day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson - who is attacked and strangled in an alley and at the same time, a 19 year old house maid living in the 19th century -Catriona Mitchel - is also attacked at the same time in Scotland.

For whatever reason, something happens and they seem to switch bodies. Mallory ends up in the 1800's and in the body of this young house maid (and for the first three books we do not know if Catriona is in Mallory's timeline - so no spoilers for those that haven't read this). We have followed along as Mallory has had to learn the customs and behaviors of this new time - which is not easy when women of that time were looked upon as no more than property and we only supposed to be seen and not heard. And having the ability to read and write - not a chance.

Luckily, the home that she works in happens to have the most progressive employers and we have watched as she has worked her way up to become an assistant to her employer - Undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and his awesome sister Isla - along with his best friend Detective Hugh McCreadie. This foursome has become great friends and have solved many crimes.

This story has the foursome traveling to the Highlands to attend the wedding of Hugh's sister. I'm not even going to go into how difficult the most simple things become with the outdated behaviors that they have to deal with concerning propriety. One thing is the treatment of Mallory because she looks so young and most think that the title of "assistant" really means she is something else to Duncan. The foursome had gotten used to being able to behave a certain way in their homes and are surprised to be reminded that they have to be very careful when around new people.

Of course, there is a murder before the wedding and our foursome is actually so very delighted to have a case to focus and spend their time on. There are a lot of things that they uncover, some relevant and others are unexpected. The case is not simple in the slightest. There are many, many secrets that the guests have and things are discovered that are surprising and disappointing.

Another fantastic book in the series and I am looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on May 20, 2025.

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

I know I say a lot on this blog that I am obsessed with Kelley Armstrong’s novels, but I think this series is one of my favourites. Death at a Highland Wedding is the 4th novel in the A Rip Through Time series. I highly recommend starting with the first book and reading them in order before beginning this novel as you really get to know the characters and there are a lot of times where the characters refer back to past books happenings.

The novel begins with Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie on their way to a country estate for McCreadie’s younger sister’s wedding. The estate is beautiful, if you can look past the deadly traps set up against the Scottish wildcats and the guest who is soon found dead in the grounds. Time is against them as they try to solve the murder before the wedding day.

As with most Armstrong novels, I was hooked right from beginning until end. I blasted through this novel despite the extreme busyness of my life at the time. The characters in this novel are just as lovely as in the first three and I am still a huge fan of them. I root for Gray and Mallory as well as all the side characters.

This novel is most definitely a SLOW BURN romance in all caps because 4 books in and we’re still barely burning. but I am loving it. I love the tension and being able to watch the build up of feelings throughout the books. We have way too many insta-love novels these days so this is a welcome trade-off.

I am always left guessing and trying to figure out the murderer before the characters solve the mystery but I have not yet sorted it out before them. I highly recommend this novel/series to anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries with a little dash of time travel.

The latest book about Mallory Atkinson (Catronia) and Dr. Duncan Gray is amazing story and continues their relationship with a murder to solve in the Scottish Highlands - a visit away from their Edinburgh home. Both Mallory and Duncan are terrific characters, along with sister Isla, friend Detective Hugh McCreadie, and maid Alice. Part of the story involves Scottish wildcats, which are adorable and grumpy cat currently listed on the endangered species list. Armstrong is an outstanding writer and manages to weave the mystery and in a storyline that is both magical and believable. In this book, we meet Hugh's sister Fiona, who will hopefully be a recurring character, as well as her fiance and other friends from Duncan's school days. The relationship of Mallory and Duncan moves forward, but with delightful 'wooing' - based on concerns of society at large and concerns of Duncan. Love this series and can't wait for the book!

Although this is the fourth in the Rip Through Time Novels it is a great standalone read. Humor, Adventure, Murder and family drama make this roller coaster ride interesting and fun. Keeps you entertained and guessing! True to the period, but small modern insights from Mallory. Hard to put down.

My 2nd Net Galley ARC and I picked it solely from the cover, title and genre. Jumping into book 4 of a series blind - I yet again am thankful for an author that puts a synopsis of the previous books in the beginning so I didn’t feel lost starting on this one.

If you like the time traveler aspects of Outlander (except a modern update - the FMC is from 2019) with a Sherlock Holmes type of dynamic and a murder/mystery to solve - this is 🤌🏻

The characters, the pacing, the red herrings. I loved it and will def be going back to read the others in the Rip in Time series.

Title: Death at a Highland Wedding   
Author: Kelley Armstrong          
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery/thriller, fantasy   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

After slipping 150 years into the past, modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has embraced her new life in Victorian Scotland as housemaid Catriona Mitchel. Although it isn’t what she expected, she's developed real, meaningful relationships with the people around her and has come to love her role as assistant to undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.

Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie's younger sister's wedding. The McCreadies and the groom’s family, the Cranstons, have a complicated history which has made the weekend quite uncomfortable. But the Cranston estate is beautiful so Gray and Mallory decide to escape the stifling company and set off to explore the castle and surrounding wilderness. They discover that the groom, Archie Cranston, a slightly pompous and prickly man, has set up deadly traps in the woods for the endangered Scottish wildcats, and they soon come across a cat who's been caught and severely injured. Oddly, Mallory notices the cat's injuries don't match up with the intricacies of the trap. These strange irregularities, combined with the secretive and erratic behavior of the groom, put Mallory and Duncan on edge. And then when one of the guests is murdered, they must work fast to uncover the murderer before another life is lost.

This was a fun read. I thought I’d read the first book in the series—and not the second two—but maybe not. I still had no problems stepping in mid-series. I enjoyed the characters and the dichotomy between modern Mallory caught 150 years in the past. I found all the characters to be solid and (mostly) likable, and I truly had no idea what was really going on until the reveal at the end. Very solid historical/time travel mystery read with some great characters.

Kelley Armstrong is a bestselling author. Death at a Highland Wedding is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 5/20).

I enjoyed this far more than was likely warranted, but i'm not entirely sorry. It feels like she's really hit her groove with these characters, although, on that note, might be less fun without reading the rest of the series first (though of course it isn't strictly necessary).