A Rip Through Time is the latest time travel book from Kelley Armstrong. This is a stand alone story and I'm happy it is the start of a new series by Armstrong. The first word that comes to my mind about A Rip Through Time is fascinating. Reading about a person from modern times that finds themself stuck in Scotland in the 1800s with no idea on how to travel home is a mind blowing concept. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy to review.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The cover art isn't great... the title is honestly the only thing that caught my eye. Other than that, the author did a great job with the writing.

A Rip Through Time is a fun introduction to a new series by Kelley Armstrong. It involves a Canadian homicide detective who, while visiting her dying grandmother in Scotland, is attacked one night by a serial killer. After being knocked unconscious, she wakes in the body of a housemaid in 1869 who had endured a similar attack. Now she must figure out who attacked her as Catriona the maid, who is killing others in Scotland in the late 1800s, how in the world she ended up here and, most importantly, how one should behave as a housemaid in 1869!

I definitely loved the concept in this and I think Armstrong built the characters and relationships well as she set the scene for future books. I wouldn’t say the mystery was immersive, as there was a lot of time invested in the build, but it was interesting to see it all play out in the end. I also liked the overall tone of this, which was relatively light and sometimes humorous despite the circumstances.

I liked and disliked the focus on Mallory’s adjustments to new vocabulary and mannerisms. I think the author made her difficulties realistic. It just felt a bit overdone at times. At any rate, I am glad she didn’t take any easy route and allowed this acclimation to be genuinely challenging for the character.

I fully appreciate the inclusion of meaningful social commentary in a book and I certainly didn’t disagree with what was expressed in this one, but it seemed incredibly forced. It felt like the author wanted to make sure we knew where she stood on each issue, rather than lacing it into the fabric of the narrative. This was truly my biggest gripe, as it kept interrupting the natural flow.

I also do not care for first person narratives that tell the reader what other characters are thinking and feeling. I feel this should only happen in a third person narrative. We are never spot on with our assumptions so it does annoy me when the narrating character has such assured insight into everyone else’s emotions.

While I may not have loved every aspect, I thought this was a good beginning for a series, and I imagine future books will center more around mysteries now that the setup is out of the way. There is a chance I’ll continue to seek this one out, as I have plenty of questions I’d love to see answered as things progress, and I’ll be interested in seeing how Armstrong resolves the biggest issue (Mallory’s time traveling) when it all comes to an end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I am immensely grateful to Minotaur Books for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Rip Through Time will be out at the end of May!

🕰 I love time travel books! Fish-out-of-water stories are fun, and in this case our strong & independent heroine was definitely in a position she wasn’t accustomed to!

🕰 All characters were realistic and genuine.

🕰 The forensics were interesting, particularly when Mallory/Catriona was trying to explain it in 1860s Scotland. The highlighted differences between modern police procedures and how things were done in the past was also interesting. If I had any complaint, I’d would have loved delve more into the forensics, but maybe that’s coming in future books. 🤞

🕰 There is a bit of suspension of belief, which is typical with time travel books, but that’s ok. Nothing was over-the-top at all.

🕰 The writing seemed effortless & easy to read. The world-building was great & the end was satisfying.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress @minotaur_books for an ARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

A new series from Armstrong is always something to be excited about, and this time-traveling mystery featuring a 20th century detective who ends up in 19th century Scotland is an engrossing, fun read. Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother when she is almost strangled to death by an assailant during an evening jog. She comes to in 1869, in the body of Catriona, a young housemaid who was strangled in the exact same location as Mallory. As Mallory's tries to find her way back to her own time, she also searches for Catriona's assailant and uncovers plenty of dark secrets and interesting relationships. As in Armstrong's previous time-travel romance, I found the writing in a historical setting a bit self-conscious at times, but I still really enjoyed the book and the series shows a lot of promise. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for a digital review copy.

I don't even know where to start! I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan. I devour her books. So when given the opportunity to review A Rip in Time I couldn't download the book fast enough. I wasn't disappointed! A Rip in Time, simply put, is so rich in historical fact, adventure and heart stopping situations that I really will need to read it again. I was so caught up in figuring out the story that I found myself reading at breakneck speed. Word of warning...this is the first book of a series so don't expect the end of the story to be wrapped up in a bow! But for me that's good news. Another book by Kelley Armstrong? Yes, please!
I voluntarily received a copy of the book from Netgalley.

On May 20, 2019, Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother. She goes out for a run one evening and hears a woman cry out. She goes to help and sees a transparent woman in an old fashioned dress. Mallory thinks it must be from one of the murder mystery tours, but then Mallory is attacked from behind, and strangled, then she loses consciousness. When she wakes up, she discovers that she has become the woman from the alley that she saw. That same woman, Catriona Mitchell, was strangled in that alley exactly 150 years ago and left for dead. Now, Mallory must convince everyone she is Catriona, and assume her identity as a housemaid in the home of Dr. Gray, while she tries to find the person who tried to kill Catriona.....and hopefully find a way back to her own life in 2019.
All I can say is......wow. This was awesome! I love this author's books, but I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this. However I can honestly say that Ms. Armstrong.... you outdid yourself with this one. I can not wait for the next book in the series. I was completely captivated by the storyline, and I loved all of the characters, especially Mallory and Isla Ballantyne, Dr Gray's sister. She did such a good job with the descriptions and world building that I actually felt like I was there watching it all unfold, instead of just reading about it. Whether you are a fan of fantasy fiction or mysteries I thnk you wll enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC provided in exchange for my honest opinion.

This new series by Kelley Armstrong finds a modern day detective in the body of a Victorian-era housemaid 150 years apart after they were both attacked in the same place. As Mallory rushes to find her would-be killer and get back to the present, she finds herself trying to adjust to life as a housemaid at the same time.

I liked this book and want to read the next one in the series, but I will admit that I enjoy Armstrong's other time traveling series "A Stitch in Time" more. I wanted there to be more romance and what kept me reading was to find out if she could get back to the present. Read this one to find out!

Thanks so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a fun romp though 1860s Scotland in the body of 2019 Vancouver police detective Mallory Atkinson. A bit Sherlock Homes and bit Outlander ( though without the sex).
2019 Mallory is out for a jog in old town Scotland when she hears a cry coming from a dark alley. Being a Canadian police detective, she can’t help but investigate. Suddenly, there is a rope around her neck and she is unable to breathe. When she wakes up, she is 150 years in the past, and is in the body of 19 year old housemaid Catriona. Nothing of victorian Scotland is as it appears on TV and Mallory has to navigate her new identity and world while trying to figure out who tried to kill her. I like the characters we meet in the story alot, and am happy that this is the first as a series, so that we will get to spend more time with them.
Highly Recommend

p.s. One of my favorite pastimes is casting characters of my favorite books for “the movie”- I would cast Jodi Comer as Catriona, Dev Patel as Dr Grey, and Drew Barrymore as Isla. 😎

A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

9781250820006

352 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books
Release Date: May 31, 2022

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Time Travel

In 2019, Mallory is a homicide detective in Canada. When she hears a woman screaming, she goes to investigate but is attacked from behind and strangled. She thinks she is dying only to wake up in the body of teenage housemaid, Catriona, in 1869 Scotland. Mallory believes the only way to get back to her time is to find the man that was attempting to kill Catriona.

The book has a steady pace, and the characters are developed. It is written in the first-person point of view. Mallory is a strong woman that has found herself in unfortunate circumstances. Instead of investigating, she is relegated to cleaning chamber pots and other household chores. Hopefully in the next book, Mallory will get more answers. If you like Paula Brackston’s Found Things series, you will enjoy reading this book.

Very reminiscent of the Julie McElwain's Kendra Donovan series, which I enjoy very much. Good storyline and very likable characters. Serial murders are occurring in Edinburgh Scotland that are based on the Jack the Ripper murders that won't take place for another 20 years. Who is responsible?

What happens when you are attacked in a alleyway and wake up in another time period? Mallory is a detective who is attacked while out on a run. When she wakes up, she is in another body in another time. Can she solve the mystery in time to return to the present? The premise was great! Lots of commentary about the period, which I love. Cliffhanger ending. Will definately read the next one!

Flawless pacing, engaging mystery, active characters. I am so glad that I picked up this time travel detective novel.

A video review including this book is on my Youtube channel at https://youtu.be/FyK7hcbNrvc?t=645

THINGS I LOVED:
The subtle beginnings of a romance for our heroine. Though nothing truly happens on that front, the slow development of it was engaging, and makes me excited for the next book in the series.
Absolutely flawless pacing. Always exciting without a breakneck speed. Always with something to do, a miniquest, a little mystery.
You get the sense that the book is incredibly well researched. The author has a long bibliography on her website, and she has put in more than enough time into learning the historical setting.
I get to look forward to reading more books by Kelley Armstrong! I love her writing style, and I’m excited to find more favorites in her novels.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
The dwelling on the question of, “is that how things are in this time period?” Our main character, Mallory, is often surprised by how things are in Victorian Scotland, or thinks something like, “well, of course it would be like that, because of the time period.” The fact that the book was constantly calling attention to the concept of historical accuracy took me out of the narrative.

Going back in time isn't as easy as one would think in this amazing first book of hopefully a long series. This is the first time travel book that really made me think how hard it would be to go back into another era. It's bad enough talking to older or younger people in our own time period. But another era altogether would have to be almost next to impossible. Not only that, but the clothes women had to wear would be more than enough to make me want to tear my hair out. Since I don't want to post spoilers, I just will say I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I have questions!

I enjoyed this more than I expected- I've had mixed experiences with this author in the past! The story is that a police detective is somehow sent into the body of a Victorian-era maid in Edinburgh. As she tries to pass as the maid, Catriona, she gradually realizes that perhaps she was not the only person transported through time- the person who was attempting to kill her when she was sent back may also be in nineteenth century Edinburgh.

I was able to suspend disbelief with no problem. An annoying trope that common in time travel books is that modern heroines always are surprised by the sexism of past times and try to change everyone around them through sheer force of sassiness. Our detective, on the other hand, spends a lot of time trying to figure out how to act as Catriona would and not raise suspicion. This isn't helped by her repeated discoveries that Catriona was not a nice person. Our detective (Mallory) works for a surgeon who has ties to the police department, and Mallory can't help but get involved with analyzing some crimes. She's lucky enough to have an employer who values her help.

I'd happily read more in this series!

"A Rip Through Time' is the first book I have read by Kelley Armstrong, but it won't be the last. I really enjoyed this book and read it very quickly. It begins in modern day Scotland, with Mallory visiting her grandmother who is ill. She is a police detective in Vancouver, BC. She attracts the attention of a serial killer in a coffee shop and later that night is attacked in the same spot as a housemaid 150 years before. She wakes up in the body of that housemaid and has to adapt to her surroundings while trying to figure out a way to return to her time. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I can't wait to read the 2nd one!

Kelley Armstrong turns time travel on its head in the first of a new historical fantasy series, wherein police detective Mallory Atkinson, in her most bizarre case yet, lands in the body of a 19-year-old, thieving, lying Victorian housemaid, whilst retaining her disciplined, 30-year-old, 21st-century mind. As she adjusts to her surroundings, scrubbing floors, emptying chamber pots and polishing silver, she tries to make sense of the failed murderous attack during which she appears to have slipped through the space-time continuum, bringing her attacker with her into Victorian Edinburgh, where he’s hell-bent on revenge ……and notoriety. To catch a killer, Mallory must get into his head.

What the novel lacks in historical context and atmosphere is more than made up for by the brisk pacing. The premise is unusual, but knowing it is fantasy didn’t help with the curious master-servant roles depicted. Mallory’s modern speech patterns, peculiar behaviour and lack of deference are perhaps understandable, but the master of the house’s ingenuous acceptance of her sudden ability to read and write, discuss complex scientific theories and offer advice about a ritual murder, were hard to swallow. However, accepting this as a given for the storyline, there’s lots of action and plot twists to keep the pages turning and a sequel is positively bursting from the pages.

Kelley Armstrong's A Rip Through Time is a page-turning mystery/thriller with a time travel fantasy twist! Mallory is a modern-day homicide detective attacked in 2019 and loses consciousness in the exact spot in Edinburgh a woman was strangled 150 years earlier. When Mallory wakes up, she finds herself in the other woman's body, a housemaid in the home of Dr. Gray, an undertaker in Victorian Scotland. Her employer also performs post-mortem medical exams and is developing forensic techniques that are barely in their infancy in that day and time. Being a detective, she has advanced forensic knowledge and investigative skills; however, her role as a housemaid (and a woman) has significant limitations in that era, notably how she would have garnered that knowledge. But, a killer is on the loose, and Mallory is drawn to Dr. Gray's case due to the similarities with her own, and it might hold the key to getting back home.
I so enjoyed Armstrong's writing style. The plot was intriguing, the mystery satisfying, and the world-building solid. The tension of modern Mallory trying to adapt to and navigate Victorian life without arousing suspicion added to the suspense. Vivid characters populate this world, not just the intelligent and likable Mallory. Isla is fabulous and perhaps my favorite! I hope future books in the series delve even deeper into early forensic science, which was fascinating. Such a fun read! Sincere thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.

The story had an interesting premise, however, it is not original. It had a good beginning but seemed to drag and did pick the pace.

I have read and loved Kelley Armstrong books in the past. The ones I had read previously were PNR. I obviously knew going in that this would be different - but in an attempt to diversify my reading, I thought this would be a good bet.

Unfortunately, my reader tastes are very demanding and this didn't fit the bill. While it's smartly written, I really struggled to engage with the "rip in time" storyline and found myself either confused or not interested enough in the set-up of the story. It just didn't draw me in and I found myself quickly growing impatient with it.

So, unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I think it will appeal to a lot of readers who routinely enjoy this type of reading. But as a step outside of my reader comfort zone, it didn't work for me.