The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong

“If Dr. Addington is here at this hour, there has been a murder. Is it a devious one? Oh, I do hope so. We are in need of a puzzle. A dastardly killer who must be brought to justice.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨

Happy pub day to The Poisoner’s Ring and thank you to @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the ARC.

The Poisoner’s Ring is the second book in Kelley Armstrongs Rip Through Time series and lovers of the first will also enjoy this one as we follow defective Mallory and Dr. Duncan Gray as they try to solve a string of mysterious, poisonings that are taking place in 1869 Edinburgh that are resulting in the deaths of multiple husbands. One of which is Duncan’s brother in-law.

*For all the Bailey Sarian fans out there, I hope you also think of Aqua Tofana because that’s all I can think of while reading this.*whispers “Aqua Tofana”*

The writing is great and I love how Armstrong is incorporating more diversity in her works. This one really focuses on LGBTQIA+ community, pro nouns, gender fluidly and same sex relationships. This really was my favourite aspect of the novel and I love the conversations that were had throughout, that revolved around this.

Those that love cozy mysteries will eat this up because it delivers on all of those vibes but unfortunately they are not for me. I have yet to come across a cozy mystery that I really enjoy and because of that this one was a bit of a struggle for me. But that’s a me issue not the book’s issue. Because I know a lot of people who would absolutely love this.

I also think I would enjoy this one more on audio than reading it.

If you love historic, cozy mysteries with a sprinkle of romance and social commentary this is a great read!

I am loving Kelley Armstrong’s historical time travels and was fortunate enough to receive advanced copies of both the book & audiobook. The Poisoner’s Ring is the second novel in the Rip Through Time series featuring a young detective who finds herself stuck in Edinburgh, 1869. An exciting mystery and danger await you in this fast-paced, twisty tale.

This is the second novel in the Rip Through Time murder-mystery series. Armstrong does a fantastic job of reintroducing the characters and world, I highly recommend beginning with A Rip Through Time. This review may contain minor spoilers if you haven’t read book one.

On May 2019, Edinburg Detective Mallory Atkinson was attacked and awoke in Edinburg 1869. She awoke to find herself in the body of Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid for Dr. Duncan Gray, the local undertaker. After the events of the first book, Mallory is adjusting and working as an assistant to Dr. Gray.

In this novel, men are being poisoned and expiring. The lead constables believe the wives are responsible. Mallory, Dr. Gray and Constable McCreadie set out to look for the poisoner who may supply these women. Things take a turn when Dr. Gray’s own sister stands accused of poisoning her husband. How are these women connected? Did they, in fact, kill their husbands? The case was filled with twist and danger.

I loved the story that unfolded from the well crafted mystery to the threads involving social issues. Armstrong touches on racism, women’s rights, sapphic romance and the social classes. The characters are rich and developed from the street urchins to the upper class. We learn more about Dr. Gray and his family and, of course, Mallory herself. I enjoyed the relationship between Mallory and the doctor, as well as her friendship with his spinster sister.

The story wove in historical tidbits, the history of forensic science and the origins of the poisoner’s ring. While Mallory still longs to return to her time, I am looking forward to more mysteries in 1869.

Perfect for fans of murder-mysteries, historical fiction and well-drawn characters. If you haven’t tired Armstrong or read her earlier works, I cannot recommend her enough. Her latest series from romantic suspense to historical romance and mysteries have become must reads/listens for me.

Audiobook
While I bought the audiobook, I had the pleasure of listening early. Kate Handford narrates and brought these characters and story to life. The tale lends itself to the audio format, and Handford gave unique voices to each character. I highly recommend listening.

I forgot how much I loved this series until I picked this book up again. I love how while being historical Mallory still brings in the modern world and uses it to her advantage. Also the mystery unfolding was interesting and I loved how it involved a lot of detective work and deduction, not just the science of things. I can’t wait to see what happens next for Mallory and Gray.

Before I get too far along in writing about The Poisoner’s Ring I need to give some information about A Rip Through Time, the first book in the series by the same name. It's 1869 in Edinburgh Scotland and man is strangling Catriona Mitchell in an alley. The nasty little housemaid works for Dr Duncan Grey. In modern times, Canadian detective Mallory Atkinson is passing by the same alley at the same time of day and hears Catriona’s cries for help. Mallory goes into the ally and is also grabbed by a man who starts to strangle her. The two women jump time and switch bodies. Mallory wakes and finds herself as the disliked housemaid in the home of undertaker Dr Duncan Grey.
Ok, we are mostly caught up and we can move on to The Poisoner’s Ring . In the previous book Mallory has had to confess her time traveler status to Duncan Grey, his sister Isla and police detective McCready who often consults with Duncan on forensics since the so-called police surgeon uses Duncan’s facilities to do his so-called autopsies. Duncan has no official status with the police since he is bi-racial; and despite his brilliance and wealth is a second-class citizen.
Poison is a woman’s way of killing an unwanted husband. When men begin to start dropping dead in Edinburgh, the wives are the ones arrested. Duncan’s oldest sister also immediately comes under suspicion when her husband succumbs to a poisoning. All of the men are rotten husbands, so it makes sense to suspect the wives.
Kelley doesn’t get bogged down in all of the different time travel tropes, which is a smart move on her part. Who cares, just bring on the story! Which she does in her usual inimitable way.
I don’t think I have ever met a character that Kelley writes about that she hasn’t done justice to in her portrayals. Even secondary characters get their due.
In The Poisoner’s Ring she brings modern sensibilities on race and sexuality to Victorian times. Kelley includes characters who are bi-racial, women who identify mostly as men, lesbians, and gay men who pay for their “crimes”. What is now was also then.
I am fascinated by the historical detailing and the fun little facts Kelley throws into The Poisoner’s Ring . Whenever I find the intriguing little details, I know the author is actually having fun writing the book, despite their hair-pulling moments. It matters. I think a reader knows instinctively when a book is a labor of love or a chore.
As terrific these first two books are, I have a wish to see how Catriona Mitchell is doing with Mallory’s life in the 21 century. Then again maybe we are better off not knowing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for an Advanced Reader’s Copy.

This is the second in the series and I generally enjoyed it. Would have liked more time spent on the main character’s efforts to find out how she ended up in Victorian Scotland and how she can return to the present day - her efforts are all on solving a mystery involving a poisoner’s ring. That mystery itself was a bit long-winded but did touch on sibling relationships, the funeral business in the 1890s, and the role of women and social class. The book was well-written but slow moving. Not quite as good as the first in the series but was a good read.

Thanks to Minotaur books and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

The Poisoner’s Ring is the second book in Kelley Armstrongs A Rip Through Time series which follows a modern-day homicide detective trapped in the body of a 19 year old housemaid 150 years in the past.

Men are dropping dead from a powerful poison and the main suspects are the grieving widows, the latest of which happens to be Gray’s oldest sister Annis. Mallory, Gray, Hugh and Isla must figure out who the real murderer is before Annis hangs for not only her husbands death, but the others as well.

I was so excited when I was approved to read this ARC because I absolutely LOVED A Rip Through Time. As expected, this book was so much fun!
This time around, Gray, Isla and Hugh know who she really is. To everyone else she’s still Catriona - only much improved after her head injury - and in addition to being a maid she now acts as Grays assistant.

The mystery of the poisonings was very well done and I enjoyed seeing Mallory be able to openly assist with the investigation as they attempt to solve the murders.
Once again, I adored the main characters and their interactions now that they know the truth about Mallory.
There is still a small hint at romance that has me curious as to how it will play out, especially now that Mallory and Duncan have both acknowledged that they will miss each other if and when she finds a way to get back home.

This series is becoming one of my favorites and I’m so excited to find out what comes next!
If you’re a fan of murder mysteries set in the Victorian era, or even a fan of Kelley Armstrong I definitely recommend giving this series a chance!

Mallory is still stuck in Victorian Scotland in the body of a teenage housemaid. She continues to try to keep busy trying instead of focusing on the fact that she cannot get back to her real life. Lucky for her there is no shortage of crime for her to investigate with Gray and his family…even when his family members are the ones being investigated.

This is the sequel to A Rip Through Time (which I loved last year) and a new investigation into a new crime with the characters you know and love. I was initially confused as to why Mallory getting back to her time wasn’t a bigger plot line buuttt then I realized there are more books to come. There is more of a romance developing between Mallory and Gray which I am loving and very looking forward to seeing more of. Overall fun and different and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

I like this series much more overall than I enjoyed this particular entry. I love the premise and the characters, the Victorian Scotland setting and the traditional mystery structure. This entry in particular was a little slow. It didn’t feel like it quite had “stakes” given the people who were accused of the murders. I didn’t buy that Mallory was super motivated to solve the murders, and it felt like a lot of paperwork investigation. I would still recommend this series, including this entry, to historical fiction readers.

THank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Poisoner’s Ring is the second in Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip in Time Series. In the first book, Vancouver detective Mallory Atkinson is visiting her dying grandmother in Edinburgh when she is attacked in alley. She wakes up to find herself in the body of a 19 year old maid in 1869 Edinburgh who’d been attacked in same alley on same night 150 years earlier. Hoping that solving the case will send her back to her own time/body, she does that just that…only to find herself stuck in the past.

PR picks up several weeks later. The bad news is that Mallory is still in Edinburgh, still stuck in the body of a pretty but untrustworthy chambermaid that everyone hates. The good news is that her employers—Duncan Gray, a wealthy undertaker with an interest in forensics who consults with the local police, and his widowed sister Isla who happens to be a chemist—learned the truth about Mallory’s situation/believe her. Gray has taken Mallory on as his assistant when she’s not acting as part-time maid. When several men are poisoned and their wives stand accused they are asked to investigate. Shortly thereafter Gray and Isla’s older sister is also accused of poisoning her husband—by her husband before he dies. They must find out if there is a connection to the other murders and prove her innocence.

One of the things that is so unique about this series (aside from time travel) is the focus on forensic history which I found really interesting. I like that Mallory got to be more herself in this book now that she’s no longer hiding her true identify from everyone and it was fun to see them interact with her 21st century humor. We also got to see more of Gray and the professional and personal relationship between he and Mallory develop. Despite the times, Gray appreciates and looks to Mallory’s expertise, viewing her as true partner; perhaps because he himself faces challenges as biracial man of illegitimate birth. But it is clear that there is more than just professional respect between them. It will be interesting to see how that plays out given she is temporarily (?) in 1869 and in a body not her own. Looking forward to next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for an advanced readers copy—all thoughts/opinions are my own.

A delightful and well-researched cozy mystery, where a modern day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian England, in the body of a maid. That time traveling happened in the previous book of this series, and in book two, she helps solve a string of poisoning murders, still stuck in time.
I really enjoyed the writing style, and the narration was fabulous. I read part of the book (e-galley) but mostly listened, and actually preferred the audio because the narrator brought the world alive.
The potential romantic interest, Dr. Gray, was lovely and I wished their relationship had progressed more. Guess I’ll have to read the next book! I hadn’t read the first book, but I’m intrigued enough to go check it out.
Thanks to Minotaur books and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Poisoner’s Ring, A Rip Through Time Novel by Kelley Armstrong from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

…Fast-paced, well-written and filled with a wonderful cast of captivating characters, a touch of romance, and a thrilling mystery….…

Being a fan of Kelley Armstrong I was thrilled to be given the honour of reading and reviewing the second in her, A Rip Through Time series, and like the first, I absolutely loved it!

We pick up the story of modern-day Canadian police detective, Mallory Atkinson, who is trapped in the body of Catriona Mitchell in 1869 Edinburgh. Catriona an assistant to Dr. Duncan Gray, an undertaker and medical examiner, is doing what she can to cope until she can find a way back home.

Dr. Gray and his sister Isla are aware of Mallory’s secret and although homesick, she is making the best of the situation by helping Dr. Gray with his cases as they arise. When a string of fatal poisonings hits too close to home, implicating Duncan’s sisters Isla and Annis, the race is on to stop before the poisoner strikes again and to clear his family’s name. Assisting Detective McCreadie, both Mallory and Duncan dive into the seedy streets of Edinburgh to find clues but the more they dig the more it appears that Annis is the guilty party. Is Annis guilty or is she being framed?

I love this series in particular the way the author creates such vivid and authentic characters. Mallory is an intelligent, strong, and independent female character but we also see her vulnerable and afraid. Armstrong’s prose feels authentic as she doesn’t shy away from tough topics such as racism, transgender, homosexuality, and misogyny which has made her one of my favorite authors.

Fast-paced, well-written and filled with a wonderful cast of captivating characters, a touch of romance, and a thrilling mystery, The Poisoner’s Ring is a page-turning historical mystery that I highly recommend.

I just finished The Poisoner’s ring by Kelley Armstrong @kelleyarmstrong, book two of a Rip through time and here are my musings..

Picking up where we left off with Homicide detective Mallory Atkinson still stuck back in 1869 with no obvious way of making it back to the modern day. She is still adjusting to the body she landed herself in and her employment as housemaid Catriona Mitchell. As luck would have it, her employers know about her and she has taken on a secondary role as an undertaker's assistant. Dr. Gray also moonlights as a medical examiner which puts Mallorys detective skills to good use.

Their latest case brings a whole new level of attention to Dr. Gray and his family. Women appear to be poisoning their husbands and the trail is leading them down an unexpected path.

Was so excited to get a copy of this one. I loved a rip through time and desperately needed to know what was happening to Mallory.

I love Kelley Armstrong's writing style. It’s lucid and she paces her books brilliantly. This one is no exception. The storyline is exciting and I was turning the pages like a mad woman. The character development is second to none and I love all the attention to details this book covers. The plot is incredibly detailed and held together with consistently clever quips. Sometimes for me, books with a lot going on tend to get messy but that never once happened here.

The ending was really well done and I need book three already! This might be the best series I have read in a very long time. I love a solid mystery and this is the gift that keeps on giving. We still don’t know why Mallory ended up in 1869 or whether there is a purpose to her being there and all these questions I have built up with the hope that something more happens with her and Duncan…. The hopeless romantic in me is aching to know whether she stays or ends up back home. Either is heartbreaking for her and you can feel that mild desperation in Mallory the whole way through.

You know you need a new series in your life so grab your coat and get to the store now and grab books 1 and 2 and come chat to me about it. I need to talk it out!

5 stars. Thank you @minotaur_books for my gifted copy

#aripthroughtime #thepoisonersring #kelleyarmstrong #minotaurinfluencer #bookreview #5starseries

When I read the first book in the series A Rip in Time. I loved it and I could simply not wait to read the next one in the series. Luckily for me I was able to get my hands on The Poisoner’s Ring. The second book in the series which picks up almost right after the events in the first; and like the first it’s a book you can’t miss. Once you get invested in Mallory’s (the main character) story and in that of her friends who all have relatable stories despite the fact that they live in Victorian Edinburg a time we can imagine but only know so much about. Whether it’s awful husbands, alienating family for the sake of love, or being forced to leave your dreams behind for the sake of a family business. All this and more are things the characters in The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelly Armstrong had to deal with.
Now, usually the second novel like second movie in the series is never as good as the first. Except, with all the action in the beginning and the continued building of Mallory’s new world it was a little more like the author put down her pen and then continued writing her story with another mystery for Mallory and friends to work through. With the advantage that now that everyone pertinent knows that Catriona the maid is Mallory from the future. Due to this Mallory is able to be in large part herself.
Here is where I might release some spoilers or legs thereof. The title of the book might lead someone to believe that this book’s mystery has something to do with a ring filled with poison. A notion that Mallory is quickly dispelled of in the beginning along with the audience. From there we dive into a mystery that starts of with the theory the there is a ring of women with knowledge that helps them kill their husbands. A way to be rid of their biggest problem for a lot of women in the Victorian era.
There was only one thing that disappointed me about this book. That is that while Mallory’s struggle with living in a body not her no own in a time not her is discussed. As well as Gray’s (Mallory’s boss and possible love interest) difficulty with getting to know Mallory and then possibly losing her. There is not even a smidgen of development on the front of how Mallory can get back home in this novel. Well … unless you take into account that the new character introduced in this novel Annis, Gray and Isla’s, older sister with an inclination towards alchemy might eventually provide answers to that question.

I've loved every single book I've read by Kelley Armstrong. She is so versatile in her writing and just plain fun to read.

The neat thing is that I read The Poisoner's Ring when I was going to Edinburgh on vacation which made it interesting to walk the streets and imagine what it was like a over a hundred years ago. This continuing story of time traveler Mallory living as a housemaid/undertaker's assistant is just as great as the first book in this series. It was fun trying to figure out the murder mystery and watching this very slow romance start to bloom between Mallory and Dr. Gray. I can't wait for another installment in this series and am going to be reading the novella Cocktails & Chloroform later this year too!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 23 May 2023.

This sequel to A Rip Through Time delivers an excellent follow-up adventure for the main character, a 21st century detective stuck in the 19th century. The contrast of her modern-day attitude and the social requirements and expectations of Victorian Edinburgh is entertaining and fascinating. With a complex murder mystery and well-developed characters, this book is a total page-turner.

This mystery series is a fusion of historical fiction and time travel. Series plot scenario: Mallory was attacked in a dark alley in Edinburgh, Scotland in the present day and woke to find herself inhabiting another woman's body in 1869, the body of a young housemaid in an undertaker/forensic-scientist's home. During book one in the series, Mallory finds herself forced to reveal her true identity to her employer Dr Duncan Gray, his sister Isla, who is a chemist, and Detective Hugh McCreadie of the local police force. They allow her to join in some of their investigative work as Gray's assistant--at least until she can figure out how to get back to the future...

Now in book #2 in the series, there have been three deaths by poisoning and a poisoning ring is suspected. Is someone supplying wives with the means to kill their husbands? One wife runs away while a second is arrested. The third death happens to be Gray's brother-in-law, Lord Gord0n Leslie, and his wife, Gray's sister Annis, stands accused of murdering her husband. So the pressure is on to figure out what links all these crimes and prove these wives innocent.

It's fun and interesting to spend some time in Victorian Scotland and compare crime solving techniques in the past and present. Some things are pretty humorous, like Mallory trying to run in layers of skirts and catch her breath in a corset. But there's also how poorly women are treated in that era, how little personal freedom they have outside the home. And Dr Gray, who is biracial and often confronts bigotry, is rather shocked to learn things on that front haven't improved all that much 150 years into the future.

I've enjoyed this series so far and look forward to more episodes. Will Mallory want to go back to her 'real' life if/when the chance comes or will new emotional ties keep her rooted in the past? We'll see!

I received an arc of this new mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Mallory, a Vancouver homicide detective is still stuck in Victorian Edinburgh but now her employer Dr. Duncan Gray, his sister Isla, and Detective Hugh McCreadie all know she's not Catriona, whose body she's inhabiting and they welcome her help with murder mysteries- and this one is a doozy. Someone is poisoning men with thallium, a newly discovered heavy metal and the most recent victim is the husband of Gray's sister Annis. This is a terrifically twisty novel that would be a vastly improved reader experience if Armstrong had provided more of the back story, which would have helped even me, a big fan of the first book, remember how Mallory got in this position and some of the other bits and pieces which are referred to but not explained. That said, it's wonderfully atmospheric and complex. Mallory brings a fresh perspective on detecting, Annis, while, ahem, difficult, has issues that aren't immediately apparent and Duncan is, well Duncan. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me. It's a great read.

Terrific sophomore installment of this time travel mystery series.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for my review.

In the second book in the A Rip Through Time Series, it is 1869 in Edinburg, Mallory's employers are now aware that she is not their housemaid Catriona Mitchell (despite being in her body), and she is still no closer to finding a way home to her life in the present day. Mallory is now officially working as Dr Duncan Gray's assistant as he works as an undertaker and then moonlights as a medical examiner. The latest string of cases has Dr Gray and Mallory working overtime. Men are dropping dead from a powerful poison, and all signs point to the grieving widows… the latest of which is Gray’s oldest sister.
I am a huge fan of this author's books, and I am thoroughly enjoying this series. I love the fresh premise and the setting. I also enjoy Mallory (who in present day worked for the police) & is using her skills she learned on her present day job, to assist them in solving cases over a century prior. She constantly has to explain things she says because those words are not yet used. That always brings a smile to my face when that happens, imagining what it would be like to witness. If you are a fan of mysteries, time travel, and/or fantasy fiction, then you definitely need to check this book out.

The Poisoner’s Ring was a page turner for sure. The characters were familiar from Kelley’s first installment, with new ones added for this mystery. I enjoyed the way you were able to relate the 18th century environment to the 21st. Once again, main character Mallory takes charge, and attempts to unwind the mystery using her 21st century skills in a strange and sometimes hostile environment. The exciting conclusion only leaves you wanting more.