I really enjoyed the first of this series and the second did not disappoint! While it's the second in a series, I do think it could be read as a stand-alone, but readers would have a better idea of the setting and circumstances if they have read the previous book first. The narrator was wonderful and did a great job with the accents.

Time-traveling mystery with a bit of procedural and forensic in Victorian Scotland!

The Poisoner's Ring is a nice follow-up to book 1 in A Rip Through Time series. Men are poisoned and who would be killing them? Is it a work of a serial killer? Eventually, a death occurs close to one of the MCs.

Modern-day detective Mallory from Canada who is now in 1869 Edinburgh has to help find answers. Things are rather complicated when she's in a young housemaid's body!

I love the time travel element in this book. I also love how Mallory has to navigate many differences and expectations toward women in 1869. I think she hid it better in the first book while in book 2 she use modern terms in many instances to those closest to her. The first three parts were more interesting for me, I feel there's a bit pacing issue towards the ending. There's a tiny romance blossoming and overall very entertaining! I can't wait to read what's next for the characters. 3.5⭐

The audio narrated by Kate Handford was excellent and I very much enjoy her performance. I can't wait for the next one!

Kelly Armstrong returns with the second installment of her A Rip Through Time series, with The Prisoner’s Ring, and modern girl Mallory Atkinson is back to her crime solving habits in 1869 Edinburgh!

Being the second in the series, we don’t get the backstory of how contemporary Mallory falls back in time in Edinburgh to wind up in 1869 in the body of a housemaid working for a undertaker. The story jumps right in where we left off with Mallory looking For a way back to the future and keeping yourself busy assisting her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray as he works as a medical examiner.

Mallory uses her modern day, detective skills to assist Dr. Gray as they investigate a series of poisonings. The investigation gave me a Sherlock and Watson, feel as they uncovered the clues and may discoveries.

Kelly Armstrong has a great way of blending mystery and fantasy together in this time. Travel mystery. With a touch of will they won’t they between Mallory and Dr. Gray, I found I was anxious to see if something with flare up between the two of them… before Mallory finds her way back home again!

I enjoyed the unique characterization of Mallory as a modern day Canadian in Edinburgh, her Canadianisms shine through and add a touch of fun to the story. Also pairing up of two “outsiders”, Mallory, being from the future and Dr. Gray being a practising professional of colour during the time period Create another connection for the characters. When Dr. Gray asks Mallory, if things are better in the future, she is an able to fully give him the answer he hopes, for sadly enough.

I had the privilege to listen to the audio of this book and narrator, Kate Hanford perfectly depicted the voicing of Mallory. Her secondary characters were distinct and created a well-balanced narration. She encapsulated the modern sound of Mallory in the historical speech patterns of the characters within the time period. Overall, a very pleasurable listening experience.

This was another fun mystery, that had me guessing till the very end, and I’m looking forward to more cases to get solved by Mallory and Dr. Gray… Before she finds her way home!

Thanks to McNeil an audio for the NetGalley audio arc of this book.

#ThePoisonersRing #KellyArmstrong

This series has so much to offer... History, Mystery, Time Travel, and More!

While I did enjoy the first book more, this installment did not disappoint. I personally just enjoyed the storyline of book one better, especially because I have a strong interest in JTR.

This book, and series, sheds a lot of light on how far things have come in crime solving as well as in society and social acceptance. Is it perfect today, no. However, it's always a positive reminder of the advancements in technology and changes in acceptance of class and race.

The stories are gripping and moving. I had the audiobook and I actually felt myself getting lost in the story. The narrator, Kate Handford, is fantastic. I would highly recommend this series on audio.

I was given an audio version of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong
A Rip through Time series #2.
Homicide Detective Mallory Atkinson accidentally went through a time-slip and is stuck in the body of an eighteen year old maid in Edinburgh Scotland in the year 1869. Fortunately her employer, Doctor Duncan Gray is aware she’s not really the maid and she is able to help him in his job as medical examiner and undertaker. There seems to be a Poisoner’s Ring in the city as a few men are found dead, one making a widow of Duncan’s sister. The widow is always the first suspect and they need to beat the police in solving the puzzle or the widows will all end up in the gallows.

Mallory and Duncan trade quips and work around the language differences from 1869 to contemporary current day. He is quick to either pick up the meaning or ignore what Mallory says and moves on. As her stay in the time lengthens, they grow comfortable together. Respect, and friendship grow as they help the widows in their investigations.

Intriguing scenarios of investigative work in a time when finger prints are a science yet to come. And ice boxes. And women’s cinched clothing which I would abhor.

🎧I listened to an audiobook narrated by Kate Handford who also did the first book in this series. The performance is well done with distinct voices for Mallory and Duncan as well as a few of the secondary characters. The emotions are clearly expressed as the narrative turns from internal to danger and discussions of discovery of medical trends between Mallory and Duncan. The audio kept me involved and listening.
My preferred speed is approximately 1.4 and that was where I stayed for the majority of the recording.

Excerpt:
“I like your brain just the way it is.”
He opens his mouth, pauses, then says “That is oddly flattering.”
“As it should be. I’ve never said that to anyone else.”
Excerpt from The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. This is an auto buy author for me.

I received this in the mail and was curious, having not read the first in this series. Turns out, reading the first book was not needed and my goodness this was such a super fun book that I ended up loving! I listened to the audio on a walk yesterday and continued on the rest of the day as I did not want it to end. There is an element of time travel in here and Armstrong had fun with it in here, using present day terms in the past and the reactions were great. In one scene she tried to explain our current day Halloween and that was amazing. But I digress. I thought this was very well done, I loved the concept of a modern-day detective time traveling back to the 1800’s to help solve a case and doing it in the body of someone else. This worked so well, and the plot was intriguing, men are dropping like flies from a powerful poison, and it looks like the grieving widows are the culprit. One of which is Dr. Duncan Gray’s oldest sister, whom Mallory has been working with as an apprentice and the two work together to determine who is behind all of this.

I enjoyed this one very much, it is not one I would normally pick up, but is one I was so glad I read. The audio was excellent, and I was happy to have read it this way. Pub date is Tuesday, May 23, you will want this one on your list!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan.Audio for the advanced copies to review.

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.

Holy cow, this book was fantastic! I liked it much better than the first, but that may be because Mallory now knows how to live in Victorian Scotland, whereas before she was fumbling and finding her way. The murder mystery was also fascinating. Although I think I may have missed something: was it ever revealed where/how the killer got the poison? And narrator Kate Handford gave a very nuanced performance, with so many different tales on Scottish accents!

I received a copy of the audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley.

The second book in this series. Gray, Ila, and Mallory find themselves solving a murder that Anis, Gray and Ila's sister, is accused of committing. Sometimes the ones who are the closest to us, hurt us the most.

I really enjoyed the first book in the A Rip Though Time series and book two, The Poisoner's Ring was even better. Now that the story has been set up, it was wonderful to spend time with Mallory as she works towards solving a string of poisonings happening in Scotland. Mallory is a modern day detective who has been transported back in time to 1869 Scotland. The details of which are covered in book one. While she has the body of a house maid, her mind is fully her own. She therefore knows of many tools of solving crimes that are not available in 1869. When her employer, undertaker Dr. Grey, learns that his sister, Annis, is being drawn into the series of poisonings, he enlists Mallory's help. The group which includes police detective McCreadie, and Dr. Greys second sister Isla, who is an outstanding chemist, they are able to work together to get to the bottom of the poisonings.
If you enjoy a police procedural or historical fiction, this one really hits the mark. I can not wait for the next book in the series.

I listed to the audio book and narrator Kate Handford did an oustanding job in adding emotion and life to the characters.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the advanced listener copy. This is my honest review.

I can’t tell you how excited I was to read Book 2 after reading A Rip Through Time, Book 1, last week!

A Rip Through Time was a 5 star read for me! I loved the mystery, the jump back in time, the characters, everything!

The Poisoner’s Ring also had a fun mystery to it but this time around, some of the characters had different relationships with the MC as they now know her secret. So the overall vibe of the book changed. Now there are confidantes and shared secrets. Also, some new characters to enjoy, although one of my old favorites from Book 1 was rarely seen in Book 2. Hopefully she will be front and center in the next installment.

Kelley Armstrong is quickly jumping to the top of my favorite authors list!

I’m so looking forward to her new horror book, Hemlock Island -I wonder what genre she will pick up next?! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you to @minotaur_books and @stmartinspress for providing me with this #gifted ARC! I was so grateful to receive it!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook. I enjoyed listening to The Poisoner's Ring very much!

This series keeps getting better and better and I hope for more books in the series.
I enjoy the time travel aspect and the way Mallory is able to help out Gray and McCreadie solve crimes.
She is a bit hindered as detective work is not quite up to speed in Victorian Scotland but she makes do with what she has available.

I enjoy seeing how the characters have grown and developed since the first book. I am glad they know her secret. It is very sad how she is stuck back in time and the only way she is able to return is if she dies. I hope Kelley is able to find a way around that predicament! Is it wrong for me to hope for romance between Mallory and Gray? He is such a sweet and kind man and he deserves to have some happiness in his life.

I savored this one as there was so much history and women's (lack of) rights. Mallory does her best to educate everyone and I cheer every time she lectures Gray about his treatment of his sisters. There were so many players involved and I admit to being confused at times, but luckily I had an arc of the book to help me sort things out.

Great for those who love
Time travel
Mystery
Historical Fiction
Detective work

Is there a genre called Historical Mystery? Because this one fits that description

Ooh, Mallory and Duncan are getting closer, will there be a love match in book #3? I can't wait to find out. I love that Mallory ended up in such an accepting house in Victorian Scotland, Duncan and his sister are very understanding of the time-traveling story. I am very excited to read Cocktails & Chloroform when it is released in December.

Kate Handford did a great job narrating this novel and I hope that she will be narrating any future novels planned for this series.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

While this is a time travel mystery series, this book has no time travel which suits me very well. I'm enjoying the historical mystery and the lovely characters here. Now in The Poisoner's Ring, we have a series of poisonings and since Isla is a chemist there is concern she will be drawn into the suspects. I am really enjoying how Mallory is fitting into the household and building her friendships in her new circumstances. She is very helpful in solving the crimes and assisting Duncan in his undertaking / doctor business.

The poisonings are blamed on the wives / cooks since they are generally the ones feeding the men. However, Mallory and Duncan find that in almost all cases there was a gift or purchased special item of food or drink which ended up containing the poison. The details and deductions about human nature put together a very clever mystery. Jack is am unreliable new supporting character. I really enjoyed learning more about the rest of Duncan and Isla's family.

There was very little about Mallory's going back to her own time and she doesn't seem to have any idea of how to make it happen. Of course, since a death situation brought her here, it's not an easy thing to plan. I have to wonder what happened to Catriona, and is a killer taking more lives in which time period? What does Mallory's family know?

The author writes an excellent mystery so I am in no hurry to return to the present day, other than my previous questions. I hope if she does go back, Mallory gets to somehow retain her friendships made now in the past.


Narration:
I enjoyed the narrator and her performance of the male and female voices. The various accents and distinct character voices seemed well handled to me. I've no idea if the accents are accurate but they sounded right to me. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.

The Maid is a Detective

A bit of a fantasy detective story. I different type of story, but a well written story that keeps you reading. I thought it was very well done.

A modern day detective somehow is transported into the body of a maid in 1869 Edinburgh, Scotland. While this happens a murder takes place in which she is helping the undertaker investigate. She is part maid and part undertaker's assistant.

A man is poisoned and his wife is suspected of the murder, but did someone else commit the murder and frame her or is she actually the murderer.

Follow the undertaker and his assistant Mallory as they investigate the crime and try to find the murderer.

It was a different type of detective story and I did enjoy listening to the audio book. The narrator was very good, pleasant to listen to and easy to understand.

It is very interesting to see a modern day detective in a society where cell phones, computers and other luxuries do not exist. Mallory even has trouble with the terminology used and often slips and says modern words which are not understood. It is fun to watch as she tries to navigate in a very different type setting than what she is used to.

I loved the characters, especially that of Mallory. They each played their parts in the story well. It was a good story and I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Kelley Armstrong for writing a great story, to MacMillan Audio for publishing it , to Kate Handford for a great narration and to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the audio book to listen to and review.

I am a huge of Kelly Armstrong and was immediately pulled in with the first book, A Rip Through Time. This is a follow up novel and it did not disappoint!!!

I was captivated by the main characters as they are both layered and as you read, you keep finding yourself wanting to know more about them. THe inner works of their mind, so to speak, including the killers. The conclusion, which I must confess, I am usually quite good at figuring out by 45-50% mark had me guessing until the very end. The plot contains many twists and turns which I enjoyed tremendously because it made sense in the content of the novel. For those who are avid mystery thriller readers will understand that if there are too many red herrings but it doesn't flow with the book, it is just irritating. This was never the case with this author, which is why I adore her work, greatly.

My profound thanks to NetGalley and McMillian Audio for my honest opinion in exchange for the digital copy of this novel.

Plot: 4.5/5
Narrator: 5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Pace: 4.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Intrigue: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

THE POISONER'S RING by Kelley Armstrong takes readers on a captivating journey to Victorian Scotland in the year 1869. Mallory Atkinson, a modern-day detective trapped in the body of Catriona Mitchell, finds herself working as an undertaker's assistant. Teaming up with Dr. Duncan Gray, they become entangled in a case involving a deadly poison claiming the lives of men, including Gray's own sister.

Ms. Armstrong masterfully weaves together elements of mystery, historical fiction, and the supernatural in this enthralling novel. The story unfolds with intrigue and suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Mallory's struggle to adapt to her new life and the ever-present danger lurking around every corner adds depth to her character. The author's meticulous attention to detail brings the vivid setting of Victorian Edinburgh to life.

This compelling tale filled with complex characters, unexpected twists, and a thrilling investigation is the second book in the A Rip Through Time Series. Ms. Armstrong's writing prowess shines, captivating readers from beginning to end. Mystery enthusiasts and fans of historical fiction will find themselves thoroughly engrossed in this gripping and atmospheric novel.

I didn't know this was the sequel in this series but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book.

Such a unique perspective to this story. Mallory, a modern day Canadian police detective is some how trapped in the body in a 19yr old Victorian era scullary maid in Edinburgh Scotland.

This opens up all sorts of insights into the differences between life, love and murder between the two time periods. From discussion on clothes and etiquette to pistols, fingerprints and poison, its so interesting to see the different time periods compared this way. I loved the idea of this.

The characters are great. The plot is engaging. I will be reading more in this time traveling series for sure.

I had the pleasure of receiving both the audiobook and ebook of this title to review. The narration of this book was very enjoyable to listen to. I sometimes have problems with audiobooks, when the narrator switches between characters, but this was wonderfully done here.
This book was so much fun! It is the second book in a series so I would definitely recommend reading A Rip Through Time first or you probably won’t understand what is going on with Dr. Grey and Mallory. The best description I can give for these characters is if you could imagine Sherlock Holmes as an undertaker who solves crimes in secret, and Watson as a Canadian police detective from the future, pretending to be a 19th century Scottish maid. If that isn’t enough to hook you in, I don’t know what else to tell you.
Dr. Grey and Mallory are trying to figure out why men are being poisoned in Edinburgh. None of the men seem to be connected outside of the manner of their deaths. Is it all a coincidence or is there a secret group of women trying to rid themselves of unwanted husbands. The story will make you question everything until the very end.
I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a splash of fantasy thrown in. The narrator does an amazing job bringing the characters voices to life. Can’t wait for the next one.

I really enjoyed A Rip Through Time and this book was just as good.

In this book we get to meet Dr. Gray's other sister who is a strong dominating woman. I really liked this story line and while I had an inkling of what was going on by mid book I didn't know why. I appreciated the lgbt+ characters in this book and the way she explained how difficult it was to be a gay man during this time period but it was a bit easier for two single women to reside together as friends.

I also love the way Armstrong weaves Mallory's modern understanding of crime with what she has to work with in victorian Scotland. It leads to a lot of witty banter, blushing men and frustration on Mallory's part. I know that Gray is going to miss her if she finds a way home and he seems to have a thing for her but is keeping it to himself I'm interested to see how this plays out. I would love to see Gray wind up in modern times. It would be an interesting twist if Mallory could somehow pull Gray forward in time.

The narration was fabulous and I'm looking forward to more of this series.