I was kind of hoping this was the final installment with the big romantic payoff, but was sorely disappointed. When I started this book, I was thinking it might turn out to the best one yet. The mystery was by far the most intriguing, but the slow burn romance has fizzled out.

Mallory even got back into her own body for a minute and chose to come back to olden days, and I was rubbing my hands together in anticipation like, "Okay here we go! The stakes have been raised. It's heart on the line time..." and then nothing. What a fake-out. She and Gray never even had a dang conversation about their feelings when she got back?! What? This man sat by her bedside for two days sick with worry and....NOTHING?! It was just immediately back to business, solve-a-murder time and it dragged on and on with nothing to look forward to. I don't think either of these characters is emotionally mature enough to be in a relationship.

It was a struggle finishing this book and I'm tapping out of this series. I have given up on a HEA for these characters although I'm sure it will eventually be a small side plot in a future book. Disappointed.

It’s been about six months since Canadian homicide detective Mallory Atkinson was attacked in an Edinburgh alley, after which she woke up, a couple of days later, to find herself still in Edinburgh–only 150 years earlier, and in the body of now-twenty-year-old housemaid Catriona Mitchell.

The story is told in first person, present tense, by Mallory; her modern sensibilities and the period setting make for an engrossing narrative. The author strikes a perfect balance between the mystery and the evolving relationships between Mallory and the people around her.

The author lays out the series’ premise and main characters’ established backstories in the first couple of chapters in an economic yet nuanced manner that readers new to the series can follow easily, while not boring returning fans with tiresome repetition.

Beware: racism; xenophobia; domestic violence; misogyny.

This is the third novel in the Rip Through Time series, and quite a bit has changed for Mallory and her employers, doctor Duncan Gray and Mrs Isla Ballantyne, since the events in the first novel; including the latter’s reconciliation with their oldest sister, Annis after their last major investigation into a poisoning.

“We’re in the middle of a brutal game of cards. Sure, I suspect “cards” and “brutal” should never be used in the same sentence, but this is Annis, who could turn Go Fish into a blood sport.” (Chapter 1)

One of the consequences of this reconciliation is that the now-widowed Lady Leslie feels no compunction about dropping in on the household without warning, or in inviting them all–Mallory and Detective Hugh McCreadie included–to social functions heretofore reserved for the highest of Edinburgh’s high society. Mostly, because what’s the point of being infamous if you can’t provoke a stir. But also, because Annis knows that Isla enjoys parties and has few occasions to attend one.

Isla, Hugh, Mallory and Duncan could do without the desecration of human remains as party entertainment, but things being what they are, they all go. While Hugh and Isla entertain themselves with some party food, and Annis enjoys scandalizing other guests by her very presence, Duncan and Mallory make the most of the occasion by checking out some of the other Egyptian artifacts their host brought back from his latest expedition.

Mallory is intrigued by the history between Sir Alastair and Duncan, and by the former’s family dynamics; the second Lady Christie, who was close friends with the first lady Christie, is Egyptian by birth, and her son from her first marriage is clearly half white. Her younger brother, Selim Awad, works with her current husband on their archaeological excavations, and was expected to arrive in Edinburgh in time for the party.

When neither Selim nor Sir Alasdair turn up in time to prevent a rather ugly scene at the party, Mallory and Duncan are prevailed upon to do the honors, given the former’s medical education.

And that’s when they realize that the “badly wrapped” mummy everyone is there to see unwrapped is actually Sir Alastair himself.

We so often hear that old phrase about repeating the past; I am deeply appreciative of authors who managed to show this simply by incorporating historic fact into their fiction–even fiction with such a fantastic element as time travel–in ways that show exactly what that means.

“Someone can support equal rights for one group while denying it for others” (Chapter 20)

I find the breadth and depth of the Victorian Edinburgh we see in these stories fascinating, and never more so than in this entry in the series.

The investigation into the murder involves the Edinburgh Seven, and the breathtaking misogyny of the period; the Victorian fascination with all things Egypt, with the attendant imperialist belief on British superiority and their right to everything they could get their paws on; and the enduring public fascination with “true crime”, through the proliferation of broadsheets carrying lurid fabrications around any unusual or scandalous crimes.

There’s the (literally) underground market where items as disparate as a Hand of Glory and mummia can be found and traded for; there’s the University of Edinburgh, and the politics and monetary considerations of research and higher education; there are the growing societal tensions over workers and women’s rights; the increased literacy of the poor, and the growing spread of scientific discovery–including forensic science–and so much more, all interwoven seamlessly into a cohesive whole.

At the same time, the relationships between the characters continue to evolve from the first book in the series there’s been a growing thread of romantic interest between Mallory and Duncan, and between Isla and Hugh McCreadie; the deep and longstanding friendship between doctor and detective is an essential part of how the Gray household works. Mallory’s own friendship with McCreadie, and how she establishes her new identity with the people who were already familiar with the manipulative Catriona (personally or by reputation), play an important role in solving Sir Alistair’s murder and other crimes.

Isla has her own moment to shine as she addresses a parallel mystery, though I imagine mystery fans will spot at least part of the solution early on, it’s still a lovely way to continue building the more intimate side of the world of the series, through the involvement of other secondary and minor characters, both recurring and new to the series.

Simultaneously, there’s the matter of Mallory’s life in the present; not so much her job or career, as that itch has been more than scratched by her work with Gray and McCreadie, and her friendship with Isla has filled in a void in her life she wasn’t aware was there. No, Mallory’s inner conflict revolves around her family, and the soul-gnawing uncertainty of her very presence in 1869 Edinburgh: how did she get there, how long will she remain, and what are her parents and dying grandmother going through, with Mallory gone.

Ms Armstrong resolution of this aspect of the story had me sobbing, which I absolutely did not expect; I don’t know that it will have the same effect on other readers, but it works for the characters. It gives them closure and frees them to move forward with their lives, and I look forward to learning what happens next for them all.

Disturbing the Dead gets a 9.00 out of 10

Each book gets better and better. I love the characters and the storyline . I love that we get factual tidbits of past history as well. I liked that Mallory has a chance to go back in time , only to have an impossible choice to make ,but the choice has to be made , giving me as the reader hope that there will be more books in this series .

This series truly just keeps getting better. I loved the time travel element in this one and hope there’s more back and forth with Mallory in present and past. Also clocked the floorboard plotpoint from Stitch in Time. Thought it was a clever return. I’m thrilled that Mallory and Grey seem to be getting closer as well. Highly recommend. This had it all.

Kelley Armstrong has a mystery series that mixes Sherlockian detective work with a dash of Outlander. Homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has found herself in the body of a maid in Edinburgh in the 1860’s. She has helped undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray solve a few cases and now she and her friends have to deal with a case of Disturbing the Dead (hard from Minotaur Books) . The corpse in this case is a mummy brought back from Egypt that is due to be unwrapped by Sir Alastair Christie. Of course, it was obvious to me that the mummified corpse was replaced by … The solution to that murder and other nefarious goings on is mundane. This is a fun series and I hope more cases will be written.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕖𝕒𝕕
Rip Through Time Novels - Book 3
352 pages
𝗞𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴
Genre Blending

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
Mallory has been taken back in time to Victorian Scotland in the body of a housemaid named Catrina. A homicide detective in the present, she ends up using her skills in the past.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series. I think reading the first two would have been helpful as I struggled through this.

The characters were fascinating, especially as Mallory shared her knowledge from the future. I thought having Dr. Duncan Gray believe her was perfect, as that would be hard to do.

Dr. Gray and Catriona work together to solve a case involving a mummy unwrapping. Interesting people jump into the story such as the first women studying medicine.

Although the plot was intriguing, it didn’t hold my interest. Again, I feel like it would’ve been better if I knew the background. I felt a bit lost as I read.

I know many people love this series. Maybe it just isn’t for me or maybe I just needed to read the previous books to enjoy this more. I’m not going to knock a book when I jump in at book three.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Having binge read the entirety of this series (so far) in one week, I can honestly say that this may have just been one of the best mystery/suspense books I’ve read in quite some time. Think Outlander crossed with a forensic psychology book set in the Victorian era.

Disturbing the Dead particularly closed some of the storylines from the first couple books and I cannot wait to see how this series evolves. I’m so excited to see where the author takes these amazing characters and I cannot wait to read more on them!

I’m a big fan of Kelley Armstrong’s Rip Through Time series. I like the story of Mallory Atkinson, a 21st century police detective stuck in the body of a housemaid in Edinburgh in 1869. But, I really like the way Armstrong incorporates the historic laws, medicine, and roles of women into her stories. Disturbing the Dead is the third in the series, and my favorite. It’s also the only one that made me cry.

Lady Annis Leslie, Dr. Duncan Gray’s oldest sister, invites a small group to a mummy unwrapping party at the home of archaeologist Sir Alastair Christie. She invites Gray, their younger sister, Isla, who is a chemist, Detective Hugh McCreadie, Duncan’s best friend, and Gray’s assistant, Mallory Atkinson. All of them are a little appalled that the body will be disturbed, but they also hope their presence will add a little dignity to the process.

It’s certainly not a dignified party, although society turns out. There’s a protester out front, Florence King, a member of the Edinburgh Seven, seven young women who were admitted to medical school despite objections by some. And, the party crowd is loud and only there to be seen and to see the mummy. However, when it’s time to unwrap the mummy, Sir Alastair is nowhere to be found. Instead, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. While they are assisted by Christie’s son, who lectures about mummification, they’re shocked to unwrap a body, a fresh body, not a mummy.

Together with McCreadie, Gray and Mallory try to recover the mummy and identify a killer. While someone suggests steps to take in their investigation, clues indicate that the mummy might not be the only artifact missing. And, there’s someone who seems to be dogging their footsteps, writing of the adventures of Dr. Gray and his beautiful assistant for broadsheets.

Disturbing the Dead is an excellent mystery set at a time when Egypt and mummies were popular with society and the public. However, Armstrong adds another element, giving readers a look at the life Mallory left behind when she was strangled in 21st century Edinburgh, only to return in the body of a housemaid. Armstrong provides a resolution that brought me to tears. If you’ve been following this series since the beginning, there’s some satisfaction in this book.

History, medicine, the roles of women, mystery. It’s all combined in a page turner, Disturbing the Dead.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Another great installment in the adventures of Mallory and Duncan. Not sure how Kelley Armstrong is this prolific but keep the books coming.

This is the third book in the Rip Through Time series, in the first we were introduced to policewoman Mallory Atkinson who, while being strangled in modern times, is transported back 150 years to Victorian Scotland and finds herself in the body of a young, beautiful housemaid. After a period of adjustment, she has settled into her role as housemaid to Dr Duncan Gray, who quickly figures out she's no housemaid and they have worked together to investigate and solve murders. In this installment Dr Gray and Mallory have been invited to Sir Alastair Christie who collects Egyptian artifacts, one of which he has invited several people to witness as he unwraps, it's a mummy. Though things don't quite go as planned and Duncan and Mallory end up doing the unwrapping and discover that it's not a mummy under the wrappings. Duncan and Mallory do make a good investigative team, though I found there was a lot of discussing of possible suspects. There was an interesting twist about halfway through that I did not see coming. I wish that Duncan and Mallory would just get on with it, they are obviously attracted to each other and want to be more than just partners in crime. The story does move along at a good pace and the ending, though not surprising, was very good at wrapping things up. I would recommend and I look forward to the next installment. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Minotaurbooks for the ARC.

Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong is the third book in A Rip Through Time series. Detective Mallory Atkinson is actually from present day times, but she's stuck in the 1890s. She's making the best of it though, by using her detective skills to help medical examiner Duncan Gray. I really enjoy this series, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. Anything by Kelley Armstrong is guaranteed to be well-written, so I highly recommend her books. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I have to say that I have enjoyed every story in this series and this one was no exception, the story was gripping and the "whodunnit" was done exceptionally well i thought (Beware, a lot of red herrings). I think it was almost 5 Star territory but since I had to put it down several times when real life intruded and I did not get homicidal about it as I do with true 5 Star novels I am giving it 4 Stars although it was a very close call. I hope she continues this series for a long time and whenever it does end that she can tie everything together to the satisfaction of all readers which is going to be a tough call.

Bottom Line: Highly recommended and further recommend you start with book 1 "A Rip Through Time" and not with this book to get the full enjoyment.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this early review copy.

Once again, another hit from Kelly Armstrong. I absolutely love this series, and everything she writes. A lighthearted, time traveling mystery, with such great loveable characters. I cannot wait to continue this series and see what Mallory and Duncan do next! Truly, the entire household is a joy, I love learning bits and pieces about all their past as you continue to learn more about the more minor characters in the house. I can't wait to see what they all get into next!

The Rip Through Time series has become one of my favorite series! You need to read these books in sequence, so make sure you've read Book 1 and 2 before reading this one.

Mallory is now acting as Dr. Gray's assistant and is no longer a maid in his household. They are invited to a mummy unwrapping by Sir Alastair Christie. Alastair is an Egyptologist who has brought back a mummy and is hosting all of society for an unwrapping. When he can't be found, Gray is asked to do the honors. But when he begins to unwrap the cloths, it isn't an ancient body inside, but Sir Alastair.

Mallory and Gray, along with McCreadie and Isla, investigate to find out who killed Alastair. The story also includes historical characters like the Edinburgh Seven ( the first women admitted to the University of Edinburgh). Mallory fangirls a bit when she meets them, because wouldn't the best part of traveling through time be meeting those who change the world?

This story has a lot of surprises, so be prepared to do a little bit of gasping! The story ends very satisfactorily and sets up the next book.

If you love historical mysteries and time travel, you'll love this series. The characters are very well developed and fascinating people I'd love to know.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong is available now! If you like time travel, romance, crime novels this one’s for you! This is the 3rd book in the Rip Through Time series and it did not disappoint!! I highly recommend this book, this series and everything Kelley writes!

I loved this third installment of Kelley Armstrong's A Rip Through Time series and getting to learn more about Mallory and Duncan and their adventures as they solves murders. I normally don't like time travel books, but Armstrong does such a good job bridging the gap between two different times that it just works and had me hooked from the first book. I also really enjoyed learning about life in Victoria Scotland. I can't wait for the next book. Highly recommend. Thank you netgalley for this advanced reader's copy.

Mood Readers:
Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong is well suited for someone feeling a little bleh, and in need of a light-hearted mystery with a time travel-twist. It will tickle your fancy while also teaching you a few things about how crazy it was to solve crimes in the 19th Century, before DNA and fingerprint evidence mattered.

Would you recommend this book?
Absolutely! You just truly should read the first two books in the series. It’s easy to enjoy a murder mystery set in Victorian times with the heroine being a true police detective that slipped backward in time. The story is entertaining, and the historical references are interesting. What sets this story apart from others are the characters you grow to love. You must get to know Mallory, Duncan, and Isla from the very beginning in “A Rip Through Time”. If you’re like me, you’ll be torn on whether Mallory should try to make it back to her time period, or stay with her new friends.

Would you be friends with the main character IRL?
I would love to be friends with Isla and Duncan, but I wouldn’t be as successful as Mallory. I do not remember much of anything from my school history lessons. I would flounder trying to fit in.

What songs would you put on this book’s playlist?
Who Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce
If This World Were Mine by Luther Vandross

I love this time travel series! I think this one is my favorite in the series so far! So many twists and a few shocks! I could not read fast enough!
I love the direction the series took in this one, but I don't want to give any stories! The author is definitely a gifted storyteller! Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC!

I love Kelley Armstrong's books but had not read anything in this series. While this book can be read as a standalone, I do feel like I missed some background and nuance by not having read the first two books. I enjoyed reading about the history of Edinburgh. The plight of women trying to become physicians was an interesting subplot. The mystery of weaving antiquities and murder was intriguing and when you think you might have it figured out, you don’t.

I will have to go back and read the first two books.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and Kelley Armstrong for the eARC.

Mallory and Duncan are invited to a mummy "unwrapping" which they attend for the scientific aspect of the evening. As an investigating duo, they are quickly involved as the unwrapped mummy is their missing host. Mallory's position in the household has changed as her secret is revealed to a few trusted members of family and friends. As the clues begin to trickle in they discover not is all as it seems. A twist with Mallory's life adds to the story. Look forward to returning to Victorian Scotland.