"It's Mallory Atkinson's first Christmas in Scotland. Victorian Scotland, that is. Also, as the twenty-first-century detective learns, Christmas really isn't a thing in Victorian Scotland. It's all about Hogmanay. But her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, treats her to an early gift of tickets to the event of the season: a Charles Dickens reading. There, they bump into Lady Inglis - the lovely widow who has sent Gray sexy letters trying to entice him back to her bed.

Lady Inglis introduces Mallory to Dickens - the meeting of a lifetime - but in return she wants their help. She's being blackmailed. Someone stole letters she wrote to another lover and is threatening to publish them.

Mallory isn't sure what to make of Lady Inglis, but no woman deserves that, so she insists on taking the case with or without Gray's help. Growing tension between them soon tells Mallory that Gray is hiding a secret of his own. She has until Hogmanay to uncover the blackmailer…and, hopefully, to put things right with Gray so they can enjoy the holiday together.

Note this is not a full-length novel. It's a novella set after Disturbing the Dead."

Hogmanay and Dickens!?! That's the kind of holiday season I approve of. Heartily.

In case you didn't already know, I'm kinda obsessed with the A Rip Through Time series by @kelleyarmstrongauthor and while I've been (im)patiently waiting for the next book in the series, I saw that there was a new novella coming out this month(10/31) - and I knew I had to read it! Kelley Armstrong is such a versatile author and I love this series because it combines many of my favorite elements - time travel, mystery and a slow burn romance(okay it's super sloow!).⁣
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Schemes & Scandals takes us back to Victorian era Scotland with Mallory Atkinson as she's finally settling into her life here - after traveling through time and ending up in the body of a housemaid! It's Christmas time but that actually wasn't celebrated much then and the focus is one Hogmanay - but Mallory is looking forward to enjoying the festivities. When they go to a Charles Dickens reading - an early gift from Duncan, they end up running into Lady Inglis, Duncan's former lover(how awkward because he's so uncomfortable lol💀) - and she requests their help as she's being blackmailed by someone.⁣
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I love all of the characters in this series - especially Mallory because she's such an amazing protagonist! She's witty, smart and tenacious but she has her own weaknesses too. I'm eagerly waiting for more romance between her and Duncan 🤞 hopefully in the next book. But in the meantime I did love learning more about him and his past. I loved the mystery and how this novella had a lot of things packed into it without feeling too short or rushed! It was perfect for my mood and I finished reading it in one sitting!⁣
Highly recommend this one - and the whole series(best read in order!) if you're a fan of time travel and historical mysteries! You'll definitely not be disappointed!

Yay! This is a Holiday (no Christmas in Scotland yet) Novella in the "Rip in Time" series with a modern detective, Mallory, time & body swapped with a Victorian housemaid Catriona, who works in the household of a BIPOC investigative coroner, Dr Duncan Gray. (it works). I quite enjoyed this holiday interlude before the next major installment drops & my favorite part was the meeting with Charles Dickens and I also liked that this one was a non-murder mystery. My thanks to Net Galley & the Publisher for the advance reader's copy.

4.5/5 stars

A delightful novella in the time travel series, I really enjoyed this one set around Mallory's first Christmas in Victorian Edinburgh and showcasing Duncan's former love, Lady Inglis.

Mallory and Duncan are asked to uncover the identity of a blackmailer and recover risqué love letters between Lady Inglis and a friend with benefits. The villain wants a payoff, or the letters will be released to the press.

I loved that this storyline was a bit awkward to navigate for Mallory and Duncan personally and that surprisingly Mallory was the one who was adamant about helping Lady Inglis in her difficulties. I also commend the author on something that I think must be very difficult to achieve with a novella...presenting a clear, concise and thorough story that leaves the reader happy and satisfied. I didn't feel rushed or left hanging but simply entertained. Well done!

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Subterranean Press for providing the free early arc of Schemes & Scandals for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


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

4.5 hearts

I am always surprised but delighted when I read a new book in the A Rip Through Time series. Even with about half the size of a full novel, Kelley Armstrong does not disappoint. Of course, it helps to read the series in order, both so one is aware of the history with the characters and relationships but also because they are some of the best books I read each year.

Schemes & Scandals begins as a holiday story with Mallory wanting to celebrate Christmas and trying to determine the best gifts for Isla and Gray. Gray gets them an early gifts of tickets to hear Charles Dickens read, which is a real treat. There Lady Inglis asks them to visit her; she needs their help.

The case is interesting and shows much about the position of women in this Victorian time and the casual entitlement of some men. There are also the discussions about Gray's relationship with Lady Inglis he has with Mallory with some reluctance but to share the truth.

I enjoyed this so much. I am a big fan of Dickens. It was fun to learn about holidays in Victorian Scotland, both Christmas and Hogmaney. There's the clever solving of the mystery of who is blackmailing Lady Inglis. Everything is engaging and easy to read.

Blackmail, Lords and Ladies!

Not as exciting as previous titles but an interesting novella if like me you’ve been following the series.
Mallory Mitchell, our 21st century detective who’s found herself trapped in a rather buxom maid’s body, Catriona, in Victorian Edinburgh, is taking up a case to do with the blackmailing of Dr. Duncan Gray’s ex lover and companion, Lady Patricia Inglis.
Lady Patricia is being blackmailed over letters of a ‘sensual’ nature sent to a friend with benefits. Only they were stolen from him. The blackmailer is threatening to have the letters published by Hogmanay if his payment demands aren’t met.
One of best moment was when Mallory meets Charles Dickens, a hero of hers. This raises a heap of other realisations for Mallory.
Another great addition to the series with the requisite mystery and a look at the traditions around Christmas and Hogmanay in Victorian Scotland.

A Subterranean Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Schemes & Scandals by Kelley Armstrong
A Rip Through Time series #3.5. Historical time travel holiday mystery. Best read in series order.
Mallory Atkinson is ready to celebrate Christmas however in Victorian Scotland, it’s currently not outlawed but also not a thing celebrated. Instead Hogmanay, the last day of the year, is celebrated with gifts, a meal with family and friends and fireworks. Dr. Duncan Gray gives Mallory an early gift to an event of a Charles Dickens reading performance. Mallory is excited to meet one of her favorite authors. Even though she is from the future, she still loves the stories of Dickens.
While at the performance, she and Gray run into a former lover of Gray’s, Lady Inglis who asks them to investigate the theft and blackmail of love letters she’s written to a long time friend. They have until Hogmanay to uncover the blackmailer and ease the tension Gray has from seeing his former crush.

Mallory is from current time and must work within historical equipment and science to be the detective she is at home. Only a few people know her secret. Everyone else knows her as a young and curvy beautiful blonde that may not fit the image of the undertaker’s assistant.
Mallory is smart and asks questions of the house staff, former valet and more to figure out who stole the letters.
A wonderful mystery with a bit of humor and smart investigative work by an out-of-time detective. The story is vivid and engaging. Mallory has a firm grasp of history where I’d be totally lost. Especially outside my own country.
Fantastic series.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Schemes & Scandals by Kelley Armstrong is a novella in the Rip Through Time series. I already love the original series and now there is a little interlude featuring the holidays, Charles Dickens and a blackmail crime? Count me in!

This is a very charming story featuring Mallory who is a 21st century detective trapped in the younger body of an 1860s assistant, her progressive boss, Gray, and his good-hearted sister, Isla. Armstrong makes a point to research and make the time period as realistic as possible for a fictional tale. It’s not surprising that class divides, women’s control of their own actions, and keeping up appearances all make a showing here, even in this fun story.

The mystery was intriguing, the setting and pacing were perfect. I loved the inclusion of another one of my favorite authors, Charles Dickens. Not only did it help set the holiday season stage at a time when Christmas wasn’t celebrated much in Scotland, it offered some good insight into what might be both the good and bad of being transported to a different time period.

Although it could stand alone as a short introduction to the series, it would likely be more meaningful to start at the beginning of the series.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to the next one! As always, thank you to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the eARC.

Terrific novella set in the world of the A Rip Through Times series. The mystery is compelling, and the Christmas-time setting adds an enjoyable sense of fun and joy. A great addition to a great series.

I love the Rip in Time series by Kelley Armstrong and was delighted to get early access to Schemes & Scandals, a holiday novella. A modern day female detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland where she helps a doctor and a constable solve murders. It’s Mallory Atkinson’s first Christmas and she and Dr. Gray must solve a blackmailing case.

I love this series including the novellas. Mallory Atkinson, a modern day detective, was attacked and woke up to discover herself in the body of a housemaid in the home of Doctor Duncan Gray. You’ll need to read the series in order to discover all that and how she is now working to solve cases.

It’s Christmas in Victorian Scotland and it’s Mallory’s first. While Christmas wasn’t really celebrated, Hogmanay, the last day of the old year, was. From Dicken’s A Christmas Carol to gift giving, we get to spend lovely time in the Gray household and celebrate the season.

It wouldn’t be a Rip Through Time story without a bit of a mystery for Mallory and Duncan to solve, and that comes from a widowed acquaintance of Duncan’s. It seems someone is blackmailing her over letters she wrote to her lover. Scandalous! I had a delightful time as Armstrong had us hunting down clues, sneaking into men’s only clubs and more. It was clever.

I love that despite the short-length, we got a complete mystery and a fun holiday story. I highly recommend this series and novella to fans of historical mysteries with a hint of romance. It’s filled with intrigue facts and delightful characters.

It looks like the hardcover edition from Subterranean Press was pushed back, but the kindle edition will publish December 3, 2024.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite fantasy/science fiction authors. I enjoyed this easy-going addition to the series. There is a mystery to be solved, but it's more of a cozy mystery with no death threats etc. going on. I love this series and will continue to read just as many as she publishes!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong and Subterranean Press for allowing me this e version arc in exchange for my opinion. All thoughts above are my own.

I LOVE this series, it has easily become one of my favorites. It follows Mallory Atkinson, a modern-day homicide detective who found herself trapped in the body of a 20 year old housemaid 150 years in the past. She is now fully embracing life in Victorian Scotland and her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray.

Schemes & Scandals is a wonderful addition to the series to hold us over until Death at a Highland Wedding releases next year. It’s a holiday novella that features a blackmail scheme involving Gray’s ex-lover and the fun addition of Charles Dickens.

I loved revisiting Mallory, Gray and Isla! Once again, I loved the detail put into describing Edinburgh in 1869 and I enjoyed learning about Hogmanay. It was fun following along with the mystery and Mallory’s attempts to navigate the…slightly awkward position the case puts them in (poor Gray!).

If you haven’t read any of the A Rip Through Time series yet but enjoy historical fiction, time travel and mysteries, this is your sign to do so now!

It’s Mallory Atkinson’s first Christmas in Victorian Scotland, where she time-travelled to, and she is excited to celebrate it with her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray. That is, until he informs her that Christmas really isn't celebrated in Victorian Scotland - instead, they celebrate Hogmanay. As an early Hogmanay present, Dr. Duncan Gray, treats her to an early gift of tickets to the event of the season: a Charles Dickens reading. After the reading, they bump into Lady Inglis—the lovely widow who has sent Gray sexy letters trying to entice him back to her bed. Lady Inglis introduces Mallory to Dickens—the meeting of a lifetime—but in return she wants their help. She’s being blackmailed. Someone stole letters she wrote to another lover and is threatening to publish them.

I am a huge fan of this series, and this was another fun installation in the series. This novella was a quick read with a mystery that kept me guessing and the witty banter between Mallory, Dr. Gray, and his sister Isla that I have come to expect from this series. I definitely recommend it!

I love every book in this series, including this one. Former modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has now accepted that she will remain in the Victorian era Scotland as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray in solving murders. They are approached by Lady Inglis to take a blackmail case. Mallory takes lead on the blackmail case since Duncan didn't want to take the case. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I love how well Mallory and Duncan work together. I also like learning more about Scottish Hogmanay. This is a must-read series for me with its intriguing mysteries and interesting characters.

I always want more! A lovely little novella in the Rip in Time series and I especially liked that we get to continue to see growth between our OTP :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for the ARC

From the very beginning, Kelley Armstrong's masterful storytelling drew me in with well-crafted characters and a plot brimming with twists and turns.

The protagonists are exceptionally well-developed, each with their own unique flaws and strengths, making them incredibly relatable. The dynamics between Mallory and Duncan are fun to read, as always. As this is a short story, I did not expect a lot to develop within their relationship but I am hopeful the next installment will further propel their connection.

The pacing is perfect, never dragging.

Armstrong has a remarkable talent for creating vivid settings that transport readers right into the heart of the story. I continue to be a huge fan of her work and cannot wait to read her next book.

Christmas was once banned in Scotland? Charles Dickens had a farewell tour? I love learning things like this and that was in the first few pages. The time-travel construct allows Mallory to observe and comment on Victorian life. I enjoy the Gray siblings and the interactions between Mallory and Dr Gray as they investigate a case of blackmail. This novella, set between books 3 & 4, can stand alone. Purchase where the novels circulate.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This novella was alright. I didn't love that letters of an "intimate nature" were the missing item because it gave the story too much emphasis on the sexism of the Victorian era. I also kind of felt like it was a way for there to be more romance without actually increasing the romance between Mallory and Duncan. I did really enjoy the inclusion of Charles Dickens though!

Another excellent read from Kelley Armstrong!

I am a huge fan of the author and the "A Rip Through Time" series. In "Schemes & Scandals", a cozy Christmasy novella, Mallory gets to meet Charles Dickens, but it comes at a price. In exchange for an introduction to the famous writer, Duncan and Mallory are tasked with investigating the blackmail of Lady Inglis, Duncan's former lover. Apparently, someone apprehended her scandalous letters to yet another paramour and is now blackmailing her. With Hogmanay just around the corner, Mallory is more determined than ever to solve this mystery as quick as possible.

I loved this novella as Kelley Armstrong has a way of pulling you right into the story, and the case itself was highly suspenseful. I cannot wait for the next installment!

Love this newest installment in the Rip Through Time Series!
Mallory and Duncan are on the case of the blackmailed widow. The Widow had a previous relationship with Duncan and has asked for his and Mallory's help in this delicate situation. They are on the case and ready to celebrate Hogmanay. We get to know everyone a little bit more, and even Mallory feels a bit more settled after the decision she made in the last book.
I love this series and I can't wait to see where this series is going to go next!