I can never get enough of this series. This is the fourth book and once again, I couldn't put it down until I had finished it. Then I re-read it. For anyone new to the series, the author has an introduction giving information about the main characters and explains where they are going - to a wedding in the Scottish Highlands. I particularly enjoyed being introduced to the Scottish wildcat. I had never heard of the species.

Detective Hugh McCreadie's younger sister is being married, and Dr. Duncan Gray, his assistant Mallory, and Gray's sister are all going to the wedding. There is a serious conflict between Hugh and some of the other people present, including the family that his sister is marrying into. Hugh had once broken an engagement to a young woman who will be present at the wedding with her family - a family who holds a grudge against Hugh for the broken engagement. Archie Cranston is the groom and is much older than the young bride-to-be.

Duncan and Mallory manage to take several walks on their own which took some doing since they were supposed to be chaperoned. They discovered that someone has been setting traps for the wildcats. One of the wildcats that was caught was still alive, and was taken back to the house for treatment. But some of the traps were made for people, and were approved by the bridegroom. One man had his foot caught in one of the traps, but the next victim of the traps was killed. Was it accidental or intentional? There were a lot of surprises in this book, and most I didn't see coming. This includes a very nice surprise at the very end of the book.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher St. Martin's Press, and voluntarily read and reviewed it. These are my own opinions.

Suspense? check. Time travel? check. Just enough historical details to keep me interested? check.

This is the first one of the Rip in Time series I read and I loved it enough to go back and read the others. Not because I felt I missed anything - the author did a very good job of dropping enough tidbits to keep the reader on track if they have not read the previous books.

Mallory Atkinson is a traveler out of time. Due to a strange rip in time, she finds herself transported back in time to Victorian Scotland and into the household of Duncan Gray, the local undertaker and unofficial forensic doctor. Being a detective in her own time, brings about a challenge as she wants to help with the investigations Gray is drawn into by his friend, Hugh McCreadie.

This story, unlike the others, takes place outside of their usual city pursuits. The group, including Gray's sister, Isla, find themselves traveling for the wedding of Hugh's younger sister. When the body of the best man is discovered wearing the groom's cloack, it brings to light the question, was someone trying to kill him or the groom?

While each book can easily stand on its own, I did decide to go back and read from the beginning which gave me a better understanding of Mallory. There are some touching moments between Mallory and Duncan; I love the slow burn. It's not instalove, but a closeness built on respect of each others knowledge.

I also like that there is still always the possibility that she will go back to her own time. It adds to the tension in the story.. Will they be able to stay together, will she have to go back at some point.

If you like historical suspense with a twist, I highly recommend.

This fourth book in the Rip Through Time novel series, takes our usual cast of characters into the Scottish Highlands in celebration of McCreadie's younger sister's wedding. The difficult relationship between the bride's and groom's families causes strain on the proceedings but somehow they'll work to get through it all as civilly as possible. That is until one of the guests turns up dead. Then it's all hands on deck to solve the murder so that the nuptials can proceed.

Author Kelley Armstrong does a spectacular job of sustaining tension within her mysteries, not the least of which is the sexual tension between Hugh and Mallory. But they work so perfectly well together feeding off each other's strengths. The writing is strong and the story - most engaging. The characters are well developed and the occasional humorous banter is absolutely delightful. The mise en scène is beautifully crafted and evokes the power and mystery of the Highlands. The mystery's resolution was a complete surprise. This was a fun tale and I eagerly await the next in series.

I am grateful to Minotaur Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.


Publisher: ‎ Minotaur Books
Publication Date: May 20, 2025
Number of Pages: ‎336 pages
ISBN:‎ 978-1250321312

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
The 1st day of 2025 and I just read and finished my first book of this year!
This was my 1st Kelley Armstrong book and I liked it a lot.
It would probably have been better had I read the others in the series, but it was still enjoyable.
Great historical feel, good mystery and even a bit of romance ... what's not to like?
Highly recommended!

I'm always looking forward to Kelley Armstrong's Rip Through Time installments, and this one didn't disappoint. Writing a historic Whodunit with a modern heroine gives Armstrong the chance to comment on victorian habits and compare with our modern police practices. It works!
If I should deduct half a star from the story, it would be because the will they/won't they romance between Mallory and Duncan is getting old in my opinion. We know it can only have one satisfactory outcome, and it has been drawn out long enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for a chance to read and review this ARC.

Another excellent entry in this time slip series. Mallory, Duncan, and co leave their usual Edinburgh for a wedding in the Highlands in this one. They’re expecting some family drama, but it quickly grows more serious as they contend with local allegations of wrongdoing and eventually murder. They now also have to contend with less hospitable local law enforcement and the lack of all their usual resources. It’s a good mystery as always, and it’s laced with a lot more emotional development in both the mystery and as the characters try to work out longer standing personal questions. Great characters, believable dialogue, and strong writing. I’m already looking forward to the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

Ms Armstrong delivers another riveting novel in the A Rip Through Time series! The best time travel, historical, romantic, murder mystery of all time!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for the advanced copy in return for an honest review. I can hardly wait for the next!

First off, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early access to another Kelley Armstrong book. She is one of my must read authors, and as always, she’s written a book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.

This is the newest instalment of the Rip Through Time series that has Mallory Mitchell solving crime with Dr Gray and Detective McCreadie. I appreciate that each book has a different style of mystery, and in this one in particular, had an ending that left you with a moral conundrum and in some ways, a perfectly satisfying unresolved crime. It’s nice to see the author choosing not to wrap things up so neatly every time. I also loved the introduction to new characters in this story, characters who give your already loved main ones more of a back story.

My only complaint, and to be honest it’s not really a complaint, more of my own personal whining… LET MALLORY AND DUNCAN HOOK UP. I had these same musings in her Cainsville series… I think it took 5 books for the obvious romantic tension to come to fruition. I appreciate that the romance isn’t front and centre, detracting from a good story, and to be fair the slow burn is really keeping me going… but can book 5 please just be the book they finally kiss dangit.

DNF at 40 percent. I can't find anything saying this is a YA book, but it feels very YA. It's also repetitive and too basic for anyone who likes mysteries--the back and forth comparing today's techniques to those in the past is pedantic. I wanted to like this. Clever idea, love books set in Scotland. This one is just not for me. And I can't recommend it to others.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the chance to read an ARC of Death at a Highland wedding by Kelley Armstrong. This is the 4th book in the Rip through time series, and I couldn't wait to read it! The story opens up with Mallory accompanying Duncan, Isla and Hugh to the wedding of Hugh McCreadie's sister. Settling into her new life as housemaid Catriona Mitchell, Mallory relishes her new position as assistant to Dr. Gray, and the friendships with the Grays, and McCreadie. The weekend becomes unpleasant when they meet the obnoxious groom, and discover that his new groundskeeper has set up deadly traps through the woods and an unexpected murder thrusts Mallory, Duncan and Hugh into solving the crime behind the back of the local incompetent police.
Death at a Highland wedding was a fabulous read and I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the main characters, the chemistry they have with each other, and the humour that is woven through the story. The plot is timely and the author has definitely done her research. As with her other books, the female characters are strong, and resilient. I totally recommend this book, but definitely recommend you read the series from the beginning! I can't wait for the next one.
Publishing date: May 2025.

This series is just fantastic and always a fast fun read. The twists and turns in a new setting with new characters was dun and learning supporting characters back stories was enjoyable. It got a little soap opera ish but aside from that can't wait for the next one!

The Rip Through Time mysteries are my current favorite mystery series and I was really excited to get an invite to review Death at a Highland Wedding, the 4th book in the series. It was completely out of the blue and I didn't know the book was even set up for publication next May. Of course I downloaded and read it immediately and I was not disappointed!

Mallory and Duncan, along with Hugh and Isla, head off to the Highlands for the wedding of Hugh's younger sister. There's a lot of family dynamics surrounding Hugh and while the previous books and novellas set up this foursome as a band of misfits, we don't really see how that plays out until Death at a Highland Wedding where more traditional Victorian characters make an appearance.

And then a murder happens...

Armstrong really outdid herself setting up this mystery. The victim was unexpected, the twists and turns kept me guessing, and the end was not a neat tied up with a bow ending. However, it was still a satisfying conclusion and I like how Armstrong plays with Mallory's thoughts and feelings regarding justice and the law and morality. It wasn't cut and dried and unlike some other authors lately, Armstrong had strong words for violence against women, without having it take over the case and becoming a look at how awesome my character is speaking about me too!

We still have the slow burns to end all slow burns and I was little disappointed at the lack of romantic scenes. But then I got to the end and those last few chapters really made up for it! I'm eagerly awaiting book 5 and I hope St Martin's Press extends another invitation!

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc for review purposes.