5/5 stars: This is the fourth entry in Armstrong's A Rip Through Time series, which is a Sci-Fi (Time Slip) Historical Mystery that follows a modern-day detective living as an 1870 Scottish maid, after slipping 150 years into the past, as she helps her undertaker boss and a detective investigate a groom's erratic behavior and a wedding guest's murder. With plenty of twists and turns, Armstrong has masterfully crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and deftly weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. I really like how Armstrong combines modern-day police procedures with emerging 19th century forensics and policing practices. A longtime favorite author, Armstrong's heartfelt, clever and witty writing and in-depth character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. I love reading Mallory’s modern day POV being turned on its head by her Victorian era setting and her continuing adaption to it. It's also a joy to catch up with Mallory, Gray and his sister, Isla, police detective, McCreadie and household staff members, Simon and Alice. Additionally, I really appreciate Armstrong's handling of Victorian social strictures and the incredibly atmospheric descriptions of the Scottish Highlands. With tact and sensitivity, Armstrong touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, A Rip Through Time. If you’re looking for a great mystery run don’t walk and pick up this amazing series; highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I am truly obsessed with this series. If you're a fan of the Lady Sherlock or Veronica Speedwell series, I think you should give this series a shot. I was hesitant back in book one of whether or not the fact that I was intrigued by a potential romance was just me being delulu, but I finally feel fully vindicated in this book. I love the audiobook. I love the mystery. I did not guess the mystery, but once it was all revealed, I thought it was wildly clever. If you're in a place where you're especially sensitive to violence against women, maybe steer clear for a bit until your tolerance is slightly higher because there are mentions of sexual assault, though no real descriptions.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley but this review represents my honest opinion.

First of all, I love this series. Love it. The way the author combines the reality of 19th century Scotland and the whimsical concept of a modern girl stuck in that era and still finding her footing so well is perfect- there's enough reality that I don't need to suspend belief but not so much that I can't escape into the pages.

I very much enjoyed this look into the backstory of one of my favorite characters, Hugh. And the thing is that like most of us, it's messy. And while the author doesn't shy away from the consequences, and those aren't great, it also doesn't punish him for them. It's never comfortable to be confronted by the consequences of our actions, even when done for all the right reasons, but how we handle them says a lot about us. And because I don't want to leave spoilers, I'll leave it up to the reader to see how Hugh handles his.

Mallory and Duncan are fun and charming as always. This is one of those rare series where I live the primary and secondary characters equally, so I'm never disappointed to see anyone get a few words on the page.

As for the mystery, I liked it. Some parts of it were easy to predict, but much of it wasn't. And the denouement was very satisfying.

It's been a stressful few months, and I'm appreciative of a book that was just fun and unstressful to read. 5 stars, great read

Death at a Highland Wedding might be my new favorite book in the Rip in Time series. I loved the historical tidbits scattered among the murders. I also loved that I had to keep guessing who the killer was until the end. The story's plot and pacing were excellent, and I continue to consider this series one of my most enjoyable book series to date. I gave Death at a Highland Wedding 5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Death at a Highland Wedding. All opinions are my own

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 20, 2025
Mallory Atkinson is beginning to adjust to her new life after slipping through time and becoming a housemaid in Victorian Scotland. Working for undertaker Dr. Duncan Grey, she also uses her police experience to assist Grey and his friend, Hugh McCreadie, in investigating and solving local crimes. In this installment, Mallory, Grey and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie’s youngest sister’s wedding but, as is to be expected, Mallory and her friends end up investigating a murder when the best man is found dead.
“Death at a Highland Wedding” is the fourth installment in Kelly Armstrong’s “A Rip Through Time” series. Think “Outlander” with a police investigation, murder mystery component, and you have Armstrong’s time travel series.
Although I have read the first three novels in this series, it had been a while so I appreciated Armstrong’s recap at the beginning of the novel. This would also be helpful for anyone who jumped into book four without reading the previous three, although I wouldn’t recommend it. Although it is easy to follow either way, Armstrong’s “Time” series is definitely one of those that should be read consecutively, as it is most definitely worth the time and effort to get the full experience.
Mallory is just starting to come to terms with her feelings for Grey, so expect slow, creeping romantic tension. “Wedding” has a few of these secret romances, as well as some adorable kittens, and some very disturbing secrets that are treated very differently in Victorian Scotland than they would be today. Combined, Armstrong’s novel creates non-stop, page-turning drama and action from the first page.
I love Mallory as a protagonist as she is sharp, sassy and relatable. In “Wedding”, there is a small glimpse (and I mean a sentence or two) of Mallory’s former life and some mystery about how she transported back and forth is hinted at, although I’m glad she chose to remain in the past. Duncan continues to be completely socially awkward but brilliant and I love that Armstrong brought back McCreadie and Isla for book four, as they have slowly started to develop their own plotline, which I completely support.
I love books that take place in Scotland, regardless of the era, and I’m almost as big of a fan of time travel novels, so Armstrong’s “Wedding” was a no-brainer for me. Armstrong has numerous other novels, both stand-alones and series, but I have only had the pleasure of reading her “A Rip Through Time” novels, though I continue to be curious about her other stories. I’m definitely going to be looking for more Mallory and Grey, but I might just check out some of Armstrong’s other novels in the interim.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This is #4 in the Rip Through Time series but can be read as a standalone. I had only read the first book, and read it when it was first published, so it's been a few years. There was enough background in this one to get me up to speed without feeling I was missing anything. Absolutely loved this from start to finish. It was much more humorous than I was expecting. The characters were great, the slow burn among the couples was just right, and I didn't even attempt to figure out the mysteries - it was simply a fun ride. Even though part of the mystery was heavy and tragic, it never brought down the mood of the story. I don't think I'll go back and read 2 and 3 but I sure do want to read 5 and find out where the author takes these characters! Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong. Below is my honest review.

Yet another fantastic entry in A Rip Through Time, this time following Mallory and Gray and company to the highlands of Scotland for the wedding of McCreadie's sister. Of course, there have to be complications - including a history between McCreadie and the groom. Turns out, the groom is a man from the social circle that Gray and McCreadie were a part of in their youths, and McCreadie's family had an arranged engagement between him and the now-groom's sister, which McCreadie effectively ended, causing massive rifts. Things are further complicated by things at the estate, and eventually there's a murder.

Luckily for everyone involved (except the killer, and well, the victim), the crackpot team of Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are there to solve the case.

This one was really good, but I will give you a warning - there are some potential triggers revolving around grooming, sexual assault, etc.

Highly recommended. But you'd be wise to read the previous books in the series first for all the backstory. Though if you choose to, it's still a great novel on its own merits... you'll just miss some of the depth.

This is the first book by this author that I've read. I absolutely loved it! Now I want to go back and read the others. Such a fun story that begs to be continued. Awesome story that can be read alone but I think would be even better if whole series is read in order

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the eARC of Death at a Highland Wedding! I picked up this series after loving Armstrong's Rockton books, and it is such a fun take on a more classic mystery. Set in Victorian Scotland, modern Vancouver detective Mallory is (now by choice) inhabiting the body of a housemaid working for a undertaker with an interest in forensics and his sister, a chemist. The trio, along with DI McCreadie, travel to the wedding of McCreadie's sister and then have to investigate a death at the wedding. If you have an interest in the early days of forensics, the Victoria era, or just enjoy historical romance and mystery, I think you would enjoy this series! (I do think starting at the beginning would help orient to the characters & their relationships)
This installment is absolutely my favorite yet. Mallory is more comfortable in "her" skin, and the interactions between the characters are less fraught with some of the previous societal tensions. The team works well together, and learning more of McCreadie's story added a lot to the series. If you are caught up with the series I think you will love this installment!

Our time traveling heroine Mallory is headed to a Highland wedding in Victorian Scotland where there will simply be dancing, a marriage, murder, intrigue and scandalous affairs. You know, they usual. While this latest chapter in Mallory’s story can be read as a stand-alone, I feel you would miss out on so much character building and the intensity of the will-they-wont-they relationship between some of the characters, specifically with Mallory and Duncan. Which is the slowest of slow burns that truly has me screaming at the page to just be together already. Outside of the romantic entanglements, the mystery was well thought out and detailed. I had myself flipping pages back to find what I had initially missed reading or picking up on and when the pieces of the puzzle started coming together. I was a little disappointed in myself I hadn’t fully formed the whole picture, which is only a testament to how well thought out the mystery was written. If you ae a lover of mysteries, historical time travel and a hint of romance, I would recommend picking up this book (this series really!)
I have been thoroughly enjoying the Rip Through Time series and Death at a Highland Wedding was yet another installation that had me clamoring for more. I am itching to see what happens next with the rag-tag group of societal misfits and what mystery Mallory, Duncan, Ilsa and McCreadie will find themselves a part of next.
Thank you to St.Martins Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley and Kelly Armstrong for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions in this review are strictly my own.

Death at a Highland Wedding is part of A Rip Through Time Mysteries. Mallory is a present day Canadian police detective living in Victorian Scotland.
Hugh’s sister is getting married and they go to the countryside hoping for a nice, happy time. Unfortunately, there is a lot of tension in the wedding party and in the locale. The previous owner forced families off the land to build the hunting lodge. When a guest is murdered, the young constable is not amenable to their help but he has arrested the wrong person so they investigate anyway.
A very good mystery right to the end.

This book gets the Rip Through Time series back on track for me. I loved the setting of the highland manor, I loved the gossipy nature of all the clues as to who liked who, who loved who, who hated who, and why. I loved that so many different women characters got things to do, especially Isla. And who doesn't like kittens? (A mother wildcat dies in a horrible way off-screen in this book but her kittens do survive, if animal abuse/death is an issue for you.)

Mallory and Grey have a bit of drama- clearly they both are extremely into each other and clearly both of them are clueless as to how to deal with these feelings. This didn't matter as much to me as how our detectives learned more about the murder victim and who might have wanted him dead. The victim struck me as a bit off from the very beginning so I wasn't too surprised when evidence was found that upheld my suspicions.

Fans of this series will not be disappointed in this instalment. The quartet travels into the Highlands to attend the wedding of McCreadie's sister to his old frenemy, but the titular death is only part of the story.

We finally have the opportunity to learn more about McCreadie and how his background shapes the relationship he has with Isla.

The book is filled with unexpectedly funny moments and references to Canadian pop culture, and contains a refreshing twist on the usual supposed good guy turning out to be evil.

Once Again Kelley Armstrong hits it out of the park...
If you read this series then this one will not disappoint.
*strong characters
*interesting plot
*story pulls you in and in no time you are finished the book
*Mystery and romance what a great combination

ourth book in the series.
Mallory Atkinson is a homicide detective who now lives 150 years in the past in Victorian Scotland. Her employer Dr. Duncan Gray, his sister Isla and their friend Detective Hugh McCreadie know her true identity as she uses her knowledge of modern investigation methods to help them. As they travel to attend the wedding of McCreadie's younger sister ,strained relationships and a broken engagement are revealed. When a person is murdered, the investigation is on to clear the bridegroom who is being held for the murder. The investigation will reveal the secrets that will resolve the investigation. Strong characters, interesting relationships.
#DeathataHighlandWedding #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley

Death at a Highland Wedding is book four in the Rip Through Time series and is best read in order as part of the series. Mallory has found contentment trapped in the past in the body of a young maid playing assistant to undertaker and forensic expert Dr. Duncan Gray. A trip to a wedding finds Mallory, Duncan, and Detective Hugh McCreadie investigating a murder that they have no jurisdiction over. The landscape even proves deadly in the latest case as Mallory, Duncan, and Hugh uncover secrets and a murderer in the latest mystery. I love the slow build of chemistry between Mallory and Duncan while her character brings a unique influence to the historical setting. The story is full of suspense and keeps you guessing until the end for another great addition to this series. My love for the characters and the uniqueness of the storyline keeps me adding each new book to my must read shelf. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I love this series so much. Kelley Armstrong writes the most thought out, well explained stories.
The mystery is always well done, the back story is always continued in a satisfactory way. I have read pretty much every book she's written, and I will continue to read them all.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Another excellent time slip mystery by Armstrong. This is in the middle of a series, so the characters are already set up, but evidently, there is much progress in their relationships. The mystery is a slippery, convoluted conundrum, well executed so the reader can follow every clue and guess the killer at the same time as the characters. Mallory was a 30+ detective in modern day Scotland when she fell through time. Now, she is a 22-year-old maid assisting a coroner and a Victorian detective to solve murders with techniques that are barely feasible in that time period. Since 22-year-old maids generally do not assist the police or physicians, or work beside men in general, this presents a few difficulties on many levels, along with the risk of the killer coming after you with a shillelagh or bear trap. I enjoy the sensible characters, the way they handle their unusual companion, and the insights into the history of police detection—plus the puzzle of whodunnit. A great historical read as well as a mystery and romance, what’s not to love?

I love the premise of this series - a modern detective thrown back in time to 1869 Scotland, still solving murders but without our current tools, and while enduring the sexism and stereotypes of the period.

I'll be honest, I'm actually not the biggest fan of Kelley Armstrong's writing style; in particular, the dialogue often sounds stilted and overly formal, even between characters who know each other well. The mystery plots are fine, but not especially memorable, However, I can't stop myself from picking up these books. Mallory and Gray are such interesting characters and their relationship keeps me reading. I wish this would be adapted into a TV series.

4.5 Stars ⭐️

I was thrilled to see that there was a new book out in this series. This is the 4th book and I have enjoyed every single book so far. The premise of the storyline is of a 31 year old 21 century woman -modern day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson - who is attacked and strangled in an alley and at the same time, a 19 year old house maid living in the 19th century -Catriona Mitchel - is also attacked at the same time in Scotland.

For whatever reason, something happens and they seem to switch bodies. Mallory ends up in the 1800's and in the body of this young house maid (and for the first three books we do not know if Catriona is in Mallory's timeline - so no spoilers for those that haven't read this). We have followed along as Mallory has had to learn the customs and behaviors of this new time - which is not easy when women of that time were looked upon as no more than property and we only supposed to be seen and not heard. And having the ability to read and write - not a chance.

Luckily, the home that she works in happens to have the most progressive employers and we have watched as she has worked her way up to become an assistant to her employer - Undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and his awesome sister Isla - along with his best friend Detective Hugh McCreadie. This foursome has become great friends and have solved many crimes.

This story has the foursome traveling to the Highlands to attend the wedding of Hugh's sister. I'm not even going to go into how difficult the most simple things become with the outdated behaviors that they have to deal with concerning propriety. One thing is the treatment of Mallory because she looks so young and most think that the title of "assistant" really means she is something else to Duncan. The foursome had gotten used to being able to behave a certain way in their homes and are surprised to be reminded that they have to be very careful when around new people.

Of course, there is a murder before the wedding and our foursome is actually so very delighted to have a case to focus and spend their time on. There are a lot of things that they uncover, some relevant and others are unexpected. The case is not simple in the slightest. There are many, many secrets that the guests have and things are discovered that are surprising and disappointing.

Another fantastic book in the series and I am looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone. This book will be out for publication on May 20, 2025.