Genres: Crime, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, suspense, thriller
Gripping, interesting, chilling, shocking and hard to put down! I fell in love with the characters of Mallory Atkinson and Dr. Duncan Gray in the first book in the series, A Rip Through Time! I continue to adore them and the supporting characters in this book. If you have not read that book or this series, I highly recommend it. I find not only this book but the other books in the series to be captivating, wonderfully written, atmospheric, thrilling and mysterious.
A brief background on the characters – Mallory Atkinson was a detective in Vancouver in modern times but found herself being transported 150 years into the past to Victorian Scotland and into the body of Catriona Mitchel, a housemaid for Dr. Duncan Gray. Lucky for her she found herself being transported into Duncan’s home as he is an undertaker and works closely with Detective Hugh McCreadie. She was able to confide in them and utilize her modern-day detective skills to assist them in solving crimes.
In Death at a Highland Wedding, sees Mallory/Catriona, Gray, and McCreadie traveling to the highlands for a wedding at the Cranston estate. The grounds are beautiful but immediately Mallory senses something isn’t right when a cat found in a trap has injuries that do not match up with the trap. Something is afoot and the groom is acting in strange and odd fashion. When a dead body is found, the trio must work fast to kind the killer!
As with the other books, I loved the setting. I also loved the atmosphere that oozed from this book. The Scottish Highlands, the forest at night, the tension in the air, and the mystery surrounding the cat’s injuries and the murdered guest, made for a gripping mystery. I also love the dynamic between the characters. Mallory continues to try to behave and fit in as a woman would in Victorian times. Plus, her interactions with Gray have me wanting to shove them together and say ‘come on already’ as their chemistry is off the charts!
I love Kelley Armstrong’s writing and her use of place and time in this series. She nails the Victorian settings and feel of the book. I also love the dialogue and how Mallory can utilize her current detective skills with the skills of the investigators of that time. The mystery was intriguing and had me wondering whodunit the entire book. The final reveal was nicely done and well played out. While I enjoy the mysteries and crimes that are investigated in this series, it is the relationships and characters that keep me coming back. Kelley Armstrong has created characters that I care about and root for.
Riveting, chilling, atmospheric, gripping and hard to put down!
*I had the pleasure of having the physical book (Thank you to Kat White at St. Martin’s Press), the e-book and the audiobook which made for a lovely and completely enjoyable reading experience. The narration of the audiobook was wonderful and so well done.
Thank you to Kat White, St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
