Minotaur Books | 31 May 2022 | 352 pgs
Source: Library
In this first book of a new series featuring homicide detective Mallory Atkinson, author Kelly Armstrong takes her readers through time and space to Victorian Scotland in 1869 to solve a murder case - a mystery in which somewhat related to her harrowing encounter that may have led her going back in time.
Mallory was visiting her dying mother and while she was out for a breather, someone attacked her after she thought she heard a woman screamed in distress in a dark alley. When she woke up, she found herself in a foreign land dressed in Victorian housemaid attire. She later learned that she'd woken up in Catriona’s body and she was the woman who was murdered in the same spot where she was assaulted in present time 2019.
As much as Mallory was shocked about the time travel and the body swap, her curiosity and her role as a detective quickly allowed her to adjust to the life as a housemaid to Dr. Gray, her employer. Dr. Gray was an undertaker, but he was also a medical examiner who assisted (discreetly) Detective McCreadie in his cases. McCreadie's recent case was a strangulation of a young man, and Mallory found the attack quite similar to Catriona’s and herself which made her think that the murderer might be of the same person. Without arousing Dr. Gray's curiosity about her true self, Mallory has to learn to adapt to the Victorian lifestyle without the modern gadgets but would she be able to catch the murderer so that she could return to the present world?
Well, I'd had so much fun reading this book! Basically, it has all the elements I love in my reading: time travel, suspense, Victorian setting and most of all, likeable characters such as Mallory and Dr. Gray. Their banter and their differences (in most aspects) entertained me but what I liked most is reading about Mallory's input of the modern investigative theories in Dr. Gray's findings and making sure that they wouldn't disrupt the origin investigation methods. The secondary characters are well-portrayed as well and allowed readers more than a glimpse of their various roles and their interactions with other characters. Overall, this was an engaging read and I can't wait to find out more of Mallory's adventures in the next book.
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I can see why you enjoyed reading this one so much. I definitely need to get around to reading this one sooner rather than later! :D
Lark - I think you might like this series, Lark. :)
I am so glad you loved this one, Melody! I can't wait to read it. The premise really sounds fun and I have liked other novels by Kelley Armstrong.
Wendy - It was a great read and most of all, I loved the characters. I hope you'll enjoy reading this book as much as I did when you get to it, Wendy.
I've only read the rockton books by Armstrong but I want to try this. Time travel and Victorian scotland... awesome :)
Haven't read a time travel book in a while
Greg - I need to catch up on her Rockton series. I've only read the first book so far.
Harvee - Me too; and this was lots of fun!