Review - Death at a Highland Wedding

This is the 1100th post for this blog!!!  That is a lot of content.

Kelley Armstrong is #1 NYT bestselling author of over 50 novels in mystery, fantasy and horror.  She combines her fantasy and mystery writing into a unique time travel series "Rip Through Time" mysteries. Death at a Highland Wedding is the fourth installment in her gripping series featuring a 2019 Homicide detective who time traveled to 1869 and is stuck there.  I have to say when I saw this unique murder mystery concept, I jumped at the opportunity to review!

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Copyright: May 2025 (Minotaur) 336 pgs

Series: 4th in Rip Through Time Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild, clinical descriptions of murder

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Mystery, Time Travel Mystery

Main Character: Mallory Atkinson, modern homicide detective

Setting: 1870s, Scottish Highlands

Obtained Through: Netgalley-Publisher for honest review

Book Blurb:  "After slipping 150 years into the past, modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has embraced her new life in Victorian Scotland as housemaid Catriona Mitchel. Although it isn’t what she expected, she's developed real, meaningful relationships with the people around her and has come to love her role as assistant to undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.

Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie's younger sister's wedding. The McCreadies and the groom’s family, the Cranstons, have a complicated history which has made the weekend quite uncomfortable. But the Cranston estate is beautiful so Gray and Mallory decide to escape the stifling company and set off to explore the castle and surrounding wilderness. They discover that the groom, Archie Cranston, a slightly pompous and prickly man, has set up deadly traps in the woods for the endangered Scottish wildcats, and they soon come across a cat who's been caught and severely injured. Oddly, Mallory notices the cat's injuries don't match up with the intricacies of the trap. These strange irregularities, combined with the secretive and erratic behavior of the groom, put Mallory and Duncan on edge. And then when one of the guests is murdered, they must work fast to uncover the murderer before another life is lost."

My Thoughts:

I have to admit that even though I was eager for a time-travel mystery, I wasn't sure how well it would turn out.  Execution is critical and time travel novels are tricky.  But this was handled very well and the story was great fun.  The idea that modern day Mallory ends up in the body of housemaid Catriona Mitchel in the 1870s worked perfectly the way it was presented and solved many problems that could have risen if a stranger suddenly appeared in modern garb (many questions to get around, let alone the language changes in 150 years, but materials used in clothes etc.)  

Although this is the 4th book and I hadn't read any of the prior in this series, everything was explained well and I had no trouble at all jumping into the series at this point.  The relationships are established and Mallory being from the future is already accepted, so in many ways I liked jumping in at this point.

I like Detective Mallory Atkinson who is smart enough to realize she has to meld into the norms of the time for women. She is a well thought out character in extraordinary circumstances.  Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie have accepted she isn't housemaid Catriona Mitchel and that she knows about forensics, advanced policing techniques, and even more important, they appreciate her.  She has found more of a family in the past than she ever imagined.  I like both Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.  I liked the bride, McCredie's sister even more through the book.  

I love the setting woven throughout the story as not only a lovely area but simultaneously an atmospheric one. Great job in having the place set the tone in several scenes.

The investigation is done in spite of the young and inept constable insisting they butt-out and stop attempting to direct where he should give attention or how to investigate. This tension becomes key.  It is very hard for our trio to figure out who did it until they start to piece together the "why." Why would a popular and well regarded man be murdered?  

The killer confrontation isn't suspenseful.  It is realistic, though, and well done.  I typically love the action and tension filled reveal, but I have to say this time it was emotionally intense.  For once I preferred it this way because it was written so well.  Kudos!  

Overall it is an absorbing mystery and well written with excellent characters that transports you to another time and place.  Highly recommended.  I'm already getting the first in the series.  I don't know how I didn't hear of this series before-but now YOU know.

Rating:  Near perfect - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

Here is an interview with the author:

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Author Post - Jeri Westerson

Los Angeles native JERI WESTERSON writes a Tudor series the King’s Fool Mysteries, and a Sherlockian pastiche called An Irregular Detective Mystery. She wrote fifteen Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mysteries, a series nominated 13 times from the Agatha to the Shamus. She also wrote several paranormal series and standalone historicals. She has served as president of the SoCal Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, president and vice president for two chapters of Sisters in Crime (Orange County and Los Angeles), she’s a member of the LA Sherlockian Society, and a founding member of the SoCal chapter of the Historical Novel Society. See JeriWesterson.com.

I have only reviewed two of the Crispin Guest novels on this blog, but I loved them both

2) Serpent in the Thornes (click here)

4) Troubled Bones (click here)

I'm looking forward to learning more about her newest historical mystery series with connections to Sherlock Holmes.

Welcome Jeri Westerson!

The Adventures of a Sherlock Holmes Pastiche

When someone says deerstalker and pipe, what image does that conjure for you? Most likely the most iconic detective there is; Sherlock Holmes. And yet, neither deerstalker – that hunting/outdoorsy hat with a flap in front and back with two on either side, as well as a big curvy calabash pipe – were never used by the man in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s canon of work. We have two people to blame for that. First was Sidney Paget, the illustrator of the stories. He’s the one that put Holmes in a deerstalker. And as for the pipe, we have actor and playwright William Gillette, who was the first the play Holmes on stage. Holmes smoked, among others, a churchwarden and a clay pipe, both with relatively small bowls and long stems. But Gillette felt that it wouldn’t be well seen from the folks sitting in the gallery, so he picked the biggest pipe he could find, the calabash.

And what about that oft misquoted “Elementary, my dear Watson.” Even though something similar showed up in William Gillette’s play Sherlock Holmes (“Elementary, my dear fellow”), it is still a misattribution. Not in canon and not in the original play did Holmes ever say that. But in many other adaptions, he began to.

Sherlock Holmes. Why did I choose to write about such a well-defined, well-loved, well-recognized character whom I didn’t create? A pastiche, if you will, but what is a pastiche after all but fan fiction? And I’m a fan.

Well, that’s why I chose to write a Sherlock adjacent series.

My series, An Irregular Detective Mystery, is most definitely about my own characters who interact with Holmes. The Doyle canon is treated like historical documents. You don’t veer from the truth by having Holmes have a daughter, son, wife, uncle – whatever! Or Dr. Watson having a love child. The canon is sacrosanct. What is fair game, are the other characters who just appeared in three stories with only one of them named. The Baker Street Irregulars. Those were Sherlock Holmes’ gang of street urchins and only the boss was named, Wiggins, no first name. I didn’t pick him. I wanted my own homegrown characters, and so that became Tim Badger, a wily street kid, who when he got too old, was no longer useful as the eyes and ears of Holmes. But he had ambitions. He decided that he learned enough about Holmes’ method of deduction that he, too, could be a detective for hire, and once he ran into another young fellow working hard at his many jobs, a black man named Ben Watson, he decreed it was Fate, and Badger and his own Watson could work together as detectives. It turns out…they were miserable at it. Until Mr. Holmes himself stepped in with much needed financial help and a bit of mentoring.

Thus, An Irregular Detective Mystery series.

After I had finished my fifteen-book Crispin Guest Medieval Noir series, the strategy was to come up with a new series to take its place. I had two ideas I put into the crucible. One was a short-term series, six books, about Henry VIII’s real court jester Will Somers as the sleuth in my King’s Fool Mysteries, and the other was An Irregular Detective Mystery. My agent liked the former. I liked both. So I pitched the latter myself without my agent to my publisher and surprise, surprise, they loved it. I had two mysteries to write a year.

This is not for the faint-hearted.

But I found, even though I had thought about the Tudor series
for some years, I really loved these two young blokes from London’s East End, and it was new for me to research the late Victorian period where there are photographs and newspapers and objects I can touch and buy for props for my events! The real thing! So different, and so fun.

I wanted a lot of humor in the series, mostly between Badger (so full of hubris and action) pitched against the more quiet and thoughtful Watson. Each with their own strengths and their own weaknesses that somehow balance out. Then add into it a love interest in the form of a female reporter (based on a real female reporter of the time) and it becomes more than the sum of its parts. If I enjoy writing them, you can be sure that readers will enjoy reading them, and they have.

Find THE ISOLATED SÉANCE, THE MUMMY OF MAYFAIR, and for pre-order THE MISPLACED PHYSICIAN at Barnes & Noble or Booskhop.org for indie bookstore purchases.

Buy Links (click here) 

Newsletter (click here) 

Book trailers: 

The Isolated Séance and also here

The Mummy of Mayfair 

THANK YOU Jeri Westerson for this wonderful peek into your newest historical mystery series.  This sounds like a hoot and I can't wait to read it.

Review - Murder at the Bookstore

This is a brand new series for me.  A bookstore setting and a writer who is the sleuth, what's not to like?

Author: Sue Minix

Copyright: January 2023 (Berkley) 331 pgs

Series: 1st in The Bookstore Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Woman amateur sleuth

Main Characters: Jennifer Marie Dawson, mystery author with writer's block

Setting: Modern day, fictional town of Riddleton, South Carolina 

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Book Blurb: "She can write the perfect murder mystery… But can she solve one in real life?

Meet Jen Dawson, mystery writer, coffee lover, and amateur detective?

Crime writer Jen returns to her small hometown with a bestselling book behind her and a bad case of writer’s block. Finding sanctuary in the local bookstore, with an endless supply of coffee, Jen waits impatiently for inspiration to strike.

But when the owner of the bookstore dies suddenly in mysterious circumstances, Jen has a real-life murder to solve.

The stakes are suddenly higher when evidence places Jen at the scene of the crime and the reading of the will names her as the new owner of the bookstore …

Can she crack the case and clear her name, before the killer strikes again?" 

My thoughts: Jen Dawson was a difficult character for me.  She was scattered in her investigation, shifting focus seemingly willy-nilly without a clear reason. She also approached sleuthing in a manner that left every single person angry at her because she had no subtlety and even engaged in some really risky behavior. Add to that, there were moments where she acted like a teenager smitten with a boy.  This character was the biggest drawback to my enjoying the book.  

Her former boyfriend seemed tedious.  Her librarian best friend, Brittany Dunlop, was sadly forgettable and a librarian stereotype.   Sometimes the dialog was stiff.  I know this all sounds off-putting, but overall the mystery was average, just okay.  I did see who the killer was even though there were a few suspects.  The cover has a beautiful white cat, but there isn't a cat in the story.  The title suggests the murder took place in the bookstore, but it was in a boat on a lake.  I may give the second in the series a try to see if the author gets her stride-depending on my TBR pile.

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Rating: Good - an average read with a few flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

Review - Betrayal at Blackthorn Park

I enjoy historical mysteries and historical intrigue, so its no surprise that WWII era is a favorite.  There are a good number of books set in this era, so creating characters and a premise that engages me is important.  I read the first in this new series and was hooked.  Today I'm reviewing the critical second book in the series.  Let's see how it did.

Book 1) A Traitor in Whitehall (click here) 

Author: Julia Kelly

Copyright: October 2024 (Minotaur Books) 336 pgs

Series: 2nd in Evelyne Redfern Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Cozy mystery, woman espionage

Main Character: Evelyne Redfern, newbie agent

Setting: WWII era, Sussex, England

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb: "Freshly graduated from a rigorous training program in all things spy craft, former typist Evelyne Redfern is eager for her first assignment as a field agent helping Britain win the war. However, when she learns her first task is performing a simple security test at Blackthorn Park, a requisitioned manor house in the sleepy Sussex countryside, she can’t help her initial disappointment. Making matters worse, her handler is to be David Poole, a fellow agent who manages to be both strait-laced and dashing in annoyingly equal measure. However, Evelyne soon realizes that Blackthorn Park is more than meets the eye, and an upcoming visit from Winston Churchill means that security at the secret weapons research and development facility is of the utmost importance.

When Evelyne discovers Blackthorn Park’s chief engineer dead in his office, her simple assignment becomes more complicated. Evelyne must use all of her—and David’s—detection skills to root out who is responsible and uncover layers of deception that could change the course of the war." 

I love Evelyn (Ellie.) She's strong and fierce while being levelheaded, whip smart, and a touch sassy.  She embodies the spirit of women during the war, stepping up and out of their traditional roles to serve their country. I really appreciate that Evelyn has close female friends that are in her corner. 

David Poole is her handler, but feels more comfortable investigating by her side. This is a slow burn with chemistry but "it's complicated." I like David and think they are good together. I'm looking forward to how the relationship will develop.

The setting of Blackthorn Park gives a dash of intrigue. I enjoy getting to read about a country manor that was requisitioned for the war effort, which happened a good bit in England. It provides a small pool of suspects and is removed from the town enough to add a delicious isolated feel.

I zoomed through the book, devouring the story. The pacing was spot on with plenty of suspects and motives. The killer confrontation was thrilling and dangerous making a great resolution to the tale.  The denouement introduces a tantalizing new development that I have no doubt will carry into the next book.

My Thoughts:  I adore this series. Wonderfully developed characters that seem to be real. Well thought out intrigue with great period details and plenty of suspects to investigate.  The writing style has a period feel and balanced action with setting and descriptions.  This series is a pure delight to read.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

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Mystery Movie Review - Copycat

 Copycat 1995.  Per usual, this movie did well so Hollywood threw together a sequel that did so poorly you can barely find it mentioned.  Which is fine.  Let this movie stand on its own.  This is one of those rarities that was never a book first.  

What it's about:  A criminal psychologist who became agoraphobic (afraid to leave the house) after a murder attempt agrees to help two San Francisco detectives hunt for a copycat serial killer who intends on making her his next victim.

Tagline:  One man is copying the most notorious killers in history one at a time. Together, two women must stop him from killing again. Or they're next.

Rated R for violence and language

Filmed in San Francisco CA

Cast:

Sigourney Weaver as Helen Hudson

Holly Hunter as MJ Monahan

Dermot Mulroney as Ruben Goetz

William McNamara as Peter Foley

Harry Connick Jr. as Daryll Lee Cullum

J.E. Freeman as Lt. Quinn

Will Patton as Nicoletti

Director: Jon Amiel

Writers: Ann BidermanDavid Madsen

Rotten Tomatoes (76%) and critics reviews:

• "Copycat is a well-paced thriller, adroit, compelling, and slick."  Barbara Shulgasser - Common Sense Media

• "It's one of the better thrillers of the 1990s." Dennis Schwartz of Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

• "What raises Copycat marginally above the second-rate and impotent is director Jon Amiel."  Peter Keough of Boston Phoenix

• "Although the plotting of this mystery-thriller about a copycat killer is flawed, Hunter and Weaver drive the show with strong performances."  Jeff Strickler of Minneapolis Star Tribune

• "A straightforward intelligent thriller."  Steven Rea of Philadelphia Inquirer

• "A serial killer drama that stands above the rest of the copycats."  Malcolm Johnson of Hartford Courant

• "Killer star power propels Copycat."  Steve Murray of Atlanta Journal-Constitution

• "A grade B thriller with a grade A cast, and this time the cast makes all the difference."  Rene Rodriguez of Miami Herald

Noteworthy awards or rankings:

-- 1996 Winner of Special Mention by Sigourney Weaver & Holly Hunter 

Cognac Festival du Film Policier

-- 1996 Winner Audience Award Director Jon Amiel 

Cognac Festival du Film Policier

-- 1996 Nominee Saturn Award for Best Music from

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA

-- Included among the American Film Institute's 2001 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 Most Heart-Pounding American Movies.

Trivia (mostly from IMDB):

-- Years later, Sigourney Weaver would state that she was most proud of her work in this film. She worked hard to portray the mindset of an agoraphobic, and has regretted that the movie was lost in a shuffle of thrillers at the time and is not better remembered.

-- To research her role, Sigourney Weaver consulted with leading forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz, who had interviewed serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

-- Harry Connick Jr. spent weeks watching documentaries on serial killers in preparation for his role.

-- Sigourney Weaver is almost a foot taller than Holly Hunter, thus for many scenes Weaver would be sitting down to make their heights appear more equal.

-- The climactic bathroom scene took 8 days to film.

-- William McNamara spoke to the Happy Horror Time Podcast and told them his character was entirely re-written and re-shot after failed screen tests deemed him the worst part of the movie, calling his character "too cerebral". The rewrite was done by Frank Darabont and McNamara was coached by Anthony Hopkins for his re-shoots.

-- Holly Hunter hung out with several homicide detectives in downtown L.A. to help her get into character.

-- James Newton Howard was approached to score the film, but turned it down to work on Waterworld (1995) instead. Christopher Young replaced him, and director Jon Amiel was so happy with the result, he renewed his collaboration with Young on several other films.

-- In each appearance, Holly Hunter has a different hairstyle.

-- When Sigourney Weaver lures the serial killer to come to her, she whispers "kitty, kitty, kitty". Those are the same words she whispered in the classic sci-fi epic "Alien", when she was looking for her real cat, but instead the alien monster appeared. Some piano chords in the final credit soundtrack resemble the same chords as in "Alien".

-- (at around 24 mins) The captain says to MJ that he had worked the Zodiac case. Dermot Mulroney (Ruben) later played a captain in the movie Zodiac (2007).

My Thoughts:

This is one of those movies that you remember years after seeing it.  The cast makes this movie shine. Sigourney Weaver is at the top of her acting in this movie.  Forget Alien, give me this movie for her abilities as an actress.  I must mention Harry Connick Jr playing a ruthless killer who has a cult following - he is scary believable.  A bit too believable.  I've never looked at him the same since, it was so well done.  And Holly Hunter was great in this as the police detective. 

The movie kept me glued to it and the suspense builds like a classic Hitchcock.  Is it perfect, no.  But it is a great bit of suspense and does its job of entertaining and taking the audience on a ride.  It has 1995 computers and is a bit nostalgic in that regard.  Revisit this classic thriller  for its straightforward storytelling and edge of your seat killer confrontation.

Movie Trailer:

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