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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