Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Schemes & Scandals by Kelley Armstrong Series: A Rip Through Time #3.5
Published by Self-Published on October 31, 2024
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 148
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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It’s Mallory Atkinson’s first Christmas in Scotland. Victorian Scotland, that is. Also, as the twenty-first-century detective learns, Christmas really isn’t a thing in Victorian Scotland. It’s all about Hogmanay. But her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, treats her to an early gift of tickets to the event of the a Charles Dickens reading. There, they bump into Lady Inglis—the lovely widow who has sent Gray sexy letters trying to entice him back to her bed.
Lady Inglis introduces Mallory to Dickens—the meeting of a lifetime—but in return she wants their help. She’s being blackmailed. Someone stole letters she wrote to another lover and is threatening to publish them.
Mallory isn’t sure what to make of Lady Inglis, but no woman deserves that, so she insists on taking the case with or without Gray’s help. Growing tension between them soon tells Mallory that Gray is hiding a secret of his own. She has until Hogmanay to uncover the blackmailer…and, hopefully, to put things right with Gray so they can enjoy the holiday together.
I am always surprised but delighted when I read a new book in the A Rip Through Time series. Even with about half the size of a full novel, Kelley Armstrong does not disappoint. Of course, it helps to read the series in order, both so one is aware of the history with the characters and relationships but also because they are some of the best books I read each year.
Schemes & Scandals begins as a holiday story with Mallory wanting to celebrate Christmas and trying to determine the best gifts for Isla and Gray. Gray gets them an early gifts of tickets to hear Charles Dickens read, which is a real treat. There Lady Inglis asks them to visit her; she needs their help.
The case is interesting and shows much about the position of women in this Victorian time and the casual entitlement of some men. There are also the discussions about Gray’s relationship with Lady Inglis he has with Mallory with some reluctance but to share the truth.
I enjoyed this so much. I am a big fan of Dickens. It was fun to learn about holidays in Victorian Scotland, both Christmas and Hogmaney. There’s the clever solving of the mystery of who is blackmailing Lady Inglis. Everything is engaging and easy to read.
About Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could
write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a
story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls
and evil dolls, much to her teachers’ dismay. Today, she continues to
spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked
away in her basement writing dungeon. She lives in southwestern
Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 24-COYER
I finally read the first book in this series this fall. Now I just need to catch up on the rest of them. Story of my life. ;D
This series is just amazing. Even the novella is a complete and wonderful story.
Excellent review, Anne💜 This sounds like an interesting series.
I love it so much. It has such great characters and world building and amazing stories.
I’m waiting for my library lend to come through, but I’m excited to read this!
It’s great as every book in the series has been.
I’m enjoying this series too. Their cases are always so interesting.
yes the cases and the class dynamics of Victorian Scotland.
I love getting novellas in favorite series. Usually they are fun and add extra to the overall world.
Especially with a talented author like Kelley Armstrong.
I loved the Dickens thread. So good.
She does an amazing job with the full books and the novels of telling well developed stories.
Kelley Armstrong is everywhere lately!!!
She’s prolific and all the ones I have read are great.
I really enjoyed the Casey Duncan book I read by this author and even though time travel doesn’t usually appeal to me I loved that book enough and have been impressed with the reviews to give this series a try. I’m so glad to see how much you enjoyed this one as the series is progressing. I’m looking forward to reading anything by Armstrong and this series in particular!
I’m not much for time travel but in this series it only happens at the beginning and one other time. Now she has chosen to live in the past. She has figured out how to travel when needed though.