Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong Narrator: Kate Hanford
Series: A Rip Through Time #4
Published by MacMillan Audio, Minotaur Books on May 20, 2025
Genres: Fantasy
Length: 14 hours, 27 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
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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.
I have not always been a fan of time travel but this author has two series where it is an element and I love them. A Rip Through Time series is where a modern day police detective ends up 150 years earlier. So the story is primarily set historically. I would read this story in order for the development in the characters and the situations.
Mallory has chosen to stay in this earlier time and have a life with the Gray family. She is enamored with Duncan but society rules are crazy difficult. There are often few choices for women. She has been accustomed to her free speech and opinions in their home but on this journey out to an estate she is under the eye of those not aware of her past or respectful of women, as well as stricter social norms.
The wedding is one of Duncan and Hugh’s friends, Archie, to Hugh’s sister, Fiona. The class and social rules are stifling. Then there is the uncomfortable decade ago breakup of Hugh with the groom’s sister, Violet. Mallory wonders about the match of the current groom and bride, about Hugh and Isla, and her own feelings for Duncan.
Archie has recently purchased this beautiful estate planning to turn it into a hunting lodge. His new gamekeeper has set traps for poachers which are quite dangerous. Fiona is fond of wildlife and is distraught when a mother wildcat is killed leaving 3 young kittens. People are told to stay in at night and stick to paths. Of course, they don’t. Ezra, Archie’s best man, is found dead wearing Archie’s coat. Out of their jurisdiction, and aghast at the new inexperienced constable’s lack of skill, our team goes to work to find the real killer.
Death at a Highland Wedding has lots of sordid and personal secrets. Those who were out at night and likely to have seen anything make themselves unavailable, including the new gamekeeper and the children of the house manager. Eventually they work through the distractions and red herrings to solve the mystery but not before Mallory finds herself in trouble.
I really enjoy this view of the 1870s from a modern police detective’s perspective. Kelley Armstrong is writing gold for me these days, easily one of my favorite authors in several of her series. I highly recommend this series.
Narration:
I have become very comfortable with the narrator. I really appreciate her performance. The male and female voices feel appropriate and some characters are recognizable to me now. I’ve no idea if the accents are accurate but they sounded fine to me. I was able to enjoy the performance at my new speed of 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
Lovely review, Anne. I need to read more Kelley Armstrong😁
yes it’s not possible to read too much Kelley Armstrong. She’s in my top favorite authors and does a lot of genres – even horror (which I don’t read generally)
Great review, Anne💜 One of these days I’ll explore her books.
She’s a top favorite author with many genres. I think you’d love her Rockton books but also both time series. All of those series have mysteries and a bit of romance too.
I enjoyed the back stories and side romance. This series is one of my favorites. Lovely review!
Thank you Kimberly. It’s one of my favorites too.
This is an author whose work I hope to read sometime soon.
She’s one of my top favorites. I hope you do get to read her books. She has them in several genres.
Enjoyed your review. I’m not much for time travel stories but I’ve enjoyed some.
Thanks Laura. It’s more of a historical mystery with almost no time travel after the initial jump. I’m not really a fan of time travel myself.
Combining time travel with mystery has become something I really enjoy, too, now that I’ve found two series that have done it.
yes I’m surprised I like it because I am not always much on time travel.
I really need to catch up on this series!
yes if you have read earlier books you know how awesome these are.
I really enjoyed this one, too! I really wish Mallory would’ve been able to read Duncan’s actual letter. It probably would’ve moved things along for them personally. If I have any complaint it’s that I want the romance side more resolved. The romance situation in the Rockton/Haven’s Rock series is resolved and we still have compelling mysteries/stories with the main couple united so I don’t know why we can’t have it here.
Well maybe because the social rules in Victorian times are more strict? They will figure it out. Maybe they will move to the future lol.
I have always wanted to try this author, but I know some of her stuff is dark and borders horror. Does she have UF or am I thinking of another author? This series seems like I may enjoy it.
She has UF but it is older, The Otherworld series about werewolves. I recommend this series or the Stitch in Time which are both historical romantic mysteries. They would both be great options for you to read her.
Okay. I’m adding book 1 to my TBR.
Correction! I did have book 1 on my shelf. LOL I totally forgot about it. I just need to do it 😉
You’ll like it – they are amazing.