Canadian author Kelley Armstrong is new to me, probably because she writes primarily fantasy novels. I stumbled across this one while surfing my local library audiobook selection while looking for books that would fit the November SeriesCAT. Yes, I have a TON of books already lurking unread on my Kobo that would fit the category, but I wanted an audiobook. I am getting lazy with my reading. That, and I wanted something I could listen two while doing household chores.

First book in a new series - and as luck would have it, available for immediate borrowing - I decided to give this one a go. Time travel stories can be hit or miss with me, depending on how the author balances the juxtaposition of "traveller from the future" and the period setting. I like that our protagonist faces the double challenge of getting her bearings in the past AND having to try and keep Catriona's employers and acquaintances from suspecting anything is a miss with Catriona. Good luck with that! The fact that Mallory finds herself, as Catriona, in the employ of a well-to-do bachelor brother and his widowed sister who have their own eccentricities and passion for amateur investigating that make them somewhat outliers of acceptable Edinburgh society works to her benefit, I think. The potential serial killer murder mystery angle is a good one with some great suspense scenes and wonderful plot twists! I like how modern police detective Mallory is horrified by certain policing practices of the time period and tries to figure out which modern day forensic tools were known in 1869 (for obvious time travel reasons).

Some downsides, for this reader anyways: I found the story spends a bit too much time on Mallory's ruminations, leading me to sometimes say to myself "Come on Mallory, get on with it." There were also some bits of repetition of thought. I felt the story dipped a bit on the intrigue meter when Mallory comes clean to one of the characters about who she really is and where she is really from. Yes, that does aid things when we get to the suspenseful climax, but I noticed that after that reveal, I was not as riveted to the story as I had previously been.

Overall, I enjoyed this murder mystery time travel story enough to place a hold for the next audiobook in the series... but I struggled a bit to give it a star rating. Not sure If I am satisfied with my choice. Star rating may change by half a star upon further reflection. ( )

(2022) A Vancouver detective, while in Scotland visiting her ailing grandmother, is attacked in Glasgow. As she is attacked, she is transported back to 1869 in the body of a young house maid. She is being cared for by her employers, a undertaker and his sister. She becomes quickly aware of her surroundings and tries to adapt to the situation while trying to solve the mystery of the transportation and of the attack on her. It leads her to the conclusion that the attacker has also been transported back with her in the body of a police officer. She manages to track the killer down and eventually kill him as he has kidnapped the sister and undertaker. She later decides to stay in her new time, but aware that she can go back to normal times only with the death of the woman whose body she now occupies. Pretty good yarn and fun to read.KIRKUS: A Vancouver police detective visiting Edinburgh is magically transported back to 1869, where she gets involved in a murder case in which her avatar is deeply implicated.One moment Detective Mallory Atkinson is getting throttled by an identifiable man; the next she's awakening as Catriona Mitchell, who's been similarly strangled and left for dead in the same spot. The second attack turns out to be useful for Mallory, who uses Catriona's trauma as an excuse for forgetting lots of things she ought to know as housemaid to undertaker Duncan Gray, whose medical degree sharpens his interest in the death of Evening Courant crime reporter Archie Evans, a victim of what only Mallory recognizes as waterboarding. What did Archie know that someone wanted to torture out of him? Partnering alternately with Edinburgh Detective Hugh McCreadle; her employer; and Gray's half sister, shrewd herbalist Isla Ballantyne, Mallory peers into Edinburgh's seamy underside as she struggles to uncover the truth. It's a tough job because the most dramatic discoveries she makes are that the woman whose body she's inhabiting is a bully and a thief and maybe worse and that Evans' killer, who goes on to stage another murder that uncannily foretells the work of Jack the Ripper, may well be another visitor from the 21st century. Armstrong handles the time-traveling problems concerning Mallory's disjointed consciousness and other characters' awareness that she's not your typical housemaid with unusual resourcefulness and dexterity. Although the heroine is desperate to return to her own time and place by hook or by crook, the fade-out presents a future that's pleasingly ambiguous.The murders are the least mysterious aspect of this clever time-traveling thriller.Pub Date: May 31, 2022ISBN: 978-1-2508-2000-6Page Count: 352Publisher: Minotaur

4.5 stars

This was a fast and fun time-travel mystery. The writing was surprisingly well-done, with the exception of the plethora of profanity, including God's name grossly misused. Not only did it detract from the story, but it was just so repetitive! This would have been a 5-star read without the profanity.

Note: There are a few mild sexual references.
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I started listening to this audiobook yesterday only because I was iffy if I'd like it, despite being a big fan Of Kelley Armstrong. I am definitely liking this book so far and recommend it. Below I put the synopsis of the book from goodreads. In my opinion if you ever enjoyed watching Quantum Leap imagine that with a murder mystery mixed in, it's just perfect.

Mallory is a detective from 2019 that somehow travels back to 1869 in a body and life of which is not her own. The mystery that unfolds and Mallory helps try to solve to not only a murder, her attempted murder and trying to find a way back home; all while trying to fit in an Era 150 years before her time.
Kelley Armstrong does not disappoint with an awesome story line, a great set of characters and an amazing world . 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend to anyone that loves time travel, thrillers and the amazing Kelley Armstrong, this is an awesome read!! Love it. ( )

An interesting take on time travel. There are "smile" points when the main character slips back to using today's words and has to tumble herself to the correct word for the correct time. A mystery that has you on the edge of your seat. ( )