I liked Kelley Armstrong’s second Rip Through Time novel, The Poisoner’s Ring, even more than I liked the first one. Armstrong examines women’s roles in 1869 Edinburgh, contrasts women’s rights in Scotland with that of England at the time, and examines life through the eyes of a modern-day detective who is stuck in the past.
Modern-day police detective Mallory Atkinson is still stuck in Victorian Edinburgh, but her employers, Dr. Duncan Gray and his sister, Isla, a chemist, know who she is. Dr. Gray is a medical examiner, and Mallory works as his assistant. She’s felt left out lately, but Gray and Police Detective Hugh McCreadie, need her for their latest investigation.
Men have been dying of poison in Edinburgh, and their widows are accused of killing them. There have been several deaths, but the latest one is personal. Gray’s oldest sister, Annis, is accused of poisoning her husband, Lord Gordon Leslie.
McCreadie is eager for the help of Gray and Mallory, but newspapers and the scandalous broadsheets will have a field day when they learn Lady Leslie’s sister is a chemist who might have provided poison. When Mallory recognizes the signs of a poison not readily accessible in Edinburgh in 1869, the group will have a difficult time finding the manipulative villain responsible for four deaths with four people accused of murder.
Armstrong’s latest has a surprise villain, although it makes perfect sense when I look back at the story. And, she does an excellent job discussing gender, race, and birth roles in Edinburgh. The Poisoner’s Ring is an atmospheric, intriguing book for those of us who enjoy time travel mysteries and the possibilities.
Kelley Armstrong’s website is http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/
The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong. Minotaur Books, 2023. ISBN 9781250820037 (hardcover), 352p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I downloaded a galley from NetGalley to review for a journal.
I like the way having a modern protagonist allows us to consider aspects of both modern and Victorian culture. Thank you for highlighting the series, I am looking forward to reading this one.
I do, too, Trisha. We’re able to see the contrasts more vividly.
Funny. Jackie just finished one of Armstrong’s Rockton books and asked me to buy the next one on Kindle (the library doesn’t have the ebook edition). This one sounds like something I would like too. John Dickson Carr did some books like that.
I loved John Dickson Carr, Jeff. I think he did books with every plot. You might like it. I like the way she handles gender, birth, and race in Edinburgh at the time.
I really like Kelley Armstrong and her books. I’ve read all the Rockton books and quite a few of her YA books too. I have the first one in this series, as yet unread. Seems like I need to get it read so I can continue with this one. Thanks for sharing your views, Lesa!