I love a series that doesn’t start to lose steam once it’s a few books in. So far, I’ve read Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip Through Time as well as the second book in the series The Poisoner’s Ring (and, actually, a novella that is book 2.5 in the series called Cocktails & Chloroform that I didn’t review because it was so short), and I’m happy to report that so far I’m very into this series and hope it continues for many, many more books. When I saw there was a third story coming out, Disturbing the Dead, I knew I had to jump back into the Victorian era with Mallory, Dr. Gray and their friends.

Victorian Scotland is becoming less strange to modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson. Though inhabiting someone else’s body will always be unsettling, even if her employers know that she’s not actually housemaid Catriona Mitchell, ever since the night both of them were attacked in the same dark alley 150 years apart. Mallory likes her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray, and is developing true friends―and feelings―in this century.

So, understanding the Victorian fascination with death, Mallory isn’t that surprised when she and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing when it comes time to unwrap the mummy, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. And upon closer inspection, it’s not a mummy they’ve unwrapped, but a much more modern body.

If you’re just joining me for this series now, I would recommend reading my reviews about A Rip Through Time and The Poisoner’s Ring because I still believe everything I said there, and I’m not going to repeat myself. I am very excited to report that this is not the last book of the series—so expect more Mallory and Duncan in your future (and mine!).

What didn’t work for me

The subject matter: Because of the amazing world-building and the characters that I’ve fallen in love with, the actual circumstances surrounding the murder don’t really matter to me, so I’ll admit that the topic of mummies is one that I don’t find fascinating, so I wasn’t quite as hooked as the other books, but I still found the detective work and everything else surrounding the story good to read—so it is really just a matter of preference here that doesn’t determine how good the book is.

The (very, very) slow burn: I’m starting to get a little frustrated with Mallory and Duncan’s “romance.” We know it’s going to happen; everyone in the story knows it’s going to happen, and yet I’m not sure these two have even hugged. I’m not expecting them to jump into bed together, but I would really like for there to be a little more honest and open conversation between them about how they’re feeling.

What I liked

The history: I don’t think I’ve mentioned this so far, but Armstrong really does her research. I am no historian (obviously), but I imagine everything from the mummy unwrapping party to the underground market is historically accurate. We know the Edinburgh Seven are real—and they were nicely weaved into the story.

The twist!: I’m not going to comment on this one much more than to say that I *really* didn’t expect that twist about two-thirds of the way through, and I truly loved that Armstrong went there.

4.5 STARS

“Do I believe in magic? I’d say no, and yet I’m walking in a world that existed over a hundred years before I was born. What is that, if not magic?” —Kelley Armstrong, Disturbing the Dead

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.