Book Review: Death at a Highland Wedding (A Rip Through Time, #4) by Kelley Armstrong
As a lover of both time travel and mystery, Kelley Armstrong’s Death at a Highland Wedding instantly drew me in with its wild premise: a contemporary detective thrust into the picturesque yet perilous Highlands of nineteenth-century Scotland. The very idea of placing modern forensic expertise in a time when the detective work was rudimentary was tantalizing. I couldn’t wait to dive into this fourth installment of the A Rip Through Time series, especially since I was dropping in for the first time—thankfully, Armstrong provides a concise introduction for newcomers, which is a rare treat!
At its heart, this story weaves themes of dislocation and adaptation as our modern detective, a fish-out-of-water in petticoats, must navigate a world riddled with social norms and investigative challenges far removed from her contemporary comfort zone. The humor derived from her awkward interactions with the locals brought lightness to the tense atmosphere created by the unfolding murder mystery. For instance, her struggles with archaic crime scene protocols are both amusing and thought-provoking, particularly in highlighting the contrasts between modern and historical views on policing. I appreciated lines like, “The law is a uniform entity…The police are not,” which encapsulated the notion that the system may remain constant, but humanity certainly does not.
While the integration of contemporary forensic science in a late 19th-century setting was brilliant, I found myself occasionally overwhelmed by extraneous details and side plots. Armstrong’s prose is rich, but at times felt bogged down by repetition, particularly in the descriptions of characters and settings, which could have clipped the pacing significantly. For me, the narrative took some time to pick up speed, but once the mystery began to unravel, I was all in. The final chapter wrapped things up nicely, shedding light on lingering shadows, though it felt a tad drawn out.
One delightful surprise was the clever humor laced throughout the dialogue, such as Isla’s witty exchanges with the protagonist about her contemporary habits. “Gray teased me for flinching at the handling of evidence,” she quips, striking a chord that resonates with anyone who’s ever felt out of place. These moments not only added depth to the characters but also offered a light-hearted perspective on serious themes, such as ableism.
I genuinely loved the vivid setting details Armstrong weaved into the narrative. Descriptions of the Highlands, steeped in lush imagery, painted a backdrop that felt immersive. Like a cozy blanket, those details wrapped around me as I imagined the craggy landscapes and quaint cottages.
If you’re a fan of accidental time travel, mysteries, or romantic entanglements set against a historical backdrop, I would recommend Death at a Highland Wedding. It scratches that itch for whimsical escapism while still treating more serious themes with respect. If you enjoyed other time-travel romances like Maybe Once, Maybe Twice, or dual-timeline mysteries like The Book Spy, this book will surely capture your heart.
Ultimately, while the novel had its quirks and pacing issues, it left me entertained and reflective. I walked away savoring the humor and warmth-filled moments that Armstrong crafted so carefully in a story cloaked in murder and mystery. Reading this book felt like attending a Highland wedding—joyful, a little chaotic, and full of unexpected turns.
Rating: 🗻🗻🗻.5 /5 mountains in Scotland
Finished: April 29, ’25
Format: Digital ARC via NetGalley
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