#Review - Cocktails & Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong #Historical #SyFy

Series: A Rip Through Time # 2.5
Format: E-Book, 136 pages
Release Date: December 31, 2023
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Source: Publisher
Genre: Historical Fiction / SyFy

For modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson, being trapped in the body of Victorian housemaid means overcoming endless obstacles. Her current challenge is winning over the suspicious young parlor maid, Alice. Mallory’s plan starts with teaching the girl to make Molotov cocktails, which is a perfectly valid science experiment and not at all a desperate ploy to gain Alice’s attention. Before the lesson can begin, though, Alice receives a letter that has her slipping off in the night. Concerned for her safety—and naturally curious—Mallory follows.

Mallory finds Alice at what seems like a simple dance hall, watching young men and women flirting and whirling in pretty dresses and dapper suit coats. But nothing here is what it seems, and what starts as a simple surveillance exercise turns into a full-scale spy mission with Mallory’s boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, at her side. Before the evening is done, those Molotov cocktails are probably going to come in handy.

Cocktails & Chloroform, by Kelley Armstrong, is a novella in the authors A Rip Through Time series. For modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson, being trapped in the buxom 19-year old body of housemaid Catriona Mitchell in Victorian, Scotland, means overcoming endless obstacles. She is employed by Dr. Duncan Gray, an undertaker often employed by the local constabulary’s office. Mallory ends up helping to solve cases using her 21st century knowledge, but without revealing too much that could change the future. 

Dr. Gray also assists Detective McCreadie in his police investigations. She is now officially an undertaker’s assistant, but continuing her maid duties until they can hire someone for that position. Her current challenge is winning over the suspicious young parlor maid, 12-year-old Alice. Mallory’s plan starts with teaching the girl to make Molotov cocktails, which is a perfectly valid science experiment and not at all a desperate ploy to gain Alice’s attention.

Before the lesson can begin, though, Alice receives a letter that has her slipping off in the night. Concerned for her safety—and naturally curious—Mallory follows. Mallory finds Alice at what seems like a simple dance hall, watching young men and women flirting and whirling in pretty dresses and dapper suit coats. But nothing here is what it seems, and what starts as a simple surveillance exercise turns into a full-scale spy mission with Mallory’s boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, at her side. 

Before she can Alice out of trouble, she is kidnapped and ends up in a human trafficking ring. Before the evening is done, those Molotov cocktails are probably going to come in handy. While it would be best if you understand this world, and series from the beginning, I think this novella reveals just enough information for you to enjoy this story. My curiosity is about how the author is going to resolve getting back to her own time, and whether Cat has taken her place. We shall see!

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