A Twist in Time: A Novel

Julie McElwain

Apr 2017 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

When Kendra Donovan’s plan to return to the 21st century fails, leaving her stranded in 1815, the Duke of Aldridge believes he knows the reason—she must save his nephew, who has been accused of brutally murdering his ex-mistress.

Former FBI agent Kendra Donovan’s attempts to return to the twenty-first century have failed, leaving her stuck at Aldridge Castle in 1815. And her problems have just begun: in London, the Duke of Aldridge’s nephew Alec—Kendra’s confidante and lover—has come under suspicion for murdering his former mistress, Lady Dover, who was found viciously stabbed with a stiletto, her face carved up in a bizarre and brutal way.

Lady Dover had plenty of secrets, and her past wasn’t quite what she’d made it out to be. Nor is it entirely in the past—which becomes frighteningly clear when a crime lord emerges from London’s seamy underbelly to threaten Alec. Joining forces with Bow Street Runner Sam Kelly, Kendra must navigate the treacherous nineteenth century while she picks through the strands of Lady Dover’s life.

As the noose tightens around Alec’s neck, Kendra will do anything to save him, including following every twist and turn through London’s glittering ballrooms, where deception is the norm—and any attempt to uncover the truth will get someone killed.

Ratings and reviews

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley, A Twist in Time is the second Kendra Donovan mystery and picks up where she is left at Aldridge Castle in 1815 after her failed attempt to return to 21st century America. Her confidante and former lover, Alec, has been accused of the vicious murder of Lady Dover, his former paramour. In this novel, Kendra uses her skills as an FBI investigator to try to clear Alec's name, but she finds her efforts somewhat stymied by society's restrictions of members of her class and sex. The plot progressed rather slowly in the middle of the book, but the premise is a good one and full of surprises. The characters are well-developed and generally likable. I haven't read the first book in the series (though I plan to go back and read it now), and while I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I had read it, I was able to follow the plot easily enough without it. That said, I think reading the first book would shed more light on the relationship dynamics between Kendra and Alec. Overall, I enjoyed the book and plan to read the next installment in the series.

About the author

Julie McElwain is the author of the Kendra Donovan mysteries—A Murder in Time, A Twist in Time, Caught in Time, Betrayal in Time, and Shadows in Time—which are available from Pegasus Crime. Julie lives in Long Beach, California.