Shadows in Time by Julie McElwain

 5/5 stars

After being thrown into a wormhole and spit out into regency era England nearly 9 months ago, Kendra Donovan, ward of The Duke of Aldridge has made herself quite an oddity by involving herself in muder investigations. But what is a former FBI agent to do? Certainly not sit around idly like women of the period are expected to do. 

While in London, Kendra is approached by Mrs. Gavenston who requests Kendra to find her business manager, Mr. Pascoe. And just how hard is it to find a business manager? Accepting the challenge, Kendra finds out that finding the man wouldn’t be that hard, though Jeremy Pascoe wouldn’t be found alive. A missing person case quickly becomes a muder investigation for Kendra and her good friend and Bowstreet Runner, Sam Kelly.  

It’s not just Jeremy Pascoe’s death that trouble Kendra, it’s also the unexpected appearance of a woman claiming to be her guardian’s long dead daughter. While in the middle of a murder investigation that seems to be going nowhere, distractions are not something that Kendra Donovan needs, but there’s something not quite right about the woman claiming to be Charlotte- the daughter of The Duke of Aldridge- and Kendra will do anything to uncover the truth and protect her new found family and friends. 

***

I am begging to be put out of my misery. I mean, I am on my knees and I am begging. Please Julie McElwain, release the sixth book already! Or at least give me a date! Okay but in all seriousness, I was unable to put this book down. I may be biased because I’ve stated multiple times that the Kendra Donovan series is perhaps one of my favourite series of all times, but Shadows in Time was a work of art. 

Now just hear me out. A book that can make you stop and howl laughing while being in the midst of shaking in anticipation? I mean, that’s truly something there, that’s talent. I cannot recall how many times I have found lines that McElwain has written that have just resounded with me. Kendra Donovan is a comedic character but in a dry sarcastic way and I love that, her biting comments never cease to make me double down in laughter. 

One of my favourite lines are the following from page 276 (the dialogue is between Kendra and Alec): 

“The occasional opera dancer? You make it sound like he indulges in that like an order of fries at a McDonald’s drive-through window.”

“What, pray tell, are these fries, and why would anyone drive through a window, especially a Scotsman’s?” 

In context, this exchange is absolutely hilarious. I live for these kinds of exchanges. I also live for Kendra and Alec’s relationship but that’s something else entirely. Bottom line, McElwain does a great job of writing a historical mystery thriller whilst also sprinkling in delightful sarcastic and humorous exchanges. 

The main plot in the book was not my favourite compared to that of past books, but it wasn’t awful, I found myself enjoying it. A missing persons case turned murder investigation? Right up my alley. Although not as thrilling as investigations of the past books have been, it was well written and I was not expecting it to take the turn that it did. 

But the doozy of it all is the mysterious woman claiming to be Charlotte- The Duke of Aldridges presumed dead daughter. Charlotte- known as Carlotta- does a great job of twisting both The Duke and his sister around her finger once she spins her tale. It becomes clear off the bat that Kendra is having none of it. Using deductive reasoning and her skills obtained by being an FBI agent, Kendra tries to reason with her guardian that the woman- Carlotta- could be lying. To Kendra, the woman’s motives are clear, so with the help of Bowstreet Runner, Sam Kelly, a team of men is sent to Spain to investigate the woman. 

But with both Kendra and The Duke’s lives in peril, it becomes clear that something is not right. Either somebody doesn’t want Kendra near the murder investigation or somebody doesn’t like her sniffing around The Duke’s potential daughter. And with everything going on, Kendra can feel her relationship with her guardian spiraling. 

And can we talk about character development? Since arriving in 1815 (well, what is now 1816 in this book), Kendra has found herself family and friends. Something she didn’t really have while in modern America. As the series progresses, you see Kendra grow closer to those around her and it becomes quite clear that she has come to see The Duke as a father figure and with him paying so much attention to the fraud that calls herself his daughter, Kendra feels jealousy and loss, because what if Carlotta actually was The Duke’s daughter? What happens then? God dammit Kendra has come so far and I’m so proud. 

Also, the last page of the book? I don’t want to spoil it but all my hopes and dreams have come true. I think I cried. I’m pretty sure I cried.

As always my review can be found on Goodreads!