Title: Capturing the Devil
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series/Standalone: Stalking Jack the Ripper Series (Book #4)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery
Pages: 453
Publisher: JIMMY Patterson
Year Published: 2019
Format: Audiobook
"In the shocking finale to the bestselling series that began with Stalking Jack the Ripper, Audrey Rose and Thomas are on the hunt for the depraved elusive killer known as the White City Devil. A deadly game of cat-and-mouse has them fighting to stay one step ahead of the brilliant serial killer-- or see their fateful romance cut short by an unspeakable tragedy.
Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London they knew. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World's fair they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.
Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thoma begin their investigation, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've heard of before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him-- and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device-- is another.
Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end-- together and in love-- or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?"
My Rating: 4/5
First off if you've read the description and were interested in the criminal aspects of this story, it has already been spoiled for you. The aspect of the murder hotel comes in the last 2 hours of the audiobook correlate that to pages if you wish. I still loved the characters and that's what carried me through this story. I will say that the drama with families was pretty interesting and kept me entertained for the first half of the book. I was also hoping in the last half of the book the mystery would pick up more than it did, but unfortunately, it just didn't. Overall I was happy to see the series through but it was a good time to end it. It was really time to wrap it. Now if anyone has read the novella, I would really appreciate knowing if I should check it out or not.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Escaping from Houdini
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series/Standalone: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Book #3)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery
Pages: 416
Publisher: JIMMY Patterson
Year Published: 2018
Format: Audiobook
"Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they're delighted to discover a travelling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.
But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slaying shocks the entire ship. The disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murder grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea.
It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with the clues to th next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale?"
My Rating: 4/5
This was a great installment in the series. If you have not read Stalking Jack the Ripper (this will contain spoilers for the other books in the series). I loved the change of characters and as always the change of setting. The mystery was good, but a little more predictable than I expected. I will say the real draw of this book was to see where the characters relationships would turn out. The start of the murders was interesting and very graphic (similar to the other two novels in that sense). Can't wait to finish the series this fall and find where our characters end off.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Hunting Prince Dracula
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series/Standalone: Stalking Jack the Ripper Series (Book #2)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult
Pages: 435
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Year Published: 2017
Format: Audiobook
"In this New York Time bestselling sequel to Kerri Maniscalco's haunting #1 debut Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer... or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?
Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europes best schools for forensic medicine... and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.
But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries of the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again."
My Rating: 4.25/5
I've been eating up these audiobooks as I am waiting for the anticipated conclusion that will come out in September, but at this rate, I will be finished the rest of the books far before I get to read that one. I cannot recommend these audiobooks enough. I think that the narrator does a wonderful job of capturing the characters and who they truly are. I also think that her reading of the books helps add to the suspense of the story overall. I liked the writing, the only thing that I found to be a little over the top this time was the continual reminder that we are in a castle with potentially haunted woods. I understood the first time I was told but then it was repeated quite a few times. I can see that the author was really trying to drive home how dangerous it was but it got to be a little over the top. I can't wait to continue the series and see where the author takes us.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series/Standalone: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Book #1)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery
Pages: 337
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Year Published: 2016
Format: Audiobook
"Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...
Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege, stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.
Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practise of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.
The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period phot, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget."
My New Rating: 4/5
This was a really great reread. For anyone looking to read this book, I would strongly recommend the audiobook. I'm still looking forward to continuing the series and upon rereading the "villain" is spottable. You can notice the person throughout the story but not in a way that is obvious. It also doesn't come out of nowhere. I love the writing style and era. I also enjoy the way the author uses history and gender in a way that makes sense. She doesn't shun the past but embraces how far women have come overall.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series/Standalone: Stalking Jack the Ripper (Book #1)
Pages: 326
Genre: Historical, Young Adult, Mystery
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Year Published: 2016
Format: Audiobook
"Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.
Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world."
My Rating: 4.5/5
I thought that this audiobook would just fill time while I was doing house work or driving but it became so much more than that. I would recommend this book as a great who did it novel for anyone interested in historical thrillers. I had heard quite a bit of hype for this book going around booktube, and it was accurate to how the story played out for me. I realize that this story isn't 100% historical accurate, and that this might be a problem for some, but I didn't mind, as there is an author's note in the back of the book explaining what changes the author had made and why. I think that the characters in this book were well fleshed out and for being in a time period where young women were not looked at as powerful, it did a grand job of showing a woman who knew her purpose and planned to be taken seriously. I really enjoyed this book and plan to pick up the next book in the series as soon as possible, preferably on audio. I wanted to note for those who do chose to listen to this book on audio, I loved the narrator and think that she did a tremendous job acting out the story, and keeping the listener's attention. I'm excited to listen to more books in this series and hope to have more reviews soon.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
This is yet another audiobook that hooked me. And more than any other that I've listened to before. Our story takes place in London during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders. Our main character, Audrey takes little to no shit from anyone and works secretly with her uncle learning the about forensic science. A little strange for a young woman in such a time period. Through her work, she begins to investigate a string of murders where women are butchered in the east end, and begin to piece together who the murderer could be. Is it someone close to her?
So since you've read the book you know who it is. But were you shocked? I was a little underwhelmed at learning who the murderer was, but blown away for the reasons of the murders. I think that the author had a mesmorizing way of writing about such gruesome things that kept me interested and wondering about who the killer was, what it was like to do an autopsy in such times, and why the bodies were being butchered in such ways. The narrator for the audiobook had a tremendous voice and kept me interested throughout the story. Her accent was amazing and I would truly recommend the audiobook to anyone looking for a good thriller. Please excuse the lack of care taken in the character section, I have trouble remembering side characters names in audiobooks.
Characters:
Audrey: I had my doubts that she would be a badass main character in such a time. And while the story does a great job of showing what life was like for young women in the time period, I had trouble believing that she would be able to investigate a body for Scotland Yard. Although if she had someone who admired her who was in charge I suppose that made sense. I did think that at some points she was a bit naive and at others so peculiar. But these two things really helped tie the story together. I think that the way she cared so much for women she had only really known in death was amazing, and how although she had a certain standard for the way she was brought up she didn't look down on these young women. She wondered about the choices that had placed them where they were. I can't wait to read more from her perspective.
Thomas: Now he is a sly fox. I thought for sure that he was going to be the ripper, but after finding out about his trouble past and being thrown out by his father, his actions started to make a lot more sense. I did think there were multiple times where his choice of words were irritating especially when he acted like such a know it all (even though he was). But I can't wait to see he and Audrey flirt even more in the next book.
Nathaniel: I'd be lying if I said he wasn't a suspect for me in the beginning. I had started to brush him aside a little, but after realizing that the author didn't even seem to note him suspicious, I became extra suspicious. Cause that's what kind of anxious person I am. He was a delusional little shit, and super scary near the end, but I wonder why he became so obsessed with raising the dead, would be interested in a prequel from his point of view.
Uncle Johnathon: He did seem pretty crazy near the start but after time I realized that science was his family and his job, and his love. So he was devoted? Does that make him crazy... maybe a little bit. I will miss him in the next story, but wouldn't be surprised if he turned up to lend Thomas and Audrey a hand.
Father (Edmond?): He was something, and while he did not deal well with the passing of his wife (who really does?) he tried his best to raise his children in a way that he deemed appropriate. I do feel sorry for him to have seen his beloved wife's corpse being maimed by his crazed son, but at the same time it really shocked him into action for Audrey's future.
Blackburn: When did you become interested in Audrey and what will happen to you now?
Cousin V: I liked her spunk, but also the way she dealt with the cultural norms at this time. She still obeyed her mother's will, while staying true to who she was as well. A very interesting character to say the least.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
