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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
4 stars. Reads like a standalone novel, though it is part of a series. A great "in-between" series book. Definitely high in suspense and teen angst.
This was not for me. It was an impulse buy, on sale at the bookstore for $5 with the purchase of a coffee. I wouldn’t have gotten it if I realized then that it was a YA book. Oops. But since I had it, I decided to read it, and you know what, I was decently entertained.
I guessed the identity of the killer really early on, not because his character was well developed, not because the clues all add up to him being the killer...it just seemed like what the author was angling toward.
The author combines elements of Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, and Frankenstein but doesn’t explore the themes that make those stories so compelling. Instead, the inspiration is very literal and surface level.
And Audrey Rose is such a pick me.
I guessed the identity of the killer really early on, not because his character was well developed, not because the clues all add up to him being the killer...it just seemed like what the author was angling toward.
The author combines elements of Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, and Frankenstein but doesn’t explore the themes that make those stories so compelling. Instead, the inspiration is very literal and surface level.
And Audrey Rose is such a pick me.
Love loved this book!! Firstly the chemistry and banter between the two main characters reminded me so much of the dynamics between Rick and Evie in the 1999 The Mummy movie that I could definitely picture Thomas being portrayed by a young Brendan Fraser. I loved Audrey Rose! I found the plot intriguing and at times thrilling. So excited to continue with this series, would highly recommend this book!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75 stars. Great narration. Excited for the follow up!
This story had a slow start for me. I am glad I stick with it. It picked up at the end. Overall I enjoyed it but wasn't awed by it.
Updated October 2018: this book was SO much better as an audiobook as well as it being the second time reading it.
April 2017: This book got so many things wrong and the only reason I didn't give it one star is because I reserve that rating for DNF. The only saving grace was Thomas Cresswell.
April 2017: This book got so many things wrong and the only reason I didn't give it one star is because I reserve that rating for DNF. The only saving grace was Thomas Cresswell.
Stalking Jack the Ripper is a book that I've been wanting to read for a long while. I've spoken to Kerri Maniscalco a few times on Twitter and knowing she was so nice just made me need it even more. The thing is that when it comes to historical novels or stories about serial killers...I'm really picky. If something is wrong I will point it out and it might be why I don't enjoy a huge amount of either.
This novel, however, had mostly good so let's talk about it, shall we!
What I Liked
Getting a modem woman right in a historical setting can be hard. Feminism has changed so much in a short period of time so we can't stick our values on women who wouldn't have behaved that well. But Kerri did a good job with Audrey Rose. She had a Victorian sense of propriety but still wanted women to be more equal and treated as people. It was a good mix and I look forward to seeing how she deals with school in book 2. I'm glad she was very feminine and liked fashion so when she did start wearing trousers, it was as a practicality and it wasn't a big thing. Some women would have already been doing so after all and they wouldn't have been seen as proper for it either.
The romance was something else I liked. Cresswell was funny and teasing, he made me like him and he was very smart. I liked their relationship and how they bickered. You can see how they'll help each other grow as people in the future and as they're teenagers and that's important. They aren't the people they'll be in a few years and I think you got a glimpse of that.
The forensic science and criminal profiling parts of the book were great. I would have maybe liked to see more of how the police failed the investigation but on Audrey Rose's side, you could see that Kerri knew what she was talking about with the science and the profiling. It was also generally nice to see a book with a heroine that was so focused on science.
What I Didn't Like
I said when I find something wrong with this sort of novel I'll say and there were two things I did have a big issue with and they sort of tie together.
I didn't like the Frankenstein aspect of the book. Because we don't know who the Ripper was and why he did what he did, Kerri got away with it and it made the book intriguing to read. But when you find out who the killer is...it doesn't really make much sense. I can see the main reason why he was doing so but with the timeline, I couldn't see a trigger. Who the killer was did make sense so I'm not going to deduct points for that but I would have liked to see more of the trigger after there was some great profiling.
Overall I really loved the book though and I would recommend it. If you're looking for something original that is such a clever read then this really is it. Everything about this book feels so true to the time and to real serial killers which is totally awesome and the slight paranormal twist on book 1 and I'm super excited to see how things go on book 2.
This novel, however, had mostly good so let's talk about it, shall we!
What I Liked
Getting a modem woman right in a historical setting can be hard. Feminism has changed so much in a short period of time so we can't stick our values on women who wouldn't have behaved that well. But Kerri did a good job with Audrey Rose. She had a Victorian sense of propriety but still wanted women to be more equal and treated as people. It was a good mix and I look forward to seeing how she deals with school in book 2. I'm glad she was very feminine and liked fashion so when she did start wearing trousers, it was as a practicality and it wasn't a big thing. Some women would have already been doing so after all and they wouldn't have been seen as proper for it either.
The romance was something else I liked. Cresswell was funny and teasing, he made me like him and he was very smart. I liked their relationship and how they bickered. You can see how they'll help each other grow as people in the future and as they're teenagers and that's important. They aren't the people they'll be in a few years and I think you got a glimpse of that.
The forensic science and criminal profiling parts of the book were great. I would have maybe liked to see more of how the police failed the investigation but on Audrey Rose's side, you could see that Kerri knew what she was talking about with the science and the profiling. It was also generally nice to see a book with a heroine that was so focused on science.
What I Didn't Like
I said when I find something wrong with this sort of novel I'll say and there were two things I did have a big issue with and they sort of tie together.
I didn't like the Frankenstein aspect of the book. Because we don't know who the Ripper was and why he did what he did, Kerri got away with it and it made the book intriguing to read. But when you find out who the killer is...it doesn't really make much sense. I can see the main reason why he was doing so but with the timeline, I couldn't see a trigger. Who the killer was did make sense so I'm not going to deduct points for that but I would have liked to see more of the trigger after there was some great profiling.
Overall I really loved the book though and I would recommend it. If you're looking for something original that is such a clever read then this really is it. Everything about this book feels so true to the time and to real serial killers which is totally awesome and the slight paranormal twist on book 1 and I'm super excited to see how things go on book 2.
A creative spin on a killing spree that gripped London in the 1880s and continued to haunt the city for over 120+ years (and counting...). Kerri managed to create a fictional context with seemingly real characters who were in close proximity to The Ripper and his crime, all the while staying true to the facts and accurately recapturing the details of the story from police reports, investigations and original records.
I did not know anything about Jack the Ripper before I read this. It was not until the Authors Note at the end of the novel that I realized how closely Kerri stayed to the true events (in terms of details, dates etc). The book is supplemented with pictures of real letters that The Ripper wrote to the media, real photos of the areas where the crimes occurred etc.
I thought I had it figured out, and I was just waiting for the story to reveal what I thought I already knew. It didn't. I did not see the ending coming, and the ending was both surprising and satisfying.
I did not know anything about Jack the Ripper before I read this. It was not until the Authors Note at the end of the novel that I realized how closely Kerri stayed to the true events (in terms of details, dates etc). The book is supplemented with pictures of real letters that The Ripper wrote to the media, real photos of the areas where the crimes occurred etc.
I thought I had it figured out, and I was just waiting for the story to reveal what I thought I already knew. It didn't. I did not see the ending coming, and the ending was both surprising and satisfying.