Stalking Jack the Ripper: 1

Stalking Jack the Ripper is set in 1888 based on the real-life murders of the victims in Whitechapel, UK. This book is a murder mystery with our main character, Audrey Rose, investigating the murders by using forensic science with her uncle and a very lovely arrogant main protagonist Thomas. This novel is a historical YA and probably suitable for 15 and above. The novel itself is packed full of gorey type descriptions and doesn't fall short of any shock factor. If you're a little squeamish then this might not be the book for you. Afterall, these murders really happened and Kerri only presents them as so. It's incredibly well written with beautiful prose and you immediately care for the characters. The novel is uniquely dark and mysterious all with a fantastic "proper" romance between Audrey and Thomas. Thomas Cresswell is one of my new favourite book boyfriends. With the time period, it really depicts the formality of dating and courtship which I found to be an extremely lovely touch. It's lovely to see a real gentleman, even if he does break the rules a little and comes across as arrogant. But his arrogance is so attractive in that he's not ashamed to express how he feels to Audrey. It's super cute. The plot is driven by the continuous murders and the mystery surrounding who Jack really is. At no point did I pin who Jack actually was (Of course, this part is fictional, I believe, as the really JtR is still unknown). The ending and the motive behind the real killer's action were so brilliantly planned out. Kerri couldn't have come up with a more grotesque, wildly imaginative ending. It was truly shocking and I simply had no idea. And also, go Thomas! He's a real hero. The book includes some photographs throughout the novel to show what life was really like during 1800's. They are quite fascinating to look at and I feel they added a realistic edge to this story. There is one picture of a hand towards the end of the book that is downright creepy. Urgh. But still, it was great to see what kind of reality people were facing during that time period. The time period was so fantastically captured, from the clothing, behaviours, courtship. Everything was meticulously planned and it created such authenticity. You really feel the "grunge" of forensic science in this time period. Even though we do see Audrey sterilizing equipment, you can still imagine that lab in the dark with gas lamps and candles, no real hygiene and working with a woman, which is frowned upon. The atmosphere was simply great and I was hooked all of the way through. I read the novel in just over a day. I was so excited that I purchased Hunting Prince Dracula when I was 50 pages from the end. I cannot wait to read the next installment and I hope there are many more adventures of Audrey and Thomas to come. Would recommend to: - Readers over 15. - Those who enjoy horror/thriller and murder mystery. - Those who read YA Pros: - Atmosphere and setting is built well and is authentic - The murders aren't witnessed but are talked about in professional detail *squeamish trigger* - Realistic loveable characters - Authentic representation of the "view of women" during those times. - Lovely romantic subplot - Didn't guess who Jack really was. - Inventory of information at the back of the novel - Images of the life back in the 1800's throughout Cons: - There is a period where there aren't any murders and there is more story building with suspicion. - Took forever for the romance between Audrey and Thomas to develop into a kiss. - Can be explicit in terms of discussing the murders and wounds (not that I minded!) Overall, was a fantastic enjoyable read and I am so excited for the next book to fall through my letterbox. Thank you Kerri for such a unique read. I loved it.

For my first book with this author, I was massively impressed. The true story and facts of Jack the Ripper is one I know well so it was nice to read something so familiar yet with a great take on the story. The facts were spun well to fit the narrative the author wanted to tell and even though I am aware of the crimes of Jack the Ripper, it was fun to see the truth mixed in with fiction. Audrey was an awesome FMC, strong and logical and independent whilst still sticking with the restrictions of the late 1800s. I really enjoyed the blend of her wanting to be herself and fighting against a male run world whilst also embracing some parts of her femininity. I really enjoyed Thomas and all the other male and female cast of characters and feel like they were all written well with their own individuality that assisted with the story. I found myself rereading Thomas’ dialogue and flirtations towards Audrey as they were so well written and the fact that he was so scandalous with his suggestions made him refreshing (again like Audrey considering the time they were in) The romance, though minimal, was great and I could really feel the academic rivals / sexual tension between the pair The pace of the story was great and I feel like the author has a brilliant style of writing that will lead me not only to read more of this series but more of her other books too I will say that I did figure out the twist very very early on but absolutely nothing wrong with that, I think there were hints so it was guessable but I don’t think the author made it too obvious Overall, this was a great mystery book with sexual tension between the main characters and a fast paced story that I could not put down since starting it

I really enjoyed reading Stalking Jack the Ripper, it was dark, bloody and exciting to read. I didn't know what to expect before reading the book because I only bought the book after the title got me a bit curious about the book. However after reading it and loving every minute of it, I am so glad the title caught my eye. Stalking Jack the Ripper follows a Victorian girl called Audrey, who works in secret with her uncle who is a mortician, and helps conducts post-mortems. Also helping her uncle is Thomas Cresswell, who at the beginning does not get on too well with Audrey, but after a while them become a team and try to solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper. I absolutely loved Audrey Rose, she is everything you need to become one of your favourite main characters. She is intelligent, determined, funny and stands up for what she believes in. The way she interacts with Thomas is a definitely the highlight of the book because if your like me you will come to love every scene they are in together. They way they flirt and handle each other makes both of the characters relatable and likeable. I found the plot to be really interesting and once I got into the story I found it hard to actually put the book down. The plot is complex and full of twist and turns, but because it is well written its easy to follow and a joy to read. Throughout the novel I was undecided on the suspects and kept changing my mind with every chapter I read. Kerri Maniscalco writing is a pleasure to read. Her writing draws you in and paints a very vivid picture in your mind of the locations of the murders and how the victims died. There was so much gory in the book, I wish I read this over Halloween because its a perfect read for that time of the year. If I had to think of one thing that I didn't like about the book, then I would have to say it was the beginning part of the book. I found it to be a little slow and it took me a while to actually get into the story and care about the characters. But don't be put off by the start because it gets so much better. If you are finding it difficult to get through, just continue reading because you will regret not reading this fabulous story. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out and developed mystery read, with added gory. After the slow start the book really picks up and takes you are a journey full of twists and turns you do not see coming. I am so glad that this is not a standalone and is instead part of a trilogy because Audrey Rose needs to have more adventures. I rate this book 5/5 stars

I have just finished reading Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco and it has made it to my top favourite book list! This book had the perfect amount of mystery, history and emotion. A woman interested in things that weren’t considered lady-like in those days, coming forth and defying the rules of society. Not to mention, the flirtatious Thomas Cresswell that made me swoon. I loved this book so much that I am going to order the sequel, Hunting Prince Dracula. I can’t wait to go on more adventures with Audrey-Rose and Thomas 💙

It's a fun plot (haven taken some liberties). The characters were dull at first and I was worried Audrey would be meek. However she came through. Ill read the next in the series. I'm not blown away but it was fun enough to read

I love Kerri Maniscalco’s fantasy work so thought I’d give this a try and was very impressed at the writing and research given it was her debut! 🔪⚰️🔪⚰️ Synopsis: In Victorian era London, daughter of a Lord, Audrey Rose, is trying to make it in the male dominated field of medicine, apprenticing in forensic medicine with her Uncle, alongside the arrogant Thomas Cresswell. When it becomes clear there is a serial killer targeting and cutting up woman in London, Audrey Rose and Thomas find themselves reluctantly teaming up to find the killer. But who is Jack the Ripper? 🔪⚰️🔪⚰️ It very much reminded me of Enola Holmes but with a backdrop of the incredibly familiar story of Jack the Ripper, that I grew up hearing about! Audrey Rose is a great FMC. I love how she’s going against gender norms and incredibly fiesty and hardy. I didn’t realise the next book would be a continuation of her story and now I do, I will definitely be continuing. The dynamic with Thomas was just perfection. He’s cocky and cold with others, but I love his flirty nature with Audrey Rose and their back and forth. I wanted to scream at her though when she completely missed the point of some of the loving things he said! The dark gritty vibes of the book are great as well. I love the use of real pictures to create the macabre energy. And the style of writing was great, very visual and a flowing tone. The plot itself was solid! There were some good misdirections and possibilities. I found myself guessing the killer towards the end, but given it’s a YA book, it was well done. All in all, I’m keen to see what happens next!

This book is 100% worth a read! The actual plot itself is very interesting, and the romance is really well-written too. Overall, I loved reading this book and cannot wait to read the next three!

Daughter purchased this book for her sister. Excellent quality,

Nella Londra vittoriana dove il sesso debole ha il ruolo di ornamento, frivola compagnia e tanto gossip, la sua propensione all’arte forense è un’attitudine del tutto inappropriata, da mantenere segreta. Soprattutto se si è figlia di uno dei Lord più influenti della città e si indossa la gonna. Una mente eccelsa e calcolatrice però difficilmente si tiene in gabbia, e Audrey Rose odia le sbarre. All’insaputa di un padre più protettivo del dovuto, la ragazza diletta la sua passione nel laboratorio medico dello zio, dottore forense, principale investigatore sulle vittime di Jack lo squartatore. Su quel tavolo sterile, Audrey guarda le vite di giovani ragazze strappate via dalla furia assassina e combatte i suoi istinti di libertà contraddetti di un animo gentile e devoto alla famiglia. A tenerla costantemente sul chi vive, c’è l’assistente Thomas, affascinante studente di poche ma taglienti parole. Un occhio attento al dettaglio, in grado di dedure anche il meno plausibile, la ragazza ne sarà attratta ed infastidita allo stesso tempo. E noi ne saremo divertiti come non mai. Anche se la nebbia londinese non piace a nessuno, lasciarsi ammaliare da Audrey Rose e Thomas è abbastanza facile, per non dire naturale. Battute taglienti, dialoghi ferrati, un’ironia che è il cavallo di battaglia, faranno cornice ad una storia in cui poliziesco e thriller si mescolano in una miscela adrenalinica. I vicoli di East End rispecchiano la struttura del libro, dove ogni pagina nasconde qualche piccolo indizio al grande mistero. I personaggi poi, sono anche loro tutto un mistero. Thomas è l’irresistibilità in persona: silenzioso quanto basta, giusto il tempo di irritare la protagonista e poi scomparire, lasciando lei e noi senza parole. Della sua storia si sa poco quanto niente, quanto basta per sperare di conoscerlo più a fondo nel libro successivo. Audrey invece, è un libro aperto. Combatte per i suoi diritti, non riesce ad abbassarsi ai livelli di una società retrograda, di cui denuncia proprio la sua arretratezza. Allo stesso tempo però, desidera ardentemente essere accettata per quello che realmente è, e che la rende unica. Ha le sue idee ed è pervasa dal desiderio di urlarle ai quattro venti, di viverle senza alcun segreto. È tuttavia combattuta dalle conseguenze che queste potrebbero avere non tanto sulla sua immagine, quanto su quella del fratello e del padre. I suoi monologhi sono di una dolcezza smisurata. Le cupe atmosfere di Londra; gli assassini efferati del famoso Jake; protagonisti divertenti e sensibili; ambientazioni storiche. Insomma, non si hanno scuse per non iniziare Stalking Jack the Ripper, e non si hanno motivi per non amarlo.

Très bon livre

La historia es sensacional. El hecho de que la autora haya considerado hechos históricos reales (como la existencia de Jack el Destripador) y los haya usado a su conveniencia para a partir de ello crear una historia me pareció sumamente extraordinario. Para ser el debut de la autora creo que empezó muy bien. No dudo en que seguiré leyendo más de Kerri Maniscalco.

**Originally posted on My Fangirl Chronicles** I saw so many of the bloggers I followed posting about the sequel to this book, Hunting Prince Dracula, and I got curious because of the intriguing title. So I looked up what the first book was and was hooked just by the title, Stalking Jack the Ripper. Prior to reading this, I hadn't really read any books about Jack the Ripper (well, there was one part in one of the Tales from Shadowhunter Academy but that was a novella) so I was further intrigued and decided to borrow the audio book from Overdrive. My friend and I listened to it during one road trip we had and I immediately fell in love with the writing and narrator's voice. We didn't get very far into the book during that trip because I was so busy and exhausted by the end of it, but that little taste I had of Stalking Jack the Ripper already made me crave more. Do you know that elated feeling you get when you absolutely fall in love with the first book in a series and then get all excited because you know there's more books with the same characters you now love? I just finished reading this a few hours ago and that's how I still feel now. I utterly and completely loved everything about this book! There is such a colorful cast of characters that bring so many different elements to the overall story. My top favorite was definitely Audrey Rose though. I absolutely love, love, love her! She's incredibly smart, brave, stubborn, and a feminist. While working resiliently to discover the identity of Jack the Ripper, she's also resisting and fighting society's traditional and misogynistic views on women. She's fierce and so very brave but is also very feminine, and I really love that about her. I don't see many heroines who are brave but also allowed to be feminine too, so it was awesome to finally get one. I didn't like Thomas at first, but after a few more chapters in I realized he reminded me a lot of Jace and Will from the Shadowhunter Chronicles and that epiphany made me instantly adore him. He's ridiculously smart, arrogant, and socially awkward because he doesn't exactly know how to get along with most people. Even though he's constantly getting on Audrey Rose's nerves because of his arrogance, he's one of the first (and few) male characters to admire her intellect and believe in her skills, and never viewed her as inferior due to her gender. Kerri's writing is gorgeous and the narrator did an amazing job bringing her words to life. I adored her portrayals of all the different characters; each one was different and helped me picture the character better and didn't confuse me at all. I hate it when narrators use the same tone or accent for multiple characters because then I get confused as to who is speaking. Kerri's writing is so descriptive and vivid, I actually felt like I was in Victorian London, going through this mystery with all the characters. Their voices felt very genuine, too. While I already knew the general story behind Jack the Ripper and the horrendous murder spree he committed from watching a few documentaries on the History Channel, this was the first work of fiction related to it that I have read. Even though the main objective was to find and stop Jack the Ripper, I love how the story highlighted the investigation and the tragedy of the lives lost in the murders, and did not focus on the Ripper himself like history did. It really made me feel invested in the investigation and empathize with the victims and their families. The only thing that bothered me (and it's a very minor thing compared to everything else that I loved about this book) was all the gore and gruesome descriptions when I first started reading the book. I guess I should've figured considering it was a story involving Jack the Ripper, but the vivid descriptions of all the postmortems, bodies of the murdered women, etc. took me by surprise and I literally felt ill. I was in the car when we first started the book and one of the reasons why I kind of zoned out was because I started to feel nauseous and I wasn't exactly sure whether it was from the car or the narrator on the speakers describing how it felt to dig into a cadaver and search for the liver. So, yeah, a little warning would've been nice. Haha Suspenseful and captivating, Stalking Jack the Ripper had me at the edge of my seat trying to figure out the mystery along with our heroes, squealing over the romantic scenes (can someone say, "new OTP"?), and cringing at the horrific and gruesome descriptions. And I loved every minute of it. All the mystery and suspense had me so enthralled, I could not put the book down! I'm not even kidding, I borrowed the audio book just to listen to it while I showered, cooked, cleaned, etc. so I can say with confidence that I officially have a new favorite series and I cannot recommend it enough! If you love Gothic horrors, mystery, suspense, a fierce and feminine heroine, definitely pick this up ASAP!

Achei esse livro por acaso e li só porque curti a vibe de Sherlock Holmes. Amei tudo, do início ao fim