"'Wield your assets like a blade, Cousin. No man has invented a corset for our brains. Let them think they rule the world. It's a queen who sits on that throne. Never forget that.'"
My Rating: ★★★★
Genre(s): Young Adult, Mystery, Horror, Historical Fiction
Publication: September 20, 2016 (Jimmy Patterson)
I don't often veer away from fantasy, but I'd heard such good things about this series that I decided it wouldn't hurt to switch things up a bit and try something new. At first, I wasn't so sure I'd made the right decision -- the book began with the main character cutting open a cadaver and describing her fascination with the dead, both of which were done in vivid detail, and while I once thought I might study forensic science (ha), I wasn't sure that I was interested in loving descriptions of cold bodies and autopsies.
However, I have always enjoyed fiction set in the Victorian Era, and I was intrigued by the idea of a young woman studying forensic science during such a restrictive time period, so I decided to stick it out. I'm glad I did -- it was so worth it.
While the violent, gruesome mystery surrounding the identity of Jack the Ripper was an intriguing plot to follow, this book was made by the characters. I think I may forever be in love with Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell. Both are interesting and dynamic on their own, but together, they seem to burst forth from the page in a near-flurry of chemistry, wit, and charm. From the start of this four-book series, it is clear that Audrey Rose and Thomas are characters that I will always want to return to.
Audrey Rose is, in many ways, the epitome of a strong female character. She is stubborn, defiant, and clever, and she does not care for society's rules or opinions during a time when a woman's reputation meant everything. Her intelligence and determination to study an emerging field of science dominated by men honestly had me swooning -- there's not much that I love more than a woman defying sexist expectations and kicking ass while doing so.
Her character also provides a fascinating moral dilemma surrounding the ethics of cutting open a body and enjoying such work -- is she truly any better than the career murderers she hunts? I'd have to say yes, clearly, but the internal conflict that Audrey Rose struggles with surrounding this issue adds layers of depth and complexity that make her seem so very real despite the unreality of a seventeen-year-old girl solving a murder mystery.
Thomas, while not immediately likeable, quickly grew to become one of my favorite characters of all time. He initially came off as an annoyingly arrogant Sherlock Holmes rip-off with his unnatural knack for deduction and his cold calculation, but this false impression of him did not last as I, along with Audrey Rose, came to know him. Thomas, like Audrey Rose, is stubbornly indifferent to society's opinions of him. At the time, studying forensics was a scandalous act, and this, coupled with his cold demeanor, leads him to be viewed as a bit of a sociopath. In reality, behind the unfeeling mask he wears in order to endure the morbid nature of his work, he is kind, passionate, highly intelligent, and the too-proud owner of a charmingly wicked sense of humor. I am a firm believer that everyone needs a Thomas Cresswell in their life. If only we could all be as lucky as Audrey Rose.
With all that they have in common and their palpable chemistry, Audrey Rose and Thomas are the perfect partners in crime solving. From the start, they seem to fill in each other's gaps -- one always makes up for what the other is lacking. They also challenge each other, and throughout the course of the book, Audrey Rose improves her deductive abilities while Thomas becomes more inclined to let his humanity show. They seem to complement each other perfectly, and this serves to enrich the story almost exponentially.
My only real issue with this book lies with the plot. While the premise of identifying Jack the Ripper is an interesting one, and the pacing of the mystery is perhaps perfect -- never too slow, never jarringly quick -- I didn't find the mystery to be as gripping as it should have been. Given that the villain of the story is the enigmatic and horrifying Jack the Ripper, who famously mutilated and stole the organs of several women, the stakes feel oddly low for Audrey Rose. Though she hunts a violent murderer, she never seems to be in any real danger. And, if she does not solve the mystery herself, then what happens? It seems that she would be able to continue on with her forensic studies without any consequence at all. Without any traces of true danger and without real repercussions for not finding Jack the Ripper, there's not much plot-driven tension. If it weren't for the fact that this book has such strong and loveable characters, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much as I did.
I also found the truth of the murders to be a bit hard to believe, though I (sort of) guessed correctly early on. While it was satisfyingly shocking to learn the identity of the murderer, I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense, and I found myself with a lot of questions that went unanswered. I can only hope that these questions will be answered in the next few books.
Despite my problems with the plot, I found Stalking Jack the Ripper to be a great read. With this book, Maniscalco proved herself capable of creating wonderfully complex characters who easily find their way into your heart -- and, for me, I don't think they'll ever leave. I cannot emphasize it enough: I love Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell, and upon finishing this first book in the series, I couldn't wait to dig into the sequel just to spend more time with them. Such is the magic of great fiction. On to Hunting Price Dracula.
Content Warnings: death, violent death, murder of women, gore
Synopsis:
This #1 New York Times bestseller and 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 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. The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.