emilybettridge
Written on Feb 10, 2020
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 debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.
- ISBN10 0316273511
- ISBN13 9780316273510
- Publish Date 5 September 2017 (first published 20 September 2016)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Little, Brown & Company
- Format Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
- Pages 352
- Language English
Reviews
kalventure
Written on Jun 8, 2019
"Death was not prejudiced by mortal things such as station or gender. It came for kings and queens and prostitutes alike, often leaving the living with regrets."Maniscalo's debut novel is deliciously macabre and a must-read for fans of murder mysteries and historical fiction. While I found the twists to be predictable, this was an enjoyable read and I'm excited to continue the series!
I normally put my content warnings at the bottom of my reviews, but I feel like it is important to note up front that the book opens with a black and white photo of a corpse (there is also a photo of someone that died from leprosy further in the book) and the main character conducting an autopsy. This is a dark and gritty tale that isn't for the faint of heart and I would hate for someone to pick this up expecting a fun historical fiction story (which it is!) and being turned off by the gore. The bottom of the official book synopsis mentions historical photos but in case this wasn't what you were thinking...
Stalking Jack the Ripper is told in the first person perspective of Audrey Rose Wadsworth, the seventeen year old daughter of an overprotective lord and niece to a renowned coroner in the 1880s who finds herself investigating the famous Jack the Ripper.
“I dreamed of a day when girls could wear lace and makeup—or no makeup at all and don burlap sacks if they desired—to their chosen profession without it being deemed inappropriate."I love historical fiction, particularly when the main female character rebukes and challenges society's expectations. Audrey Rose not only lives in a very sexist society but also is from the upper class which holds its own set of challenges and expectations. The book opens up with her conducting an autopsy under her Uncle Wadsworth's tutelage and the reader quickly learns that she is taking these lessons in spite of her father's wishes. Her uncle allows her to join in his lesson the following day provided that she dresses like a boy and keeps quiet, which she gleefully does to be able to learn. Her subterfuge plays a theme throughout the book as she almost lives a double life, even having to change her clothing when leaving the house to not arose her family's suspicion. Not all superheroes wear capes, some wear slippers and riding pants.
"Just because I studied cadavers didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate beautiful garments."As much as I adore Audrey Rose for her fascination with the dead, I love that she loves "feminine" things like frilly dresses; people are more complicated than just black and white rigid stereotypes and she is a well-rounded character that shows that these two things are not mutually exclusive of each other.
"I refused, absolutely refused to let this cruel treatment of a woman stand. I’d do everything in my power to solve this case for Miss Nichols. And for any other voiceless girl or woman society ignored."The juxtaposition of the Ripper's victims and the privilege that Audrey Rose experiences is not lost on me. Despite being raised in "polite society" and being surrounded by men that view her incapable of having apprenticeships (let alone be in the presence of blood without fainting), she never loses sight of her privilege and wanting to find justice for these victims.
"Thomas cleared his throat. 'But I believe if your niece can handle dissecting a human, she can handle intelligent conversation without fainting. Her intellect, though nowhere near as vast as mine, may prove useful.'"Thomas Cresswell is absolutely brilliant and I adore characters with the Sherlockian powers of deduction. He is arrogant but it comes from a confidence and he also is willing to share his knowledge with Audrey Rose to not only help her enhance her skills but also to have her as his crime-solving partner. I will always stan a love interest that builds up the object of their affection rather than keep them down. And as much as he wants to protect her, he doesn't shield or hide her away. Thomas' adoration and support of Audrey Rose honestly just melted my damn heart.
“Perhaps I don’t want any friends,” he said, moving toward the front door. “Perhaps I am content with speaking the way I do and care only what your opinion of me."In case you can't already guess, let me tell you that I am here for this romance! I am a sucker for romances of this period that kind of exist outside the rules of polite society without throwing those rules out the window. There is something scintillating about the stolen glances and jests that really builds a natural chemistry between these characters that I found satisfying.
"The dead speak to those who listen."Fast-paced and gripping, I devoured this book easily over the course of three days (which would have been faster had I not been trying to pace myself for the sake of the group read). I enjoy Maniscalo's writing and narrative style immensely, appreciating how descriptive the language is without getting needlessly lost in the details.
My one complaint is that I found the mystery to be entirely predictable which did lessen my enjoyment of the book a tad. I guessed fairly early on and while I don't normally hold that against a book (because this happens more often than not), towards the end of the book it bothered me a lot that Audrey Rose was doggedly pursuing a suspect against all the other clues laid before her. For me it felt like when you scream "behind you" at the screen when a person is about to be murdered in a horror movie. I look forward to seeing how the future books in the series are plotted and hope that the twists/red herrings are executed a bit better. Like she suspected both her father and her brother yet just kind of forgot about her suspicions about Nathaniel suddenly? It felt like Maniscalo was going "Look over here!" and try to trick the reader for the big reveal because it seemed so obvious to Audrey Rose in text, but it just felt like a poorly executed Scooby Doo red herring.
Jack the Ripper is probably one of the most famous unsolved murder cases in history, and I love the story that Maniscalo crafted in answering what if?. She uses historical record to frame her narrative but also places her main character in the middle of the investigation in more ways than one. While these fictional characters are not likely the real culprits, I really appreciate the way that she explored the what if?... especially answering the question of why Jack the Ripper stopped killing. The deeper that Wadsworth and Cresswell dig, the more personal the stakes become in their search of justice for the murder victims.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Stalking Jack the Ripper and am glad I finally got around to reading it! Even though I was left a little lacking on the twist execution, I love the characters so much that it didn't hamper my reading experience too much. I definitely am looking forward to reading the other books in the series, and recommend this to fans of gritty murder mysteries!
Audiobook notes: I absolutely loved the audiobook, Nicola Barber did an amazing job! She nails the sarcasm so well and I found myself laughing out loud on countless occasions. This is actually the first audiobook that wasn't fullcast that I was able to get into, which I think says a lot! You can listen to a three minute preview on Audiofile Magazine.
CONTENT WARNINGS: death, drug abuse, gore, murder, sexism
🤝 Group buddy read with Destiny, Dev, Jess, Loretta, Sam, and Shantall as part of #Stalkalong">the #Stalkalong.
tweetybugshouse
Written on May 25, 2019
Edgar is fighting to find his own way in life and really wants to flourish in his gothic writing. Out of the dark his muse comes to life and his adopted father is horrified by this turn of events. To the point where he pretty much decimates Edgar hopes and dreams.
The story flows along at fantastical clip to the point where i was lost in the world of these muses battling out for Edgar attention. I felt immersed in his world as he struggles to continue his education despite the shunning of his farther and his lady love.
Twisted, dark, and filled with lines from some of Poe’s most famous works. This was truly a delight to read i was completely captivated to the very end.
zooloo1983
Written on Apr 28, 2019
Wow, do I love this book or do I love this book! I have heard about this book from the bloggersphere and had to check it out. I mean it is about JACK THE RIPPER – Sold!
I loved that not only is this a “story” of Jack the Ripper but told from a 17-year-old girl, Audrey Rose Wadsworth, a Lord’s daughter and one whose life is of privilege and one where she has to act like a lady! So elbow deep in a cadaver is not the life she should be leading! She should not be falling for the arrogant Thomas Cresswell and who acts so improper! I loved it and him!
At the end of the audiobook, I listened to the author’s note, in it she tells you the bits she created and tweaked for entertainment and the elements she kept true to real life, not just the poor women who lost their lives but the instruments used as part of the autopsies.
Nicola Barber’s voice is beyond epic! I loved listening to her voice! She got Audrey Rose’s innocence, petulance, anger and inner turmoil to absolute perfection! When she voiced Thomas, Nathaniel, or any of the men, it was hard to imagine that it was still Ms Barber! She was that good! She breathed each and every character to life.
Obviously being about Jack the Ripper, we are taken back to the Victorian times, the corsets, the dresses and the murders. You could smell the blood in the autopsy room the writing was that vivid. The conclusion of this story was a heartbreaking one, (obviously not the real one) because the reasoning behind “Leather Apron” were ones you didn’t want to comprehend and accept as reality.
I loved Audrey Rose! You had to keep reminding yourself that she was only 17 and that she had to be a proper lady. She constantly went against the grain of what was proper and did not have any interest in balls and dresses, she wouldn’t even dress in the colour codes that the women all agreed on. She definitely made me smile and was feisty to boot!
You can tell that a wealth of research has gone into this book and it has brought this awful piece of history back to life again. The imagery, the dresses, the streets, the noises all made you feel like you were transported back into time, throwing you into the thick of the action. I want more!
The fear, however, was palpable as we stalk the streets for the murderer. I was on tenterhooks waiting for the next victim to be discovered and I was fearing for Audrey Rose! I didn’t want to lose this woman! Plus I do not think Thomas would be too happy!
Straight after I finished this, I used my credit to buy the next book in the series, and can you imagine my excitement when I saw who was narrating it…yes, that’s right Nicola Barber! Whoop Whoop! Now we are hunting Dracula! Let us hope it goes better than last time, I am off to sharpen my stakes!
shannonmiz
Written on Mar 26, 2019
I have never been so sad to not love a book. Like ever. And usually, when it's a book by an author I adore, I can find some things to like even if I don't love everything. But this was just not the book for me, I guess? Le sigh, let us break it down!
The Things I Liked:
- •Young Edgar is, you know, a regular dude. I liked that he wasn't completely broody and maudlin. He was just a guy who loved to write, had fallen in love, and wanted to make something of himself on his own terms. I mean, sure he was intense and such, but that isn't a bad thing! It was a good choice to write him in a likable and relatable way.
- •The time period/historical stuff was so fun to learn about! Since I didn't go to college in Virginia in the 1800s, this was a fun new adventure! I loved the look into the lives that Edgar and his contemporaries lived. Also, the author has a ton of information at the end of the book about Edgar, his family, and his friends that we meet in the book. This was probably my favorite part.
The Things I Didn't:
- •Nothing... happened? Like Eddy had a beer today, cool, cool. He hugged his mom, splendid. I just kept waiting for the plot and it wasn't there. It never came. Like okay he "met" Leonore, his muse. Whatever even that is, I have no idea because it wasn't ever fully explained. Fought with his dad. Wrote some stuff. And then this whole thing repeated a few times: Muse encounter, writing, fight with Dad, lather rinse repeat as needed.
- •Lenore was a bore. See what I did there? It's nice that I amuse myself, no? Anyyyyway, I had to because Lenore certainly wasn't amusing me. Like, she was pretty pissed, and I get it because hello, Edgar wasn't exactly treating her nicely. But would I treat a hallucination/bird-person nicely? NO. In part because you all know how I feel about bird people, but also I wouldn't want to be hallucinating so um of course he wanted her to vanish? Like sweetie, use some common sense. You're whatever a muse is, and that is probably scary.
- •Like I mentioned, I never completely understood the muse concept. Is this something that was popular in the nineteenth century? Or was it just a thing for the sake of the story? I am fine with whichever, but try as I might I couldn't find anything specific on this "muse" business, because there are a lot of things/products named Muse. And when I searched "Poe Muse" it just kept trying to link me to a Poe Museum which is decidedly not what I wanted and this is turning into more of a story about Google than a review so I'll stop. My point is, why did everyone and their mom (literally) see this... thing? Woman? Bird? Look I don't even know, okay.
- •I just couldn't bring myself to care about anyone or anything. Okay, except for Poe's adopted Mom, she's the real hero here. Maybe next we just write a book about her, but in the book she breaks up with the shitty "father" (who by the by is cheating on her while she lays in her sickbed, what a prince 🙄) and then she takes up... Idk, burlesque dancing to make a living for her and her son, and then she meets a doctor who is able to fix her health stuff but also he falls in love with her and treats her like the queen she really is. And Edgar doesn't die in a gutter, the end. (I mean technically he didn't die there, but shh. He was unconscious there and it makes my story sound much better.)
Bottom Line: Wow look I legitimately made up several of my own stories in this review that might have spiced up the actual book in which nothing happens, but it is a look into old-timey stuff and dead folks which is kinda cool?
alindstadtcorbeax
Written on Mar 11, 2019
This was one of the first books that wasn’t in the ya fantasy/ science fiction genre that I’ve been able to read & actually enjoy in a very long time; it takes a lot for other genres to reel me in and I love my fantasy so very much 😍.
That said, I was hooked within the first chapter or two. Such likable characters! Kick ass female lead! Dashing gentlemen! Death! Curiousity! Romance! Murder! Shocking plot twists! I mean, come on, Jack the freaking Ripper!!!
I fear I’ve used too many exclamation points, and thus, have made too many exclamations. Haha. You get it.
I’ve been very very careful to not show any special views on emotions or motives or theories about characters bc I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone... I still do not care to spoil this!
So let me just say:
This 100% left me with the ending I deduced on a base level (although I did keep second guessing myself bc who can be sure of anything in a whodunnit?! Haha), but with a HUGE twist I’m not sure most could predict, honestly- CRAY CRAY! SO GOOD !
All of my fears melted away as the ending played out, and I was so happy to find that although certain aspects were even more sinister (all the best kinds) than I could’ve imagined, others ended even more pleasantly than I could’ve imagined... and it seems Audrey Rose’s adventures are only beginning!
I’m starting Hunting Prince Dracula... NOW! :-)
Stoked AF
Renee
Written on Dec 6, 2018
alisoninbookland
Written on Oct 5, 2018
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nightingalereads
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inlibrisveritas
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