The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

The Name of the Star (Shades of London, #1)

by Maureen Johnson

Thrilling ghost-hunting teen mystery as modern-day London is plagued by a sudden outbreak of brutal murders that mimic the horrific crimes of Jack the Ripper.

"A gorgeously written, chilling, atmospheric thriller. The streets of London have never been so sinister or so romantic." Cassandra Clare, author of THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS

Sixteen-year-old American girl Rory has just arrived at boarding school in London when a Jack the Ripper copycat-killer begins terrorising the city. All the hallmarks of his infamous murders are frighteningly present, but there are few clues to the killer's identity.

"Rippermania" grabs hold of modern-day London, and the police are stumped with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. In an unknown city with few friends to turn to, Rory makes a chilling discovery...

Could the copycat murderer really be Jack the Ripper back from the grave?

Reviewed by Michael @ Knowledge Lost on

1 of 5 stars

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I was excited to start this book, I won a copy and I was always interested to see how Maureen Johnston writes. This book was obvious the best choice for me to dive into this authors writing styles. The synopsis looked great; I’m interested in a good mystery, and a Jack the Ripper one...and it could have been a great book if they removed everything paranormal about it. I was really enjoying the mystery and the story of this Jack the Ripper copy cat.

The story opens with Rory Deveaux; just ordinary, very boring character, starting a new chapter in her life. Her final two years of high school in a London boarding school training to be a wizard. When she gets London she finds herself in the midst of Rippermania; a copy cat is killing women in the Whitechapel district the exact same way as Jack the Ripper did in 1888. Rory and some newly found friends are interested in uncovering the mystery but that is pretty much where the excitement ends.

I love books about serial killers, I love to read dark macabre mysteries and even a novel about Jack the Ripper sounds like a good read; turns out, I don’t like Paranormal YA. I don’t see the appeal at all, the second half of this book was just boring and unoriginal, and I had to push myself to finish it. Sure some one of the ghosts was slightly frightening but there was nothing thrilling about them at all. What ever happen to the supernatural sending chills down your spine and getting your heart racing with excitement?

There was some romance, some mystery in the book but that was all overshadowed by this hugely unenjoyable plot about ghosts and ghost police. I couldn’t find anything interesting about this part of the book at all; I just found it bland and very boring. I would hate to read some paranormal romance because this genre seems hugely popular but I find it hugely bland. I wanted to enjoy this book but I really could not recommend this book to anyone, except fans of paranormal romance.

Please note; Reading Habit did not recommend this book but I have marked them as the person who recommended it simply because I won this book in one of their giveaways and wanted to tag them in this review

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 24 February, 2012: Finished reading
  • 24 February, 2012: Reviewed