Kerri Maniscalco

A gothic murder mystery set in gritty Victorian-era London, where an intrepid society girl finds herself embroiled in the investigation of a serial killer known as Jack the Ripper.

Stalking Jack the Ripper

James Patterson

Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this 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.

Stalking Jack the Ripper #1

My heart furiously banged in my chest when I realized I didn’t want to move away from him. I wanted to be even closer.

My brother was the kind one. The sensitive one. I was the monster.

I couldn’t tell if I wanted to kiss him or kill him.

If he’d reached out and slapped me, I would’ve been less shocked.

This was what my only true friend in the world thought of me; I was a monster waiting to be unleashed. Maybe he was right.

He was in love. How exceptionally wonderful for him. I wished them both a lifetime of misery with ill-mannered children.

I was a terrible creature. I was selfish and scared and didn’t care who knew it.

Here I was all wrapped up in my own mind, selfishly ignoring the people who were still very much present in my life.

Clearly, I was experiencing some sort of degenerative medical condition if I was thinking such indecent thoughts about the scoundrel.

I’d prayed and prayed the way Mother always said I should, and for what? Death still claimed her in the end.

My notebook was filled with images of things a lady had no business being fascinated by, yet I couldn’t control my curiosity.

“The dead speak to those who listen. Be quieter than even them.”

Sarah

Judging from how uncomfortable I was, I'd say I was downright stunning this evening.

Elena M.

Fear is a hungry beast. The more you feed it, the more it grows.

Monsters were supposed to be scary and ugly. They weren’t supposed to hide behind friendly smiles and well-trimmed hair.

Those who deserve respect are given it freely. If one must demand such a thing, he’ll never truly command it. I am your daughter, not your horse, sir.

"There are no such things as coincidences in life."

I would throw up if I weren't doing dishes.

Goodness, twisted as it might be, was not meant to be locked away in an icy heart and anxious exterior; grief was not supposed to hide guilt of wrongdoing. In what sort of world could such vast dichotomies exist?

Somewhere in Chapter 14, 44% of the way through.

"Wield you 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."

Caroline 

“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.”

“What is a man’s soul made of that a woman’s is not?”

Natalia Melike

Thomas leaned closer, his lips tickling my ear in the most inappropriate manner as Uncle cleared his throat. "I rather fancy the thought of more adventures with you, Miss Wadsworth."

"You must know what you mean to me? Surely you must know how I feel about you, Audrey Rose. The thought of losing you..."

"Those who deserve respect are given it freely. If one must demand such a thing, hell never truly command it. I am your daughter, not your horse, sir."

Scarlett

Que buen libro locooo!!!!
Le tenia 0 expectativas al momento de comenzarlo y las primeras paginas no me emocionaron, pero cuando empezaron los asesinatos y las sospechas yo estaba loca. Thomas cresswell es mi nuevo husbando aunque todavía no he enloquecido por el se que en cualquier momento me va a tener a sus pies, y pues Audrey una reina pisame 
now, yo sospechaba DE TODOS menos del que era, me ha tomado por sorpresa y me he quedado en shock del bueno. estaban todas las pruebas ahí frente a mis ojos y aun así no adivine, al momento en que todo se revelo fue el mejor de todos.

millena

2,5 ⭐️ this isn’t a bad book but it is not my fav genre, if you like mystery you’ll probably like it

now can we talk about thomas cresswell???? i love him SO MUCH

Morana 

3.75 ☆

i enjoyed reading this book altho i hate long chapters. i also guessed it right who jack the ripper is!! i didn't gave it a 4 star coz i think there is a better solution for HIM. i hate that he is dead just like that. but all in all, this is good book.

Linara K.S

I didn't guess the end AT ALL; it was unpredictable!!!!

Kate Gonzales

Defintely worth my time! Hell ride especially imagining those things AAAAAAAHHHHHH

sani

“i thought i was going to lose you.”he ran both hands through his hair, pacing away and coming back. “i saw blood—i thought he’d slit your throat. i thought—”

he covered his face with his hands, collecting himself for a few breaths, then fixed his attention on me, swallowing hard. “you must know what you mean to me? surely you must know how i feel about you, audrey rose. the thought of losing you…”

i’m not sure which of us moved first, but suddenly my hands were cradling his face and our lips were crashing together, propriety and polite society be damned.

IT WAS SO GOOD? like i didn't expect it to be actually so good. two words. thomas cresswell. bye. 

i went into the book hoping for a cute romance mystery. what i got instead was a detailed mystery filled with so much information of forensics. did i love it? so much! 

i love how audrey rose's character was written. her position in victorian society and how her interests clearly differed from the rest of them. i love how she had indian heritage. that was so precious to me. 

also, thomas cresswell, my man. bye. i started reading the book for him. and he clearly didn't disappoint. 

horribly a cressworth shipper even though i want both of them for myself too.

Ellie M.

Let’s just say there has always been something beautiful about steampunk novels, and this was totally one of it! I’ve always been drawn to London’s Victorian Era, but I put this series off for so long because I didn’t want it to end. Yet when I finally did decide to read it, I honestly couldn’t put it down. It had an intriguing, unpredictable mystery plot. I really thought I was getting somewhere then all the clues suddenly debunk the theories I could think of. It was that good! Not to mention the perfect dash of creepy, gore that certainly made me squeamish, horror, and the budding romance. Thomas Cresswell has already won my heart with his charming and flirtatious tactics and his extremely sexy brain. Well, you know what they say: smart and mysterious men? Chef’s kiss. On the other hand, I badly want to be Audrey Rose because how are you that curious, calculating, and smart? Also, the way she speaks up against the terrible sexism of Victorian London? She’s not only something of a scientist herself and it really shows. She is so much more than how society expects women to act. 

This was definitely one of the books that made me feel like I was in it, solving the mystery of Leather Feace along with the main characters. That plot twist broke my heart rather than shock me. I cannot wait to pick up the second book!

gülefşan 

liana

Nett. Hat bestimmt richtig viel Recherchearbeit benötigt. Das Ende war ziemlich vorhersehbar 

Jack O‘Conner

Spooky, goosebumps moment, heartbreak, Frankenstein be like loved that book 

Laura 

 🩰

issa

nina 

Syahla Aurel

Question for the author: Why did you bother to write about the heroine's fight to receive equal treatment as a woman in a patriarchal society throughout the entire book then chose a MAN to be the hero? UNFORGIVABLE.

Other things that I hated:
1. Audrey is such a pick-me-girl, yes I know that you don't like to wear a dress, yes I know you are VERY different from any other girls! no need to mentioned it EVERY.DAMN.TIME
2. I understand that Thomas is supposed to be smart and confidence? but I found him to be very cocky and annoying. (sometimes even creepy)
3. PREDICTABLE KILLER???????????? hello????? I could put up with an arrogant boy and a pick-me girl, but a predictable killer? really?????????????? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
4. OH AND DON'T FORGET THAT AUDREY IS HALF INDIAN, and OH the writer only mentioned it like two times throughout book?? why?? it felt very forced.
5. "Stalking Jack the Ripper" my ass, they only "stalked" the killer once.

kyra

4.25/5. cant complain about a good book w a good entp lead. i loved this and i love them (cressworth)

Vivi

★★★★☆ (4,5)

 “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.” 
¿Leí este libro gracias a una ilustración hermosa sin contexto que vi en twitter? Sí ¿Me arrepiento? Claro que no. 

En realidad, llevaba bastante tiempo buscando leer este libro, siempre me llamó mucho la atención la trama y adoro cualquier historia que tenga misterios por resolver en ella, sobre todo si están ambientadas en otra época. 

Le tenía altas expectativas y no me decepcionó en lo absoluto. 

(Voy a probar hacer esta reseña por partes para ver si así me comprometo a terminar algo de lo que escribo). 

 ☑ Trama. 
 “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.” 
 
La búsqueda y el tema de los cadáveres me mantuvieron intrigada durante toda la historia. A pesar de que en un principio sentí que todo ocurría muy rápido, las cosas fueron tomando un mejor ritmo a medida que pasaba el libro. 

Una de las razones por las que no pude darle cinco estrellas de puntuación, a pesar de lo mucho que me gustó, es porque sinceramente esperaba que me costara más descubrir quién era Jack el destripador. La respuesta me pareció bastante obvia desde la mitad de la historia, pero no puedo decir que hiciera sentir decepcionada, pues me gusta mucho tener teorías propias y estar en lo correcto con respecto a estas. Sí me gustó el peso emocional que le puso la autora al descubrimiento y al verdadero culpable, sentí mucha lástima por los involucrados en los últimos capítulos. 

 ☑ Personajes. 
 “Diamonds were everything I hoped to be; beautiful, yet containing unimaginable strength.” 

Thomas Cresswell estoy enamorada de ti desde las primeras 50 páginas. Podría quedarme felizmente viviendo en esta historia si eso significa seguir leyendo sus ocurrentes coqueteos que me tenían chillando a las dos de la mañana. Ha pasado mucho tiempo desde que le agarre tanto cariño a un personaje masculino de un libro y estoy muy complacida. 

 “I’d like to see you carry on with a corset digging its bones into your rib cage,” I said, returning the favor and eyeing his clothing. “And manage a skirt still covering most of your breeches and whipping around your thighs in this wind.”

“If you’d like to see me out of my breeches, simply ask, Wadsworth. I’m more than happy to accommodate you on that front.”

Con respecto a Audrey Rose, todavía tengo algunos sentimientos encontrados con ella. En gran parte de la historia la amé, a pesar de que es bastante obvio que roza el estereotipo de "I'm not like other girls", pero al menos no intentaba constantemente alejarse de las cosas que eran consideradas aceptables para su género solo porque fueran femeninas. Quizás estuviera interesada en la medicina y la ciencia, pero también le gustaban otras cosas y se enojaba cuando los hombres intentaban reducir a las mujeres a cosas "frívolas". 

En la historia hay bastantes personajes, pero a los otros que les tomé cariño fue a Nathaniel y a Liza, en especial a esta última. Ojalá en los siguientes libros vuelve a aparecer, porque disfruté mucho poder tener un contraste de personalidad y pensamiento femenino al lado del de Audrey Rose. 

 ☑ Escritura. 
  “What is a man's soul made of that a woman's is not?” 

Si puedo resumir la escritura en todas las frases de Thomas, entonces puedo decir que me encantó. 

La verdad es que no tengo mucho que decir al respecto a esta. Al principio la sentía un poco sencilla, pero con el paso de las páginas agradecí que fuera así, ya que no le aportaba más densidad innecesaria a la historia. 

Disfruté mucho leyendo Stalking Jack the Ripper y espero que sea una serie que continué en el futuro.

nuélle

3.75/5.0 

oh the things I would do to investigate a murder case in the foggy streets of london wearing rich silk outfits with my flirtatious rival from school who also happens to be extremely pretty

This was good, but it also didn't blow my mind. I expected something exceptional after reading the Kingdom of the Wicked series previously, but this was just middle ground for me.  I enjoyed the main plot, but it was kind of boring.

Also, the photos were an absolute jump scare. I flipped the page at one point and literally jumped out of my skin. I was alone in a dark office building, so it was heinous (lol).

Sarah Campbell

This was good, but it also didn't blow my mind. I expected something exceptional after reading the Kingdom of the Wicked series previously, but this was just middle ground for me.  I enjoyed the main plot, but it was kind of boring.
Also, the photos were an absolute jump scare. I flipped the page at one point and literally jumped out of my skin. I was alone in a dark office building, so it was heinous (lol).

Melissa Palmer

Book #87 Read in 2017
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Audrey Rose Wadsworth is interested in learning science and helps her uncle research on dead bodies. She is not your typical female, especially for her time period....which is during the Jack the Ripper murders. She wants to help her uncle catch the murderer but might get more than she bargains for in doing so. This book had a great mystery plot that kept me guessing, interesting characters, some romance between Audrey and Thomas and an ending that made me immediately pick up the sequel. I recommend it for high school and adult readers.

i really wanted to like this, but it was too all over the place for me

Danyella Barajas

KM how can you simultaneously make me so angry with these books yet intrigue me enough to want to keep going??????

Anna Oeltjenbruns

Briar's Reviews

Do you ever have books that you keep seeing everywhere and you think "I absolutely HAVE to read this book at all costs?" Stalking Jack the Ripper was that book for me. I enjoy a thrilling book and having to do with crime and murder? Well, that's just up my alleyway. Who doesn't want to solve a murder? And Jack the Ripper of all?! Oi, this book was made for me.

Quick summary for you: Audrey Rose Wadsworth is living a double live - she's a privileged young (seventeen year old) woman who should be attending fancy tea parties wearing pretty dresses and looking for a husband. But you know how it is, why do that when you could become a forensic anthropologist/coroner? It's way more fun to open bodies up and look at their organs. Well, as time goes Jack the Ripper starts his gruesome murders and lucky Wadsworth just happens to be around when this happens. Alongside her Uncle and another coroner wannabe named Thomas, she's going to solve this murder... or die trying.

This fast paced thrill ride was excellent! It kept me on my toes and hooked the entire time. If you pay attention (and listen to as much true crime as I do, or read as many murder mysteries as I do... so on, so forth), you'll likely be able to put the story together yourself. Enjoy the book like I did, going "ITS TOTALLY GOING TO BE HIM" and then cackle to yourself as the end when you are right. It's worth it and will make you feel smart.

And to top it all off, this was a debut! So you know Kerri is only going to get better.

Does the book have it's problems? Sure. The timeline and Audrey's behaviour likely wouldn't go along to well with each other, but extend your disbelief for the fun of the story (seriously, don't take this as the literal non-fiction book for who Jack the Ripper was, because that's not what this book is). This also isn't a romance book, so the romance is super "womp-womp", but honestly... this is about gruesome murders, what did you expect? We're not reading Titanic here (although, someone SHOULD write a murder mystery/Titanic romance hybrid because I'd read it). I'm pretty sure this seventeen year old is actually acting like a seventeen year old - so she has drama that is really big to her, but to me as an adult I'm like "boohoo you... wait until you have bills to pay", but did I care? No. Because this book is fiction and fun. 

Don't take the book too seriously. Enjoy it for the historical fiction, crime-filled, murder mystery thrill ride that it is.

Honestly, one of my favourite books I read this year. It brought me back to loving fiction and got me binging again.

Five out of five stars.

I loved every second of this book it’s incredible. 

Stalking Jack the Ripper

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