Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Inspired by the murders committed by Jack the Ripper, Maniscalco has you traveling back in time to 19th century London, England. Audrey Rose Wadsworth hails from high-society. She’s the daughter of a lord and as such, she should behave like a proper lady.

Audrey has other plans though, caring more about forensics than sipping afternoon tea. Under the supervision of her forensic scientist uncle, Audrey gets to examine the dead bodies that are brought in for him to review. When gruesome dead bodies of women show up more frequently, Audrey is determined to solve the mystery and end the horrendous killing spree that encompassed London.

Audrey doesn’t have to solve the Jack the Ripper case alone though. While pretending to be a man so she can attend her uncle’s university lectures, Audrey meets the charming Thomas Cresswell, a fellow forensic scientist who can easily see through her disguise. Thomas becomes fascinated with the girl who can match his intellect and wants to help Audrey solve this mystery.

Can the two of them come together to solve London’s darkest mystery or will the killer always be one step ahead of them?

Maniscalco did an excellent job of writing Stalking Jack the Ripper and depicting 19th Century London. Her ability to delve into the historical aspects of the story was great and it really added to the overall plot. Maniscalco really did her homework and we felt completely enamored by the depictions of the setting.

No review would be complete without mentioning the romance. Thomas Cresswell may or may not be our new book boyfriend. Thomas and Audrey had the best witty banter and it was great to see Audrey knock him down a peg or two during their arguments.

Thomas is your typical overconfident, charming male love interest and Audrey is a brilliant, sarcastic lead. Both are intellectuals and it’s really cute to see them debate when it comes to forensic science as they try to solve a mystery together. They make for quite the YA couple! We can’t wait to see their relationship continue to grow in the next three novels. And yes— this is a slow burn romance, but trust us, its worth the wait.  

The murder mystery aspect of Stalking Jack the Ripper will keep you on the edge of your seat until Audrey ultimately discovers the culprit. Maniscalco did a great job with the ending, which felt resolved and still left the reader wanting more.

She hid little clues about the murderer throughout the novel, while still leaving an air of mystery. As a reader, we could tell that Maniscalco did her research into the Jack the Ripper story— all the details were woven together very nicely and the plot felt realistic.

Stalking Jack the Ripper is difficult to put down, so read it when you have a big block of free time. If you scare easily, sleep with a nightlight because there are still three more books in the series— and trust us, you won’t find yourself wanting to skip this incredible YA historical fiction series.

We can’t wait to read the second book in the series, Hunting Prince Dracula, where we follow Audrey on a new adventure to Romania! And we get more Thomas Cresswell scenes? Sign us up! 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐