Reviews with content warning for Body horror - Stalking Jack the Ripper

Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

81 reviews

kathrynleereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Not being a big fan of fiction (although I am more partial to historical fiction), I wasn't sure whether I was going to enjoy Stalking Jack the Ripper. So when I say I loved this book, I want you to understand how deeply I mean it.

While the plot did drag a little in the middle (which I've heard is true for a few of Kerri Maniscalco's books), the characters more than made up for it.

Audrey Rose and Thomas are the perfect team in that neither of them is perfect, but their imperfections complement each other flawlessly.

My only complaint (not even a complaint, more of just a note) is that I correctly guessed the identity of the Ripper in the first 50 pages (mostly off of a fluke). I was very convinced that I was right, so watching Audrey Rose focus on all the different suspects they went through got a tad bit frustrating, as I was confident they were wrong.

I can't wait to see where Audrey Rose and Thomas go from here!

Content Warnings

emilynied's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I am shocked that a story with this plot and historical references is YA? HUH. "Stalking Jack the Ripper" of course is about the infamous serial killer named "Jack the Ripper" in Londan, England in 1888. Like, this is not a light topic people! The killer would actually remove their internal organs, a topic usually not suited for young adult books. However, I think it was blended well into the story. Audrey practices forensic medicine and is no stranger to a dead body; so when a killer begins terrorizing London, she steps up to uncover the case.

Audrey and Thomas reminded me of the tv show, "The Artful Dodger," because in that show both are surgeons and they do have a similar dynamic. I really liked the quick witted conversations between the two and their detective skills. The goal to discover the killer was a good guiding force throughout the book. I will say there wasn't much character development on Audrey's end, which is fine, but we are looking ahead to a four book series. I feel like a little more complexity would, for me, make this YA series feel a little more mature. I think the ending of the book will certainly affect how she acts as a character and approaches life in the future - I'm excited to read!

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enika's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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faelorn's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I got Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco for $5 at a Barnes and Noble sale, so I went into this book blind. The blurb was one quote on the back - something that would ordinarily turn me away from a book - but I bought it nonetheless. A cheap book will always do me in. That being said, it was a good book. I typically don't particularly like YA novels - especially not romance ones (gasp, I know) - but this one was genuinely enjoyable to me. Audrey Rose is a fun FMC, and I can see her inspiring any young adults who read this book to pursue their career even if they face stigma, just as she does. At first, I was going to rate this book somewhere around 3.25, but the day after I finished it, I found myself actually a little sad that I couldn't read the book more. I think that alone shows that I quite enjoyed it.

The Good:
- This is a fun read. The pacing is good, the two main characters have fun chemistry, and it balances suspense with character emotion well. I found myself lost in time reading this, and I really enjoyed that.
- I did not guess the killer! While in hindsight it was a little obvious, the book does a great job of controlling where your suspicions lie through the characters.
- Okay, I have a soft spot for egotistical MMCs. I'll admit it. Thomas was perfect. He's teasing, annoying, and the perfect mix of rolling-my-eyes-at-him and enjoying how he interacts with the FMC, Audrey Rose.
- I love how much it focuses on the crimes, as grim as that sounds. It's hard to balance romance and suspense, and this book does it well! I liked the pacing around it a lot, and really enjoyed how the detective work had it's own time to shine. The medical procedures around the bodies of the deceased were also really interesting.
- I loved the little section at the end of the book that explained changes the author made from real life events. It was super fun to read and you could tell that a lot of respect for the real-life victims was there.

The Iffy:
- This is 50/50 for some people, but wow do they not spare you the details of the crime scenes. Just be wary if you have a weak stomach.
- I know I'm meant to dislike Audrey Rose's father, but I wish we saw more redeeming qualities around him. He was painted as a tortured man who lost his wife, but didn't see much sympathy around it. Spoilers for a key event ->

I also didn't think him kicking Audrey Rose out of the house was in character. It's a nitpick, I know, but I can't imagine such an overprotective father just saying "alright, I give up. To the streets with you, lil' miss."

The Bad:
- Wow, Audrey Rose cannot fathom not being related to Jack the Ripper. Admittedly, her assumptions are fair, but even when someone points out it may not be the case, she banishes the thought immediately. I would've loved to see more uncertainty about it, or more denial of the thought, really.

Content Warnings