Title: Escaping from Houdini
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Series Name: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Genre: YA Historical Mystery
Publication Date: September 18th, 2018
Pages: 431 (Hardcover)
Publishers: Little Brown (Hachette Australia)
Rating:
Goodreads Synopsis
In this third installment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. .
Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.
But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea. It’s up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer’s horrifying finale?
Writing
I absolutely adore Kerri Maniscalco’s writing! It has a way of dragging you in and hooking you from the very beginning. I love how she slowly develops the mystery and is constantly throwing possible hints at you. It leaves you guessing and in the end you still have no damn idea who to believe until the big reveal.
I promise to stand by your side through whatever comes our way. You’ll end up being the hero, no doubt, but I’ll look good beside you. And that’s what truly counts.”
Thomas Cresswell (Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco)
Plot
The plot/mystery of this book really keeps you on the edge of your seat and I loved it! The mystery aspect is my favourite & it is so unpredictable! I did not however enjoy the side plot, if you can call it that, of the love triangle. I’m not a huge romance reader & I especially don’t like love triangles. So I wasn’t happy with that aspect and that is the reason this book didn’t get 5 stars.
Characters
I love Audrey-Rose but in this book with the love triangle I kinda wanted to slap her often. Don’t get me wrong, I do love her but I just didn’t love that aspect. Ignoring that I really like her. I love seeing how her mind works through mysteries & I love how realistically strong she is. By ‘realistically strong’ I mean that she is strong but you still see weakness at times & you see her struggling to be strong at times which makes it more realistic than some YA characters.
Of course I love Thomas, he is an awesome character & I also loved seeing Liza back in this book. I really enjoy her character, so I was really excited when she returned in this book.
I also enjoyed all the new characters we meet in this book. Everyone was super intriguing and I love that everyone has a back story and is well fleshed out.
Overall
I enjoyed every aspect of this book except the love triangle. I really love this series and can’t wait to see where it goes next! Kerri Mansicalco is an amazing mystery writer who can leave you completely confused in the best way possible!
*I was sent a finished paperback by Hachette Australia in return for an honest review!*
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