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Escaping from Houdini

By Kate A

Escaping from Houdini is the third of four books in Kerri Manscalo’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series. It takes place in early January of 1889 on the RMS Etruria, aboard which the Moonlight Carnival performs nighly for the enjoyment of the ship’s passengers. The ship has just embarked on its week-long journey from London to New York, and the bodies of young, privileged women begin turning up. Audrey Rose Wadsworth, a forensic student from London, investigates the crimes along with her uncle and forensics professor, Jonathan Wadsworth, and her fellow student and lover, Thomas Cresswell. The trio works together to solve the crimes and interrogate each of the suspects, including the Moonlight Carnival’s mysterious ringmaster, Mephistopheles, and Harry Houdini, one of the carnival’s many performers. Who is behind these murders, what is their motivation, and will the mystery be solved before the RMS Etruria reaches New York and the murderer is set free in America?
This book was intriguing and exciting, and you will never want to put it down. The author’s attention to detail makes the reader feel like they are aboard the ship and living the life of Miss Wadsworth. The book never gets boring, with new mysteries arising every now and then, leaving the reader constantly on the edge of their seat. There is a surprising ending that leaves the reader longing for more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery and romance, and anyone who has read and enjoyed the first two books in the quartet, Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula. The fourth and final book, Capturing the Devil, is scheduled to be released on September 10, 2019. Another post on Capturing the Devil will hopefully follow in the next few weeks.
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Comments

  1. Vraj P.September 3, 2019 at 4:14 PM

    This book sounds suspenseful and interesting. I liked the way you explained the book's plot and your review on the book. I hope to continue reading your blog posts on this series, and may look into reading the series myself.

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  2. JeanaSeptember 9, 2019 at 12:40 PM

    I like your concise summary of the book and how you managed to state your opinions without giving away anything crucial about the plot - important for a mystery novel, especially ones with twist endings. I have heard of the Jack the Ripper series but never got around to reading it. Reading your review has made me more interested! It sounds like a great book and I have been looking for some good mystery novels to read. Perhaps I'll check it out at the library sometime.

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  3. Lili TiouririneSeptember 14, 2019 at 7:26 PM

    I like the way you carefully described the book without giving away too much about it. This book seems like the kind of book I would be really into already. The way you described it makes me want to read it even more, I will be sure to take a look!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Emma MurawskiOctober 29, 2019 at 4:28 PM

    I really liked the way you set-up your review. You created a summary that is concise yet informative, and a review that would for sure get me interested in reading the book. You state that the book keeps you on the edge of your seat and that there tend to be mysteries around the corner, which are characteristics of the type of book I would like to read. This is a very good review, and I will be sure to check it out!

    ReplyDelete
  5. MariamDecember 15, 2019 at 7:20 AM

    I've seen this novel a few times at the library however I never thought once to check it out (I might have to now). I appreciate your brief summary, which was able to translate enough information in order to allow the reader a glimpse into the novel and see if it peaks their interest. Overall, great review, and I look forward to your next blog post!

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