Stalking Jack the Ripper - the first Audrey Rose Wadsworth novel

How many times has the tale of Jack the Ripper been told?  How in the world can anyone truly write an entirely new take on the legendary murderer?  I didn't pick up this book for the longest time, simply because I thought it would be just another story about someone trying to solve the mystery of who Jack the Ripper really was.  That, and I'm not a big fan of James Patterson or this whole ego-centric world of books he seems to have created (where stories are being written by other authors, but his name is slapped on the cover in an effort to sell the book).  So when I got the book for Christmas, I set it to the side, figuring I would get around to reading it eventually.  Well, eventually got here, and I read it.

And, boy, am I ever glad I did!!!

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerry Maniscalco is definitely a whole new take on the story of Jack, that's for sure.  It's the tale of Audrey Rose Wadsworth, a most unusual young woman of the late nineteenth century.  You see, Audrey Rose (and yes, whenever her name is said in the book, it is not simply Audrey, but always Audrey Rose) is training under her uncle to learn everything she can about post-mortem work as a coroner.  Something her father is most definitely displeased with, and something that worries her brother to no end.  Her mother, having died some years ago, always told Audrey Rose to stay strong and be determined - so she is.  She even convinces her uncle to let her disguise herself as a boy and attend one of his lectures at a local university.  Where she meets Thomas Cresswell.

And let me say that, in my opinion, Thomas Cresswell is the breakout star of this book!  He is sassy, he is straight-forward, he is frolicking and playful, yet he knows when to be serious and strong.  And his sarcasm and wit is such a fine juxtaposition to the dark seriousness of the story that it creates the perfect balance, so that the reader does not fall too deeply into despair with all the murders, blood, and bodies.

Maniscalco deftly writes a serial killer mystery that will keep you guessing until pretty close to the end.  I thought I had it figured out, then changed my mind, then changed my mind again - and while I did manage to guess who it was ultimately before the big reveal, I still have to give the author credit for keeping it subtle and providing plenty of red herrings to obscure the truth from being uncovered too easily.  And she provides a very strong protagonist in Audrey Rose Wadsworth.  Audrey Rose is clearly a Nancy Drew archetype - mother died when she was young, father is protective, but she maintains her independence and is not afraid to face danger head-on, regardless of society's standards, in order to solve the mystery...yet, at the same time, she knows how to maintain her lady-like manners when required and hold off that amorous man when there's a mystery that's more important to solve!

And what a mystery it is.  The "Leather Apron" as he was first called is on the loose, killing women of ill-repute, and when it turns out that Audrey Rose's family has a connection to not one, not two, but three of the young women who were so brutally murdered, she is determined to get to the bottom of things and stop the crazed man from killing any more.  When her uncle is suddenly accused of the crimes due to his profession and skill set, it becomes even more important that Audrey Rose unmask the real killer to prevent her uncle from being hanged.  With Thomas Creswell forever at her side, whether she wants him there or not, Audrey Rose sets out on a path to capture the killer, at the very risk of her own life.  But the closer she gets to his real identity, the more she discovers that there are some secrets that should best stay hidden...

Stalking Jack the Ripper was a surprisingly great story, and the end sets the stage for the second volume in this series.  Can't wait for that one to come out in paperback!

RATING:  9 portraits worth considering out of 10 for spinning a totally new take on the Jack the Ripper story and giving readers two new totally lovable protagonists!