Capturing the Devil - the fourth Audrey Rose Wadsworth novel

It is always bittersweet to read the last book in any series, because you know this will be the last adventure you get to share with some of your favorite characters.  Although this series was rather short-lived, with only four books, the author, Kerri Maniscalco, created such endearing characters and such a vibrantly real world that I took my time reading this one, relishing every scene, every interaction between Audrey and Thomas, and every clue that would lead them to solving a mystery that had been haunting them since they first started stalking Jack the Ripper!  It has been fun watching the relationship develop and strengthen between Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell - their bantering always makes me smile.  And with this book, Maniscalco provides readers with resolution to more than just the mystery!

Capturing the Devil finds Audrey and Thomas in America, preparing for their big wedding day.  As much as they both relished the ghoulish crimes they have solved, they are content right now with getting everything ready for the most important day of their lives.  But Audrey is receiving some rather unsettling notes, unsigned, about a surprise for her beloved.  And some women have been found murdered in New York City, raising questions as to whether someone is copying the Jack the Ripper murders.  Audrey had thought all of that was behind her, now that her brother had been put to rest - but what if it weren't?  What is her brother had an accomplice?  And what if that accomplice had come to America?  Or, and she daren't even consider this possibility - - what if Nathaniel Wadsworth was not the killer at all?

Maniscalco gives Audrey and Thomas some of their most challenging puzzles ever to solve - and in so doing, ties in everything that has happened to the dynamic duo to date!  Their stalking of Jack the Ripper and the clues Audrey's brother had left behind in his journals; the hunting of Prince Dracula in Romania and the surprising assistance they receive from fellow students at the academy there; and the escaping from Houdini aboard the U.S.S. Etruria and the lessons they learned about each other and what they were capable of while on that journey.  Now, the two of them must take everything they have experienced and learned to capture the devil that has been taunting them ever since they first met!  Of course, if that were all they had to face, it probably wouldn't have been so difficult - but throw in a surprise fiance that claims she was already betrothed to Thomas, thus putting a halt to the wedding of Audrey and Thomas right in the middle of their ceremony ... a father who will do anything in his power to see his son married to the woman of his choosing so as to further his family's political and financial status ... and the ever-increasing desires of both Audrey and Thomas to be with one another when they can't, forcing them to fight their own cravings for each other!  Plus, a trip to Chicago for the World's Fair of 1889, where women are disappearing and a diabolical killer stays one step ahead of the pair, ultimately getting Audrey into his clutches, where he plays a deadly game of cat and mouse that only one of them can possible survive!

While I certainly hate the idea of this series coming to an end, this book is probably the prime example of how an author should conclude a series.  While there was a lot more romance and sexual encounters than in the prior three books put together, the author brings together everything that has been building over those books and creates a very satisfying conclusion to the overarching tale (which the reader will likely not realize was an overarching story until this book!).  At the same time, Maniscalco also provides her main characters with a happy ending that they definitely deserve, and it is one that they have to fight tooth and nail to achieve - but it is well worth it.

So, even though I much prefer ongoing series, I can honestly say that this 4-book series was most certainly worth the purchase and worth the read.  I thoroughly enjoyed all four books, and who knows? Maybe some day in the future, Maniscalco will return to the world of Wadsworth and Cresswell and give us some more great crime-solving adventures!

RATING:  10 sugar cubes doused in rosewater out of 10 for providing a conclusion to the adventures of Wadsworth and Cresswell that will please even the most die-hard fan!

Escaping from Houdini - the third Audrey Rose Wadsworth novel

 After they stalked Jack the Ripper and hunted down Prince Dracula, I was excited to re-enter the fictional world of Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her constant companion, Thomas Cresswell.  Author Kerri Maniscalco has done such a wonderful job of weaving together true historical accounts of murderers with her fictional characters and their adventures, one has to wonder what is real and what is fiction.  She also writes characters that are so alive, you find yourself drawn into not only their investigations of the brutal murders, but also into their personal interactions, their hopes and fears, and they confusion over where their romantic entanglements are leading.

Escaping from Houdini takes Wadsworth, Cresswell, Wadsworth's Uncle Jonathan, and their chaparone Mrs. Harvey on a wondrous journey from England to America aboard the luxury cruiseliner, RMS Etruria.  They have first-rate accommodations, and the cruise boasts the most unusual entertainment - a circus-style show (the "Moonlight Carnival") each night in the dining room, hosted by the always-masked, always-mysterious Mephistopheles.  Wadsworth, of course, is intrigued by the sleight-of-hand, wanting to now exactly how each of the tricks work. Cresswell, on the other hand, is more concerned about convincing his beloved to marry him and not wait until she can get her father's permission when they return to England. All of their attention, however, is quickly turned to a new investigation when a young lady at their table is murdered on the first night of the cruise!

It's a race against time for Wadsworth and Cresswell, as they know they must solve the murder before they reach America, otherwise the killer will get off the boat, and they will never catch him or her! But their investigation seems stymied at every turn - but the girl's father, the captain of the ship, and even Mephistopheles and his performing troupe! Everyone has secrets, and everyone seems to have a motive. On the second night, there is another murder. And then another. And each body has a card - either Tarot or playing card. Wadsworth then discovers that her cousin, who was thought to be missing, has stowed away and joined the traveling circus, following her heart after a young new escape artist by the name of Harry Houdini!  When Wadsworth discovers that even Houdini has some secrets he's hiding from, she makes a deal with the one person who could very well be the killer in order to save her cousin from ultimate heartbreak - but will her deal end up being the cause of her own heartbreak?

Maniscalco gives readers a very convoluted murder mystery, with bodies constantly mounting in the most gruesome ways and plenty of suspects. And just to make things more interesting, the ever-blooming romantic feelings between Wadsworth and Cresswell create obstacles along the way, leading them in the wrong direction and creating a rift between the two.  I do enjoy some of the supporting cast (Mrs. Harvey's knowing remarks and innuendos, as well as Liza's keen observation skills and bluntness in pointing out the obvious to her cousin), and the various circus performers definitely keep you guessing as to the killer and his/her motive.  As with her previous two books, Maniscalco uses real characters and settings and fictionalizes an amazing murder mystery that makes for an absolutely magnificent read.

It's a real shame that the next book is the last in this series. Wadsworth and Cresswell make a wonderful sleuthing team, with the perfect amount of sarcasm and banter to make you smile, even as you read the horrific murders that they are having to deal with.  

RATING:  10 secret mask-wearing societies of sword wielders out of 10 for giving readers some very dark mysteries that manage to have a lighter side due to the quirky characters!

Hunting Prince Dracula - the second Audrey Rose Wadsworth novel

After ending the reign of terror of Jack the Ripper, one would think Audrey Rose Wadsworth would want to shy away from murders and horror-filled mysteries.  Perhaps that is what she thought possible when she heads off to Romania with Thomas Cresswell to study at the Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science.  There are only two spots available for the school, and a number of students are vying for those spots.  Audrey and Thomas will have to utilize all their skill and focus to beat all the other students and gain a spot in this prestigious school under the tutelage of Headmaster Wadim Moldoveanu.

But that focus gets derailed when a series of murders occur, beginning with a man staked through the heart just outside of their cabin on the train to Bucharest...

Author Kerri Maniscalco draws on another of history's blood-thirsty villains for this second mystery in the Audrey Rose Wadsworth series, Hunting Prince Dracula.  A man staked through the heart on the train to Romania, a clove of garlic in his mouth.  They arrive at the very castle that was owned by Vlad the Impaler, now turned into a college for the study of the forensic sciences, where shortly after their arrival, one of the students is found dead in the nearby town, his body completely drained of blood - - and two teeth punctures in his neck!  A young woman from town has been missing, and one of the maids at the castle is discovered dead.  When Audrey and Thomas find a body in the tunnels under the castle, being viciously attacked by bats, they reach the inescapable conclusion - someone is desperately trying to bring the myth of Count Dracula to life!

Without a doubt, Maniscalco picked the perfect Gothic setting for this mystery - an old, chilly castle filled with shadows, underground tunnels, secret passages, and a cold, stern headmaster who seems less alive than the castle itself.  Audrey quickly befriends the maid who is waiting on her, as well as the headmaster's own daughter who is defying her father by sitting in on classes of her choosing.  Audrey also learns more about Thomas when his sister unexpectedly shows up at the castle to visit her brother - as well as, Audrey discovers rather inadvertently, his sister's secret love.  And speaking of love, that festering romance between Audrey and Thomas definitely builds in this mystery, as Audrey has to weigh her growing feelings for her friend against his inept and interfering attempts to protect her.

In some ways, this mystery felt like the season two opening episodes from the 1970s Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries, "The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula."  In that two-part story, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew had to find the missing Mr. Hardy, all the while dealing with the unexplained deaths of people who appear to have been attacked by a vampire.  In this mystery, Audrey and Thomas are trying to track down a killer who is making it appear that either a vampire or a vampire killer (or both!) is at work, all the while searching for Thomas' missing sister and Audrey's missing maid.  Plus, there's the little matter of the Order of the Dragon that may hold the clues to unraveling the mystery and revealing the identity of the killer (killers?).

I'm not going to lie - at 424 pages, Hunting Prince Dracula is a pretty hefty read.  But it is definitely well worth it.  The story is engaging, the characters are so much fun (I particularly love the banter and biting sarcasm between Audrey and Thomas), there is plenty of action and suspense, and the Gothic elements will keep the reader turning page after page - they did me, that's for sure!  As with the last book, the end of this mystery sets the stage for book three, which, of course, just came out in paperback ... so it's off the bookstore I go!

RATING:  10 long plain boxes tied with twine out of 10 for showing the world that dark, spooky castles still make the perfect setting for a good mystery!

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!