As
the daughter of a Lord in 1888, Audrey Rose Wadsworth is expected
to be demure, delicate and decorative. Instead, she is endlessly
curious, especially about forensics. Her sneaking around to
learn from her uncle puts her right in the middle of the investigation
to find Jack the Ripper. But as Audrey Rose digs herself deeper
into the case and the clues, she soon realizes the Ripper
may be closer than she ever thought. He may be someone she
loves. With a fascinating premise and the fantastic addition
of a Sherlock-ian assistant, the book has a lot going for
it. As with any mystery, playing fair with the reader runs
the risk of the clues ultimately making the killer and the
ending a bit predictable, and that was one weakness in this
book, but it's hard not to love a mystery about Jack the Ripper.
The story does conform really well to the real-life Ripper
killings, with the "historical and creative liberties"
restrained. The author's note at the end adds some interesting
information as well. The characterization for Audrey Rose
felt a bit uneven, leaving her occasionally frustrating, but
overall, this is a novel that anyone with a love for Victorian
England or an interest in the Ripper should be sure to catch. |
