Escaping from Houdini Review

Title: Escaping From Houdini

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #3

Publisher: Little Brown

Publication Date: 18 October 2018

Source: Jonathan Ball Publishers; Libby

Format: Trade Paperback; Audio

Pages: 416

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

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 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?

Book Review:

Pre-reading Thoughts:

I am so excited to continue with this series. I have absolutely loved following Audrey Rose on her journey in forensics and through some of the world's most famous people. My favourite so far has to Hunting Prince Dracula, it was definitely one of my favourite books last year and I can't wait to see how this book unfolds. 

Please note that this review may contain spoilers for the previous two books in the series.

Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball Publishers for allowing me to peruse their shelves and grab a copy of this whilst I was there a while ago. Just a quick disclaimer for those reading this review, I have received this for free. Please note that this does not affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own!

Writing Thoughts: 

I love Kerri Maniscalco's writing. It is well-paced and easy-going and magnetic. Every time I read one of her books, I am just drawn into the story from the first page. The dialogue is fun and sassy with the right amount of humour for me. The angst between the characters is phenomenal. 

Plot Thoughts:

I've come to realise that Maniscalco follows a recipe in her books which does give the reader a sense of repetition. However, I think it is a recipe that works and each book is unique enough to overshadow the repetition. I liked that this book provided a new angle to the story which I hope gets explored further in the next novel. I also really enjoyed the isolation of the setting. They are stuck on a cruise ship with nowhere else to go. I loved the twists and the turns that this book took, it definitely kept me on my toes!

Character Thoughts:

I love Audrey Rose and Thomas. I think that they are a fantastic duo both in terms of forensics and as love interests. I really liked the relationship that the two of them have. Thomas easily gives Audrey Rose the space she needs whether it is in a personal capacity or in a professional one. I also really enjoy Audrey Rose as our main character. She is accessible in the doubts that she has about herself but also in the way in which she deals with certain situations. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of the audiobooks and the narrator who makes it feel as though you are there alongside Audrey Rose and Thomas. The writing lends itself to the narration of the audiobook quite well. The pace is easy going and pulls you straight into the story that's about to unfold. Whilst the book follows the same recipe as the previous books, I found myself loving the carnivalesque setting and the mystery that came with it. The two main feature characters in this series are one of my all-time favourite duos to date. Their chemistry is intoxicating and it is easy to fall for the charm of Audrey Rose and Thomas as they embark on various forensic journeys. I cannot wait for one last adventure with these two in the next instalment. Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball for providing me with a copy of this book!

Yours in Reading,

Melleny