Escaping From Houdini (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3)

Escaping From Houdini

By Kerri Maniscalco

Storygraph

Goodreads

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Dates Read

Nov 23 - 25

2024

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Listened to audio through Libby

12 hrs 59min

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Blurb:

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?

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Favorite Character:

Liza, she just showed up out of nowhere and became spectacular.

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Favorite Quote:

Mephistopheles: "You wish to watch your world burn and I have no problem giving you the matchbox"

Why did he say this and not our real love interest? It's so swoon worthy.

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Thoughts: (Spoiler Alert)

I loved this one, but I'm always a sucker for adventures on the high seas. The prison aspect of the ship gave an inescapable atmosphere. and there's a mysterious carnival it's exciting

I'm not too fond of love triangles but Mephistopheles, Ayden, is interesting, the entire time I was pretty sure it was manipulation on both parts.

One thing that made me happy about this one is the lack of, 'I can't breath in my corset' comments. Once at the beginning and once at the end.

Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2)

Stalking Jack the Ripper

By Kerri Maniscalco

Storygraph

Goodreads

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Dates Read

Nov 4-21

2024

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Listened to audio through Libby

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Favorite Character:

Thomas, his adorable character, also his banter is the best.

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Blurb:

Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine...and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again.

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Thoughts: (Spoiler Alert)

I loved this one

Honestly I did not guess Anastasia, but that's not unusual for me. I did have an inkling that she was still alive considering they kept mentioning that the body was damaged.

The constant complaints about women's clothing of the era still irks me, and feels completely out of place. In certain moments it felt out of place and unnecessary in some instances. Having worn clothing of the era I have an inside view of what it like to do activities and it is not as hard as she seems to make it out to be.

Liza mentioning an escape artist beau and knowing that the next book is called Escaping From Houdini I'm still excited to read the rest of the series.

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Chapter Reactions:

Simplicity 2621 Farthingale

Simplicity 2621 View D (Farthingale)

Misses 16th century undergarments pattern included templates for A) Corset B) Shift C) Bumroll and D) Hoopskirt. I only made the 'Hoopskirt' for this review.

Price:

This pattern is out of print prices may vary wildly

Sizes:

8-24

I used size 16

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Fabrics I used:

A generic cotton muslin

Notions I used:

1" Twill tape from Amazon

1/2" Flat Oval Reed hoop boning from corset supply

1/2" twill tape from my stash

Thoughts:

I'm really happy with how my first try at making a skirt support structure turned out! It was a learning experience that went pretty well. I did struggle with applying the twill tape to the underside of the skirt and in adjusting the correct length of boning but for an undergarment it will do.

The farthingale has been super handy and reliable, so I've used it in a bunch of projects. I'm definitely going to keep using it in the future.