Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper, 2)

LikesLet me first say that Audrey and Thomas' banter is the best thing I have ever read. I would 10/10 recommend them for a darn comedy show. Thomas knows just how to antagonize Audrey and I literally love them together so much as partners. Audrey is calulating and intelligent, while Thomas is witty and deductive. Yes, I said deductive, just like Sherlock Holmes. He very much reminds me of that character, with a little bit of Moriarty thrown in. Audrey is plagued by men still thinking less of her because of the time (the year is 1888) and that she isn't capable of doing forensic work. She surprises everyone once again in this book by figuring out clues that nobody even thought of looking at or considering. I love Audrey's strong willed nature and her thirst for adventure and sleuthing. She is someone that I wouldn't mind being best friends with! Thomas compliments her perfectly and provides comic relief as well as honest-to-goodness panty-dropping lines.  He also appreciates Audrey's knowledge,unlike  some other characters in the book who don't believe in her. I would very much like my own Thomas Creswell, but alas, he does not exist. Audrey especially struggles during this book to decide if her feelings for Thomas are simply platonic or something 'more'. I think the best part of this series is that a relationship isn't forced and it very much focuses on the development of a friendship/partnership rather than an instant love story. I also find the writing in this book to be very fluid and it grips you at every turn. I was completely enveloped the entire time and I read this entire book in one night because I couldn't pull myself away. I also like the fact that Kerri focuses on a different famous murderer and formulates an entire fictional story around the history that already exists. I love learning about the history as well and I am so anxious to see the title of Book 3!(Dis)likesThere isn't much I don't like about this book, other than that I wish it never ended. I would also like to point out that we are introduced to an LGBT character in this book and I am LIVING for it. It wasn't a main plot point but it was bold and made me squeal a bit. This book weaves in Romanian culture as well as many different personalities and that's something that I think the author does very well. I did not know much about Romania before reading this book and the only other book that had that culture in it was And I Darken (which I did not like). I liked reading about urban legends that are told in the country and how it related to the fictional story she was telling. I have also been intrigued by the real Vlad Dracul and have watched many documentaries on who he really was, which is fascinating, and makes me want to watch more after reading this book. It also makes me want to make a quick trip to Romania because it sounds gorgeous and I really need to visit a castle like the one Audrey & Thomas studied in ASAP.

I heard so much hype about Stalking Jack The Ripper, and was excited to read it. But I ended up having mixed feelings about the story. Well, I am thrilled to report that Hunting Prince Dracula was a complete winner for me. I think one of the main differences between the two, and reasons this book worked much better for me, is that it didn't follow a well known case. Instead, Hunting Prince Dracula is a unique story created from the legends and history of Vlad the Impaler, aka the original Dracula. And boy is this story creepy - and bloody.The setting of Bran Castle in Romania (the inspiration for Dracula) was the perfect backdrop to this new case, adding a frightening layer of history to this tale. I had no idea who the murderer was until they were revealed, and was on the edge of my seat in anticipation following Audrey Rose through the castle as she sought to figure it out before anything more terrible could happen (*shudders*). Not only is Audrey Rose racing against a murderer, she's fighting deep prejudice against the role of women at this time, even more so because of her passion for examining dead bodies. I appreciated her strong will and determination to go after what she wants, no matter what others think.The romance between Audrey Rose and Thomas also heats up, and I enjoyed watching them work out their feelings as they worked together through the book. I love when I can understand the connection between two people and I completely see it between these two. They really are each other's match. Nothing like a active murderer and an increasingly disturbing case to bring two people together! We also begin to learn more about Thomas in this story, and even meet his sister, whom I liked a great deal.Once again, this case wraps itself up well while the ending also teases where the characters will go in the future. I'm so glad I stuck with this series!

After waiting a long time to buy it, I finally bought SJTR and I really enjoyed it. The book as a whole was so good and I could tell that a lot of thorough research was done for writing this book(one of the topics I studied in History was Whitechapel which mostly focused on Jack the Ripper). But, there was one thing that made me decide to give this a 4.5 star rating instead of a 5 and that was Audrey Rose and Thomas’ relationship. I thought that seeing as there are going to be 4 books in the series, that they’d finally kind of get together/admit they like each other in the second book at least but instead that happened halfway through SJTR.But what I did enjoy was:-The anticipation of finding out who Jack the Ripper was and I one point I was suspecting everyone including Nathaniel-The closer I got to the end the more sure I was of who Jack was and I was right but it wasn’t annoying because of that plot twist at the end-Thomas Cresswell’s humour and the banter between him and Audrey Rose-Audrey’s relationship with her brother was (in my opinion) sweet how they looked out for each other-As I’ve already said; the research put into writing this book-The gothic pictures added to give more of an eerie sense but also really helped with imagining what was going on.Those are all I can remember at the moment but I’m definitely sure there were many other things I enjoyed. I ordered the next book already and I’ve been told it’s better than the first so I can’t wait to get started on it!!

This series just keeps getting better and better. Hunting Prince Dracula is the much-awaited sequel to Maniscalo’s Stalking Jack the Ripper, a retelling from the point of view of a high-class young lady with a passion for forensic medicine, named Audrey Rose. Audrey Rose finds herself involved with the various murders of the infamous Ripper and with the help of a fellow apprentice, a devilishly handsome Thomas Creswell. Without spoiling the first book, the second book follows directly from the events of the first, this time the duo finds themselves caught up in yet another murder mystery but rather than hiding throughout the streets of London, the killer is lurking in the shadows of a Romanian castle, the legendary home to Vlad the Impalar, another infamous murderer.I have to say I enjoyed the second more than the first. Although I rated the first book at 5/5 stars I do recall moments where I felt the book slowed down and did drag slightly. With the sequel, however, this wasn’t an issue, I was gripped throughout, the background to the story was perfect for the murderous mystery unfolding, it was the perfect form of horror for me.Audrey Rose has to be one of my favourite fictional characters, she’s strong, fearless and not afraid to stand up to those who try to treat her as though she is unworthy or incapable based purely on her gender (which is quite common with the book being set in 1888) she stands out in a way which is admirable in characters, and despite the growing feelings between herself and another character, she continues to put her own needs first, pushing romance to the back to ensure she succeeds in what she wants.Thomas was as flirty and funny as he always was, I liked the tension between him and Audrey Rose as, despite his attitude otherwise, it shows that underneath he is a true gentleman. I liked how they were both in sync at times, and rather than Thomas attempting to take control and ‘save’ her. I liked how he truly understood her feelings towards forensic medicine and the troubles she regularly goes through while battling to prove that she is just as good as the men around her.I enjoyed the twist in the reveal, I was concerned that after the first book, the second would struggle with keeping people in the dark with the big reveal, but it did not disappoint. Despite the frustration in trying to work out who it was, I loved the surprise that came with the reveal. I can only hope that the series continues to be as surprising since my expectations on what will happen to keep rising as I finish each book.Overall this book was incredible.

I should probably apologise for all the fangirling now, but I won't.I struggle to recall sequels that live up to the first book in a series, but this one builds on STALKING JACK THE RIPPER perfectly. Kerri Maniscalo's writing is witty, evocative, and downright eerie at times.This book had everything that I love: a clever plot, swoon-inducing moments, nail-biting tension, humour, and did I mention the SWOON?!I love love love Audrey Rose so much. I swoon so hard for Thomas Cresswell. The wait for book 3 will be sheer torture, but I've no doubt it will be worth the torturous wait.

After reading Stalking Jack the Ripper, picking this one up was a no brainer for me. I love how completely you get dragged into the era the book is set in, and I defy anyone to not fall in love with Audrey Rose and Thomas.Though I wouldn't classify this as a thriller it definitely kept me up at night after reading... spiders "shiver". Thoroughly unputdownable and I will be reading the 3rd instalment as soon as it is released.

I loved this series and enjoyed this book! I enjoyed the setting and found myself feeling genuinely freaked out as the story advanced. I think the author has an exceptional gift at building the scene, and I lost myself in this book, like a film was playing in my mind.I really recommend this book and by extension the series.