REVIEW: 'CAPTURING THE DEVIL' BY KERRI MANISCALCO.
Well, it is set in stone: Stalking Jack the Ripper is one of my favourite series of all time. It has got to be said, the main thing that kept my interest, and heart, throughout this series is one Mr Thomas Cresswell. I loved Audrey Rose, her gumption, intelligence, bravery, refusal to adhere to societal rules and general character. ‘Escaping From Houdini’ definitely did some damage to my love for her but her character development in ‘Capturing the Devil’ made me forgive her complete lack of sense previously. However, I do think there is a lot that we could learn from her and a lot of very impactful quotes resonated with me.
“The world needed to be better. And if it wasn’t possible for it to be better, we, its inhabitants, needed to do better.”
However, I feel like Thomas Cresswell’s love interest could have been just about anyone and I still would have read all four books to get my fix of him. I’m not alone here…right? He truly is the perfect romantic interest (in my opinion, anyway. Sorry Rowan Whitethorn you’ve been bumped down to #2). At this point in my love for this series, I would have read a whole 600 page novel about Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell eating breakfast and talking about the weather and devoured it.
This book, as expected, had many plot twists and dead ends and the world building was so immersive that I found myself wholly frustrated when another suspect didn’t fit the bill and Audrey Rose and Thomas had to start again- as though I were investigating the cases myself. It evoked real emotions within me! So many times I thought ‘this is it! This is the killer!’ only to discover on the next page that it was not. I was right next to the characters in their hunt, enjoying the ride.
The plot line was so very well thought out and crafted. Once it is over and you look back on it, you begin to notice the intricacies and how masterfully the web was woven and appreciate (as if you didn’t before!) how spectacular of a writer Kerri Maniscalco is. I loved all of the foreshadowing that linked with the other books and how it all came full circle and little details here and there that you overlooked, or didn’t think had any relevance, in reality had huge roles to play. Magnificence!
At some points the murder-mystery was put on the backburner and the romance was brought center stage, but that definitely was not an issue because what a wonderful romance it is! My only complaint throughout the previous three books was that the romance was a pace behind the other plotlines but this installment really fed my insatiable appetite for all things Cressworth, so it is no surprise then that it cemented itself as my favourite out of all four books!
That said, the murder-mystery heavy scenes (I’m looking at you, chapters 49-53!) were so delightfully atmospheric that I got genuine chills and ripples of anxiety and I just did not know how the conclusion was going to work out. It had me biting my nails and clutching the blanket up to my chin in anticipation and I could not, for anything in the world, put the book down.
I can’t believe that this is the final book (if you can hear crying right now, not to worry, it’s just me mourning my loss of Thomas). I live in hope that one day Kerri will bring these characters back for another adventure, or thirty five, but if not… This was a stunning conclusion to the series. It did justice to its predecessors and completely lived up to the hype and expectation. If I could erase my memory and read these books again for the first time I would do it without blinking! If you love murder mystery, historical fiction, swoon worthy romance, incredible characters, being kept in suspense, having your heart ripped out yet soar at the same time…or just reading in general, I highly recommend this series.
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