In my other life, as a police intelligence analyst, I stalked bad guys. Not the “ruggedly handsome new kid in high school with eyes as dark as his mysterious past” kind. These were real-life bad guys. Robbers. Rapists. Murderers. So when a tweet showed up on my Twitter feed about a novel with a female protagonist obsessed with forensic medicine stalking one of the most infamous murderers of all time, I was beyond giddy. I hadn’t been that excited since I tracked a particular bad guy who loved pillow cases. (Better not to ask.)

STALKING JACK THE RIPPER is the debut novel by Kerri Maniscalco and the first acquisition published under James Patterson’s new children’s imprint, JIMMY Patterson Books. And it is all that I hoped it would be.

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.(Amazon.com)

In addition to the well-crafted and original plot that made me volunteer for carpool just so I could read, Audrey Rose is a young woman I would kill to be friends with. As a teen in Victorian London, she has a feistiness about her and a curiosity that pulls you in. Her determination drives the story and impacts every character. And Maniscalco’s development of the secondary characters is so complete, I found myself loving them as much as I hated them, even knowing one of them could be responsible for the grizzly murders.

Now this book may not be for the person who faints at the sight of blood. The passages involving forensic medicine, autopsies, and murder scenes are detailed. And although they are described through the eyes of a scientist, the autopsy on the first page, with the flesh flayed and the sweet smell that wafted from the incision, attacks your senses with death.

I would be remiss if I did not comment on the fact that this is not just a murder mystery, but it is a historical fiction novel. A concept I frequently forgot while reading because the world the author describes was as clear as if I was walking next to Audrey Rose in her home, the laboratory, and the dark corners of Whitechapel.

Stalking Jack the Ripper comes out today and can be found at your favorite bookstores and online.

HALLI GOMEZ teaches martial arts and writes for children and young adults because those voices flow through her brain. She enjoys family, outdoors, reading, and is addicted to superhero movies. You can find her on Twitter.