Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Posted September 23, 2017 by meezcarrie in giveaway, historical, Kerri Maniscalco, mystery/suspense, YA / 16 Comments

In this hotly anticipated sequel to the haunting #1 bestseller Stalking Jack the Ripper, bizarre murders are discovered in the castle of Prince Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula. Could it be a copycat killer…or has the depraved prince been brought back to life?

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.

SERIES: Stalking Jack the Ripper #2
GENRE: YA/Historical Mystery/Thriller/Steampunk
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown & Co.
RELEASE DATE: September 19, 2017
PAGES: 448

Other Books In This Series

Y’all. This Gothic horror genre is not my normal cup of tea. But I am in love with this particular series! Audrey Rose and Thomas are such a fantastic team, their mutual skills in deductive reasoning and forensic science captivating and engaging. The content/language is clean (though there is a subplot involving two minor characters of the same gender that I could have done without in Hunting Prince Dracula), the characters are compelling, the writing is both smart and witty, and the mix of history and mystery and science is right up my alley. Yes, it’s a little gorier than I normally read but it’s not over the top at all. Think CSI but in word form. And set in the late 1880s. In Bran Castle. In Romania. With Vlad the Impaler’s heir.

As with its predecessor, Hunting Prince Dracula draws you in from word one. And, while it’s not necessary to have read Stalking Jack the Ripper before you read this one, you’ll appreciate it more if you do. I love the added touches the author provides as to the time period and setting by including historical photographs and sketches of forensic science and folklore from the era. The graphic design of the notes and letters written throughout the narrative gives even more dimension to the novel.

Bottom Line: Maniscalco uses a perfect blend of wit, history, folklore, and science to create a story you can’t put down until you’ve savored every scene. She has a great talent for setting a scene and creating an atmosphere that fits seamlessly into the narrative, without being too wordy or too ‘telling’. One word flows right into the next, until suddenly you’ve devoured over 400 pages and still wish there were more pages to read. The way this particular story ends has me nearly giddy with excitement and intrigue over the next book, and I am counting down the days until I can devour it too.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / Fantastic!!!

Book Depository | Kobo

Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats.

Her first novel in this series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It incorporates her love of forensic science and unsolved history.