2016
WISE Score
Amazon
CSI meets Victorian London in a mystery that's as smart as it is gory.
4.4
4.4View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
If your teen is currently in a 'true crime' phase or loves a good gothic mystery, this is a top-tier pick. It’s smart, atmospheric, and treats its audience like they can handle the truth about how messy science (and history) can be.
Just be aware that it doesn't pull punches on the gore. It's not 'brain rot' by any means—it's high-quality historical fiction—but it’s definitely on the darker side of the YA shelf. If they can handle a modern medical drama, they can handle this.
Best for kids 13 and up. Younger readers might find the autopsy scenes and the 'Ripper' lore a bit too nightmare-inducing, but it's a solid hit for older teens who like a bit of grit.
Audrey Rose is a fantastic model of intellectual curiosity and defying restrictive social norms, though the 'wholesomeness' is tempered by the dark, murderous subject matter.
The blend of real Victorian history, 19th-century forensic science, and a fictionalized mystery is highly creative and encourages readers to look at history through a scientific lens.
It's a book about a serial killer. The descriptions of autopsies and crime scenes are graphic and intended to be unsettling. Not for the squeamish or younger readers.
Offers great insights into the evolution of forensic medicine and the rigid gender roles of the 1880s, all wrapped in a compelling narrative.
If your teen is currently obsessed with Netflix’s Wednesday or the Enola Holmes movies, this is the logical—if significantly bloodier—next step. Kerri Maniscalco didn't just write a historical romance; she wrote a forensic thriller that happens to be set in 1888.
The real draw here isn't the Victorian atmosphere; it's the science. While many YA novels treat "smart" girls as just having a lot of books, Audrey Rose Wadsworth is actually in the trenches—literally elbow-deep in cadavers. For a kid who is curious about medicine or crime scene investigation, the level of detail is a feature, not a bug. It’s gritty, but it’s grounded in the actual history of early forensic medicine.
One thing that sets this apart from your average paperback is the inclusion of real, archival period photographs throughout the chapters. They aren't just for decoration; they add a layer of authenticity that makes the Ripper lore feel less like a campfire story and more like a documentary. If you're concerned about how those photos and the medical scenes land for your specific reader, our parent’s guide to Stalking Jack the Ripper breaks down the intensity levels.
The gore is the main reason a parent might hesitate. We’re talking about descriptions of autopsies and crime scenes that would fit right in on a late-night network procedural. If your kid is squeamish about blood or has a low tolerance for visceral imagery, this will be a tough sell. But for the teen who watched Grey’s Anatomy in middle school and didn't blink, it’s exactly what they’re looking for.
The mystery itself is solid, though seasoned mystery readers might spot the "unexpected" conclusion a few chapters early. It doesn't matter much because the chemistry between Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell—her arrogant, Holmes-ian lab partner—carries the book. Their banter is the engine of the series, providing some much-needed levity against the backdrop of Whitechapel's fog.
This is a four-book commitment if they get hooked. The series follows Audrey Rose through different settings: Hunting Prince Dracula moves to Romania, Escaping from Houdini hits the high seas, and Capturing the Devil wraps it up. It’s a rare YA series that maintains a consistent 4.4 rating on Amazon throughout its run. If they finish the first one and immediately ask for the next, it’s a sign they’ve found their new obsession.
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