[A quick note: This series is growing on me so much! And how cute is that teacup from LitJoy Crate? I also have a skull light thing that I got from Fae Crate in the background there but itโs for a different fandom. I just liked that it went with my Halloween vibe.]
โ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง. ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐. ๐๐๐ซ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง. ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ, ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ. ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐.โ โKerri Maniscalco
After the events in London surrounding the Jack the Ripper case, Audrey Rose is whisked away to Romania to attend a prestigious forensic science academy. But it would seem that her penchant for solving mysteries follows her when a string of new murders emerge.
With a Victorian Era setting in an old Romanian castle, dangerous underground tunnels, a dark academia feel, and a killer on the loose, what more could you want from an autumn read? Throw in a strong female MC who doesnโt take kindly to others telling her what to do, and youโve got the makings of a fierce read. Oh, and donโt forget the romance! Thereโs plenty of that too, with some great dialogue and banter.
I had so much fun reading this, and I enjoyed it more than the first book. Especially Audrey Roseโs character arc and watching her overcome her struggle after the events of SJTR. Most of my reading was done outdoors on the patio in the crisp evening beside the fire. That made for the perfect atmospheric feel. I even put some spooky music on in the background. What better way to approach Halloween?!
The strongest aspect of this book was the setting. Setting is EVERYTHING. This one has it all. Itโs set in an old castleโVlad Draculaโs castle to be more specificโat a forensic science academy. Thereโs old castle vibes, dark academia vibes, creepy haunted tunnel vibes too, and cult worship vibes. Basically, thereโs everything you want for a perfect murder mystery. I especially liked the way history and popular myths were combined with the aspects of period murder, the use of arsenic poisoning, and other bits of science relative to the time.
As far as murder mysteries go, I rarely read them. Theyโre not generally the type of book I seek out. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this so much, working along side Audrey Rose with all the clues for โwho-done-it.โ I could NOT figure out who the murder was. I was taken by absolute surprise. Isnโt that the BEST?
โ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ; ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐. ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ. ๐๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ.โ โKerri Maniscalco
The romance in this was really, REALLY cute. I adore Audrey Rose and Thomas. Their characters are perfect complements. The banter left me chuckling. Thomas is so cheeky and I love his swagger, even though its mostly done for Audreyโs sake. What I liked the most? They both had to grow together as a couple. Thereโs a time during this book that their relationship was really challenged and tested, and I enjoyed that.
Finally, I appreciated the ending. I like that even though the book closes up nicely, it gives you a definite hint into whatโs coming next. I canโt wait to see what the next adventure holds for our duo. ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐/๐โญ๏ธ