I think, out of all 3 books in the stalking Jack the Ripper series so far, this was the weakest. That being said, I still have it 4 stars because it’s still a fantastic read on its own. 
Kerri Maniscalco is an incredible storyteller and her books are very entertaining (and this is coming from a person who doesn’t care much for murder mysteries)! 
This book almost broke my heart because of poor Thomas Creswell - honestly Audrey-Rose, he did not deserve that even when he was giving you the choice to go ahead and do whatever you pleased. And I did not deserve it either to be left almost heartbroken for one of my favourite fictional couples (and right up until the epilogue too - how cruel!)
The atmosphere of this book was absolutely fantastic and the plot was very captivating. The only reason why I didn’t give it 5 stars was because it was a lot slower compared to the first two books and the ending where the killer was ‘unmasked’ was a little more disappointing and I wasn’t as shocked (even though it was a little more dangerous for our favourite couple). 
Overall. This is a very good book but I just read it with a little too high standards. 

[second read, December 2022]
With the way I dragged my feet through this book, you’d never guess it was one of my absolute favorites. Meph might actually be the most unbearable character I’ve ever encountered, and is definitely the source of everything wrong in the world. Every time he opens his mouth, I want to punch him in the face. And kick him between the legs. And feed him to the sharks. In that order.

I don’t think I really have anything to add to this except yet more creative ways of saying how much I despise Meph, so… yeah. Cressworth supremacy. That’s that.

[first read, February 2022]
I’m going to need 7-10 business days to recover from this book, maybe more. It absolutely WRECKED me.

I kept having to pause while reading to regain at least some composure because my heart was breaking, particularly in the second half. There were also times I had to pause because I was angry, which I don’t think has ever happened to me before?? I’ve definitely never hated a character (villains aside) as much as I hate Mephistopheles. The rage I felt nearly every time he opened is mouth is truly unparalleled.

Fun fact: I compiled an assortment of nicknames for him to use when I was cursing him out in my Kindle annotations. Some of my favorites include Mephistopplease, Mephistofleas, Mephistofeces, and Mephistofilet. XD

On a (somewhat) happier note, I still adore Audrey Rose and Thomas—maybe even more than I already did, if that’s possible. I say “somewhat” because, for every cute or amusing scene between them, there were three more that made me feel like my heart was being ripped from my chest. The angst in this book nearly killed me, I swear to the gods. Also, every time Thomas cried, a small part of my soul shriveled up and died. I’m joking but also not. 🥲🥲🥲

Emotions, my ship and newest nemesis aside, Maniscalco once again crafted a brilliant, unpredictable, high-stakes mystery. Unlike the first book—which I’d seen spoilers for—and the second—in which I accidentally figured out their identity—I had no clue who the killer was. Of course, I suspected Houdini because of the title, and I suspected Mephistofleas because he’s basically the reason for everything wrong in the world, but as for whether or not they were actually involved… read the book and find out. ;))

Regarding the common criticism that “Audrey Rose’s character was destroyed,” I want to say this. In the author’s note, Kerri explained that she was inspired by a family friend to explore the dangers of becoming too immersed in an undercover operation. In my opinion, not only is this an interesting plot point, but it also allows for *more* character growth. Audrey Rose realized the error of her ways, how she almost lost Thomas and how badly she hurt him, and was thus determined to fix her mistakes, to stay truthful to herself and those she loves. Also, she’s seventeen; while plenty of teenagers are mature and excellent and communication, not all are, and even those that are likely aren’t so all the time. Everyone makes mistakes, including teens, yet it seems we judge them more harshly. Give Audrey Rose a break.

Continuing the above thought, there’s no reason to insult Thomas, either. I’ve seen some people saying that he was spineless, he followed Audrey Rose around like a mindless puppy, they resolved their issues too quickly and without a proper conversation. Did we read the same books? Thomas is bold and full of personality, for starters, as well as completely capable of thinking and acting as an individual. That’s evident from the very beginning, and still true in this book.

Not to mention, he broke up with her after the lion incident, and they were not a couple AT ALL for the second half of the book.

He’s torn between protecting himself and trusting Audrey Rose, who he loves despite everything, and even though he’s not one to outwardly display emotions, there are plenty of times where it’s easy to see how heartbroken he is. For most of the remaining story, they’re both forced to put their personal issues aside in order to focus on the increasingly stressful case, and in the epilogue, they’re both coping with how horrible the last few days have been. It’s very possible, and in my opinion likely, that they sought each other out for comfort and familiarity, and will talk more thoroughly later, when they’re both ready to. It’s not like the series ended with this book; there’s a novella and one more book yet.

So, in conclusion: Kerri did what she did for a reason, and I believe both Audrey Rose and Thomas are completely in-character. They’re doing the best they can with the hand they were dealt (haha) and, while y’all are entitled to your own opinions, don’t deserve so much hate.

Lastly, I wanted to mention the ending. Specifically, it’s been two hours since I finished the book and I’m STILL reeling. The theme with this series has been each book is more intense than the last, and after this… I’m excited but completely terrified for the finale.

Thomas Cresswell has some of the most romantic lines, and that’s not an exaggeration. 🥺🥺💙💙

Their banter >>> 😂😂😂

I absolutely love that Kerri put their ship name in the book. Pure gold. 😂👏🏻

(Okay I’ll stop now.)

Representation

I was told this was the worst book of the series but aside from the terrible love triangle, I found it really interesting! I loved the carnival elements in it and well, the Cressworth moments at the beginning.