Review: Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

Hey all, Dani here.

Happy Thursday! I’m still loving the new job I’m training on at work–if they gave it to me on a full-time basis instead of as a backup (so whenever someone takes a vacation or goes on medical leave, etc), then I would probably be rather happy with my work circumstances. I’m slowly working my way into a position where I am more than simply content at work.

And to add a cherry on top of my good mood sundae, I’m still making progress for NaNoWriMo. Okay, yes, so I haven’t gotten a lot of words down through the work week, but I am all clocked out now, and this is going to be a mostly writing filled weekend. Damian wants to visit his ailing grandpa, and then we are doing an afternoon/lunch with my brother for his birthday, but aside from that, the weekend is pretty much free. I think I’ll be able to catch up, at the very least, but I’m really hoping I can get a smidge ahead, so I don’t stress as much next week.

Anyway, let’s jump into this next overdue book review from me.

Summary

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York to help solve another blood-soaked mystery. Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, they’re delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But then, privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow ever more freakish, with nowhere to escape except the unforgiving sea.

It’s up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation as even more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer’s horrifying finale?

My Thoughts

Rating: 5 stars…or honestly in the time since I’ve read this, maybe it’s more of a 4.5 stars

I still really enjoyed this. It was its own little story, like the others in the series, where they have some threads that tie them all together, but the primary mystery and story are a bit more self-contained.

Here’s what I was really looking forward to with this book…lots of Audrey Rose and Thomas banter and witty interaction. Sadly, what I ended up with was a whole lot of frustration. Honestly, that’s probably why I am lowering the rating on this book.

I love Audrey Rose and Thomas together, as a mystery solving duo, and as a romantic coupling. So the fact that this book just kept pushing them apart was just…a bit aggravating. And it kinda felt a tiny bit forced to me.

Did I still read this book fairly quickly? Yes. Was I still pretty much absorbed in following this mystery to its end? Yep. Am I still planning on reading the next book, which will conclude the series? You bet. This series was not something I would have normally been excited to pick up, but the hype got to me, and I gave it a try. So far, I have not really been disappointed. So, now I just have to pick up the final book.

Where to Get a Copy

You can buy your own copy of this book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-million, Book Depository, or your local independent bookstore.

You can also check with your local library.