Escaping From Houdini

audio cd

Published Oct. 2, 2018 by Jimmy Patterson.

ISBN:: 978-1-4789-9597-5

(2 reviews)

In 1889, the ship Etruria departs Liverpool, England, for New York carrying Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her crime-solving partner, Thomas, a famous escape artist, and a cold-blooded killer.--

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell, are en route to New York on the opulent RMS Etruria. When young women begin to go missing, a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. As Audrey Rose and Thomas begin to piece together the gruesome investigation, the clues to the next victim point to someone she loves. Can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale? -- adapted from jacket.

6 editions

WhiskeyintheJar reviewed Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (Stalking Jack The Ripper, #3)

Structurally plot messy

2 stars

1.5 stars

"The show must go on."

NO00000.

This was a locked boat mystery where a carnival full of contortionist, fire breathers, palm and tarot readers, and Houdini (???) perform every night on the trip from England to America. The beginning was flashy and mystical with the carnival and it's people, the mysterious ringmaster who gets involved in a love triangle with our couple, kept me intrigued but when a murder occurs each night of the show and the whole point of this series, with the romance, is that our couple are forensic detective apprentices and there was barely any detecting going on and no one seemed overly concerned about the murders, enough to stop the shows, it all began to feel deeply unserious and I had a hard time investing in the story and characters.

Ok, I did start this continuous same couple series at book 3, so I …

1.5 stars

"The show must go on."

NO00000.

This was a locked boat mystery where a carnival full of contortionist, fire breathers, palm and tarot readers, and Houdini (???) perform every night on the trip from England to America. The beginning was flashy and mystical with the carnival and it's people, the mysterious ringmaster who gets involved in a love triangle with our couple, kept me intrigued but when a murder occurs each night of the show and the whole point of this series, with the romance, is that our couple are forensic detective apprentices and there was barely any detecting going on and no one seemed overly concerned about the murders, enough to stop the shows, it all began to feel deeply unserious and I had a hard time investing in the story and characters.

Ok, I did start this continuous same couple series at book 3, so I missed some foundational emotion between this young couple but, meh, to feeling much between them.

The carnival delivered some flashy described cool scenes but the plot was structurally messy af and the characterization was wonky; a lot of elements didn't track.

I'm exhausted trying to figure this book out and so thankful I buddy read it with thevintagechronicles over on Fable because I had someone to whine, complain, and get my frustrations out with, would have lost my mind otherwise, lol.

Avarla reviewed Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

Review of 'Escaping from Houdini' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Hm, I'm really not a fan of jealousy in relationships and seriously, just talk to each other. This was really annoying, not even the forensics and dead bodies helped that much.

But I'm sure plenty of people don't mind this rather common trope, and all the sleight of hand, magicians and artists make for a nice backdrop for murder.

Since it's on a ship, nobody will actually escape from....who knows?