Hunting Prince Dracula

One word.

Spiders.

  

Now spiders are not the main basis of the book, at all. But Chapter 39 is so incredibly disgusting that I know I will never forget that scene. That scene is where I realized Kerri Maniscalco is an amazing author..... I literally had to stop reading, close the book, and shake out my hair, clothes, and blanket before opening it back up and seeing how Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell were going to get out of that room.

I guess that's enough about Chapter 39. I mean you guys are here to learn about the rest of the book, right?

Hunting Prince Dracula picks up shortly after Stalking Jack the Ripper ends. Audrey Rose and Thomas are sent to a exclusive forensics academy in Vlad the Impaler's castle. There are nine students vying for an official spot in this academy. But what they learn along the way will make all the difference when it comes down to the only two available spots.

It seems like Audrey Rose and Thomas's romance is kicked up a notch in this book, but given the circumstances surrounding them, it works. Audrey Rose gets to meet Thomas's family (who happen to be of Romanian descent). They begin falling head over heels for each other and it shows. I also LOVE the inclusion of all the letters between Audrey Rose and her cousin, Liza. Not to mention the extras at the end that included letters between Thomas and his sister, Daciana.

Now what can two kids who are falling in love do in a castle full of secret passages, tunnels, and mystery? That's right, they're gonna follow the string of murders that start with one of their classmates. The adventure leads them down alleys, underground tunnels, torture rooms, and near death experiences.

I thoroughly enjoyed the rooms they explore and the rich history surrounding the castle. I didn't know much about Dracula or Vlad before reading this book, which isn't 100% accurate so I highly encourage everyone to read the author note where she discusses the creative liberties she took with this book.

I loved it.

Can't wait to read Escaping from Houdini!

Looking for other books by Kerri Maniscalco? 

Stalking Jack the Ripper (SJTR #1)
Escaping from Houdini (SJTR #3)

Becoming the Dark Prince (SJTR #3.5)

Capturing the Devil (SJTR #4)

Kingdom of the Wicked (KOTW #1)

Kingdom of the Cursed (KOTW #2)

Kingdom of the Feared (KOTW #3)

The Trial of Lizzie Borden

GUILTY!

That's what I've always said about Lizzie Borden.

That being said, reading the actual transcripts from her trial is incredibly aggravating.

Fall River Police BOTCHED this investigation.

Now that may just be my Criminal Justice/Forensics background coming out. 

But honestly, there was no way in hell the jury could have found her guilty with the information that was presented to them. I honestly understand why so many people believe she's not guilty.

I, however, still think she is.

 She had motive, anger, frustration, and the cool demeanor to fake innocence.

But if this was tried in court today (as long as we ignore all the inconsistencies and fabrications the police department made), the jury would not be 100% male, the prosecution would not be able to say Lizzie was coming to the end of her menstrual cycle and was temporarily insane, and there would definitely be psych evals.

Now, about the book itself.

It was so incredibly dry.

There are so many minute details Cara Robertson goes into before the trial even starts. She walks us through every last moment leading up to the crime, the crime itself, and then the trial begins about 100 pages in. But the trial will hook you! It picks up and gets to the information most people don't know about the Lizzie Borden case. I was enthralled reading the transcripts and just seeing how far we've come as a society. The way the investigation was handled was completely absurd, the amount of bystanders that were supposedly trying to find the killer on their own, the differing stories told by officers in the same department, and how we treated women in a male driven society.

I highly recommend this to true followers of the Lizzie Borden case!

Huge thank you to Cara Robertson, NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

Mark your calendars, The Trial of Lizzie Borden hits shelves March 12, 2019!

Looking for other books on Lizzie Borden?

See What I Have Done