Synopsis
Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London they knew. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World's Fair, they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.
Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas began their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've heard of before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him-- and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device-- is another.
Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end- and together in love- or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?
Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas began their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've heard of before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him-- and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device-- is another.
Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end- and together in love- or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?
Loved
- This mystery! This was such a spooky mystery. It's based off the serial killer H. H. Holmes and he earns the name "the devil" for good reason. All of the villains in this series have been creepiest of the creeps, but this guy spooked me the most. I got a little jittery reading it because it was so creepy- in a delicious, eerie way.
- Okay I know I've talked about Thomas in allll of my reviews. But I just adore that boy. Seriously his witty banter and dry observations are what pulled me into this series. I think I love Thomas so much because he puts on the front of being a total rake, but really he is honorable and would never compromise Audrey Rose's reputation (without her consent). He's always in complete control and is very selfless, but in such a goofy and sarcastic manner. Also I LOVE that he has such a sweet tooth- that just makes me love him all the more :)
- I still love Audrey Rose. There are a few frustrating moments in this book, but I just love her brains. I love how smart she is at putting together clues, and also how bold she is. There are a few moments where I tried to reach through the page and pull her from the black alley so she doesn't get murdered, but I did admire her pluck at going after the murderer single-handedly.
- The history. I have talked about this with the other books, but I love that this is based on history! As I said with Hunting Prince Dracula, some of the things in this story would be too bizarre to buy with a fictional villain, but since it's based off actual events, we have to buy it! It really happened! I have always adored history, and learning the histories of serial killers is quite grisly, but extremely fascinating. I don't love that these events really happened obviously, but I do love that they are part of this book and knowing this really happened makes it all the more chilling.
Didn't Love
- My only complaint about this last book is that we got very sidetracked from the mystery with a whole bunch of drama. I was okay with the drama because it provided some character development, but I wish we could've spent more time on the mystery and had the romance be secondary, like with the first two books. I heard a lot of people say they were unhappy with this, and I wasn't totally bugged by it, but I did feel like there could've been less drama and more sleuthing.
Content
- Language:
- Occasional use of "hell" or "bloody hell."
- Sexual content:
- In all the other books, Thomas and Audrey Rose never go beyond kissing, but in this one they do- quite a few times.
- One kiss where they are backed against the bed and mentions of desire from both of them. He pulls her hips to him and she tries to untie his cravat before he stops her.
- Male character walks in on a female character taking a bath, and they talk while she is naked in the bath. He gets in the bath, pulls her on to his lap, and kisses her. She takes his shirt off. Lots of suggestive innuendo in their comments (pgs. 91-94).
- Characters talk about an upcoming wedding night and speculate on the "activities." One observes that the way Thomas looks at Audrey Rose could "impregnate her on the spot."
- The night before the wedding, Thomas finds Audrey Rose in her nightgown. They kiss on the bed with descriptions of his body "tucked between her knees," kissing all over each other's bodies, caressing bare skin, gasping. They take off each other's clothes piece by piece and talk about feeling each other's skin. It is very clear they have intercourse, but body parts are not described. The scene ends with "he listened in earnest, reacting and shifting to elicit the same waves of rapture until I was certain I must've left my body and become a star shooting across the universe" (pgs. 121-128). Next page describes them "laying in a tangle of limbs and bedsheets" and they "celebrated their love until the sun rose."
- They have to deal with the social consequences of "having shared a bed" and talk about this multiple times.
- Another scene where Thomas sneaks into Audrey Rose's room and they kiss. "He had them both out of their clothes faster and more efficiently than any sorcerer casting a spell." Talk of "fitting together perfectly" (pgs. 279-280).
- Another scene with them kissing and intercourse is implied. "Then he brought us both back to another realm- one where we were nothing more than love in its purest physical form" (pgs 326-327).
- Thomas makes many suggestive comments to Audrey Rose throughout the book, such as "having wanted to ravish her for an indecently long while."
- Talk of prostitutes when talking about Jack the Ripper's victims.
- Violence:
- Lots of murdered bodies again this one- go figure :)
- A woman found unclothed from the neck down, who had been stabbed repeatedly.
- Mentions back to Jack the Ripper's murders- descriptions of women being brutally murdered so they are unrecognizable. Talk about knife sizes and other weapons used to kill the women.
- Examinations of cadavers- objectively describe the wounds and circumstances of the murder while speculating.
- They visit a crypt, with descriptions of bodies being "heaped together." Various descriptions of decay mentioned.
- Body described in detail with food in stomach, marks from having been strangled, and brain full of blood.
- Another body found with many wounds inflicted before and after death.
- A character is imprisoned and poisoned- memories fade in and out with consciousness.
- A body found with half the face missing outer layers of skin, other half seemed "frozen in an eternal scream." Strips of flesh had been peeled away to show bone (pg 394).
- Room full of human skulls and body parts, as well as skeletons in various states of decomposition.
- Villain talks about being intoxicated by watching life leave people's eyes as they die.
- Physical fight involving stabbing, punching, throwing skulls at the other.
- Occasional use of "hell" or "bloody hell."
- In all the other books, Thomas and Audrey Rose never go beyond kissing, but in this one they do- quite a few times.
- One kiss where they are backed against the bed and mentions of desire from both of them. He pulls her hips to him and she tries to untie his cravat before he stops her.
- Male character walks in on a female character taking a bath, and they talk while she is naked in the bath. He gets in the bath, pulls her on to his lap, and kisses her. She takes his shirt off. Lots of suggestive innuendo in their comments (pgs. 91-94).
- Characters talk about an upcoming wedding night and speculate on the "activities." One observes that the way Thomas looks at Audrey Rose could "impregnate her on the spot."
- The night before the wedding, Thomas finds Audrey Rose in her nightgown. They kiss on the bed with descriptions of his body "tucked between her knees," kissing all over each other's bodies, caressing bare skin, gasping. They take off each other's clothes piece by piece and talk about feeling each other's skin. It is very clear they have intercourse, but body parts are not described. The scene ends with "he listened in earnest, reacting and shifting to elicit the same waves of rapture until I was certain I must've left my body and become a star shooting across the universe" (pgs. 121-128). Next page describes them "laying in a tangle of limbs and bedsheets" and they "celebrated their love until the sun rose."
- They have to deal with the social consequences of "having shared a bed" and talk about this multiple times.
- Another scene where Thomas sneaks into Audrey Rose's room and they kiss. "He had them both out of their clothes faster and more efficiently than any sorcerer casting a spell." Talk of "fitting together perfectly" (pgs. 279-280).
- Another scene with them kissing and intercourse is implied. "Then he brought us both back to another realm- one where we were nothing more than love in its purest physical form" (pgs 326-327).
- Thomas makes many suggestive comments to Audrey Rose throughout the book, such as "having wanted to ravish her for an indecently long while."
- Talk of prostitutes when talking about Jack the Ripper's victims.
- Lots of murdered bodies again this one- go figure :)
- A woman found unclothed from the neck down, who had been stabbed repeatedly.
- Mentions back to Jack the Ripper's murders- descriptions of women being brutally murdered so they are unrecognizable. Talk about knife sizes and other weapons used to kill the women.
- Examinations of cadavers- objectively describe the wounds and circumstances of the murder while speculating.
- They visit a crypt, with descriptions of bodies being "heaped together." Various descriptions of decay mentioned.
- Body described in detail with food in stomach, marks from having been strangled, and brain full of blood.
- Another body found with many wounds inflicted before and after death.
- A character is imprisoned and poisoned- memories fade in and out with consciousness.
- A body found with half the face missing outer layers of skin, other half seemed "frozen in an eternal scream." Strips of flesh had been peeled away to show bone (pg 394).
- Room full of human skulls and body parts, as well as skeletons in various states of decomposition.
- Villain talks about being intoxicated by watching life leave people's eyes as they die.
- Physical fight involving stabbing, punching, throwing skulls at the other.
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