‘Escaping From Houdini’ once again chronicles the trials and tribulations of Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Creswell, who, after the events of ‘Hunting Prince Dracula’ arrive on board the RMS Etruria to make their journey to America. However, what initially begins as an opportunity to relax and unwind from the dreadful events at their castle in Romani soon devolves into a manhunt for a mysterious killer who is directly tied t the Moonlight Carnival, an alluring troupe of actors each with their own agendas. As the days until their arrival on American shores dwindles insidiously, Audrey and Thomas desperately struggle to uncover the culprit of the dastardly murders, all while trying to contain their growing infatuation with one another and the threat of other individuals to the bond that is evolving from one that is strictly platonic.
Anyone who has read my past reviews on ‘Hunting Prince Dracula‘ and ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper‘ will be well aware that this series is one of my favourites of all time. ‘Hunting Prince Dracula’ still remains as my favourite novel of 2020, and I simply feel that both novels were perfectly composed of a satisfying blend of horror, humour and heart. But, if I’m being perfectly honest, this third installment in the series is simply far too derivative of the original two novels, and offers little more than a distraction rather than an engrossing read.I was actually very eager to begin this novel, as I frequently have been interested in novels that center around carnivals and circuses (read ‘Freeks’ by Amanda Hocking or ‘The Carnivorous Carnival’ by Lemony Snicket) but the novel fell flat also found that the eponymous character, Harry Houdini, was thoroughly dislikeable, and the way he seemed to continuously prey on Audrey only added to my sense of distaste. The only redeeming feature for the novel was Maniscalco’s undeniable wit and verbose talent when constructing written language, something which I hope that this series never loses.i also found that the revelation at the end of this novel about the killer’s true identity was in no way surprising, nor was it captivating, and if a reader fails to have this moment when the culprit is finally discovered in a mystery novel, I can safely say that an author has failed in their writing to create the atmosphere needed for a good whodunnit. I never thought that I would be able to critique a Kerri Maniscalco novel so blatantly, but this novel really disappointed me, and made me cautious about the next novel in the series, which I will pick up soon with hopes that it will whet my appetite better than this entry in the series.
Astrid Sholte’s novel combines urban fantasy and murder mystery in a setting that echoes the popular dystopian-style factions of young adult fiction, but with enough unique elements to make it stand out. The world of Four Dead Queens is reminiscent of fantasy, but instead of magic, there is strange and interesting technology that serves as …
Margot McGovern’s Neverland is a complex look into mental health through the lens of a mythical world that most people will be familiar with. Kit, who has repressed memories from traumatic events in her past, finds herself on the island that was her childhood home, now a facility for mentally ill teenagers. As she struggles …
Meet Me at the Intersection is a rich short story anthology written by a diverse range of Australian authors and lovingly edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina. The anthology aims to showcase the experiences of marginalised groups through “own voice” stories, whose authors fit into those groups. The first thing about the anthology that …
The trials and tribulations of an English upper class noble are thrown into increasingly dangerous–but equally hilarious–lengths in American author Mackenzi Lee’s novel ‘The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue’. The story centres around Lord Henry Montague as his affluent father sends him away on a Grand Tour throughout Europe with his sister and close …
Eoin Colfer’s bestselling middle-grade adventure mystery novels chronicle the lives of twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl. In the first Artemis Fowl novel, we meet our eponymous character, who is more devious and clever than most adults. The novel follows Fowl after he attempts to catch a fairy in order to obtain gold for ransom. His main motive …
Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein is a fast-paced psychological thriller with a distinct Australian flavour. One for those with a morbid curiosity, this novel is rife with dark themes and mind games, leaving you itching to uncover all of its secrets. Tash Carmody is confronted with her past when the ghosts of her childhood reappear …
Book Review – Escaping Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
Anyone who has read my past reviews on ‘Hunting Prince Dracula‘ and ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper‘ will be well aware that this series is one of my favourites of all time. ‘Hunting Prince Dracula’ still remains as my favourite novel of 2020, and I simply feel that both novels were perfectly composed of a satisfying blend of horror, humour and heart. But, if I’m being perfectly honest, this third installment in the series is simply far too derivative of the original two novels, and offers little more than a distraction rather than an engrossing read.I was actually very eager to begin this novel, as I frequently have been interested in novels that center around carnivals and circuses (read ‘Freeks’ by Amanda Hocking or ‘The Carnivorous Carnival’ by Lemony Snicket) but the novel fell flat also found that the eponymous character, Harry Houdini, was thoroughly dislikeable, and the way he seemed to continuously prey on Audrey only added to my sense of distaste. The only redeeming feature for the novel was Maniscalco’s undeniable wit and verbose talent when constructing written language, something which I hope that this series never loses.i also found that the revelation at the end of this novel about the killer’s true identity was in no way surprising, nor was it captivating, and if a reader fails to have this moment when the culprit is finally discovered in a mystery novel, I can safely say that an author has failed in their writing to create the atmosphere needed for a good whodunnit. I never thought that I would be able to critique a Kerri Maniscalco novel so blatantly, but this novel really disappointed me, and made me cautious about the next novel in the series, which I will pick up soon with hopes that it will whet my appetite better than this entry in the series.
RATINGS:
Writing: 10/10
Characters: 7/10
Plot: 4/10
OVERALL RATING: 6/10
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