If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry REVIEW

Summary:

It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one Jack.

And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s.

My Thoughts:

This was an interesting look into Jack the Ripper and Medusa. Tabitha and Pearl work for the Salvation Army; Pearl is more serious whereas Tabitha has a more relaxed demeanor. When they find out that a girl they helped ended up in a brothel, they are determined to help however they can. But infiltrating a brothel is tricky, especially with Pearl's new Medusa-like powers and Jack the Ripper on the loose.

I really like Tabitha's character. She truly cares about and wants to help the poor, even if that means putting down her duty of preaching. Pearl, on the other hand, is rigid and strict to follow the Salvation Army rules, which causes friction between them. Despite this, Tabitha deeply cares about Pearl's safety and well-being even though they aren't really friends. I love the concept of Medusa-like powers being passed to ordinary women so that they can help other women who are in harm's way. However, I do wish this was more expanded on. It would have been really cool to learn more about the origins and process.

My Rating: 4 stars