In this irresistibly-priced short story, catch a glimpse of the inner struggles and triumphs that drive Stalking Jack the Ripper’s endearing but troubled hero. Enigmatic, brooding, and darkly handsome, Thomas Cresswell has always been the one mystery Audrey Rose has never been able to fully solve. As brilliant partners in crime investigation, they understand each other perfectly…but as young … each other perfectly…but as young lovers, their passionate natures have led to both euphoria and heartbreak throughout the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.
This novella features a collection of scenes that takes place during and after the pair’s horrifying Atlantic voyage in Escaping From Houdini. Experience new and familiar scenes from Thomas’s unique point of view, including an intensely personal look into his plea for Audrey Rose’s hand in marriage.
With a romance for the ages, Audrey Rose and Thomas reach the conclusion to their epic, irresistible partnership in their final adventure, Capturing the Devil.
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I simply adore this series!!! I loved this novella,we got to see what happened when Audrey rose was stabbed and got insight into Thomas’s thoughts,fears and his deep feelings for Audrey rose. Thomas has always had a fire,but he has always tried to keep his emotions in check,but we see that his feelings for Audrey are intense. Theirs is a true love match and seeing them both finally letting their guards down with each other was fabulous. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!!! Until next time luv’s
My favorite character since day one has been Thomas. And he has continued to become even more so with each passing book.
Getting this story from his perspective was like a prayer answered. I loved being inside his head and seeing the struggles within himself and his love for Audrey Rose. So sweet!
Maniscalco’s writing is glorious, addicting, and captivating. I can’t wait to read the last book in the series!
What a lovely novella! Taking place between Escaping from Houdini and Capturing the Devil, this novella sheds new light on the event of RMS Etruria and Thomas’s inner struggles. Through this short story, I understand how strongly he feels and how much pain that costs him. I see how much he and Audrey Rose grow through the chaos of the Moonlight Carnival, and it couldn’t have been more encouraging.
On a side note, there are some small references to later events, so it would be best if you read this before Capturing the Devil. However, you could also fully understand book 4 without reading Becoming the Dark Prince first (like I did). This novella, like most, isn’t crucial to the series, but it would be a must read (and a great one!) for Cresswell fans.
While I loved getting Thomas’s point of view, I find that I much prefer to be experiencing his witty flirtations while reading from Audrey Rose’s point of view. But I loved the inner thoughts he expressed, his fears and joys that we were gifted with here. Thomas is a character that you want to wrap up in a never ending hug. He’s a bit immature in his boisterous style, but he truly is the perfect match to Audrey Rose. Given the time period that this is set in, I’m not sure if he’s the proper image of an era appropriate guy, or if indeed his maturity level is stifled due to his upbringing and brash way of looking at things. He expresses himself in thought much better than he can vocally. Audrey Rose has lead a sheltered life, plus she’s a woman, so societal rules would have had her leaning on an immature level. I find the lack of a proper chaperone fascinating. We need a lax of protocols in order for this series to bloom, and bloom it does in this marvelously addictive series!!! You must read this if you’re reading the series as soon as you finish Escaping from Houdini!! This insight is invaluable!!! Thomas and Audrey Rose are just such a sweet duo that they’ll weave their way into your !
This is a short story/novella. I am never sure what makes it at short story vs a novella. This story takes place from the perspective of Thomas, and it begins at the end of Escaping from Houdini and goes into the beginning of Capturing the Devil.
I adore Thomas so getting this from his perspective was wonderful. I loved seeing some of the same events through his eyes, and really getting to see how his mind works. I cannot say anything specific because this story comes in at a whopping 64 pages. This story gives you a whole other layer and insight to him that any fan of this series needs.
Yes, to get the most out of it you really should read it between the last two books since most of it takes place in that small time frame. But if you are just learning about it now still read it if for no other reason than a look into Thomas’s mind. You won’t regret it.
Title: Becoming the Dark Prince (Stalking Jack the Ripper #3.5
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Edition: Kindle
Amount of Pages: 67
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Historical
Date Read: 15-07-2019
Favorite Quote: “The price of love doesn’t come cheaply. But the cost is worth it.”
Review:
I have a complaint about this novella, it was to short! I would love to have more scenes from Thomas’s pov. Hell I could do with all the books from his pov as well. One can only pray that Kerri takes pity on us and whips out more of Thomas for us.
I thought this novella was really sweet. It really gave us a bit more background of Thomas and his relationship with his father. It also showed some critical things from his pov. I liked that. I wondered how much Thomas knew about what was going on during Escaping from Houdini and how he felt about what was going on.
I’m happy that we got to see some moments after the events of Escaping from Houdini to tie us over till the release of Capturing the Devil. I can’t wait to see where the story is taking us next!
Rating:
5 I loved it Stars
I think I have fallen a little bit more in love with Thomas and Audrey Rose, which I didn’t think was possible. After the last book, Escaping From Houdini, I was a little concerned with what might happen to their relationship. This novella fixed those fears though.
I really love that we get to see Thomas’s thoughts and feelings for the events that happened. I really wish we would get more from his POV because I really enjoyed this novella.
I really can’t wait for the next book, especially after that last chapter.
Throughout the series, I have always wondered what was going through Thomas’ head. I especially wondered this when reading Escaping from Houdini. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. I absolutely loved reading his point of view. It takes place a little during and after Escaping from Houdini, so it was perfect for me to get a feeling of his side of things during romantic complications. It also allowed me to understand how he will be thinking and his mindset for later on in their journey.
So many of my questions that I had for Thomas were answered, including how deep his love for Audrey truly goes. I wanted to know how he turned off his emotions so well as well. These questions were answered and I couldn’t be happier with them.
I think this may be the best novella I have read. It was interesting and I didn’t feel like I needed to read this book. I never felt like I was powering through it and trying to stay interested. I was captivated and it held my attention very well. It wasn’t overloaded with information, either, which I enjoyed.
This book made me like Thomas’ character even more. After reading this, I noticed how much of his emotions are kept and can’t be read by Audrey. There is definitely more power, and it does him justice.