Jack the Ripper is still considered one of the most feared serial killers in history. The murders he committed in 1888 were the first to be committed for no real reason other than enjoyment. More than two-hundred years have passed and someone-or something-is carrying out murders in London that follow the exact MO as Ripper: the days, the times, and the number of victims. Rory finds herself in the middle of all this when she moves from New Orleans to London when her parents take a job teaching at a British University. At first, the only thing Rory has to worry about is fitting in at her new foreign boarding school; but she soon finds herself the only witness for one of the Ripper murders, and oddly enough, the only person to have seen the killer, despite her friends standing right next to her when he spoke to her. With the help of a special, underground police force, virtually unknown to anyone in London, Rory realizes that she has a gift that can help put a stop to the psychotic new Ripper—but at what price?
The Name of the Star, book 1 in The Shades of London series, by Maureen Johnson is an intriguing, supernatural take on the Ripper murders in modern times. While this is not historical fiction, Johnson clearly did her research on Ripper and his affect on 19th century London and the world thereafter. The ending was a little too neatly resolved, but there is still plenty of suspense throughout the novel that will have you guessing. If you love series, you’ll be happy to know that there will be more books after this one; for those of you who don’t care for continuations, The Name of the Star stands well on its own. This is one spooky read you don’t want to miss—and just in time for Halloween!
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