Dead Ringer
Kat Ross
(Gaslamp Gothic #5)
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: December 13th 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Retelling
A poisonous secret.A terrifying curse.And a client she’d just as soon see dead in a ditch….
Summer 1889. Harrison Fearing Pell hoped for adventure when she signed on with the Society for Psychical Research as an occult investigator. Slogging through New York’s sewers in pursuit of a “mud man” wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. But the reeking monster terrorizing the dance halls of the Tenderloin leads her to an even more peculiar mystery — and the last man on earth Harry wishes to become entangled with.James Moran is a prodigy in music, mathematics . . . and crime. Harry’s older sister, the famed detective Myrtle Fearing Pell, has vowed to put him behind bars. But Harry owes Moran a personal debt, so when he demands her aid she can hardly refuse. It turns out that the brilliant black sheep of New York Society is part of a secret club at Columbia College whose members have started dying in bizarre ways that may not be accidents.Thus begins one of the strangest cases of Harry’s career, a tale of murder, cold-blooded revenge and fairytale bogeymen to make the Brothers Grimm shudder. As the bodies pile up, each preceded by sightings of the victim’s doppelgänger, Harry and her stalwart friend John Weston must race against time to save a man who arguably deserves his macabre fate.
My Review
Dead Ringer is the fifth book in the Gaslamp Gothic series, and while it can be read as a standalone, I'd highly recommend reading the other books (although I still have to get around to reading books one and two myself).
This one reminded me a bit of the movie From Within, which was an After Dark Horrorfest film, but mostly because it involves doppelgangers.
Dead Ringer follows Harrison Pell and her friend John as they take on the mystery of a "mud man" running rampant in New York. But they soon discover there's more going on with their strange case, and when a notorious man named James hires Harrison to investigate, they get much more than they bargained for.
I quite liked this story. Harrison was a fun character, and I liked her grit and determination. Even having to muck about in nasty sewers didn't deter her from trying to solve her case. I also found myself growing fond of James, even though he's technically a "bad guy" in the story.
Plot-wise, I was intrigued by the mystery element, and of course the supernatural element is always something I'm into. I love strange and weird things.
The premise is unique, and learning the lore behind everything along with the characters was cool too.
If you're into supernatural mysteries, fantasy, or just good books in general, check out Dead Ringer.
4.5 stars from me!
Author Bio:Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She’s the author of the Fourth Element and Fourth Talisman fantasy series, the Gaslamp Gothic paranormal mysteries, and the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Check out Kat’s Pinterest page for the people, places and things that inspire her books.
This book sounds very interesting. I love historical books and this one sounds intriguing.
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This book looks interesting. Do you have any ideas for a followup?
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