Note – I received a digital advanced reading copy of this novel from Edelweiss.com in exchange for an honest review.
London, 1888. Committed to the Whitechapel Hall Reform School for “incurable delinquency” Adelaide “Dell” Morton is a precocious, defiant misfit. She’s also a voracious reader of true crime and detective fiction, including the sordid, sensationally popular Penny dreadful stories. In an unlikely stroke of luck, she’s found a kindred spirit in her poised, perfectionist roommate, Pippa. Their obsession is only further fueled by the Jack the Ripper murders blazing a trail of terror throughout London’s seediest streets . . . right outside Whitechapel Hall’s front door.
Desperate for adventure, they embark on their own investigation—and discover an ally in Noah, son of the local butcher. But Noah’s motives are not mere fascination: His father is the prime suspect. Noah is desperate to clear his name, and Dell and Pippa are only too eager to help.
Their budding spywork soon yields shocking results: they witness straightlaced Whitechapel teacher Miss Kaye escaping the school the night of the latest crime. Could Jack the Ripper be a she? Delving into Miss Kaye’s background, Dell is both horrified and thrilled to find that within Miss Kaye’s past lies a chapter dark enough to rival any Penny dreadful . . .
Dell’s fixation with Miss Kaye reaches dangerous heights while a series of suspicious events leave Miss Kaye in sole command of Whitechapel Hall. Trapped in their teacher’s ever-tightening web of control, the three devious detectives devise a risky plan to track her. But what ensues may only propel them ever deeper into secrets, lies, ruthless acts, and betrayals that go back decades—and a confrontation that will irrevocably change the fates of all involved . . . if they survive.
When I first picked up “The Dreadfuls,” I really didn’t know what I was getting into. All I did know is that it was a spin on the Jack the Ripper tale with a young girl at the center. I have to say that it exceeded my expectations in many ways.
Dell Morton was an interesting character (who took herself too seriously sometimes – but what teenage girl doesn’t?). She was excitable and easy to please when it came to her scandalous penny dreadfuls. As I said, she took herself a little too seriously and thought herself much more than a mere teenager, but that was part of her charm. She had imagination and verve and that made her a great character.
I especially loved Dell’s friends Pippa and Noah and even came to enjoy another central figure in the story (I won’t spoil it for you). Pippa was a sweet, gracious, and loyal character. And Noah was gentle, kind, and selfless. Both were excellent additions to the novel.
The historical aspect itself was intriguing. I can scarcely think of a person who wasn’t intrigued by the Jack the Ripper story. Any true crime fan could spill details of one of the most famous serial killings in English history. But this novel shined a whole new light on the crimes and humanized the victims in a way that was sincerely endearing. It made me think and, as a fan of both true crime and historical fiction, it came to life and left me wanting to read more and more.
My only complaint was some of the word choice. Often, especially in dialogue, Dunlap would use five-star words when three-star or less words were necessary or more realistic (especially in the speech of mid-teen children – even in a Victorian society). And sometimes the words would be repeated multiple times in a paragraph and that would often bump me out of the story.
That aside, I greatly enjoyed the story and the characters. It had great pacing and when the prose wasn’t too purple, Dunlap really showed that she could be an ace at description. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction, especially if you’re into true crime or young adult fiction.
The Book Wench 