Stalking Jack the Ripper Books in Order

1. 
   BOOK 1 · 2016

   Book 1: Stalking Jack the Ripper (2016)

   by Kerri Maniscalco

   Audrey Rose Wadsworth is a seventeen-year-old young woman from a privileged London family, but she has little interest in accepting all the expectations placed on her.

   Instead, she secretly studies forensic medicine in her uncle's laboratory. When a series of brutal murders draws her into the search for Jack the Ripper, her fascination with science becomes part of a dangerous investigation.

   The first novel introduces Audrey Rose, her investigative partnership with Thomas Cresswell, and the mixture of historical mystery, gothic atmosphere, and romance that continues throughout the series.

   Reading note: Begin here. The relationship between Audrey Rose and Thomas, along with the events of the first case, provides context for the later novels.

2. 
   BOOK 2 · 2017

   Book 2: Hunting Prince Dracula (2017)

   by Kerri Maniscalco

   After the disturbing events of the first book, Audrey Rose and Thomas travel to Romania to continue their study of forensic medicine.

   Their journey takes them to a school housed in a castle associated with Vlad the Impaler. When frightening murders occur, the pair must investigate rumors, legends, and evidence that seem increasingly difficult to separate.

   The second book moves the story from London into a gothic setting shaped by Dracula folklore.

   Reading note: Read after Stalking Jack the Ripper. The sequel follows Audrey Rose and Thomas as they deal with events and personal consequences from their first investigation.

3. 
   BOOK 3 · 2018

   Book 3: Escaping from Houdini (2018)

   by Kerri Maniscalco

   Audrey Rose and Thomas find themselves aboard a luxurious ocean liner traveling across the Atlantic.

   A series of murders disrupts the voyage, and the ship's passengers become trapped with a dangerous killer. The mystery unfolds amid theatrical performances, secrets, and the extraordinary world of a traveling entertainment troupe.

   As the investigation becomes more complicated, Audrey Rose must navigate both the case and the changing relationships around her.

   Reading note: Read after Hunting Prince Dracula. This is the third full-length novel and the best point to finish before picking up Becoming the Dark Prince.

4. 
   BOOK 4 · 2019

   Book 4: Capturing the Devil (2019)

   by Kerri Maniscalco

   The final novel follows Audrey Rose and Thomas to America, where they investigate a new series of crimes connected to the elusive White City Devil.

   Their search brings them to Chicago and the atmosphere surrounding the World's Fair. As the danger intensifies, the couple must confront another killer while facing important choices about their future.

   Capturing the Devil is the fourth full-length installment and the official conclusion of the series.

   Reading note: Read last. The finale follows the earlier cases and completes Audrey Rose and Thomas's central story.

Where Does Becoming the Dark Prince Fit?

OPTIONAL NOVELLA

Becoming the Dark Prince

by Kerri Maniscalco

Becoming the Dark Prince is a short companion novella published in July 2019, between the third and fourth main novels.

Unlike the main series' usual emphasis on Audrey Rose, this story is told from Thomas Cresswell's point of view.

It revisits events during and after the Atlantic voyage in Escaping from Houdini, offering additional insight into Thomas's thoughts, choices, and relationship with Audrey Rose.

Recommended placement

Read Becoming the Dark Prince after Escaping from Houdini and before Capturing the Devil.

This follows its publication position and avoids introducing its perspective on Book 3's events before readers experience that novel.

The novella is optional. Readers who want only the four main mysteries can continue directly from Book 3 to Book 4.

Is Becoming the Dark Prince Book 3.5?

It is reasonable to describe the novella informally as a Book 3.5 companion because it was published after Book 3 and before Book 4, and it revisits that period of the story.

However, it is not a fifth numbered main novel and should be clearly separated from the four-book series list.

Do You Need to Read Becoming the Dark Prince?

No. The novella enriches Thomas's perspective but is not required to follow the main quartet's numbered reading order.

It is especially relevant for readers who enjoy Audrey Rose and Thomas's relationship and want additional character-focused material.

Publication Order vs. Main-Novel Reading Order

There are two straightforward ways to follow the series.

Publication-order route

1. 1. Stalking Jack the Ripper (2016)
2. 2. Hunting Prince Dracula (2017)
3. 3. Escaping from Houdini (2018)
4. 4. Becoming the Dark Prince (2019) — optional novella
5. 5. Capturing the Devil (2019) — main novel Book 4

This route includes the companion story at its natural publication point. Its list positions do not change the official numbering of the four novels.

Main-novels-only route

1. 1. Stalking Jack the Ripper
2. 2. Hunting Prince Dracula
3. 3. Escaping from Houdini
4. 4. Capturing the Devil

If you prefer to follow only the main investigations, read these four novels in order and explore the novella afterward if you want more of Thomas's perspective.

Which order is better for a first reading?

For a first visit to the series, begin with Book 1 and continue through Book 3.

Then choose whether to read the optional novella before the finale. Both paths preserve the main novel sequence.

Avoid starting with Becoming the Dark Prince, since its context depends on characters and events from the earlier books.

Is the Stalking Jack the Ripper Series Complete?

Yes. The original series is a complete four-novel sequence.

It began with Stalking Jack the Ripper in 2016 and concluded with Capturing the Devil in 2019.

The publisher identifies the fourth novel as the finale, and the complete paperback collection contains the four main novels.

Additional editions, audiobooks, boxed sets, and optional short works do not change the main book count.

As of this guide's October 2026 review, the numbered series remains a completed quartet.

What About Meeting Thomas Cresswell?

Kerri Maniscalco's official biography also lists Meeting Thomas Cresswell as a short work published in 2018.

It is separate from the four numbered novels and from the 2019 novella Becoming the Dark Prince.

This guide does not assign it a mandatory position in the main reading order. Readers looking for the complete numbered story can follow the four original novels without treating every bonus short work as another installment.

Is Stalking Jack the Ripper Based on a True Story?

The first novel draws inspiration from the historical Jack the Ripper murders in Victorian London.

However, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell are fictional characters, and the series develops its own mysteries, relationships, and imagined investigations.

The books should be approached as historical mystery fiction rather than a factual reconstruction of the real crimes.

Later installments explore other historical settings and figures through the same fictional investigative partnership.

Is Stalking Jack the Ripper Connected to Kingdom of the Wicked?

Both series were written by Kerri Maniscalco, but they are separate fictional stories.

Stalking Jack the Ripper centers on Victorian-era forensic investigation, gothic mysteries, and Audrey Rose and Thomas's developing relationship.

Kingdom of the Wicked follows a different cast and a fantasy storyline involving witches, demons, and dark magic.

You do not need to read either series before starting the other.