The Dreadfuls

by A. Rae Dunlap

A Victorian-era Nancy Drew meets The Woman in the Window as true crime and historical fiction collide in this atmospheric thriller featuring real-life figures and a rebellious, uniquely inventive young reform school inmate determined to solve the serial killer case dominating the headlines in London, and soon, in the world: the Jack the Ripper murders.

London, 1888. Committed to the Whitechapel Hall Reform School for “incurable delinquency” 15-year-old 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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Gothic, Historical, Thriller

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2026

About the author

A. Rae Dunlap studied film and Victorian literature at Northwestern University and spends her days as a trailer editor at Disney, bringing to life the magic of the world’s most influential storytellers for audiences everywhere. She lives with her husband in a small mountain town in California and can be found online at ARaeDunlap.com.

Reviews

[domsbookden]

DNF 23%

One of my biggest bookish pet peeves is picking up a book that is "Adult" in marketing but is actually YA in reality.

The story centers on two teenage girls, and while it's completely possible to write an adult novel with teenage protagonists, it was not executed well here in my opinion. The tone was too juvenile and playful to put me in the dark, gothic mood I was anticipating from this read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Andi]

*eyes this*

Wat is this? Is this a sequel to my favorite m/m grave robbing duo? Or an entirely new book? Please, let it be a sequel.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley.

I finished this book a little over a week ago and decided I needed to let it sit in my brain awhile before leaving a review. I'm leaving my rating as a 4/5, but I think a more honest rating after some time to think is a 3/5. But we'll say 3.5 rounded up!

Without a doubt, the best part of this book is main character Adelaide "Dell" Morton. Dell is a young teen (about 15?) who's found herself in a spot of trouble after some unfortunate life events thrust her into the care of her uncaring aunt and uncle. In a moment of rebellion, Dell steals a book from a store and finds herself the newest resident of a reform school in the Whitechapel area of London. Dell is not particularly pleased about this outcome, but in true teenage fashion, decides to make a game of it. As soon as she steps into the school she's on the lookout for her storybook nemesis and plotting her escape. But that fanciful plot is turned on its head when a true nemesis, a serial killer stalking the streets of Whitechapel, threatens the safety of Dell and her friend.

Dunlap did a masterful job of capturing the mind of a teen with Dell. She's perfectly obnoxious and multiple times I found myself cringing at how similar I was as a kid. The plot is often driven by Dell's blunders from inexperience and each believable and, occasionally, a little funny.

But Dell is where the positives of this book start to falter. While I had fun following her around the halls of the grim reformatory school and the streets of Whitechapel, it didn't take me long to notice how entirely empty the world felt. Dell is in a school full of troublemaking teenage girls -- in fact, there are so many other students that Dell is placed in the upstairs annex because there's not enough beds for her in the dorm. And yet, the only other kid we get more than a sentence or two from is Dell's roommate. Whenever it's inconvenient for the plot to have anyone else around then poof everyone else just disappears. Sometimes there's a half-assed explanation as to why everyone else is gone, and other times you're just expected to accept that a school full of teenagers is silent and empty. Because, sure, that's definitely realistic...

And then there's the plot itself. Hole after hole after hole. Some of the inconsistencies I was able to write off as intentional -- we're experiencing this world through the eyes of an inexperienced teen obsessed with true crime and prone to an overactive imagination. But there were plenty of times throughout the book where something was entirely too convenient or time jumped in a nonsensical way to make the next twist in the story halfway plausible.

And one more issue worth mentioning: When I first grabbed this ARC I feel confident in my memory that this was tagged as LGBTQ+. I see those tags have disappeared on Goodreads, but expect they'll pop up again as more people read and add it to a shelf. You are going to be highly disappointed if you pick this up assuming anything close to what Dunlap gave us in The Resurrectionist. Yes there is a queer character, but any mention of queerness was intentionally vague. I'm still not sure what to think of that.

All that to say, I did still enjoy my read of this book in those moments where I was able to put aside questionable plot progressions and just have fun with Dell's joy at playing detective to catch a real serial killer. I can imagine I would have been obsessed with this book as a 12 year old. This book really should be tagged as Young Adult rather than Adult -- the MC is at most 16 and, while there is some dark content, I never found it so grim to say this would be inappropriate as YA.

To wrap up, here's who I would recommend this book to:
* You enjoy Jack the Ripper stories or books about crime-riddled Victorian London.
* You have fun with YA books with masterfully written young main characters.
* You can look past plot inconsistencies and just enjoy the story for what it is.

[BookSafety Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.

I do usually love a murder mystery, and while this wasn’t bad, it unfortunately didn't really keep my attention either. It sort of felt like it didn't quite know what it wanted to be. There were a lot of pieces but it never quite committed to a lane, so it kinda ended up feeling a tad disappointing. I did enjoy the thought behind the story and the message behind it (mentioned in the author's afterword – but it’s a spoiler so I won’t mention it here). I think I would have enjoyed it that much more if the story was fully committed to that specific path and played into it more. I did enjoy the characters tho – their little found family was messy yet charming. The narration was also good and enjoyable, and I would gladly listen to more books narrated by Anna Burnett.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC.

Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Historical mystery
1800s London
Murder mystery
Messy found family
Gothic-esque academy
Friendships
Queer Lite
Feels like YA

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Parent deaths (past)
Misogyny
Themes of censorship
Forced religious teachings
Xenophobia and antisemitism
Details of murder victims
On-page domestic violence (father/son, SCs)
Mentions of mentally ill person being wrongfully accused of crimes
Graphic gore
On-page death
Death of SC's friend (past)
Attempted murder of MC

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: N/A
Other person drama: N/A
Breakup: N/A
POV: 1st person, single
Genre: Historical mystery
Pairing: F/F undertones
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
Main characters’ age: Teens
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 333
Happy ending: Yes






You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...

[readerLina · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m convinced that listening to this in audio format is what made it so enjoyable. For starters, I have a bone to pick with the "Adult" categorisation. It clearly reads like Young Adult so it was a bit misleading, as I went in expecting more mature themes and characters. Don’t get me wrong the story was fun, the female protagonist was very likeable and the writing was seamless but it is not what I expectedd. The lovely narration truly saved the experience for me. If you’re looking for well-written YA fiction with a solid mystery, definitely pick this up. But if you’re expecting a thriller with adult themes then this might not be the one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

[mtrics · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dell Morton is a goth kid. Or as goth as you can be when you're 15yo and living in the Victorian era. Newly locked away in a reformatory school and bored out of her mind, Dell misses the gruesome tales of murder and detective work she used to read when she was free. "Thankfully," the district around her school becomes the stage for a series of terrible murders--and who better to investigate than Dell herself, who dreams of becoming the first Lady Detective?

I'll start with my biggest gripe, which isn't entirely about the book's content but more about my expectations going in: the book is listed in the LGBTQIA+ category on NetGalley. Over time, its Goodreads entry added and then lost the "Queer" and "LGBT" tags. So naturally, I was apprehensive going in: is there queer rep in the book or not? Especially since the author's previous book had an explicit romance between two men. If you're wondering the same, the answer is: there is queer rep, but of the most cowardly kind. It's supposed to be there, you can see its contour, you can pick apart the subtext. But it's definitely not present enough to offend conservative parents of bookish baby-queers, which, I imagine, might have been a deliberate choice given that the book is clearly geared towards a teen audience. Personally, I lost patience with "wink wink, nudge nudge" queer rep sometime around the 2000s; I want more, I demand more. It's just frustrating when representation is dangled in front of me like a carrot, never to be outright assumed. Now, this book isn't meant to be a romance, and I'm not demanding it to be; but so many scenes are crafted to hint at romantic subtext that it's maddening that, even in the epilogue (spoilers) Noah is off to Australia with Henry, and Pippa and Dell ride into the sunset together, all left unsaid.

That's most of my rant out of the way. I did find a few parts a bit simplistic and spotted one or two small plot holes in the investigation (e.g., how could Noah have known what William looked like?). Still, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise engaging story. The book shines thanks to its lush prose and vivid sense of setting. The pacing is excellent, especially in the first half, which flies by. But its biggest strength lies in its characters. It's easy to get attached to the whole cast, flaws and all. There were so many characters-building moments that said a lot about them, who they were, who they aspired to be; and I thought those were brilliantly woven into the narrative.

Special praise goes to the portrayal of teenagehood in all its splendor, frustratingly so. Dell is grandiose and self-important, sheltered her entire life and wholly removed from the real dangers of the world outside her (not quite golden, let's say bronze) cage. Like any teenager, she yearns for freedom from her guardians' control (her aunt and uncle first, then the reformatory staff) and she's convinced of her own worldly wisdom. After all, she knows all about the dreadful deeds of the "filthy degenerates" (her words) in the streets, she's a well-read woman! That illusion is shattered fast, forcing her to think before acting and lean more reasonably on the allies she finds along the way. Dell is at her best when she fails, and that's what makes her character so compelling, I think!

All in all, I found this book far more memorable than The Resurrectionist was. It shows real growth in the author's style and storycrafting skills, and I'm genuinely excited to see what she comes up with next. Hopefully, by then, she (or her publisher, who knows) will risk the outrage of a couple of rednecks in Alabama 👀
(Listen, I know it's a weird thing to get hung up on, it just matters to me 😁)

[LaceyBanana Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. A unique blend of true crime and historical fiction are captured in this story about two young girls who meet and become close friends at a reform school. While Dell and Pippa are reading and focusing on the world of true crime, they become obsessed with a string of murders that takes place by someone known as Jack the Ripper. They’re determined to find out who is causing all of this chaos and their focus gets shifted to someone they both know.

After absolutely loving The Resurrectionist, I couldn’t wait to dive into this! Dunlap’s writing is so atmospheric and I love their characters. I was so invested in these characters and their mission to solve this mystery. Dell and Pippa came to life in my head and I felt like I was right there with them. I also enjoyed the take on Jack the Ripper and how it developed in this story. I struggled with the pacing on both sides of the middle for a bit but it quickly picked back up and kept me engaged. I will read anything this author writes!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, A. Rae Dunlap, and Kensington Publishing for providing this free E-ARC. This published on March 31st. This is my honest review.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely enthralling read! As a true crime fan (thanks Buzzfeed Unsolved!) I know a fair bit about the Jack the Ripper murders and I absolutely loved this take on the grisly tale. The characters in this book were so well written and compelling and the storytelling, like with the Resurrectionist, pulled me in and kept me completely immersed! Plus the hints at a sweet budding sapphic romance throughout warmed my heart; blood, gore and murder aside!

Obsessed with detective fiction and true crime, Dell Morton is furious when her choice of literature lands her in a reformatory school in Whitechapel. Her roommate Pippa Fitzroy is prissy and perfect and she instantly dislikes her… but when murders start occurring in the streets outside the school’s walls, and those murders seem to co-inside with disappearances of the school mistress Miss Kaye, Dell enlists Pippa’s help to try and get to the bottom of it. Assisted by the local butcher’s son, Noah Levy, the trio find themselves on the trail of London’s most notorious killer… Jack the Ripper.

I loved how well written the characters all are. The book is told from Dell’s first person POV, but Noah, Pippa and Miss Kaye all have lives of their own within that narrative. I especially enjoyed Noah; I didn’t realise that the Jack the Ripper killings incited such antisemitism at the time, and seeing the effect it had on Noah and his family was brutal.

Whilst this is a work of fiction, it is clearly well researched and is based on the actual five canonical Ripper victims, as well as the area’s social and political climate at the time. It’s a great read for Ripperologists, historical thriller fans and those who simply love a twisty book full of beautiful storytelling and compelling characters!

Read The Dreadfuls for:
✨ Historical thriller
✨ Based on the Jack the Ripper murders
✨ Girls at a reformatory/boarding school
✨ Social commentary; class & race
✨ Sapphic romance sub-plot
✨ Well written & compelling characters
✨ Aspiring lady detective 🕵️‍♀️
✨ For all the true crime fans!

Thanks to Kensington Press for an ARC of this book via NetGalley! It’s available 31st March 2026 🔪 🩸

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audio of this book!

This was a super fun read, but a little deceiving, as it should be labeled as a YA novel. I would have gone into the book with different expectations had it been labeled correctly. It was a bit predictable, but I loved all of the main characters which kept me endeared to the book throughout. It is also labeled as LGBTQ+ which is only mentioned maybe twice and is vague at best.? So, I do believe all the labels for this book are incredibly deceiving, which was a little disappointing. Despite the inaccuracy in labeling what this book truly is, it was a fun read with delightful and well-written main characters, who you can't help but adore, deliciously dark gothic Victorian vibes (which I'm always here for!); passing all the vibe checks.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE DREADFULS is marketed as an adult book, but I would place it firmly in the YA genre. The main characters are young teenagers. Consequently, their antics and investigation into the murders often felt as juvenile as the characters themselves.

Don’t get me wrong. The writing is engaging and the characters are fun. We have some tender moments, as well. But that’s not at all the vibe I was expecting.

If you go into this expecting a YA adventure, you’ll probably love it. If you go into it expecting an adult, gothic horror novel, you might, like me, be disappointed.

*Thanks to Kensington Books (#Thrillfluencer) for the free copy!*

[Denise Ruttan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I found her dark academia take on Jack the Ripper to be absolutely delightful. However, I can see how it wouldn't appeal to every reader. Someone who wants a mystery may find the mystery a bit predictable and cozy, and perhaps too YA, though I believe this was marketed as YA so you can't be too surprised by that.

Dell, a delinquent youth who is obsessed with true crime in the days when penny bloods were the equivalent of today's podcasts, is enrolled at a reformatory school for girls after stealing some of said pamphlets. She resolves to escape at her first opportunity, but her plans are thwarted when she unexpectedly forms a close friendship with her attic roommate, a strange and beautiful girl named Pippa.

The two girls get to know a Jewish butcher's son named Noah who feeds them contraband in the form of more penny dreadfuls. But murder is soon afoot in Whitechapel and the trio becomes convinced the school is at the heart of the mystery to unravel. I enjoyed following their antics and outlandish theories as they donned amateur detective hats and tested their mettles.

I thought the take on Jack the Ripper was one I hadn't seen before, even if it was predictable. Dell and her dry wit and passion for true crime was delightful, even if her blunders and theories could seem rather cartoonish. I loved the platonic friendships in this as well and even though Dell and Pippa ended up together, romance wasn't at the front and center of this story. It was rather a tale of coming of age and found family, which I found refreshing.

If this author has more of these fun historical mysteries up her sleeve in the future, I'd certainly read more of them. They are a bit cliche and surface level, but generally a bit of fresh air in a tropey YA landscape. And Dell's dry wit really carries the whole story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[✨ Reading in Rays ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A. Rae Dunlap does it again 🙇‍♀️ Absolute auto-buy author for me right now. I realize this is only her second novel but the way she weaves together such epic stories based in factual history is truly unique. This book was so very atmospheric. 1880’s London, she had me from the first sentence, from the first page. I felt transported back in time. The characters were funny and likable. Of course the mystery was masterful and designed with intention. I love reading the Author’s note at the end after every book. I always feel like I learn something new and fascinating to take with me. The grains of truth that inspire her fictional tales. Would I recommend it? Oh Absolutely, 💯

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The “Jack the Ripper” murders through the eyes of two teens playing at being detectives.
Whitechapel descriptions were excellent. Our heroines characters are well written.

It seemed when not needed for the plot, the rest of the packed house girls reformatory is never mentioned.

Still worth a read. And look at that beautiful cover!

[Benni · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought this would just be a knockoff Wednesday Addams + Enid Sinclair adventure but it quickly becomes its own fast-paced, thrilling bit of mystery.

[Josie (thebookgoblin13) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this little beauty from Netgalley.

I saw the cover and said lets go! I received it as an ALC a few days after it was published but this was wonderful. I saw a lot of complaints about this being an YA when it was announced as an adult, and to that grow up! Yes this felt like a YA but the story was still fun as hell. This is a Victorian Gothic Thriller with the historical fiction Jack the Ripper and I loved it. It follows Dell who is a bit of an odd ball that is in love with all the dreadful things like death, murder and well the mystery in solving it. She is sent to a reform school after her parents deaths and her one hope is to escape and live her best life. While there she befriends her roommate, Pippa and the butchers son, Noah. The three try to figure out the murders happening in their town and it's just a wild ride. There are some gruesome bits and humor in this one.

The characters have a bunch of growth as the story goes on. I love that this doesn't just focus on the jack the ripper but brings in different things from those cases. The town, Whitechapel as well as brings in some history with the Jews. Over all I really enjoyed this and loved the characters!

For the Audiobook portion the narrative was wonderful!

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I saw that A. Rae Dunlap had a new novel releasing, I was so excited! I LOVED The Resurrectionists! It had everything I adore about a gothic horror/mystery - creepy atmosphere, a delightful sense of foreboding, and some body horror thrown in.

The Dreadfuls, unfortunately, did not live up to my very high expectations. The FMC, Dell, is very Wednesday Adams-ish, and I did find myself chuckling at her dry wit. However, this novel reads very YA. When the plot is about Jack the Ripper, I expected it to be way creepier than what it was. It took a long time to even get to the murders, and even then, I felt like a lot more could have been done with it.

I was expecting something more along the lines of Stalking Jack the Ripper, though while also YA, I think handled the subject matter a lot better.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️ (Very sadly)

I will still read Dunlap’s next novel as The Resurrectionists was fantastic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Jules]

Can i have it right now thank you, also still desperately hoping for a sequel to her other book but i absolutely will be reading this one too

[Alexis Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW (3/31/26): the dreadfuls by a. rae dunlap 🪦 a darkly atmospheric, gruesome tale of jack the ripper unfolds against the backdrop of a victorian london reform school, as a young inmate sets out to find the identity of the elusive serial killer.

someone play the pink panther theme song, stat 👀 once I saw the dreadfuls was available on netgalley, I knew I had to request it! a. rae dunlap wrote one of my favorite books of 2025, the resurrectionist, so once I caught wind of this publication, I was eager to dive into the atmospheric streets of london.

but I’m sad to report this didn't live up to my expectations. I have *never* had a book take me out of the story due to the relentless use of alliteration until now. I’m not sure if it’s how the narrator spoke or the actual writing itself, but I thought this author certainly would've ran out of adjectives beginning with the letter p by the end of the novel… I was mistaken.

🥀 I haven't seen anyone talk about this but the dreadfuls is NOT an adult book? the characters are teenagers which made the tone too juvenile and playful to put me in the dark, gothic mood I was anticipating from this read! however, I did really enjoy the perspective of our three mischievous main characters!

now, regarding the jack the ripper reimagining… it will tempt many readers, but I’m not too impressed by how it was handled. the spin on it was interesting but it felt like the case itself was randomly selected to serve as an addition to the setting and connect the characters. after hooking you with the thought of ripperology, dunlap truly only uses these pages to spotlight the social, economic and political conditions during that time. *sigh* I hate getting catfished. in the epilogue itself, a. rae dunlap states she hates the jack the ripper case and I think that shows 💀

well, this review was longer than I anticipated but if the premise interests you, I still encourage you to give it a read! thank you RBmedia for the early copy 🔪 3 stars!

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

#ad much love for my finished copy @kensingtonbooks #partner

The Dreadfuls

Dell has lost both of her parents and is in the care of her aunt and uncle. But they can’t handle her and her ways - she dares to read about crime, murder, and more. Fed up, her uncle burns all her books - forcing her to steal more so she can read. That is their final straw, they’ve had it and send her off to a reform school. The Whitechapel Hall Reform School, who promise to change these wild children.

But Dell has no idea that she’s above to thrive here. Because not only are they allowed time out of the school, Jack the Ripper is all anyone can talk about. And she now has a killer to catch. Finally, all her reading will come in quite handy. Time to investigate.

I enjoyed the reformed girls’ school and the setting being 1888’s London. Of course, crime reads and books being a central theme here was perfect. We get all the girl drama and feel like we are in this mess alongside Dell.

Pippa and Dell’s friendship reminded me of my own.

Gothic vibes were on par. Recommend this one. It’s intriguing and keeps you hooked throughout. Of all the Jack the Ripper retellings, THIS BOOK IS THE BEST.

A little slow starting but I liked it overall.

This book reminded me of MrBallen’s episode about the guy who uses a plan in one of his spy novels to get his identity back. But it backfires horribly. So many of my reads remind me of his stories. I need to remember to link them.

Episode: Beneath the Surface

https://podcasts.happyscribe.com/mrba....

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

I am always here for a gothic, spooky take on Victorian London, and The Dreadfuls absolutely delivered.

This is not a direct Jack the Ripper retelling, but it captures that same eerie, tension-filled atmosphere so well. Foggy streets, danger just outside the door, and a constant sense that something is not quite right. It was exactly the vibe I wanted.

Dell is such a strong main character. She is sharp, defiant, and just reckless enough to keep things interesting. I loved the dynamic between her, Pippa, and Noah. Their curiosity and determination pulled me through the story, especially as things started to unravel.

The setting really stood out to me. A reform school in the middle of Whitechapel during the Ripper murders is the perfect backdrop for something dark and unsettling. The mystery kept building in a way that made it hard to stop listening.

This was my second book by A. Rae Dunlap, and they knocked it out of the park again. At this point, they are an auto buy author for me.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Anna Burnett. This was my first time with her narration, and she did a solid job. She fit the tone well and kept me engaged throughout.

Overall, a really fun, atmospheric gothic read that I would recommend if you love historical horror with a mystery element.

[Faye Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC. The narrator’s performance was a major highlight for me; she was incredibly engaging and really brought the 1880s London setting to life. While the atmosphere felt very authentic, the tone is very YA. I would definitely call this a historical thriller with "girl detective" energy rather than a straight horror novel, as the stakes felt a little less intense than I expected. Still, it is a solid, atmospheric choice for anyone who loves a Victorian-era mystery.

[Kiersten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun one, and I am so thankful to Kensington for sending an ARC my way! This book is a great example of an author drawing inspiration from a historically infamous true crime case and putting a fresh spin on the story while treating the victims with the respect that they deserve. The Jack the Ripper case is obviously quite well known, but Dunlap manages to bring fresh eyes to the story and really gives the victims a sense of agency and sympathy that is often left out of true crime reporting on the case. The author also ties in another lesser known crime of the same era in a similarly sympathetic way. It is important to remember that this is fiction, so the author is taking liberties with a case that still hasn’t completely been solved.

The strength of this book is definitely in its characters. Dell is a fun, albeit sometimes frustrating lead as her obsession with penny dreadfuls and true crime often leads her to making really rash decisions. Thankfully she has a companion, Pippa, who is a wonderful counterbalance. I really loved their friendship and watching them play off of each other’s strengths and weaknesses as they begin to develop suspects, including a teacher in their very school, Miss Kaye. Miss Kaye is such an interesting character and one that I don’t want to say too much about as her story involves many of the novel’s twists.

But the real highlight of the book for me was the character of Noah, a local Jewish butcher that Dell and Pippa end up befriending over a shared love of penny dreadfuls and wanting to be amateur detectives. Noah brought a perspective to the book and the Jack the Ripper case that I had never really heard about - how the case brought antisemitism in Whitechapel to the fore as local citizens and the police searched for a scapegoat and found one in the local Jewish community. This part of the story is often ignored, and I loved reading the author’s note about how this really resonated with her as well and is the reason she decided to do a Jack the Ripper retelling.

I would say this book does often read like a YA novel which I know is a turnoff for some. But it is a fun detective story with a lot of heart and deeper meaning, and I really hope some of you will add this to your TBR!

[Cheryl Hanzidiakou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5⭐️. Took a while to get going but good once it finally did. Seems more YA than adult.

[R.J. Sorrento · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading some reviews that this book reads as YA, I adjusted my expectations. It has dark academia vibes like the Netflix Wednesday series, but with a Jack the Ripper twist. It’s a fun story but it’s not bringing anything new to Jack the Ripper lore or to the dark academia genre. The middle felt looong, but overall I enjoyed the audiobook. Thank you to LibroFM for the ALC.

[Jon-Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written if not a bit predictable. Feels YA, possibly the effect of the young protagonist’s POV despite the grim setting. Interested to see what British historical events A. Rae Dunlap will employ in her next novel.

[summer⁎ ˚ ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good, standard mystery novel with the backdrop of a gothic boarding school. Dunlap's specialty is her writing. It flowed beautifully and sounded great. I have to say the biggest downfall of this novel was its predictability and complete lack of originality. "The darkly atmospheric and gruesome tale of Jack the Ripper" is already setting up the novel for something big, and it failed on all fronts. There was nothing particularly gruesome about this novel; nothing exciting, new, unique, or interesting. Saying it is jack the ripper is true, sure, but the angle of his tale got lost inside the mind of a teenage girl. I'm not sure if she was actually a teenager but she read/felt like one. Truth be told, the entire book read like a YA beginner mystery novel. "Gruesome" implies there are actual macabre elements which there aren't; had Dunlap indulged into more horror elements perhaps this would've developed better, but it didn't. The storyline and ending were beyond predictable.

I wanted to DNF around 50% but since it was an arc I kept pushing. Genuinely nothing happens but petty interior monologue and literally two teenage girls thinking they can solve the murder. (Which fine, they do, but the journey to get there is boring.) Sadly I just feel like I've read this tale way too many times.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc.

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A. Rae Dunlap’s previous book was one of my favorite reads of last year, and the premise of her newest release, The Dreadfuls, immediately convinced me she might be writing books just for me. Victorian London, Jack the Ripper, Penny Dreadfuls – these are some of my most beloved topics.

While I didn’t enjoy The Dreadfuls quite as much as The Resurrectionist, I think historical fiction enthusiasts will find a lot to appreciate here. A. Rae Dunlap makes bold and interesting choices that help this book stand out among the many retellings of the Jack the Ripper story.

First and foremost, this is a love letter to true crime, specifically in its nineteenth-century form. The main character, Dell, is a fan of pulp fiction and Penny Dreadfuls, and dreams of becoming a detective one day. She finds kindred spirits in Pippa, a fellow student at a reformatory school for girls in Whitechapel, and Noah, a Jewish butcher’s son. Naturally, when a mysterious killer begins terrorizing Whitechapel, the trio wants nothing more than to uncover the murderer’s identity.

The dynamic between the characters is one of the book’s strongest aspects. Their youth gives the story a slight young-adult feel, although it is far removed from clearly YA novels like Enola Holmes. Dunlap does not shy away from showing the full scale of what it means to confront the actions of a serial killer.

Beyond the crime mystery, the book touches on important issues, including the experiences of minority groups, specifically Jews, in late nineteenth-century London and mental health in the Victorian era. The portrayal of Whitechapel itself, with all its complexity and atmosphere, is one of the book’s most compelling elements.

My biggest reservation about this book, and the reason I cannot give it five stars, is the way it handles the legend of Jack the Ripper. While I appreciate A. Rae Dunlap’s creativity and her exploration of the impact the murders had on the district, the author presents her own version of events, including the identity of the Ripper. At times, this felt like too heavy an intervention in history, particularly because it also involves, to some extent, rewriting the fates of the women who were tragically killed by him. To be clear, these women are not portrayed disrespectfully, but I believe that after so many years of overlooking their perspective, their stories deserve to be presented as accurately as possible.

That being said, I still really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for its inventive approach, meticulous research, and engaging plot. I will read everything A. Rae Dunlap writes – her ability to bring history to life through compelling characters and vivid settings is truly impressive.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE DREADFULS gave Wednesday Addams meets Enola Holmes vibes. If you've watched the Wednesday series on Netflix you will be distracted by the similarities.

If you loved THE RESURRECTIONIST and were looking for another macabre Gothic mystery this is not it. This second novel is more YA historical mystery.

It's not a bad novel but I was too distracted by the Wednesday similarities to be able to read it on its own merits. I was also expecting a darker, Gothic story and this was not.

[KMart Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three kids in 1888 Whitechapel decide to investigate Jack the Ripper; two from inside a reform school and one from the Jewish community.

I really enjoyed this one, and reading it as part of a readalong made it even better. The discussions, seeing everyone's reactions, watching people catch different things at different times, our IG chat, liking all of the other posts; it all added so much to the experience and I adored our little community around this one. Thank you so much to Tandem Collective Global and Kensington Books for the fun time!

The setting is doing a lot of heavy lifting. It's not a surprise to anyone that knows me that I adore this era in history. I felt immersed in the atmosphere and the Jack the Ripper elements are woven in with enough historical texture to feel grounded. The author's note is also fantastic at the end; she makes it pretty clear she has some feelings about how badly that case was handled. It was a complete failure to see the danger right in front of them. The twists got me more than once. I thought I knew where things were going and I really did not.

But the characters are the best part. Dell is fearless and sassy and always chasing the most dramatic version of any situation, which makes her an absolute blast to follow. Pippa is softer but just as fearless when things get serious. And Noah is just trying to survive both of them while having very real personal stakes in the outcome, given what his community is facing and the hatred directed at them during this era. That representation felt so meaningful.

Also the adults in this book act like actual real people, which in YA is genuinely rare and worth celebrating. I don't want to go into more depth because I don't want to ruin anything, but this was a really strong book and I really enjoyed it!

This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly fun from the first page! Dell is the exact kind of mischievous, rebellious, "smart but not as smart as she believes she is" heroine that's one of my favorite kinds of unreliable narrator to read. Writing a whole novel from her perspective feels like a balancing act that A. Rae Dunlap has executed masterfully.

Anna Burnett's narration was truly amazing and it made this book all the better.

I really enjoyed Dell's dynamic with Pippa, especially how Pippa kept checking our heroine's more chaotic impulses. She might be pretty and she might be sweet, but my girl Pippa is no fool. I also loved Noah and Miss Kaye, they made a perfect sleuthing gang.

On a deeper look, I also love that the ones with power and agency in this book all come from disenfranchised backgrounds: women who won't be believed and a young man who's facing antisemitism (and I suspect homophobia). The school's all-male leadership fades into the background in their limited competence.

The villain, Jack the Ripper, has all the privilege, which makes him all the harder to catch. At the crux of the setting stand the police, with their prejudice and their incompetence.

All that is to say, the power dynamics in this novel are extremely well done, and reflect an unchanging truth that won't surprise anyone who's had to navigate our world (perceived) as a woman: you'll do all the work, mediocre men will take all the credit, and you'll have to carve out your existence in the mortar between the bricks of society.

Thank you to RBmedia and netgalley for the audio ARC!