A Game of Masquerade

by Shani Cossins

Everyone has heard of Jack the Ripper the Whitechapel serial killer whose identity remains a mystery to this day.
But what if there is more to this mystery than meets the eye? What if the identity of the murderer is more than
human? A fugitive from another world who joins forces with Scotland Yard is soon to discover that past and future
events have created a monster, which ignites fear and outrage on the streets of the East End.
To stop the murderous rampage in 1888, Professor Orlando Delbrotman must solve one of the most brutal mysteries of the 19th century…without changing history…

333 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 27, 2025

Reviews

[Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Game of Masquerade blends historical crime with speculative fiction, pulling Jack the Ripper out of the fog and into a stranger and darker light. The story follows Professor Orlando Delbrotman, a time-traveling outsider who stumbles into the grimy alleys of 1888 London. His mission is unclear even to himself at first, but soon he becomes entangled in the investigation of the Ripper murders alongside Scotland Yard. What begins as an observational trip turns into a dangerous game of survival, trust, and pursuit, with the Professor moving between the dim-lit taverns, cold morgues, and filthy streets of Whitechapel. The setting is thick with atmosphere, and the narrative swings between gritty human suffering and the strange detachment of an alien mind learning the limits of morality.

The writing carries the weight of the setting with vivid detail, but it also knows when to lean on humor or eccentricity. I liked how the author didn’t shy away from the brutal realities of the time. The women in the story aren’t romanticized; their hardship is tangible, and their conversations are raw. The Professor, in contrast, is formal, almost awkward, and I found that gap between his precise, alien perspective and the chaos around him strangely compelling. The pacing can be a slow burn in places, but that gave me time to sit with the tension rather than rush through it.

Some parts felt theatrical, almost like a stage play with its sharp entrances and dramatic exchanges. Sometimes it worked, adding color and energy, and other times it brought me out of the scene. Still, I admired how the book balanced historical authenticity with a speculative twist without letting one overwhelm the other. The Ripper mystery has been told in countless ways, yet this take felt fresh, partly because of the outsider’s-eye view and partly because of the relatable moments that broke through the gloom.

I’d recommend A Game of Masquerade to readers who enjoy historical mysteries with a speculative slant, particularly those who like their stories gritty yet occasionally whimsical. If you’re curious about what happens when history’s shadows meet something not quite of this Earth, you’ll find plenty to chew on here.

[Kate Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have never read a book like this before! From the very first chapter, I was swept away. Shani Cossins captures 19th Century London so vividly I could almost smell the fog and hear the clatter of carriage wheels on cobblestones. This story twists the Jack the Ripper horror into something extraordinary, a thrilling blend of history and time travel with compelling characters and moral dilemmas. Professor Delbrotman, a time traveler, joins forces with Scotland Yard and they set out to unravel the murder mysteries without changing the course of history. The mix of danger, suspense, and emotional depth kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the night. Every scene felt alive, every twist unexpected. It’s one of those books that leaves you thinking long after you turn the last page. A haunting, imaginative journey through the darker corners of East End where nothing, and no one, is quite what they seem. A brilliant debut and I can’t wait to see what Cossins delivers next!