66 books like Stalking Jack the Ripper

I can’t get enough of this supernatural classic, which is made all the more vivid by the way its story unfolds through letters, telegrams, diary entries, and newspaper clippings. It is the found-footage horror story of its era.

Like Frankenstein, it has been adapted hundreds of times, officially and unofficially, into nearly every medium, yet the original novel is unparalleled for holding the reader in its icy grip. Stoker brought his own fears to the page, and I am always surprised at how, in just a few pages, they become my fears, as well.

So, I stumbled upon this book at the same time I was looking at the worldwide phenomenon Fifty Shades of Grey. This novel is for those who enjoy the erotica genre but without the bondage and flogging. It is an incredibly passionate story of falling in love with the enemy before falling into his bed. Bared to You will keep you up all night long just to keep turning the pages—incredibly emotional, fire-filled love scenes—the chemistry between the two is unbelievable! It’s a must-read!

I love mysteries with a sensitive protagonist who sees what no one else sees and cares enough to get at the truth when everyone else has dismissed it. Penelope Marin is dealing with grief by collecting trinkets. When she recognizes a trinket in a market stall that had belonged to a murdered young woman, she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth of what happened to her, even though it means putting herself into dangerous situations. Penelope (“Lo”) is brave and determined and doesn’t let anyone else’s disbelief stop her from caring about a murdered woman whom no one else cares about and has written off as unsolved. This is the kind of story that always has me riveted.

I love anything Sherlock Holmes. So a YA teen detective story with the present-day descendants of Sherlock Holmes with mysterious deaths to solve? The title alone got me, then when I read the blurb, I was on it. Sherlock Holmes’ great great great granddaughter, Charlotte Holmes, already a brilliant sleuth consulting with Scotland Yard and Jamie Watson, the great great great grandson of John Watson are in America where they have ended up in the same boarding school. When a student dies under mysterious circumstances, Jamie and Charlotte’s paths cross, throwing them together, and they can only trust each other in a world where the enemy lurks very close… If I was a fish and you wanted to catch me, put this book on a hook and dangle it.

The blurb from this novel is what pulled me in initially and the story and writing kept me riveted. Flynn’s girlfriend disappears. It appears she may have been murdered and Flynn is the main person of interest. It rests on Flynn to find out what’s happened to her, both because he cares about her and also because he is innocent. He bravely must plunge ahead and figure out who would want to harm January. What he uncovers endangers his own life yet also forces him to contend with a secret he has been keeping from himself. Another story with a sensitive, brave teen sleuth who puts caring and truth ahead of everything else and finds what no one else could see. I need to read more from this author.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It was gripping but also haunting. Jazz is the son of a convicted serial killer. He’s bright and good-hearted, yet lives in fear of what kind of psycho could be lurking in himself because of his parentage. When a woman is found dead near his town, he sees clues at the crime scene that the police miss but he knows are his father’s signature. He begins to investigate and as always happens, danger draws closer as the truth is unearthed. What I loved about this story was Jazz. A sympathetic character, just trying to have a normal life with a best friend and a girl friend but who can’t get away from the fact he sees the world through a lens colored by having a serial killer for a father. Not to mention that his father isn’t finished with him, either. 

Splintered is an Alice in Wonderland-based story.

I don’t typically read fairytale-inspired books, but this one was so beautifully crafted that I couldn’t put it down. The fantasy world-building is reminiscent of a Tim Burton film with vivid imagery and characters.

Alyssa is the great-great-great granddaughter of Alice. She worries her fate will leave her in an institution like others in her family until she finds herself in Wonderland.

This series has two romances—one between Alyssa and Jeb, and one between Alyssa and Morpheus. Jeb is her love in the human world, but Morpheus offers his own temptation. As the series progresses, she is torn between the two men and their two worlds, both feeding different sides of her.

There is no shortage of fantasy creatures and happenings in this series, nor is there a shortage of romantic sparks.

Ice is an unexpected journey in the Arctic filled with promises, broken hearts, trolls, ice, and a Polar Bear King. It’s a brilliantly written adventure that will have you wanting more with each sentence. Have you ever thought of falling in love with prince charming? How about with a polar bear? You’ll think twice after reading this!

The Cellar will have you holding your breath at each turn! I felt like my skin was crawling while I was reading this book and I was thinking of ways to escape the nightmare. Natasha Preston did a fantastic job of making you feel like you’re living in Summer’s shoes. It’s a gripping story of a horrific kidnapping and the new life Summer finds herself living in. This book makes you glance twice over your shoulder when you’re walking alone at night and it is a reminder of how quickly something like this can happen. The Cellar opens your mind to both the kidnapper and the captives. Highly recommend this book!   

The Dragon and the Double-Edged Sword is a fantasy-adventure novel that incorporates rarely used mythical creatures like harpies, aswangs, buso, and even a lava monster. Set in 2599, The novel takes an unorthodox approach to dystopia by asking, “What if humans went extinct?” The story has time travel and an interesting system of magic. What really impressed me about this story is how it started off with a bang and didn’t let up. Even as it switched between two different timelines, there weren’t any filler scenes where the story dragged. Every character had a clear purpose and something to connect with.