If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry

e-ALC, 15:24:13
Narrated by: Jayne Enteistle & Julie Berry
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Published by: Simon & Schuster Audio
Read from: September 16-20, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: Libro FM (I received a free ALC from the publisher and Libro FM. This did nothing to influence my review)
Content Warning: Gore, Murder, Death, Sexual Assault, Trafficking, Violence, Domestic Abuse, Sexual Content, Drug Use
For Readers Interested In: Audio, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Holy Crap, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Thrillers, ToB 2026, TW/CW, YA 

    From Printz Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry, a true-crime-nailbiter-turned-mythic-odyssey pitting Jack the Ripper against Medusa. A defiant love song to sisterhood, a survivors’ battle cry, and a romantic literary tour de force laced with humor.
     It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one Jack.
     And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s.

*MY THOUGHTS*

One of my favorite things is when I find a genre that I don’t normally like, and end up really liking it. And this one is the one for me. I usually try to get away from Historical Fiction, but this one sounded too good to be true. Medusa vs Jack the Ripper?! I had to have it. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Ok so the thing I didn’t like about this was the way it seemed to be less thrilling than I expected. Jack the Ripper was a maniac that was never caught and Medusa took revenge on men who hurt women. I guess I was expecting them to run into each other more than once. Or have her like start investigating it or something. However, they don’t really run into each other until it’s almost the end. I guess I wanted more fight scenes or something.

The writing style was legit tho. The idea to write about Medusa and Jack the Ripper esd genius tho I can’t lie. I don’t think I ever even would have thought to get them in a room together. Like her other books on her mythology, like the was hella creative and so imaginative. The plot was just ok. I don’t think there was much happening besides Jack doing things ever other chapter and giving some insight on what a Medusa is and how to utilize the specific trait that she has.

I liked this so much I listened to the historical note at the ending. Thought I knew most of what she was talking about, I appreciated that she added it just in case. As a librarian, I can almost feel the amount of kids gearing up to ask more questions about one of these subjects.

Overall, i give this