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FOR TEENS AND ADULTS:

“Stalking Jack the Ripper” by Kerri Maniscalco

Audrey Rose Wadsworth does not fit the mold of “proper young lady.” In fact, she often finds herself observing autopsies in her uncle’s laboratory. The only downside is the constant presences of her uncle’s irritatingly intelligent apprentice, Thomas Cresswell, who quickly becomes Audrey Rose’s rival. But when a series of gruesome murders shakes London to its core, Audrey Rose begins to see the killer everywhere. When a family member is suspected of the crimes, Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate, but struggles to keep ahead of the killer. As the title suggests, this is a Victorian era thriller that follows the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. Do not let the macabre subject matter fool you: feminism and romance play an important role for these characters. If you enjoyed the new Netflix Show “Lockwood & Co.,” this book will surely fill the horror-sized hole in your heart until the next season. Recommended for ages 15 and older.

— Margaux Morrone, librarian

FOR READERS:

“Four Treasures of the Sky” by Jenny Tinghui Zhan

Daiyu is a young girl from a small village in China, next to a river that feeds the ocean, and is named after a tragic, helpless figure from local folklore. Daiyu hates her name, feeling that it has determined her fate, so she fights for her own autonomy. Even so, tragedy strikes as her parents are spirited away by the palace special police and leave Daiyu to fend for herself. Life is not easy for a Chinese orphan, let alone an orphan girl. To ensure her safety, Daiyu chooses to pass as a boy, but one day, a vicious predator sees through her disguise and sells her as a slave bound for America. Ripped from her home, and everything she knows, Daiyu refuses to give in to tragedy and forges her own destiny in the New World. Truly exquisite prose paired with masterful storytelling, Four Treasures of the Sky is one of those amazing stories that can shine light into the darkest of moments and tell a tragic story without weighing you down. Inspired by real events, this moving story will inspire readers while illuminating a little-known historical period.

— Rebekah Noggle, librarian