Rory Deveaux has left behind her Louisiana home to study abroad at a London boarding school. The day she arrives, news hits of a Jack the Ripper copycat. Rory tries to settle into boarding school life and making friends with her roommate Jazza as the city falls into Rippermania. When Rory sees a man on campus and her roommate doesn't, she becomes a witness for the murder that happens on campus and she finds herself in the middle of something she never could have imagined. 
 This book has been sitting on my to-read shelf for a while now. Don't know why I haven't picked it up before. (Probably because my to-read shelf is overflowing and constantly growing and I'm never going to catch up ever. *despair*). I really enjoyed it. It's definitely a novel that takes its time, letting you get settled in and really focusing on character development and back story. It was a much needed change of pace from some of the books that I've been reading lately. Even though it is slower paced, there were never moments when I found myself getting bored. I wanted to see everything that I was told. 
 The way that Maureen Johnson weaves in the history of the Jack the Ripper cases is superb. As I'm prone to do with historical novels, I was constantly fact checking to see if it was true or made up for the purpose of the story. Everything I looked up checked out, so that's a huge plus! Some images can't be unseen though, so if you do go in search, beware. Johnson really did her research for this book though. Everything feels authentic and really draws you into the London world. Also Whovian reference. 
 Rory has a great voice. There's quite a bit of stereotypical dramas at the beginning of the book, but she left it feeling completely normal and engaging. Also a bonus: no love triangle and actually very little romance at all. We get a few make-out scenes, but they really take a back seat to the rest of the story. Rory is not a heroine who's going to sit around and let someone save her or spend her days pining away over a boy. Huzzah! 
 Recommended for those who like murder-mysteries or those who are morbidly intrigued by Jack the Ripper, like myself. Oh and ghostbusters.