After leaving the dreary setting of Bran Castle in Romania, the duo is looking forward to yet another adventure while enjoying their time onboard.
The dinners are served in a sumptuous hall and the Moonlight Carnival is entrusted to entertain the wealthy passengers.
On the opening night, the masked ringmaster makes a grand entrance, presents himself with the name of Mephistopheles (famous devil in German folklore), and promises a series of shows that are going to awe and amaze everyone.
Problem is right after the first show ends a woman falls dead, stabbed in the back by several knives, and that marks the start of a series of disappearances and murders that will set the entire vessel on chaos and pure paranoia.
While helping her uncle with the post mortem inspections, Audrey Rose has to deal with some new and puzzling feelings toward Mephistopheles and his promises of freedom and incredible adventures she'd be living should she join his circus...
👍👎My Thoughts
Of the three books of the saga, "Escaping From Houdini" was the one that didn't develop its full potential: we have influential people murdered in a spectacular and exhibitionistic way, happening on a defined space (the RMS Etruria) where a 'freak show' filled with fortune tellers, contortionists, fire eaters, and a mysterious and enigmatic ringmaster perform life-threatening acts and yet I wasn't as involved as in the previous books.
As always, I find the author's creativity and imagination superb and her descriptions really brought the setting alive in my mind. I also liked Mephistopheles characters, so elusive, with a troubled past, yet charismatic and with an exhilarating sarcasm.
What I didn't like was Audrey Rose's behaviors: I felt like she regressed from the tenacious young lady I've come to know in London and Romania...in this book she was very immature and uses the 'two weights two measures' system, obviously in her favor.
I get that she's only 17 years old, she still has to experience life in all its forms, but it's not like she lived in a crystal ball and just came out, so I was a bit disappointed by her selfishness.
As for the murderer, this time as well it's difficult to guess but it's clear from the beginning where the investigations should point at, so it doesn't strike as a surprise when the persona and the reason are finally revealed.
As always, I find the author's creativity and imagination superb and her descriptions really brought the setting alive in my mind. I also liked Mephistopheles characters, so elusive, with a troubled past, yet charismatic and with an exhilarating sarcasm.
What I didn't like was Audrey Rose's behaviors: I felt like she regressed from the tenacious young lady I've come to know in London and Romania...in this book she was very immature and uses the 'two weights two measures' system, obviously in her favor.
I get that she's only 17 years old, she still has to experience life in all its forms, but it's not like she lived in a crystal ball and just came out, so I was a bit disappointed by her selfishness.
As for the murderer, this time as well it's difficult to guess but it's clear from the beginning where the investigations should point at, so it doesn't strike as a surprise when the persona and the reason are finally revealed.
My vote: 6/10
Ph: goodreads.com
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