The Sixth Victim is the first book in a new supernatural historical mystery series by Tessa Harris. Released 27th March 2018 (first pub 2017) in a new edition by Kensington, it's 326 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats (earlier editions available in other formats).

I really enjoy Victorian English mysteries, but I generally stick to the ones without a supernatural or horror elements. The alternating PoV in this book does work well and the changing typefaces (the 'ghost' chapters are written in italics) keep things very clear. The characters are well written and the voices of the two main characters are distinct.

The author is adept at writing the period, and this new series is promising. I have read her other books featuring Dr. Thomas Silkstone, and though they are ostensibly written in an earlier time period (England during the American revolution) they really felt Victorian to me.

The pacing was slightly slow for me with this book and I struggled in a couple of places to finish. I think this was a -me- problem more than anything since this book was my bus commute read for a while and the gradual development didn't suit a 30 minute daily commute. Once I settled down and read it at home, I managed to finish it in a couple of settings.

This is historical fiction. The author's got an interesting take on the real Jack the Ripper story. It is skillfully woven around the real historical background, and the writing is strong. I will read the second in the series before making a decision about continuing with it. As might be expected, there is a fair bit of graphic description which won't be a surprise for most people who are familiar with the grisly specifics of the Ripper murders, but might be upsetting to readers who aren't familiar with the history.

The language is rough in places, and obviously there's a lot of violence.

Three and a half stars; probably more, for readers who enjoy a supernatural element in their mysteries.

RATING: 3 STARS​
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY​)​
(Review Not on Blog)

The Sixth Victim was an interesting take on time around Jack the Ripper in Whitechapel. I realized going in there was "clairvoyance" aspect to this novel which made the novel more intriguing to me. Yet, as I was a few chapters in, I did not care for this anymore. Having the novel alternate between Emily and Constance wasn't confusing or anything, I just didn't like it. It really stopped me from liking this book more. I give three stars on the research of the time and place, and having been well-written. I started the second book, <spoiler>and Emily is in this one too</spoiler> so I will not be continuing the series. I will have to check on the other series that Harris wrote

Princess Fuzzypants here::
This book combines the chilling and brutal events surrounding Jack The Ripper with a young Cockney girl who has many talents to keep body and soul together including clairvoyance. It is a novel that requires considerable attention as there is a lot going on around the story. It is a tale of how abject poverty can force people to do whatever is necessary to live. It is a world of squalor and harshness. But for the lucky few, there are people willing to give a hand up and to teach a better way.
If you are a fan of Ripper era novels, this is a good one.
I give four purrs and two paws up.

I'm not usually interested in Jack the Ripper stories, but I like Tessa Harris's previous novels, so I thought I'd try this. This seemed a bit less intense than some of the other stories out there, and I think that's why I did end up liking the story. Adding a bit of the supernatural without overdoing it was a good addition as well. Once again, as withe her previous books, very atmospheric and realistic for the 1880's time period.

A refreshing new take on the Ripper legend.
After 5 murders the city is in disarray and every man becomes a suspect. When yet another body is discovered the question rises if this is the Ripper's next victim or if there's a different killer on the loose.
I kept thinking how much easier the situation could have been with proper forensics, but this is London 1888. A vivid description of the East End's back alleys with all its gore. Victorian gothic at its best, including some paranormal activity. The Cockney slang is delicious and I enjoyed the precious bond between Constance and Emily.
This book is a pageturner in an exciting historical setting with well developed characters. 'Simply marvelous'!

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books

Constance lives in Whitechapel, she and her sister steal to feed themselves and their mom. Usually, Constance sells flowers or oranges and the like. While her sister pickpockets. Miss Emily Tindall is the friend of Constance and her teacher. This is the time of the Ripper and the brutality he showed to women.
I was so surprised by the story and the unusual turn the tale took. There are sure a lot of twists in this book.
This is well written, exciting, moves smoothly, scary, intriguing and full of danger. The characters are believable and live a very hard life. But there always seems to be a shred of hope. The author has done a great job with this book. I could not put it down. I kept thinking, Is it the Ripper or someone else? She keeps you guessing until the end.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Tessa Harris introduces Constance Piper who tries to solve the Ripper murders in Victorian London. Was there a sixth victim? Very atmospheric.

I am still processing this book even after I have finished it. It is set during the time of Jack the Ripper (still can’t believe they haven’t solved that one) killing rampage. It is told from alternate points of view (which the author made it very easy to tell which point of view you were reading). For which I am grateful. There are multiple plot lines and characters to keep track of. It is a very easy enthralling read so that is not an issue.

The reason I gave it four (4) stars is because I really wanted to have more of a who is Jack the Ripper plot line in it. So the star rating was my disappointment. Otherwise I would have given it a full five (5) stars. This is a fault of my own making not the author or publisher.

Constance is a wonderful character that, frankly, deserves more credit for what she is and even though she is the main character she seemed to be shoved to the side by the force of the side characters, but this my just be my opinion and observations. The characters are very well written and you are able to use your own imagination as to what they look like and how they move.

If you like mysteries and this time era then I do recommend this book. Even if you don’t normally read this type of book I think you will enjoy the surprises that are found within this book. Ghosts, murder, secret societies, etc. who couldn’t enjoy this?

Fans of fiction set in Victorian London will like this one- it's atmospheric and hits a lot of the sweet spots such as Jack the Ripper and the fascination with clairvoyance. Constance is a fully realized character, which made reading this more interesting than it might have otherwise have been because some of the plot was predictable. That said, it's an entertaining read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I wouldn't recommend it for those who like mysteries. I found it to be boring and unimaginative..