Did you ever read a description of a book and just know that you were going to LOVE it? And then when you started reading, you were concerned that it wasn't going to live up to the high expectations that you set for it? That was me at the start of The Immortal Prudence Blackwood. I am very happy to report, that this book did not disappoint. It did, in fact, live up to everything that I thought it would be.

As a fan of TV shows like Mindhunter and Criminal Minds, I am a sucker for a good serial killer story. Adding in a character like Prudence who is a bad-ass, female serial killer hunter is just icing on the cake for me. Winding through timelines and meeting different killers and historical figures is just another part of the fun. This book from start to finish was great fun! I hope to read about Prudence and her adventures in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stephanie Grey for my free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a disappointment. I like the premise but the execution is really lacking. I don't have anything much to say that's positive. It reads like a second or third draft rather than a finished novel. The story covers several timelines, and in each case it felt like I was just reading a detailed outline rather than being thrust into the action. My emotions were never engaged. On a line-by-line basis, the phrasing is often quite awkward. Not recommended.

• Title: The Immortal Prudence Blackwood
• Author: Stephanie Grey
• Series: Stand Alone
• Pages: 208
• Genre: Thriller, Mild Fantasy
• Rating Out of 5 Stars: 2.5

This title was a little bit of everything. Part fantasy, part thriller, part historical, part horror, part crime, part mystery part action. While it certainly made for a different kind of reading experience it tried to be too much.
We start off in a small 1700’s village with Prudence and her family. Simple life, hardworking, caring for her younger sibling in a time where women were expected to behave in a certain way. During an outing of play Prudence comes across a mysterious place where she pricks her finger, comes home only to become highly ill, die, come back to life, scare the daylights out of her family and starts her life on the run as an immortal.
This all happens as our introduction to the character. Short order later she’s following the last of her family line in Whitechapel under the terror ridden nights of Jack the Ripper. Its here that she finds the mission of what to do with her immortal life and indestructible body...go hunting some of histories more prolific serial killers.
Another time jump to the 1940s and we now start a secondary narrative with a detective and his current case along with his interest in how Prudence ties into it.
There’s not a lot of depth, development or reasoning for the how and why of the story. You’re really just along for the ride. With everything this felt like it was trying to achieve it was interesting enough to keep you reading at the time but not something you’re likely to acknowledge much after a while.

**Copy of The Immortal Prudence Blackwood kindly provided by NetGalley and BHC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of this book was interesting and it plunges you straight into the action by detailing Prudences’ backstory and giving the reader background information. I enjoyed the authors writing style, especially the diary/flashback sections and the story moved along quickly.
However for me there seemed to be a lack of depth and detail in the narrative. I felt that the story was written almost at the expense of the characters who never seemed to have quite enough time to really ‘sing’ on the page.
All in all I felt that the story lacked depth but never the less was interesting and enjoyable as a quick non taxing read. I agree with other reviewers in that this maybe should be targeted at a YA audience rather than adult.
I was given a ARC by NetGalley. all opinions are my own.

In post war Washington, D.C. the citizens have had enough killing and death. However, someone is leaving dismembered bodies around presidential monuments. The police are struggling to put what clues they have together to find a suspect when Detective Clive O’Reilly receives a call from someone who claims they might have the name of a woman that can give them viable assistance. O’Reilly listens to the story of Prudence Blackwood with patience, not believing a word of it. But as the bodies continue to pile up, O’Reilly begins to hope the story of Prudence Blackwood is true. Stephanie Grey has created a highly entertaining and engaging story that is part paranormal and all mystery. Though the novel is not overtly long, she packs a lot of details within the pages. Some of those details are descriptions of the crimes and crime scenes, so if you have a weak stomach you might want to skim those. The story line flows nicely, and the characters are well defined and flawed as humans are, even Prudence. I had a very hard time putting this one down. I liked Prudence and though this is probably a stand-alone, I wouldn’t mind reading another novel about this interesting woman.

Prudence Blackwood is an Immortal from the 1790's and since that time has been after serial killers who were never caught, think Jack the Ripper, the Cleveland Torso Murderer, the Atlanta Ripper.
Back in 1947 in Washington, D.C. a dangerous murderer has boldly discarded two headless bodies nearby the White House and the Jefferson Memorial. With no leads, Detective Clive O’Reilly is feeling desperate and when a stranger tells him a wild tale about Prudence Blackwood, an immortal who seeks vengeance for those murdered by history’s most notorious serial killers, he is surprised to discover that she’s very real and she’ll be assisting in the investigation.
This is fairly quick to read and that was my only complaint about it. Parts of this novel could easily have been expanded on and that would have increased my enjoyment. I wanted more of Prudence, her backstory, her character. Overall, well written and I particularly liked how the true historical crimes were woven into this story. A fantastic idea and one that I hope will continue.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Genre: Thriller + Crime + Historical + a small bit of Fantasy
(The only fantasy part is the immortality of the main protagonist)

Synopsis:
Prudence Blackwood is a lady in her twenties from 1780s. Back then she faces an incident or an accident which turns her into an immortal! So from that time until the 1940s, we follow her story and how she goes after famous serial killers who were never caught by the police like Jack the Ripper, the Atlanta Ripper, and the Cleveland Torso Murderer.

Book Structure:
The book is around 208 pages and consists of 15 chapters. In the first chapter, we get to know how Prudence Blackwood became immortal in 1785. The other chapters are mixed between 1947 & other past periods mainly to show how Prudence survived & started reacting to the changes around her.
I liked how neatly the book was structured. Even the chapters were in an appropriate length.

Pros:
- The story has many elements of genres I love. It is historical but has a fantasy element. It also has crimes in a very thrilling way. I feel there is something for many readers to love here.
- The setting of the story is incredible right from the first chapter. I mean the gothic atmosphere was very much there from the beginning to the end. If you like that you should grab this book
- Both character & story development are very taken care of and well done. You will feel the changes in Prudence's behavior and the way she was taking revenge from those criminals have been changing as you progress in the story. As if she was evolving like the surrounding environment.
- The cover looks so beautiful and fitting both the character and the story.

Cons:
- Sometimes the other main characters were taking the spotlight in the pages. Which means Prudence was going in the background. For me this was making things a slow a bit but not boring. Even in those pages, I wanted more of Prudence.
- The length of the book is short for such a story. I feel there is so much more that can be told. But who knows maybe the author will come up with more books about her. I can see the potential here.

Final Thought:
A great story, an amazing setting, and a very interesting main character. With all these elements available I feel the author has a big potential to turn this into a series where we can see Prudence in the past, present or even future. One more thing is mentioned in the story and that there are other immortals and Prudence met one who showed her how can an immortal kill himself. That clearly opens the door for a lot more stories to tell.

Don't hesitate in picking up this book when it is released on September 12th, 2019. It is a well-written book and deserves to be appreciated by all.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for providing me an advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book and this is my honest and unbiased review in return.

I am happy to have received an ARC of #TheImmortalPrudenceBlackwood from BHC Press through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this book as a quick and easy read. It would be a good beach read.

The premise is that Prudence Blackwood becomes immortal by accident and as time goes by she decides that her purpose is to eliminate some of histories most notorious killers; Jack the Ripper, the Atlanta Ripper, the Cleveland Torso Murderer and even a few Nazis.

As her story is told so is the story of Detective Clive O'Reilly in 1947 Washington D.C. He is trying to solve the serial murders happening while trying to find a balance between work and family. Then he meets someone who tells him about Prudence Blackwood. Together they begin to figure out the clues and evidence but not before the killer gets to them first.

Although I enjoyed the book I would like to know more about how Prudence became immortal. It happens so quickly in the first few pages of the book. Maybe there can be a prequel about the cave with the mysterious symbols that turned Prudence immortal with the (accidental) sacrifice of blood.

I found this to be a very entertaining book. The story was different and, really, quite clever. I enjoyed that it was set in 1947, with flashbacks to earlier times to explain Prudence’s experiences. However, I would have liked a little more explanation about her personal life; but, maybe, the author is planning more books about Prudence and her life will gradually unfold for us. Because this book does seem like an episode in a series—a first episode with some kinks needing to be worked out. While there are many positive things to say about this story (fast pace, interesting locations, intriguing characters), I did find the writing to be, at times, uneven. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable and different mystery.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I received a copy of The Immortal Prudence Blackwood through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, so thank you NetGalley and BHC Press for my copy.

Prudence Blackwood is an immortal. She has lived for centuries, and seen some of the most horrific crimes in history. Including those infamous killers who were never caught - Jack the Ripper, the Atlanta Ripper, and the Cleveland Torso Murderer, to name a few. But were they really never caught? Did they really just disappear?

It's now 1947, and there is a serial killer on the loose in Washington, D.C. They have already discarded two headless bodies near the White House and the Jefferson Memorial, and if they're not caught soon, the body count will continue to rise. Detective Clive O'Reilly is struggling. He has no leads, and he's getting desperate. Things appear to be looking up when he gets a call from a stranger, who claims to be of help. But when O'Reilly meets the stranger in a pub, all he hears is a wild tale of an immortal woman named Prudence Blackwood, who seeks vengeance for those murdered by histories most notorious killers.

Naturally, the detective is disbelieving of Prudence's existence, but he is surprised to discover that she is VERY real when she joins the investigation team. Now, O'Reilly is going to have to find a way to work with her, and her unorthodox methods is he wants to catch this killer.

From the very beginning, The Immortal Prudence Blackwood draws you in, and you won't want to put it down. I finished reading it so quickly because I just couldn't stop. The storyline is captivating, and gripping, and everything I wanted it to be. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of real historical events that didn't stray too far from the true story. For example, the Jack the Ripper murders were included with a lot of historical accuracy.

Stephanie Grey did such a fantastic job of creating the character of Prudence Blackwood. It was refreshing to have a strong and powerful female lead that appeared normal to the outside world, rather than looking like a superhero. The transition between centuries is seamless, believable and extremely well executed. I love when a novel has multiple time periods (as long as it is done well), and in this case it worked brilliantly. Prudence being one of many immortals, I think that if Grey wanted to, she could turn this into an exceptional series, that I would definitely continue to read.

I absolutely loved this book, and would highly recommend it. I can't wait to see if/how this story continues in the future! I give it a 5/5 rating.

I received an advance review copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and this is it.

I am not much of a fantasy reader, and I would classify this novel as a historical fantasy, but the plot line intrigued me. Prudence Blackwood, (the name makes me picture a romantic heroine standing on the fog shrouded moors of 19th Century England) is immortal and invulnerable to any conventional weapons. We really have no idea why, but this novel ends with a promise “to go back to the beginning” so I will table that inquiry until future installments, which I will definitely be ready to read.

To use a baseball analogy (which usually ticks off my friends from across the pond—so I keep doing it), this novel is like finding a 19 year old pitcher who throws in the upper 90’s and also has a plus curve and change-up. The extended potential is off the charts. Ms. Blackwood (now I am picturing the dark eyed female lead singer of a goth band) is extremely interesting as a character and the fact that there are more immortals like her is so ripe with promise that I can see a stretch of interesting novels lasting for years. She is definitely a product of her times, but has evolved with her 200 plus years into a formidable, almost super-heroish crime fighter. She vanishes into the shadows until she is needed—to dispatch serial killers that the police can’t seem to catch. She has been on the scene since the Whitechapel murders (and before) and has made up close and personal acquaintance with many of history’s most notorious offenders, several of which we meet in this volume, but I am sure that we will meet more as the series progresses. A pause to extend kudos to Stephanie Grey—she transitions from 18th to 19th to 20th centuries seamlessly and believably. I enjoyed each and every interlude which describes her encounters with members of crime’s most famous members of the rogues gallery. These side stories were as much fun as the main story. I can only imagine (and hope) that future novels in the series will continue this trend.

In short, I enjoyed this novel very much, look forward to going deeper into this storyline, and highly recommend The Immortal Prudence Blackwood (now I am picturing a witch tied to a stake cursing a shouting crowd—what a great name!) as the start of a great new series.

4 stars.

The Immortal Prudence Blackwood
by Stephanie Grey
BHC Press

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This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley and BHCPress, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

Synopsis

Justice watches from the shadows in this unique and suspenseful twist on a serial killer manhunt…
Throughout history, the world has witnessed cruel, gruesome, and twisted murders at the hands of the most notorious serial killers. For those who were never caught—Jack the Ripper, the Atlanta Ripper, and the Cleveland Torso Murderer—their crimes will live on in infamy as their identities are forever chased, but never revealed.
It’s 1947 in Washington, D.C. and a dangerous murderer has boldly discarded two headless bodies nearby the White House and the Jefferson Memorial. With no leads, Detective Clive O’Reilly is feeling desperate. When a stranger convinces O’Reilly to join him at a local pub, he is treated to a wild tale about Prudence Blackwood, an immortal who seeks vengeance for those murdered by history’s most notorious serial killers.
Initially in disbelief over her existence, O’Reilly is surprised to discover that she’s very real and she’ll be assisting in the investigation.
But Prudence has unorthodox methods. With the body count rising, O'Reilly will have to find a way to work with her to stop the most brutal killer in D.C.’s history before more victims are added to the list.

Review

This is one of those books that you just have to read to know what feeling I’m getting at. It sucks you in and keeps you hungry for more until you reach the mind-blowing ending. It’s a unique and multi layer storyline that was both gripping, and captivating.
I enjoyed the thought-provoking thriller, that I was immediately drawn into and devoured quickly. The story was entertaining and absolutely un-put-down-able!!!! The novels premise and the writing definitely intrigued me and kept me entertained

This was an interesting book. I really wanted to love it, but unfortunately had trouble connecting with the characters and the story left me wanting more.

It isn’t that it was poorly written, or anything like that, it’s that I couldn’t connect with the story. Had I been able to do so, I would have loved it!

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. The premise ... an accidental immortal becomes avenger ... is interesting, but in some spots I found the writing/editing weak (I know this is an ARC, and hopefully the editing will tighten up before the book's release). I do think the author shows promise, and would be interested in reading her later work.

The Immortal Prudence Blackwood has a good unique storyline. The characters good be a little more developed,but overall this author has a great idea.

More like 2.5. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. While I did enjoy the story, I found parts of it too slow, which made me put it down for extended periods of time before putting it up again, overall a good concept for a book though and the main character is interesting.

The blurb for this book caught my eye, as I thought it had a unique storyline. I like the characters and the plot. It was a bit slow in some places but it was still interesting. I would have liked more of the story to focus on Prudence. I think just a book about her and following her through the years would be great. All in all, good story, characters could have been developed a bit more.

Delightful. A quick and fun story about a woman who finds herself to be curiously immortal, so therefore puts it to good use by hunting serial killers. I liked the fact that she at least took some time to learn how to defend herself, if only to thoroughly emasculate the monsters she hunts. Also the latest parts of the story take place in post WWII America, instead of present day, which I found interesting. I'll definitely purchase for the library and recommend.