The Immortal Prudence Blackwood

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I loved this book. It was very different from anything I’ve ever read before which made me unable to put it down. Miss Grey has an easy writing style that I totally connected with. I loved the characters, I really actually liked some and really disliked some which is always good to me it shows that their personalities have been conveyed realistically.
I enjoyed the theme of an immortal woman becoming a killer to kill serial killers. It leads you to believe that she has no morals or principles when in actuality she does.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Definitely recommend this book.

This was a nice quick story which was easy to read. I like creepy books and this hit the spot. I would recommend this to other people who enjoy thrillers and horrors.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE IMMORTAL PRUDENCE BLACKWOOD by Stephanie Grey in exchange for my honest review.***

The Immortal Prudence Blackwood follows a woman whom you learn to be immortal lacks a purpose when her bloodline dies and she is left alone in the world. She ends up taking on the task of taking down serial killers.

Stephanie Grey wrote the book in a unique fashion, with a back and forth between the present and the past Blackwood has lived in. I was instantly captivated with the serial killer stories and needed to know what was going to happen with her present crime. I was immediately entranced by the character of Blackwood and I wanted to know so much more about her. Although I wanted to know more backstory of some of the characters, I did not find the book to be lacking information. I honestly think it leaves the author room to expand of these little story lines at a later date.

I was hesitant with picking up the book at first but I actually really enjoyed it and found it extremely captivating and I found it very difficult to put the book down, I would recommend this to anyone who has ever been curious by the famous serial killers. Grey leaves the book with a hint of a possible future work and I will be right there ready to pick it up. This was thoroughly an enjoyable book and I will definitely be looking into Grey's other works because of this read.

Thank you BHC Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

Prucence is a badass woman for sure and proves that not all heroes wear capes. It's a captivating read, although I would love a bit more backstory for both Prudence and a few of the other characters in the book.

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 storytelling is intriguing, 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. I highly recommend to any lover of historical fiction

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is a really unique title that is hard for me to describe. Prudence Blackwood stumbles upon a cave and prinking her finger, she becomes very sick and appears to die. After clawing her way out of her grave, her frightened family chases her away. After returning to the cave and finding another like her, she finds out she is immortal and is destined to outlive everyone she knows. Finding purpose in looking out for her family and their decedent's from afar, she finds herself drawn into Jack the Ripper's murders. Uniquely positioned to seek vengeance from monsters like Jack and other serial killers, Pru finds a sense of purpose just when she needs one most. Fast forward to 1940's Washington, DC, where Detective Clive O'Reilly is facing a serial killer like the city has never seen. Despite his best attempts to stop the madman, the killer continues to escalate. An old man tells Clive the tale of Pru, but Clive refuses to believe she can be real until she shows up. Will the two of them be able to stop the killer before more deaths happen?

The story changes between 1940's DC and Pru's life after her death and key moments in her life leading up to the present day. The focus of the book is really split, and there aren't really clues to allow the reader to determine who the killer is, but this book isn't really about solving the mystery like many other stories of this type making it hard for me to describe. I think this is a story that people will either like or hate. Over all, I found it interesting and hope that there are additional titles featuring Pru.

An amazing book that kept me hooked till the end.
I loved the plot, engrossing and entertaining, the well written cast of characters, the atmosphere of the book.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Prudence Blackwood is an immortal...she can't be hurt or killed. She believes that her purpose is to destroy the evil in the world. The primary story is set in Washington DC in 1947...there is a serial killer murdering men and dismembering the corpses, leaving them near monuments. Through journal entries we learn how Prudence became immortal and about the killers she took down. This is a very interesting premise, at times it seemed a bit disjointed but I enjoyed the story very much. At the end Prudence is planning on looking for other immortals. This is an idea that could be a lot of fun... I'm hoping the author plans on continuing Prudence's story.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Do you know that feeling? You see a title and you just know that you are going to love it? That was me at the start of The Immortal Prudence Blackwood. And it did not disappoint! Everything i love was in this amazing read, part fantasy, part thriller, historical, crime and even a little part horror.
An immortal woman becoming a killer to kill serial killers, what is not to like? The way the writer takes you back and forth between the present and the past Prudence has lived in is so vivid. It absolutely worked for me, I was there with Prudence. There is just one thing i did not like, it was too short. I could have a read a thousand pages more!
Dont hesitate in picking up this book when it is released on september 12th. I hope there will be more of Prudence soon.

I loved Prudence, she was such an enjoyable character!

This had a great combination of fantasy and mystery/thriller, Immortals and a murder story, nothing could have made me happier lol.

Also, there was more than one time period, so you got to glimpse into a few, though the story was set mostly in D.C., 1947.

I liked Clive well enough, especially as a detective and father, the scenes with his son were precious. I was also glad to see a healthy relationship between him and his ex-wife, it's something we just don't see enough in the fictional world.

Prudence's purpose in life is noble, she helps to solve the problems of serial killers the law can't get their hands on. She does feel like something is shifting inside of her with each 'case' solved though and her ending was thoroughly satisfying. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements.

My only issues were the writing of dialogue seemed stilted or too staged at times. This was a plot-driven story, character development was there but not too evident until the very end and not the focus, which I enjoyed but some may not.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this read in exchange for my honest review

Prudence Blackwood is the perfect read for those who like a little murder, some supernatural occurrences and a fairly engaging story

The part I loved the most about this novel (novella?) was that Prue had all the immortality and bloodlust of a vampire but there was no blood sucking or neck biting (for the most part) in order to get her there. I also quite enjoyed that despite her being the title character, Prudence was not the only star of this show; I genuinely felt for Clive throughout and loved the encouragement for his son to be included in all aspects of his life.

I found myself a little disappointed that all the murders involved take the form of Jack the Ripper copycat killings for the most part; yes i understand early 20th century murders were similar but at least throw in something different. I also found Andy to be just a tad grating as a character after a few interactions.

Overall I enjoyed this novel despite the couple of shortfalls throughout. Definitely worth a read for those who enjoy period dramas and narratives about murder investigations.

I liked this strange story of a woman who becomes immortal and makes it her mission to catch serial killers. I found it ended rather abruptly though, and would have liked more detail about the mysterious 'cavern' which Prudence visited, and which resulted in her immortality.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

A quirky mystery, The Immortal Prudence Blackwood keeps you entertained until the very end. I quite enjoyed reading this novel and hope to read more by this author in the future.

Synopsis:
t’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.