Status
Available
Publication
BHC Press (2019), 208 pages
Description
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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member madlibrarian
In 1785 Prudence Blackwood dies and is buried. Suddenly she is no longer dead and she learns that she has become immortal. As her life progresses, she crosses paths with Jack the Ripper and discovers her purpose -- rid the world of serial killers. In 1947, she joins force with a Washington D.C. cop
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Prudence is not just an avenging angel but an individual who comes to realize that she enjoys her life's work just a little too much. Her hunting and punishment of the killers is well presented. Real historical figures such as Elliot Ness make cameos. The ending leaves the option of more of Prudence, perhaps bringing her closer to the present day or more of her past. I would love to read more about Prudence.
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looking for a killer who dismembers his victims and leaves them in very public places.I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Prudence is not just an avenging angel but an individual who comes to realize that she enjoys her life's work just a little too much. Her hunting and punishment of the killers is well presented. Real historical figures such as Elliot Ness make cameos. The ending leaves the option of more of Prudence, perhaps bringing her closer to the present day or more of her past. I would love to read more about Prudence.
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LibraryThing member Vesper1931
There is a serial killer operating in Washington, D.C. of 1947. Detective Clive O’Reilly is leading the increasingly frustrating investigation. Then he meets Edwin Moses who tells him the unbelievable story of Prudence Blackwood and how she helps by tracking down serial killers. Then O'Reilly
An interesting historical serial killer crime thriller which I enjoyed reading with its unusual main character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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meets her.An interesting historical serial killer crime thriller which I enjoyed reading with its unusual main character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member Leano
The Immortal Prudence Blackwood
An early reader review from library thing
When an innocent young woman scratches herself in a mysterious cave and becomes immortal, she embarks on a pitted journey that truly enacts the old adage about the road to hell being lined with good intentions. She is distanced
The idea is unique and the writing is sound, but I felt hurried as I read. Sometimes it is good to feel hurried, as you are engaged and curious about what happens, but at times being rushed sacrifices character development. I would have liked to know more of Prudence’s inner thoughts along the way. I felt the ending was more abrupt than climatic.
Overall, it was a quick read with an interesting premise.
An early reader review from library thing
When an innocent young woman scratches herself in a mysterious cave and becomes immortal, she embarks on a pitted journey that truly enacts the old adage about the road to hell being lined with good intentions. She is distanced
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from friends and family by her own apparent death—she can only watch people she cares about in secret from afar. When her last living relative dies at the hands of a serial killer, she assumes the mantel of vengence finding her purpose in destroying those who commit atrocities on others. Over centuries, her proficiency clouds her judgment and she develops as a serial killer herself.The idea is unique and the writing is sound, but I felt hurried as I read. Sometimes it is good to feel hurried, as you are engaged and curious about what happens, but at times being rushed sacrifices character development. I would have liked to know more of Prudence’s inner thoughts along the way. I felt the ending was more abrupt than climatic.
Overall, it was a quick read with an interesting premise.
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LibraryThing member nncyguild
This is a very clever twist to a murder mystery. Prudence Blackwood is an immortal who tracks down serial killers. Clive is a detective hunting for a serial killer and Clive and Prudence's paths cross. This is an enjoyable read that I highly recommend.
LibraryThing member lmcalister
I liked the concept of the book but I felt like each episode in Prudence's history was too short. I was initially intrigued by her contact with Jack the Ripper. Although I read all about the Ripper, in general, I am not a mystery fan so the rest of the book was a bit boring to me. I received an ARC
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via the Early Reviewers program. Show Less
LibraryThing member Helsky
The premise of this book was interesting. An immortal woman finding and punishing killers who are skillful enough to avoid being caught by the police. Prudence as an immortal has time to gather assets and practice martial arts, fighting and weapons. I did not like the writing style. It was so rigid
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and free of emotion. I could not like Prudence. But on the other hand Clive and Frankie were real and likable characters. This was a nice read. Show Less
LibraryThing member ladyoflorien
I enjoyed "The Immortal Prudence Blackwood". Originally, the title intrigued me enough to read it but the plot and characters kept me going. I liked the premise of an immortal learning to track down serial killers and gaining the skills needed as time goes on.
LibraryThing member eurohackie
The main portion of this story takes place in Washington, DC in 1947. Clive O'Reilly is on the trail of a bloodthirsty serial killer, whose MO seems to be shooting victims, decapitating them, staking them back together and leaving them in public tourist areas. The killer has thus far eluded police,
The immortal is the titular Prudence Blackwood, who died shortly after visiting a mysterious cavern in 1785, only to crawl out of her grave and attempt to return to her family. She is immortal and she can never be wounded, which works to her advantage as she keeps tabs on her now-estranged family from a discreet distance. She is enraged when her last living relative becomes a victim of Jack the Ripper, so she hunts him down and kills him for revenge. She decides that this is why she is still roaming the earth, and makes it her mission to take down other well-known historical killers.
The story is on the thin side, and the characters are not fully developed. Prudence is basically a Mary Sue; she has money, training, and some kind of sense of where she's needed the most in order to take out the killers she seeks. It's all a little too easy, like the author didn't want to put too much thought into it. Its as if the author couldn't decide if she wanted Prudence to be a heroine or an anti-heroine, so she tried to straddle the fence until the very end. Why was it that her last victim was the one that brought home the shades of gray regarding what she was doing? She'd roamed the Earth for 150 years at that point, and it never occurred to her?
Clive is better built, and I found myself agreeing with him and his reluctance to use Prudence in his investigation. Everyone else in his life told him to take his ego out of the equation, but I didn't really get the sense that he didn't want her help because she was a woman - more because she was a vigilante, and he alone was the only one who could see that there was a downside to that. Everyone else in the story is fiercely loyal to her.
The present-day mystery is sidelined for most of the book as we take long digressive leaps into Prudence's past kills. In the end, it's far too simple and pat (even the 'twist') to be truly satisfying.
This has been the best of the bunch as far as my wins from Early Reviewers go, but unfortunately it still falls into the amateurish, first-draft trap of most indie published novels. A little more world building, better story structure, and fuller characterization could've made this far more compelling.
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and Clive receives a tip about an immortal woman who will be the one to catch the killer and dispense the justice.The immortal is the titular Prudence Blackwood, who died shortly after visiting a mysterious cavern in 1785, only to crawl out of her grave and attempt to return to her family. She is immortal and she can never be wounded, which works to her advantage as she keeps tabs on her now-estranged family from a discreet distance. She is enraged when her last living relative becomes a victim of Jack the Ripper, so she hunts him down and kills him for revenge. She decides that this is why she is still roaming the earth, and makes it her mission to take down other well-known historical killers.
The story is on the thin side, and the characters are not fully developed. Prudence is basically a Mary Sue; she has money, training, and some kind of sense of where she's needed the most in order to take out the killers she seeks. It's all a little too easy, like the author didn't want to put too much thought into it. Its as if the author couldn't decide if she wanted Prudence to be a heroine or an anti-heroine, so she tried to straddle the fence until the very end. Why was it that her last victim was the one that brought home the shades of gray regarding what she was doing? She'd roamed the Earth for 150 years at that point, and it never occurred to her?
Clive is better built, and I found myself agreeing with him and his reluctance to use Prudence in his investigation. Everyone else in his life told him to take his ego out of the equation, but I didn't really get the sense that he didn't want her help because she was a woman - more because she was a vigilante, and he alone was the only one who could see that there was a downside to that. Everyone else in the story is fiercely loyal to her.
The present-day mystery is sidelined for most of the book as we take long digressive leaps into Prudence's past kills. In the end, it's far too simple and pat (even the 'twist') to be truly satisfying.
This has been the best of the bunch as far as my wins from Early Reviewers go, but unfortunately it still falls into the amateurish, first-draft trap of most indie published novels. A little more world building, better story structure, and fuller characterization could've made this far more compelling.
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Original language
English
Physical description
208 p.; 5.51 inches
ISBN
1947727834 / 9781947727830