Review: The London Monster by Donna Scott


The London Monster by Donna Scott

Publication Date: November 21, 2020
Paperback & eBook; 322 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction


In 1788, exactly one hundred years before Jack the Ripper terrorizes the people of London, a sexual miscreant known as the London Monster roams the streets in search of his next victim…

Thomas Hayes, having lost his mother in a vicious street assault, becomes an underground pugilist on a mission to rid the streets of violent criminals. But his vigilante actions lead to him being mistaken for the most terrifying criminal of all.

Assistance arrives in the form of Sophie Carlisle, a young journalist with dreams of covering a big story, though she is forced to masquerade as a man to do it. Trapped in an engagement to a man she doesn’t love, Sophie yearns to break free to tell stories that matter about London’s darker side—gaming, prostitution, violence—and realizes Tom could be the one to help. Together, they come up with a plan.

Straddling the line between his need for vengeance and the need to hide his true identity as a politician's son becomes increasingly difficult as Tom is pressured to win more fights. The more he wins, the more notoriety he receives, and the greater the chance his identity may be exposed—a revelation that could jeopardize his father’s political aspirations and destroy his family’s reputation.

Sophie is also in danger as hysteria spreads and the attacks increase in severity and frequency. No one knows who to trust, and no one is safe—Tom included, yet he refuses to end the hunt.

Little does he realize, the monster is also hunting him.

Available on Amazon

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donna Scott has done it again!

After loving Scott's previous book, Shame the Devil, I have been anxiously awaiting her new release, The London Monster, and I am happy to report that I loved this one too!

There is a monster on the loose in London. He prefers to stalk high-class ladies as they walk at night, whisper something naughty in their ear to get a reaction, and then the knife comes out.

Sophie Carlisle is a young woman and daughter to a prominent family and is currently betrothed to a family friend, though it's not quite a love match. She is an aspiring writer and is on the hunt to track down the London Monster. She must dress as a man when researching her story and that is how she is disguised when she meets Thomas Hayes.

Tom is on the hunt for the London Monster as well and he's quite certain that the young reporter he has been speaking to is indeed a young woman. They become close and team up to help catch the Monster before he strikes again.

I loved, loved, loved Sophie and Tom! Their chemistry was awesome and I loved how their relationship progressed.

In addition to Tom and Sophie, we have a great supporting cast. Maeve, poor Maeve, was one of my favorites. Her story was so sad.

While the violence is on the tame side, there is quite a bit of bawdy talk and sexy scenes so a warning for those that may not enjoy that aspect.

I swear I had the killer identified so many times but then nope...I was wrong! I like how Donna keeps you on your toes and makes you question everyone :)

A deliciously creepy mystery with a touch of romance and a glimpse at the darker side of London, I highly recommend The London Monster!

About the Author

Donna Scott is an award-winning author of 17th and 18th century historical fiction. Before embarking on a writing career, she spent her time in the world of academia. She earned her BA in English from the University of Miami and her MS and EdD (ABD) from Florida International University. She has two sons and lives in sunny South Florida with her husband. Her first novel, Shame the Devil, received the first place Chaucer Award for historical fiction and a Best Book designation from Chanticleer International Book Reviews. Her newest novel, The London Monster, was released in November 2020. To learn about new releases and special offers, please sign up for Donna's newsletter.

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