I like true crime, mystery, history, and fantasy…but all separate. I truly did try to connect with characters in this story, but it was very hard because this is out of my normal reading genres. Overall I do like the story, but it wouldn’t be something that I read again for myself. As always thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This book is great for someone who loves history & fantasy. For me I was stepping out my comfort zone & trying this new fantasy. I won’t say I dislike it but it was really hard to connect & care about the characters.

If Looks Could Kill is an exciting YA read that blends Greek mythology in a way i’ve never seen before. the story takes place in 1888 New York City, just as Jack the Ripper escapes London, and that’s when things get wild. Medusa, yes that Medusa, is awakened as a force of female vengeance.

the main characters are strong and brave Salvation Army volunteers who uncover a dark secret in the city’s underbelly. they team up with an Irish bartender and a reporter to rescue a trafficked girl. I really liked the mix of action, mystery, and heart.

the author does a great job showing how hard life was for women back then, but she also gives the story a spark of hope and empowerment. the pacing dragged just a little in the middle, and I wanted more time with Medusa herself—but the ending made up for it!

if you like strong heroines, historical settings, and a little mythology thrown in, you’ll love this.

thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review !

This book combines the unthinkable--true crime with greek mythology. The two don't seem like they would mix that well, but as someone interested in both, I had to try it. It turns out that it actually works really well as long as you can remember that you're reading fiction and suspend disbelief. The book does start out a little slow and has some slow moments, but once the plot gets going it's hard to put down. What really stuck me is that the author did her research. At the end of the book, she included information about Jack the Ripper, various real people featured in the book, the Salvation Army and Medusa showing that she really did her due diligence to bring this book to life.

Jack the Ripper meets Medusa= say less. Vengeance, sisterhood, and supernatural justice all play a role here and it was really cool to see how the author infused these myths.

I was so intrigued by this premise! I love it when a book can blend different genres and historical fiction + mythology is a new one for me. However, “If Looks Could Kill” wasn’t really a perfect pairing.

Julie Berry really hit it out of the park bringing the Jack the Ripper story to life. Since he was never caught and policework wasn’t quite as thorough back in the 1880’s, what we know about those killings is sparse. Berry weaves together many of the known facts of the individual cases in a way that makes perfect sense. I could absolutely see the link between his illness/madness and his violent behavior.

What didn’t work for me was the mythology aspect. The Medusa myth here is only explained in passing and the way that it works in this world made very little sense to me. Where the Jack the Ripper story worked so well, the Medusa thing just didn’t.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The year 1888. NYC. Two young girls volunteering with the Salvation Army. Jack the Ripper. Medusa. A cute Irish bartender.
Female vengeance.

If these don’t entice you to read If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry then I don’t know what will! It was the promise of a true crime story retold in a story where historical fiction meets mythology. It was a very unique story unlike anything I’ve read before and I hope to read more from Julie Berry. I will definitely be going back to read her previous novel, The Lovely War.

a clever mix of historical thriller and mythic fantasy, with vivid 1880s detail and fierce female leads. While the story wasn’t quite my style, I appreciated its originality and think readers who enjoy dark, atmospheric tales will find a lot to love!

Thank you Simon Teen for the gifted copy!

Julie Berry consistently writes impeccably researched, sensitively rendered YA historical fiction. Her novels are page-turners with satisfying character and plot development. If Looks Could Kill is among her very best.

The novel follows Jack the Ripper’s bloody career from London to NYC where he meets his match in two stalwart Salvation Army recruits—Pearl, a gorgeous, apparently buttoned-up killjoy who is far more complicated (interesting and dangerous) than meets the eye; and Tabitha, a wry, plucky, instantly likable down-home girl. This unlikely duo distributes religious leaflets while adventuring and making friends on the mean streets of 1880’s lower Manhattan. Not content to just save souls for the hereafter, they mastermind a rescue in the here and now of girls enslaved in prostitution. Aided by a staunch and flirtatious young bartender who’s sweet on Tabitha, a resourceful Nelly Bly-type reporter, and more than one modern day Medusa, Tabitha and Pearl brave the prostitution ring and the Ripper himself.

This novel is remarkable in many ways: great writing and character development, humor, romance, an inventive melding of fantastical mythical elements with realism, among them. But for me, Berry's most remarkable achievement is her creation of two captivating young women of faith who aren't cloying, hypocritical, or jaded,. I kept waiting for them to wise up & renounce; they never do.

While Berry’s descriptions of the Ripper’s thoughts and deeds, Medusa's creepy snakes, and the plight of girls forced into prostitution may unnerve some readers. I found her unflinching portrayal of evil and its comeuppance spine-tingling without ever being gratuitous. The grit is beautifully balanced by humor, witty banter, and just the right amount of romance.

Julie Berry, please write sequel!

If Looks Could Kill mixes our real world 1880’s world with Greek mythology.. Putting Jack the RIpper together and mixing it with gorgons is an interesting mix and I think it worked really well. In the first bit of the book I was so curious how Julie Berry was going to do it and when it came together it did so seamlessly.
In this we have Tabitha and Pearl. They are part of the Salvation Army and when they see a girl they helped being forced to work at the local brothel the start trying to track her down to see if she needs help and rescue her. Meanwhile why that is happening we get chapters of Jack the Ripper interwoven between these chapters of the girls and their rescue efforts.
This is my first book by Berry but I have heard amazing things about Lovely War and it seems like period pieces really seem to be her niche. I do think that while the chapters are short and the time seems to fly while reading them the beginning third or so is slower becuase we are getting a lot more information then say the last two thirds to last half. Once we definitely hit that 50-60% mark we are speeding and there is no stopping this train till it reaches the station which is the end of the book. This is most defiantly told in the third person and there are no chapter numbers. Instead you have chapter names and dates and who the chapter POV is.
Overall I really enjoyed my time and think it is worth a pick up!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was very excited about the premise of this book. Medusa and Jack the Ripper in the same book? How was the author going to pull that off? Berry’s writing was well done but I just wish there was more explanation as to why the Medusa’s were popping up and how they were all related. All in all a good quick read. Thank you NetGalley!

IF LOOKS COULD KILL is just the coolest concept for a book. Medusa + Jack the Ripper? What?! I loved all of the dark, feminist stuff in this book, and there's lots, but my favorite part about it was the romance between Tabitha and Mike. Ultimate swooniness.

if your a fan of classics, you would love this one! Salvation army girls+jack the ripper+medusa+feminine power in one book, say less!

Julie Berry has written a beautifully, well done historical horror/thriller that deplores the times of young, single women in 1888 NYC and other comparable cities during the days of jack the ripper. While you are getting jack the rippers POV through out the novel, you are getting the story of two main women who make the story, Pearl and Tabitha who team up to rescue a girl from a brothel. They are two teens who moved to New York to join the salvation army. They are trying to make a change to the slums where young women are being kidnapped and the police are turning a blind eye to it. The first half of the book is very backstory heavy, which took me a minute to get into but the second half had me HOOKED.

I requested this arc intrigued by how Berry was going to mix a goddess(greek mythology)into a story about jack the ripper. She did it so well, but i was not expecting the religion to play such a part in the first half, but it wasn’t over the top preachy if that makes sense? There were a few controversial things brought up in my opinion but nothing over the top.

Hey, hey, my favorites 😁💚. #annieethebookiee is back with another book review.

Let me tell y’all — If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry is a haunting, fast-paced mix of mythology and murder that pulled me in from page one. Set in gritty 1888 New York, this story introduces two fierce heroines—Tabitha and Pearl—who team up to rescue a girl from a brothel. But what starts as a daring mission quickly becomes something darker, especially when whispers of Medusa-like vengeance and a Jack the Ripper-style killer hit the streets.

Julie Berry masterfully blends historical fiction with Greek mythology in a way that feels fresh and urgent. The characters are raw, brave, and unforgettable. It’s intense, yes—but it’s also beautifully layered with themes of justice, survival, and sisterhood.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy! This book is sharp in every way — pun absolutely intended.

Julie Berry’s If Looks Could Kill offers a compelling intersection of historical fiction and psychological horror, weaving biographical threads with atmospheric storytelling to produce a richly layered narrative, presenting as a chilling and thought-provoking contribution to the historical thriller genre.

Set against the morally decaying urban backdrop of late 19th-century New York—a time and place not far removed from the infamous terror of Jack the Ripper—Berry reconstructs a world where systemic indifference to the exploitation of impoverished women is the norm rather than the exception. While the specter of Jack the Ripper provides a thematic and symbolic throughline, the emotional and psychological gravitas of the story emanates most powerfully from its central protagonists, Pearl and Tabatha. These two young women, recently arrived from out of town and enlisted in the Salvation Army, serve as our lens into a world where idealism is tested by brutality, and benevolence is confronted with corruption.

The novel is structurally bifurcated, with the first half devoted primarily to establishing character backstory and historical context. While dense, this exposition is handled with restraint and serves to deepen the reader’s understanding of the socio-political landscape, particularly as it pertains to the vulnerability of single immigrant women. The narrative accelerates considerably in the latter half, transitioning into a fast-paced and gripping sequence of events involving abduction, organized vice, and institutional neglect. This escalation is not only suspenseful but underscores the central thematic concern: the ease with which innocence is ensnared by the machinery of exploitation.

What distinguishes If Looks Could Kill is Berry’s careful juxtaposition of realism with mythic undertones. The invocation of Greek deities, particularly gods capable of destruction by gaze alone, serves as an allegorical motif for power, surveillance, and fatal beauty—echoing the title’s sinister double entendre. Yet the true terror of the novel lies not in the mythological or the macabre, but in the everyday horrors that once governed—and, in some ways, continue to govern—the treatment of women on the margins of society.

Thematically, the novel explores friendship, moral resilience, and the duality of family—both biological and chosen. Berry’s prose is accessible yet sophisticated, making the novel suitable for both mature teen readers and adults. Despite the gravity of its subject matter, the book is never gratuitous; instead, it offers a historically resonant narrative that challenges readers to confront the past with clear eyes.

In conclusion, If Looks Could Kill is a striking and unsettling read that successfully combines elements of horror, historical realism, and thriller pacing. It will appeal strongly to readers interested in feminist historical fiction, Gothic suspense, and socially conscious narratives.

This was an entertaining read. I enjoyed the supernatural elements blending with the speculative story of Jack the Ripper. The salvation army tie in was unexpected and lent an outside view of the poverty they tried to relieve.

Wow! Julie Berry does it again. I loved this book--the story, the characters, the message! Berry expertly weaves together history and fantasy to create a narrative with sticking power. I learned so much about New York at the turn of the century from this novel, and I appreciated the focus on women's empowerment. I think this book will resonate with many teens. I also loved Berry's end notes explaining her writing process and giving a bit more background on the characters.

Julie Berry’s If Looks Could Kill is a visceral, gothic fantasy set in a time when women’s voices were silenced. Yet here they band together—not in fear, but in righteous fury. Through myth, dark magic, and religion, these women harness a power that shatters injustice. It is, unmistakably, a portrait of feminine rage.

The novel unfolds in Victorian-era London, blending Jack the Ripper lore with Medusa mythology and a secret network of powerful women who wield petrifying abilities. At the heart of the story are Pearl, Tabitha, Freyda, and Cora—four complex women who unite to track down the infamous Jack the Ripper. Rather than falling into victimhood, these characters turn grief, fear, and trauma into strength, creating a sisterhood that reclaims justice in a world designed to deny them power.

I join other reviewers in praise for Berry’s originality and tone as well as the camaraderie, moral complexity, and emotional intensity of the female characters as transformative forces rather than passive sufferers. They aren't just angry; they’re shaping history, spirituality, and reform.

Here are some strengths and potential weaknesses I noticed:

Strengths

Uncommon historical blending of Jack the Ripper myth and Medusa-inspired vengeance.
Portrayal of women as agents of justice and spiritual force.
Strong emotional resonance, compelling thrill and horror elements.

Potential caveats

The pacing may feel slow at first as characters are introduced.
Heavy use of religious frame and supernatural elements may divide readers seeking lighter fantasy.

One of the unexpected delights of If Looks Could Kill was Julie Berry’s transparency about her research process. In the author’s note, she shares the historical sources and feminist frameworks that informed her work, particularly how she wove real-life figures like her Ripper suspect into the fabric of fantasy. This added a sense of weight and credibility to the story’s themes of gendered violence, rage, and justice.

Berry’s explanation of how she chose to repurpose Medusa’s mythology and the Jack the Ripper lore was both enlightening and empowering. It underscores the idea that historical fiction can be a radical, feminist act—correcting the narrative by centering the voices and pain that history often erases.

The book mashes the perspectives of Tabitha Woodward and Pearl Davenport, two girls recruited to the Salvation Army intent on making a difference in New York City, and the infamous Jack the Ripper, an unknown man terrorizing the streets of London. Tabitha had hoped that joining the Salvation Army would help her better understand her purpose, and find friendship with her new roommate. Instead, she got Pearl - a devout girl whose humor and passion for their mission drives Tabitha crazy. The two set off each day to preach and connect with the people of Lower Manhattan, where they come across a network of prostitution that they vow to stop. Meanwhile, in Whitechapel, London, Jack the Ripper hides in the shadows, killing women to create a cure for his own dying body. As Jack travels to New York to escape persecution, and the girls fall deeper into the world of vices, their stories meet in a fantastical myth-bending world where retribution comes from women scorned.
The mashup of the two infamous figures - Medusa and Jack the Ripper - was one that was incredibly intriguing to me, and it was done in a way that was unique to what I have read before in retellings and historical fantasies. The dichotomy of having these two exist in tandem to one another and even interact is what makes this book interesting. Jack the Ripper, a figure whose actions note a hatred of women and his belief in their insignificance, and then Medusa, a women scorned by a man and forever eternalized as a female protecter and avenger of men's wrongs.
The are multiple Medusa's in this story - each being a woman that interacts with a man who has been attacked by a Medusa and lives to tell the tale, and/or has some sort if traumatic experience involving the wrong doing of a man. I think that this 'sisterhood'/group definitely could have had more background in the story, because it was only mentioned in passing by characters as it related to the story sequence.
The story focused a lot on Tabitha and Pearl, two Salvation Army girls from differing pasts that are forced together and end up leading a mission to saving prostitutes in their neighborhood. I honestly was surprised when it was revealed that Pearl was the Medusa and not Tabitha, because the story really didn't give Pearl's perspective and left her feeling more like a side character to Tabitha. I think that there could have been less emphasis on Tabitha and Pearl's Salvation Army work, and the reader still would have understood their work and why they want to save the prostitutes.
There was a lot of elements of Christianity in this book, which I thought was possibly a little overdone, but maybe that is because I am not religious. There was a point in the story where Tabitha speaks to what she believes to be God, speaking through her, and that was a bit confusing and didn't add much to the story.
The Jack the Ripper character was done in a way that makes him almost anonymized/a figure who could be any man. For most of the book, he is an enigmatic man hiding in the shadows, but comes face to face with a race of women who embody his crimes and his worst fear: that women have more power than him.
The back matter is incredibly fascinating, and I think it's very insightful of the author to do this kind of research on a book about a different time period (and including two influential/infamous historical figures) and include the information they found and a bibliography . The author includes information about the time period, the history of the Salvation Army and Salvation Army girls, the myths associated with Medusa, and most interestingly, information about Jack the Ripper. No one knows who the Ripper was, and the author notes this, as well as giving her reasoning for using the man she did as her main character (a man who was a Ripper suspect).

"a true-crime-nail-biter-turned-mythic-odyssey pitting Jack the Ripper against Medusa. A defiant love song to sisterhood, a survivors’ battle cry, and a romantic literary tour de force laced with humor."

Synopsis: "It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one thing: Jack. And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s."

I really enjoyed this story and how they weaved together Jack and Medusa of all characters! Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the Arc!