JAMES R. LAWRENCE

About the book: It is the Autumn of Terror, 1888, in London, England. Jack the Ripper is hard at work. So what better time is there for doctors Frankenstein, Jekyll, Griffin, and Moreau to bring a dead girl back to life?

 

Thoughts: The front cover is an usual choice, showing multiple black and white portraits of people and a peculiar map - looks like something you’d see on a crime documentary, which what makes it so intriguing. Fans of true crime with love this story, it’s all about Jack the Ripper, and Jekyll and Hyde! My favourite part of the story is the fact that each scientist was odd in their own way, but were all very clever and were an asset to all the experiments.

 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Why I rated it 5/5 stars: The many different characters in this inventive story include Henry Jekyll who is dull but book smart, Lucy Court who is in love with Victor, Mary Kelly who is a prostitute but loyal friend, and fifteen more unique characters who all bring something to the story. Even though the story is set in 1888 London, England, readers can still relate to some aspects and characters throughout - Dr. Danielle Moreau growing up in poverty, ‘being gay’ meaning happy back then, pubs on cobbled roads and more! The author has a very clever way of adding particular details to his stories, so a reader will always be intrigued and want to keep reading. I have previously reviewed another book by this author and he has a flair when it comes to creating his weird and wonderful characters. Scientists, experiments, love, grave digging, murder, jealousy - what more could you want in a story! The message of the story is be careful who you’re friends with and love who you want to love no matter other opinions.

-Jessica Croft, Secret World of Books

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5.0 out of 5 stars "Mad" may be an understatement

You’re no doubt familiar with Frankenstein, Jack the Ripper, Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde. What happens when all these and other similar characters get together to work toward a common goal? (Actually, there is nothing “common” about these goals.)

In Love is Mad, James R. Lawrence explores the psychology, or perhaps I should say psychotics, of such an ungodly union. Mad may be an understatement. Each character behaves as one might expect, but there’s more to it. You see, in this book Lawrence explores raw human emotions. Jealousy. Pride. Heartbreak. At times you’ll laugh. At times you’re reeling with disgust. The full range of human emotion is on full display as each of our fiends goes about his work. But in the end our protagonist concludes:

“How much happier the man is who believes his native town to be the world than he who aspires to become more significant than his nature will allow.”

Well done, Mr. Lawrence. 5 Stars.

-Calvin Dean

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Read!

Follow four doctors as they chase the scientific breakthrough of a lifetime while navigating murder, romance… and a sprinkle of madness.

I loved this book from start to finish and can’t recommend it enough.

-Itzel Cummings