"If Looks Could Kill" by Julie Berry: A Mythic Thriller That Misses Its Spark

Julie Berry's "If Looks Could Kill" promises an electrifying premise—Medusa versus Jack the Ripper—in a myth-meets-true-crime historical setting. Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, this novel instantly caught my attention. Having read and loved Berry's "Lovely War" in 2020, I was eager to dive into another emotionally layered, historically rich story with her signature character depth. Plus, after taking Berry’s writing intensive at the SCBWI Midwest Conference in Chicago, I know firsthand how skilled she is at character development.

But while the ingredients are all here—richly imagined characters, a clever premise, and an ambitious narrative—this one didn't land with the intensity I was expecting.

🧵 What the Book Does Well

Let’s start with what works. Julie Berry’s characters always feel three-dimensional, and If Looks Could Kill is no exception. Medusa is portrayed not as a monster, but as a powerful, complex figure seeking justice. Her storyline intertwines with that of Tabitha and Pearl, two Salvation Army volunteers whose mission to save a girl from a brothel unravels into something far bigger—and far more mythic.

Berry also shines when it comes to historical details. From the dark alleys of Victorian London to the gritty tenements of Manhattan’s Bowery, she builds immersive worlds that don’t read like a history lesson. You feel the era, the mood, the stakes—especially when the story picks up in the final third of the book.

🐌 Where It Stumbles

Here’s where things get tricky: the pacing.

Despite its killer concept, the book takes too long to get going. I found myself waiting—and waiting—for that inciting incident, for the story to grab me. Instead, the first third is mostly backstory and character introductions, which is fine in a romance or slow-burn historical drama (Lovely War pulled that off beautifully), but here, where we expect suspense and urgency, it drags.

The dual storyline—Medusa’s pursuit of Jack and Tabitha and Pearl’s mission—also felt disjointed for a good chunk of the book. It wasn’t immediately clear how these plots would connect. I found myself wondering if I was reading two separate novels until they finally converged well into the narrative. And when Jack and Medusa finally arrive in America? That took so long, I’d almost given up on that thread altogether.

🔪 Medusa vs. Jack the Ripper: A Killer Premise That Needed More Teeth

Let’s talk about that hook: Medusa hunting Jack the Ripper. On paper, it’s genius—a feminist mythological twist on one of history’s most notorious killers. And when the two do finally meet, those moments are some of the most compelling in the book. I loved the moral ambiguity, the emotional weight, and the slow burn of their confrontation.

But again, this just doesn't feel like a thriller. It leans more literary, more character-driven—which isn’t a bad thing! But I walked in expecting high-stakes, nail-biting suspense, and what I got was a thoughtful meditation on trauma, justice, and sisterhood. Admirable, yes—but mismarketed.

💡 Final Thoughts

I’ll always admire Julie Berry’s ability to craft rich, emotionally resonant characters. I still think back to lessons I learned from her character workshop—insights that shaped my own novel published by Woodhall Press in 2022. She’s a writer who gets people, and her love for storytelling is clear.

But with If Looks Could Kill, I can’t help but feel the story would have soared with a sharper structure, faster pacing, and more urgency early on. As it stands, the book is a slow-burn mythic crime novel with a thrilling premise that doesn’t quite live up to its potential. It picks up steam toward the end, but by then, some readers may have already tuned out.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction with a literary slant and don’t mind a leisurely narrative pace, this may still be worth your time. Just don’t go in expecting a pulse-pounding thriller.

🧵 Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5/5)

A brilliant concept and strong character work, but bogged down by slow pacing and structural hiccups. Julie Berry remains a masterful storyteller—I just wish this one had a little more bite.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the book and my honest review.

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About the book:

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Pub. Date: September 11, 2025 Genre: YA historical crime, mystery, fantasy

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Synopsis:

From Printz Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry, a true-crime-nailbiter-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.

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 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.

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About the author:

Julie Berry

Julie Berry is the New York Times bestselling author of the 2020 NCTE Walden Award and SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner Lovely War, the 2017 Printz Honor and Los Angeles Times Book Prize–shortlisted The Passion of Dolssa, the Carnegie Medal– and Edgar Award–shortlisted All the Truth That’s in Me, the Odyssey Honor The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place, and the Wishes and Wellingtons trilogy. Her picture books include The Night Frolic, Happy Right Now, and Cranky Right Now.

Julie holds a BS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in communication and an MFA from Vermont College of the Fine Arts. Julie lives in western New York, where she owns Author’s Note, an independent bookstore.