The Name of The Star by Maureen Johnson

Summary:(from book jacket) The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city-gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific work of Jack the Ripper in the autumn of 1888. Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, what is he planning to do about her?
Review: This is the first book in the Shades of London series and I really liked it. The plot was well paced and exciting and I liked the inclusion of the Jack the Ripper story. The mystery and suspense made it hard to put this book down after things got going. I also really enjoyed the setting of boarding school in London. I always enjoy books that have a really unique setting and I think this one added a lot to the story. The way things eventually played out was exciting and then ending was a slight cliffhanger which made me really excitied to continue with this sereis.  The characters in this book were very well written and unique. I really liked Rory as a main character. She was a very believable character and I liked that she showed her fear yet still was strong when it mattered. Jazza was also a really fun character. I wish she had been included more especially in the second half of the book. Boo, Stephan and Callum were interesting as well. I hope we get to know them better in the next book. I am really looking forward to seeing where this story goes in the future books of this series.