All good things must come to an end, and while the Stalking Jack the Ripper series may be over, that doesn’t mean we can’t look back on our fave Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell scenes! (spoilers within)
There is no question that here at Hypable we adore Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper series, and with Capturing the Devil’s release on September 10 that means the series itself may be over, but our love for it will be eternal.
See what I did there?
Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell are one of the best couples in YA, from their slow burn Victorian romance to their ability to drive each other wild, their love stands out. Across four books Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell became closer, and with each book readers fell hard for Audrey Rose’s unyielding autonomy and Thomas’ desire for Audrey Rose to be as independent as she wanted in a time where it was practically unheard of.
If you haven’t had the chance to read Capturing the Devil yet, beware! Some of our absolute favorite Cressworth scenes take place in the finale, and they will most definitely be on this list.
Warning: Major plot spoilers for the entire Stalking Jack the Ripper series below
10 favorite Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell scenes
Thomas calls her Audrey Rose for the first time
In Stalking Jack the Ripper Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell are searching the docks, along with the dog Toby, when Audrey Rose jokes that people will think he cares for her and he simply says: “They’d be quite astute,” leaving Audrey Rose as he continues to walk. Not only is this interaction adorable, but mere pages later he calls her Audrey Rose instead of Wadsworth, because he’s worried for her and the time for quips is through.
Audrey Rose stalks Thomas
In Stalking Jack the Ripper Audrey Rose ends up stalking Thomas through the streets, loses him, and then it turns out he knew that she was following him all along. It’s one of my favorite scenes because while Thomas jokes about wanting to kiss her, your heart can’t help but flutter as they almost kiss before Audrey Rose pushes him away. Their Victorian values add to the slow burn, which is makes their tension more heady.
Discussing Christmas gifts
It seems so simple, but to me underrated when Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell are talking about Christmas gifts in Hunting Prince Dracula and Thomas tells Audrey Rose all of the things he could possibly get her. Every single one of his suggestions are darling and shows how much he knows about her, that he’d been thinking about her. My favorite of his suggestions is getting her a signature blend of tea called Audrey Rosehips. He even goes so far as to describe what he’d include in the one of a kind tea. It’s absolutely swoon worthy.
Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell reenact a murder scene
In Escaping from Houdini Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell’s relationship may be strained, but that doesn’t stop them from reenacting the murder of Miss Crenshaw in her own cabin as they try to deduce exactly what happens. This scene isn’t romantic, but remains one of my favorites as Audrey Rose pretends to be the killer.
The train ride to the Academy of Forensic Medicine
On their train ride through Romania in Hunting Prince Dracula, Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell manage to have a moment alone. Although Thomas has a compartment of his own, he manages to talk their chaperone into allowing him to stay in her train compartment. It’s one of my favorites because of the amount of room Thomas takes up in the small compartment, along with his flirting with Audrey Rose to keep her mind from wandering to gruesome thoughts.
Thomas sneaks into Audrey Rose’s cabin on the RMS Etruria
Unchaperoned, Thomas finds himself in Audrey Rose’s cabin in Escaping from Houdini. Their kisses up until this point have been few, and rather chaste because of society’s rules on chaperones and what is proper, but aboard the RMS Etruria Thomas can’t keep his hands off of Audrey Rose any longer. They joke of eloping, of Audrey Rose’s virtue and how Thomas isn’t known for being pious, and yet this interlude is short, leaving them both desperate for another moment alone.
Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell’s first kiss
After being attacked by knife point in Stalking Jack the Ripper, Thomas confesses that he thought he’d lost her and tells her simply: “You must know what you mean to me? Surely you must know how I feel about you, Audrey Rose.”
Who could resist the charms of Thomas Cresswell, as close to a mess as he possibly could be, clutching at Audrey Rose before they kiss, polite etiquette be damned.
The aftermath of the ceremony
Although it’s heart wrenching, Thomas coming to Audrey Rose after Miss Whitehall ruins all in Capturing the Devil is such an amazing scene I had to include it. Even though her heart was breaking, Audrey Rose kept herself together long enough to believe in herself and her wants, in her own boundaries by telling Thomas that she refused to become his mistress. She set boundaries, even though all she wanted was to be by his side, she wouldn’t be party to Thomas cheating on his wife, even though he doesn’t care for her. The love that they feel for each other is palpable, which makes this seen vital to this list.
Talking through their issues post ‘Escaping from Houdini’
After the events of Escaping from Houdini, Thomas’ novella Becoming the Dark Prince is my favorite part of the entire series. There are so many amazing lines, which I went into more here, but Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell talking through their issues before the beginning of Capturing the Devil meant everything to me.
Thomas talks about the type of love he doesn’t want: cruel or possessive, and how he wishes to make Audrey Rose happy by allowing her to make decisions for herself. My favorite line in the scene is: “I want our passion to ignite the world around us, making even the stars jealous.”
The best Cressworth line of the entire series
Last, but certainly not least, is the scene in Capturing the Devil that Thomas pours his heart out to Audrey Rose by saying one of my favorite lines of all time: “Beyond life, beyond death, my love for thee is eternal”. Not only does Thomas make our hearts flutter at his words as he gives Audrey Rose his mother’s ring, but he does it while she’s in a bathtub. I will forever call it “the bathtub” scene. The entire chapter is pure gold, and I have heart eyes merely thinking about it and my love for Cressworth!
What is your favorite Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell scene?
Related: ‘Stalking Jack the Ripper’ has a slow burn well worth the wait, ‘Becoming the Dark Prince’ novella packs an emotional punch, ‘Capturing the Devil’ book review: My love for thee is eternal
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