About
Reviews
Search
Submit
Home

Mystery Books for Sale

[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]


  

JACK THE RIPPER
by Val Horsler (ed)
The National Archives, June 2007
128 pages
7.99 GBP
ISBN: 1905615140


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Whitechapel, East London, in 1888 was a depressing place. Poverty, sickness, ignorance, overcrowding, crime, alcoholism, prostitution, unemployment, were all rampant. The people who lived there did the best they could, helping each other to find the 2d needed for a bed if possible.

Into this hellish stew, we add a series of murders in which 11 women were killed and butchered from April 1888 to February 1891. There are really only five killings, taking place from August 31 to November 9 1888 that are attributed to The Ripper.

It is amazing that any records still exist. Horsler tells the story of these five killings using original material. Actually, the original material is locked away. All have been photocopied or microfilmed, however, and that is the material the author has used. It is even more chilling to read the actual words of the detectives, medical examiners and witnesses who saw the bodies than to read about the murders

Victorian detectives had none of the knowledge and scientific advances we have today, so they sort of had to run around looking for clues. Letters signed 'Jack the Ripper' were sent to newspapers, who, in turn, using the most florid language they could, milked the crimes for all the circulation they were worth. One letter, not signed by Jack, contained half a kidney. It was headed 'from hell' and claimed to be sending half the kidney taken from one woman. He claims to have fried and eaten the other half (with fava beans and a nice chianti?)

It is amazing that any of the evidence has lasted over 100 years. The archives of the City police were destroyed during the blitz, and other items have been pilfered or damaged over the years, but many were copied before being lost. This little book is a must for all Jack the Ripper aficionados.

Reviewed by Barbara Franchi, August 2007

[ Top ]


QUICK SEARCH:

 

Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]