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Ripper
You thought you knew him. You were dead wrong.
Carver Young dreams of becoming a detective, despite growing up in an orphanage with only crime novels to encourage him. But when he is adopted by Detective Hawking of the world famous Pinkerton Agency, Carver is given not only the chance to find his biological father, he finds himself smack in the middle of a real life investigation: tracking down a vicious serial killer who has thrown New York City into utter panic. When the case begins to unfold, however, it’s worse than he could have ever imagined, and his loyalty to Mr. Hawking and the Pinkertons comes into question. As the body count rises and the investigation becomes dire, Carver must decide where his true loyalty lies.
Full of whip-smart dialogue, kid-friendly gadgets, and featuring a then New York City Police Commisioner Teddy Roosevelt, Ripper challenges everything you thought you knew about the world’s most famous serial killer.
Carver Young dreams of becoming a detective, despite growing up in an orphanage with only crime novels to encourage him. But when he is adopted by Detective Hawking of the world famous Pinkerton Agency, Carver is given not only the chance to find his biological father, he finds himself smack in the middle of a real life investigation: tracking down a vicious serial killer who has thrown New York City into utter panic. When the case begins to unfold, however, it’s worse than he could have ever imagined, and his loyalty to Mr. Hawking and the Pinkertons comes into question. As the body count rises and the investigation becomes dire, Carver must decide where his true loyalty lies.
Full of whip-smart dialogue, kid-friendly gadgets, and featuring a then New York City Police Commisioner Teddy Roosevelt, Ripper challenges everything you thought you knew about the world’s most famous serial killer.
427 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2012
237 people are currently reading
5096 people want to read
About the author
Stefan Petrucha
342 books273 followersStefan Petrucha (born January 27, 1959) is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 637 reviews
July 10, 2022
This was one of the most disappointing books I have read in a long time. My expectations were so high and they fell so quickly. The pacing was super slow and the main character was annoying. I’ve become more interested in the topic of Jack the Ripper because my favorite book is “Stalking Jack the Ripper” by Kerri Maniscalco. With that being my favorite book my expectations were very very high for this book. The characters were not the greatest, very bland. Carver was fine but annoying at times. The ending bothered me, I saw it coming. I never predict anything in books like this usually. Please don’t waste your time reading this book.
October 30, 2016
"It's Harry Potter meets Angels and Demons!" Which sounds like a great story idea if your plan is to replace your editor's irises with dollar signs. In practice, this young adult novel suffers from being a little too familiar for anyone who's read the most popular of fiction.
Ripper is the story of Carver Young; a bullied orphan with skills. His notable companions at the orphanage are a brilliant, know-it-all girl who doubles as a love interest and a socially clumsy, misunderstood, red-headed bully. Even after all three are adopted out, they keep running into each other and having wacky adventures spread out across New York City that would have felt more natural confined to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
From Angels and Demons, this novel borrows a city-wide chase for a crazed killer (in this case Jack the Ripper, who may or may not be Carver's father!) and a series of dastardly puzzles. There's even a gloriously-telegraphed 'surprise' ending.
But its not all bad for Mr. Petrucha's debut into epic YA. The world he creates is actually quite absorbing in a lot of ways. He uses historical facts and anecdotes to give weight to his colorful characters and dreams up some wild inventions that liven up the his portrayal of New York in the late 1800s. You can believe in the portrait he presents while also marveling in the fantastic elements.
Mr. Petrucha also does a good job making New York feel big. As Carver tails one obscure clue after another in search of the Ripper, you get a good sense of how much legwork is really involved in a criminal investigation and how precious any new lead can be.
So hopefully next time Mr. Petrucha will ditch a few of the tropes while still giving us an engaging world steeped in history and fantasy.
Edited in March of 2016
Ripper is the story of Carver Young; a bullied orphan with skills. His notable companions at the orphanage are a brilliant, know-it-all girl who doubles as a love interest and a socially clumsy, misunderstood, red-headed bully. Even after all three are adopted out, they keep running into each other and having wacky adventures spread out across New York City that would have felt more natural confined to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
From Angels and Demons, this novel borrows a city-wide chase for a crazed killer (in this case Jack the Ripper, who may or may not be Carver's father!) and a series of dastardly puzzles. There's even a gloriously-telegraphed 'surprise' ending.
But its not all bad for Mr. Petrucha's debut into epic YA. The world he creates is actually quite absorbing in a lot of ways. He uses historical facts and anecdotes to give weight to his colorful characters and dreams up some wild inventions that liven up the his portrayal of New York in the late 1800s. You can believe in the portrait he presents while also marveling in the fantastic elements.
Mr. Petrucha also does a good job making New York feel big. As Carver tails one obscure clue after another in search of the Ripper, you get a good sense of how much legwork is really involved in a criminal investigation and how precious any new lead can be.
So hopefully next time Mr. Petrucha will ditch a few of the tropes while still giving us an engaging world steeped in history and fantasy.
Edited in March of 2016
May 16, 2013
To make a long story short: I totally loved this book! This is by far the best YA book that has come out this year--and in a long time as well. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other, and the whole story line was great as well. It was fast-paced, and, while, yes, it was predictable, adventure stories usually are and that doesn't take away from my love of this book. It was also a good "guy read" and books guys can enjoy are very few and far between in the Young Adult genre. I liked the steampunk aspect of this too, it works so great with these kind of alternate history books. And Teddy Roosevelt? He's one of my favorite historical figures, so I loved how he played a part in this story. I was a little skeptical about how past people healed from injuries in this story, but, well...that's typical to the action/adventure genre. I would love to read more about Carver and I hope Stefan Petrucha writes some more of this calibre. In actuality, this would make a great movie! Five stars well earned!
May 19, 2012
I grabbed this book from the YA section of the library because the plot seemed amazing and intriguing.
The plot may still be amazing and intriguing - I couldn't force myself to finish it - but the writing style was not. Reading this book reminded me of years ago when I was reading my first chapter book. The chapters are annoyingly short and have abrupt cutoff points; after reading the first 5 or so chapters in about as many minutes, I quickly scanned to the back of the book and was not surprised the chapter count was nearly to 100. The plot was also taken on childishly, as the mood of mystery and intrigue was ruined by the amount of detail that the author just barfed up, leaving me, the reader, unable to actively take part in the revelry. And for a so-called "mystery", there is something wrong if I can think quicker than the main character... and there is something wrong if the first "puzzle" that needed "solving" was a pair of coordinates - coordinates? Really? Like that hasn't been done before.
I tried to read on, but on top of it all, the characters were pretty uninteresting people.
Poor effort.
I recommend this to 4th-7th graders, but even then, they should be reading the good stuff, like The Westing Game for instance.
The plot may still be amazing and intriguing - I couldn't force myself to finish it - but the writing style was not. Reading this book reminded me of years ago when I was reading my first chapter book. The chapters are annoyingly short and have abrupt cutoff points; after reading the first 5 or so chapters in about as many minutes, I quickly scanned to the back of the book and was not surprised the chapter count was nearly to 100. The plot was also taken on childishly, as the mood of mystery and intrigue was ruined by the amount of detail that the author just barfed up, leaving me, the reader, unable to actively take part in the revelry. And for a so-called "mystery", there is something wrong if I can think quicker than the main character... and there is something wrong if the first "puzzle" that needed "solving" was a pair of coordinates - coordinates? Really? Like that hasn't been done before.
I tried to read on, but on top of it all, the characters were pretty uninteresting people.
Poor effort.
I recommend this to 4th-7th graders, but even then, they should be reading the good stuff, like The Westing Game for instance.
December 22, 2011
This book was _so good_. Every time I was between commutes (when I read), I wanted to get back to it. It was serious and well crafted, the are characters complete, and overall the book had a gravity to it that reminded me of books written in the past. Definitely feels timeless.
I worried that the ending would disappoint me (as compared with the rest of the book), but it wasn't bad at all. Really, I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book. Of course, it being YA, there are some contrivances, but the adults aren't stupid like in other books (the kids figure something very important out, and when they tell adults, the adults reply "we figured that out this morning"). None of the coincidences were eye-rolling (except perhaps how quickly law enforcement would hear of a crime and show up at the scene).
I also love that it's got some historical accuracy and took place in my city. I want to head down to City Hall Park asap just to "be" where the action took place!
I worried that the ending would disappoint me (as compared with the rest of the book), but it wasn't bad at all. Really, I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book. Of course, it being YA, there are some contrivances, but the adults aren't stupid like in other books (the kids figure something very important out, and when they tell adults, the adults reply "we figured that out this morning"). None of the coincidences were eye-rolling (except perhaps how quickly law enforcement would hear of a crime and show up at the scene).
I also love that it's got some historical accuracy and took place in my city. I want to head down to City Hall Park asap just to "be" where the action took place!
November 17, 2015
I've always been interested in the Ripper murders (I'm not a lunatic, I promise) so when I found Ripper for a few bucks I took it and ran. The book follows fourteen year-old Carver Young, a wanna-be detective with a knack for picking locks, as he's forced to leave his home at Ellis Orphanage and adopted by the famous Detective Hawking. Carver is also trying to locate his father after finding a letter from him at Ellis and trying to solve the newest Ripper-style murders.
I absolutely loved Ripper, the murderer in the book is obviously made up since no one really knows who Jack the Ripper was but Petrucha made it a fun guessing game as we followed along with Carver. Ripper is a fun and adventurous story with lovely characters including Teddy Roosevelt and an interesting setting in late 1800's New York with the Tombs and Blackwell's Asylum.
I absolutely loved Ripper, the murderer in the book is obviously made up since no one really knows who Jack the Ripper was but Petrucha made it a fun guessing game as we followed along with Carver. Ripper is a fun and adventurous story with lovely characters including Teddy Roosevelt and an interesting setting in late 1800's New York with the Tombs and Blackwell's Asylum.
May 17, 2018
This was a cool book. I like the idea behind the story, and the setting description of it. It was written well and had a very good ending. It had great characters too. 4 out of 5 stars.
April 12, 2013
This may be a case of disappointed expectations.
I was first drawn to this book for the obvious reason that stories of Jack the Ripper interest me. I think it's the morbid fascination of an unsolved mystery - who was this man that did these horrible things, and what compelled him to act? So the large, bold word Ripper across the book with a slash of blood diagonally across - well, it draws the eye, dunnit?
And the blurb seemed interesting. An established fan of YA titles, I thought it could be an interesting take, with this boy drawn into the mystery in America.
And there is some speculation that maybe the murders stopped because Jack was American and went home, or fled to America for fear the police were finally honing in, so it's not completely out of left field that the murders might pick up in America a year or so down the line.
But, for all that, it just didn't do much for me.
I expected something... something more.
For one it's the writing style and the characters, who feel more MG level than YA - and I think I was expecting not just YA, but older YA. I can't really say what lead to that expectation - maybe just an assumption based on the subject material?
But the writing, dialogue, characters all came off more juvenile that I was expecting.
It also just didn't have the dark depth that I had anticipated. I don't know what, precisely, I had hoped for. Maybe something more psychological in its approach - a thriller which got into your head and would stay with you, as opposed to a more surface mystery/chase thing that it ended up being.
But the killer seemed, to me, more cartoonish than menacing. Scary because of his bulk and just because he was a killer, but I was expecting a Hanibal, or, well, Jack the Ripper. Someone both terrifying and yet debonair... charming, even.
But this isn't really a book about the bad guy. It's about Carver, a young orphan who dreams of being a detective, and Hawking, the retired Pinkerton who takes him as an apprentice. (And, honestly, Carver? I presume the parallel to Ripper was intentional. I found it kind of distracting for that reason, though.)
And then there's Roosevelt, who blusters and bullies his way through the book, most often being a foil for our intrepid heroes. And Tudd, the other foil. Oh, and Finn, the other, other foil. (Yes, it's that kind of book.)
Anyway - I never really connected with the characters - they never seemed very real to me. Actions and dialogue seemed sketchy and almost surreal at times.
The world building was interesting. I did get a vague sense of the scope of the city and the feel of the time period, though I think there could've been more in this direction.
And I think I can see why some people would enjoy it - piecing together the clues/puzzles, and the chases and all. Maybe I would've liked it better if I hadn't guessed the identity of the killer about halfway through - and found myself disappointed to be right. I mean, really?
I think it would've been better if the mystery was left a mystery...
Though, thankfully enough, in the real world, it still is. And if it ever is solved, all I can hope is that the truth is more satisying than this fiction.
I think that, maybe, I might've liked it more if I hadn't sort of been expecting more of a psychological thriller sort of thing and less a more standard procedural/crime story. Then again, considering I don't think the writing is particularly good, it might not have matter either way.
I was first drawn to this book for the obvious reason that stories of Jack the Ripper interest me. I think it's the morbid fascination of an unsolved mystery - who was this man that did these horrible things, and what compelled him to act? So the large, bold word Ripper across the book with a slash of blood diagonally across - well, it draws the eye, dunnit?
And the blurb seemed interesting. An established fan of YA titles, I thought it could be an interesting take, with this boy drawn into the mystery in America.
And there is some speculation that maybe the murders stopped because Jack was American and went home, or fled to America for fear the police were finally honing in, so it's not completely out of left field that the murders might pick up in America a year or so down the line.
But, for all that, it just didn't do much for me.
I expected something... something more.
For one it's the writing style and the characters, who feel more MG level than YA - and I think I was expecting not just YA, but older YA. I can't really say what lead to that expectation - maybe just an assumption based on the subject material?
But the writing, dialogue, characters all came off more juvenile that I was expecting.
It also just didn't have the dark depth that I had anticipated. I don't know what, precisely, I had hoped for. Maybe something more psychological in its approach - a thriller which got into your head and would stay with you, as opposed to a more surface mystery/chase thing that it ended up being.
But the killer seemed, to me, more cartoonish than menacing. Scary because of his bulk and just because he was a killer, but I was expecting a Hanibal, or, well, Jack the Ripper. Someone both terrifying and yet debonair... charming, even.
But this isn't really a book about the bad guy. It's about Carver, a young orphan who dreams of being a detective, and Hawking, the retired Pinkerton who takes him as an apprentice. (And, honestly, Carver? I presume the parallel to Ripper was intentional. I found it kind of distracting for that reason, though.)
And then there's Roosevelt, who blusters and bullies his way through the book, most often being a foil for our intrepid heroes. And Tudd, the other foil. Oh, and Finn, the other, other foil. (Yes, it's that kind of book.)
Anyway - I never really connected with the characters - they never seemed very real to me. Actions and dialogue seemed sketchy and almost surreal at times.
The world building was interesting. I did get a vague sense of the scope of the city and the feel of the time period, though I think there could've been more in this direction.
And I think I can see why some people would enjoy it - piecing together the clues/puzzles, and the chases and all. Maybe I would've liked it better if I hadn't guessed the identity of the killer about halfway through - and found myself disappointed to be right. I mean, really?
I think it would've been better if the mystery was left a mystery...
Though, thankfully enough, in the real world, it still is. And if it ever is solved, all I can hope is that the truth is more satisying than this fiction.
I think that, maybe, I might've liked it more if I hadn't sort of been expecting more of a psychological thriller sort of thing and less a more standard procedural/crime story. Then again, considering I don't think the writing is particularly good, it might not have matter either way.
October 18, 2012
Wow. I had a feeling this book would be great, but I had no clue it would be as wonderful as it turned out to be. I’m in love. Can I have more books starring Carver, Delia, and Finn?
Carver Young is just a poor orphan with a lock-picking skill and a love for mysteries, when he gets oddly “adopted” by a retired Pinkerton agent, Albert Hawking. Hawking plans to teach Carver how to be a great detective, although his methods are quite crazy. Craver is brought into a secret society of detectives and is encouraged to try to find his biological father. There are also these murders that keep happening, and Carver eventually discovers quite a few things about the killer. It turns into a crazy puzzle game that he tries to figure out with his friend Delia and his frenemy, Finn.
Stefan Petrucha perfectly crafts a historical mystery, and he expertly picks the most deplorably evil of real-life bad guys: Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper, as most people know, was never caught, therefore any story that builds on that mystery is already intriguing. I loved the way he built on the facts and created a crazy story, that more or less could be possible (except for some glaring additions).
The mystery sucked me in and took me all over NYC. Because of the short chapters, I sped right through the book, and even if they had been long I would have still rushed through because the story was so addicting.
And you guys who have read it: that last twist, I honestly did not see it coming. At all. So weird. Mind-blown.
I found the characters to be all VERY complex. And, for this type of book, that is pretty unusual. Hawking was completely crazy, but he changes a lot throughout the book and he becomes such a mentor to Carver. Although half the time I was ticked at him, I did find him to be oddly amazing.
Finn was one of my favorite characters because of the growth he goes through. He matures and changes so much throughout this story, and I loved how realistic he was.
Carver, our main character, was dedicated to his task, but slightly a more boring character (think Harry Potter, wonderful, heroic, but hardly ever anyone’s favorite character). While he was complex, dynamic, and respectable, he confused me to no end. He was SO slow in the beginning and eventually gained in astuteness, but his reasoning was sometimes very hard to follow. He was remarkably dedicated to stopping the murders and finding his father. The lengths he went to sometimes to follow someone or find information…oh goodness, I would never have done that.
Delia was…ehh. I loved her at the same time as I thought she could have been so much more. But then again, this book was not really about women empowerment or anything, so I guess she can just be the cute, intelligent sidekick.
Many reviewers claim that this book is more suited for children than young adults due to the “cleaning up” of such a disturbing topic. While I agree that because of that, it is completely a great mystery read for middle graders, I enjoyed it for the characters, the twists, the mystery, and the concept. It didn’t have to be realistically grisly for me to understand the horror of the situation. Also, I’ve read about Jack the Ripper before, so I already knew that it was horrid.
I would LOVE if this became a series. It’s totally not going to because the concept just covers one storyline. But I thought the ending was open for more, and the characters are just begging for more stories to star in.
Content Warning: Very mild language only a handful of times
Carver Young is just a poor orphan with a lock-picking skill and a love for mysteries, when he gets oddly “adopted” by a retired Pinkerton agent, Albert Hawking. Hawking plans to teach Carver how to be a great detective, although his methods are quite crazy. Craver is brought into a secret society of detectives and is encouraged to try to find his biological father. There are also these murders that keep happening, and Carver eventually discovers quite a few things about the killer. It turns into a crazy puzzle game that he tries to figure out with his friend Delia and his frenemy, Finn.
Stefan Petrucha perfectly crafts a historical mystery, and he expertly picks the most deplorably evil of real-life bad guys: Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper, as most people know, was never caught, therefore any story that builds on that mystery is already intriguing. I loved the way he built on the facts and created a crazy story, that more or less could be possible (except for some glaring additions).
The mystery sucked me in and took me all over NYC. Because of the short chapters, I sped right through the book, and even if they had been long I would have still rushed through because the story was so addicting.
And you guys who have read it: that last twist, I honestly did not see it coming. At all. So weird. Mind-blown.
I found the characters to be all VERY complex. And, for this type of book, that is pretty unusual. Hawking was completely crazy, but he changes a lot throughout the book and he becomes such a mentor to Carver. Although half the time I was ticked at him, I did find him to be oddly amazing.
Finn was one of my favorite characters because of the growth he goes through. He matures and changes so much throughout this story, and I loved how realistic he was.
Carver, our main character, was dedicated to his task, but slightly a more boring character (think Harry Potter, wonderful, heroic, but hardly ever anyone’s favorite character). While he was complex, dynamic, and respectable, he confused me to no end. He was SO slow in the beginning and eventually gained in astuteness, but his reasoning was sometimes very hard to follow. He was remarkably dedicated to stopping the murders and finding his father. The lengths he went to sometimes to follow someone or find information…oh goodness, I would never have done that.
Delia was…ehh. I loved her at the same time as I thought she could have been so much more. But then again, this book was not really about women empowerment or anything, so I guess she can just be the cute, intelligent sidekick.
Many reviewers claim that this book is more suited for children than young adults due to the “cleaning up” of such a disturbing topic. While I agree that because of that, it is completely a great mystery read for middle graders, I enjoyed it for the characters, the twists, the mystery, and the concept. It didn’t have to be realistically grisly for me to understand the horror of the situation. Also, I’ve read about Jack the Ripper before, so I already knew that it was horrid.
I would LOVE if this became a series. It’s totally not going to because the concept just covers one storyline. But I thought the ending was open for more, and the characters are just begging for more stories to star in.
Content Warning: Very mild language only a handful of times
September 22, 2018
Destripador, narra la historia de un muchacho de 14 años, Carver Young, quien ha vivido toda su vida en un orfanato sin conocer absolutamente nada de su familia, sin embargo a su edad ya no es mas un niño, por lo que tiene que salir del orfanato y hacerse de su propia vida, es ahi donde un hombre muy misterioso decide adoptarlo, resultando que es en realidad un detective muy reconocido que ha trabajado de encubierto por muchos años. Su nuevo padre, le enseña a Carver una agencia de espias ultra secreta donde tendra que descubrir el misterio de su familia, pero lo que Carver no se espera es que los asesinatos que estan ocurriendo en Nueva York, tengan mucho que ver con su propia vida.
Este libro me sorprendio gratamente, lo encontre en la sección de rebajas de una libreria pero vi reseñas muy buenas y decidi comprarlo. Puede que no sea el mejor libro del mundo, pero esta bien estructurado, los personajes estan bien descritos aunque me hubiera gustado que se interne mas en la historia de alguno de ellos. La historia en si, te mantiene atrapado y aunque algunas decisiones del protagonista me volvian loca, en general había acción justo donde debía haberla, y el final es como se espera, muy emocionante.
Este libro me sorprendio gratamente, lo encontre en la sección de rebajas de una libreria pero vi reseñas muy buenas y decidi comprarlo. Puede que no sea el mejor libro del mundo, pero esta bien estructurado, los personajes estan bien descritos aunque me hubiera gustado que se interne mas en la historia de alguno de ellos. La historia en si, te mantiene atrapado y aunque algunas decisiones del protagonista me volvian loca, en general había acción justo donde debía haberla, y el final es como se espera, muy emocionante.
December 22, 2017
I have this obsession with fiction 'Jack the Ripper' novels. I find everything about the man absolutely fascinating. I will actively go out of my way to find and read anything on him, so when I say I only have one real complaint about the book it means a lot because usually I find many things to nitpick. Like I said my only real big complaint with this book was the grudges held between orphans. Carver and Phinneas honestly felt like they were 5 year old siblings screaming that the other was lieing. With the whole point of the book supposed to be about how Carver is smart enough to find his father you would think he'd be able to deduce the fact that Finn (Phinneas) truly didn't steal the stupid necklace.
As far as characters, all the ones introduced were fairly well developed. You see the growth (in-between bouts of self-pity) within Carver as he draws nearer to solving the crimes of his father Jack the Ripper. The progression of Finn was exquisitely done as well as he starts to realize being adopted by rich socialites wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I also loved Detective Hawking; he was mean without being cruel, brilliant without being boastful, and kind without being sickeningly sweet.
The story itself was interesting enough for me to read in two or three days. While I thought the bit with all of the inventions was a bit strange it didn't really detract from my overall feelings toward the book. What really kept me from giving this book the full five stars was the end. Obviously I know they couldn't end it how I would have liked but I wish there just would have been a little bit more.
Please remember to go check out my other reviews both on here and also on my blog, brutalbookworm.blogspot.com
As far as characters, all the ones introduced were fairly well developed. You see the growth (in-between bouts of self-pity) within Carver as he draws nearer to solving the crimes of his father Jack the Ripper. The progression of Finn was exquisitely done as well as he starts to realize being adopted by rich socialites wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I also loved Detective Hawking; he was mean without being cruel, brilliant without being boastful, and kind without being sickeningly sweet.
The story itself was interesting enough for me to read in two or three days. While I thought the bit with all of the inventions was a bit strange it didn't really detract from my overall feelings toward the book. What really kept me from giving this book the full five stars was the end. Obviously I know they couldn't end it how I would have liked but I wish there just would have been a little bit more.
Please remember to go check out my other reviews both on here and also on my blog, brutalbookworm.blogspot.com
May 31, 2012
So Stefan Petrucha has let old Saucy Jack out of the garden shed, this time to run around New York and get chased by a teen with steampunk gadgets out of an old Wild Wild West TV script. This is a kind of YA "The Alienist" as it is the mid 1890s and so the NYC police commissioner is Teddy Roosevelt, who is mostly antagonistic to the young hero, Carver Young (groan with me at the name) an orphan who wants to become a detective, for probably the same reason that Hermie the Elf wanted to be a dentist. Petrucha does a good job with his center triangle of characters, Carver, Delia (think fin de siecle Lois Lane) and the bully with a heart of gold, Finn. Maybe his birth name was Finn de Siecle. The three are inmates of an orphanage that is closing, and they all go on to adoptive families in New York.
Carver gets his wish to become a detective, and starts looking for his father, just as a certain knife-wielding gentleman gets busy. He finds a second father in the gruff detective who mentors him, and much incident in the streets of Manhattan. He works with a super secret detective force with a Gilded Age Batcave and lots of gee whiz gadgets for crimefighting. As he chases the killer, he begins to fear he may be closer to JTR than he suspects. Dum Dum Daaaahhh!
This is a pretty good read, if derivative, though it probably wouldn't interest Ripper Buffs very much. There isn't that much about the actual Whitechapel murders. I thought the weakest part was the final solution to the "mystery," which is pretty unsurprising and long in coming. Yes, I know this is a YA novel, and I am an old guy who has read too much. The character stuff about fathers and sons, and making your way in the world, is good, though a drum that our current culture beats monotonously. Still, worth a few hours late at night after you've made very sure the garden shed is locked.
Carver gets his wish to become a detective, and starts looking for his father, just as a certain knife-wielding gentleman gets busy. He finds a second father in the gruff detective who mentors him, and much incident in the streets of Manhattan. He works with a super secret detective force with a Gilded Age Batcave and lots of gee whiz gadgets for crimefighting. As he chases the killer, he begins to fear he may be closer to JTR than he suspects. Dum Dum Daaaahhh!
This is a pretty good read, if derivative, though it probably wouldn't interest Ripper Buffs very much. There isn't that much about the actual Whitechapel murders. I thought the weakest part was the final solution to the "mystery," which is pretty unsurprising and long in coming. Yes, I know this is a YA novel, and I am an old guy who has read too much. The character stuff about fathers and sons, and making your way in the world, is good, though a drum that our current culture beats monotonously. Still, worth a few hours late at night after you've made very sure the garden shed is locked.
June 10, 2016
As a fan of alternate histories (think The Alienist, another book featuring Teddy Roosevelt as a main character, or The Man in the High Castle), this is one of the craziest examples of the genre that I have ever read.
To wit (and really, don't read these spoilers if there's a chance you might read the book; I'm giving up EVERYTHING here):
To wit (and really, don't read these spoilers if there's a chance you might read the book; I'm giving up EVERYTHING here):
November 2, 2014
The genre of this book is adventure/survival, mystery, and realistic fiction. The main characters of the book Ripper by Stefan Petrucha are Carver, Delia, Finn, and Mr. Hawking. Carver young an orphan from Ellis orphanage wants to be a detective because he wants to find out who his real dad is. One day his dream comes true when Mr. Hawking comes and leaves coordinates of the Pinkerton headquarters at Ellis orphanage. Once at the headquarters Carver shows Tudd Septimus his letters from his father. After seeing the connection in the letters he learns that his father is Jack the Ripper. Carver notices that Tudd was stealing the letters from his father so he could track down and kill his father by himself. Carver Young notices the murders are racking up in New York City and needs to stop his father. It all depends on how far Carver is willing to go to stop his father and who's in his way to stop him. Also how much it men's to him to really know his father. If you like The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colder because the main character Riley is also an orphan just like Carver and it's about trying to save himself from other people trying to hunt him down. Overall I would give the book ripper 5 stars.
By: Kyle Escott 803 L.A. 11-2-14
By: Kyle Escott 803 L.A. 11-2-14
December 8, 2022
This book was good...until it wasn't. It follows Carver Young, an orphan in NYC near the end of the 19th century. Murders eerily similar to Jack the Ripper's kills are occurring in the city, and Carver must work with his mysterious new adoptive father, a retired Pinkerton detective, to solve the complexing case.
I enjoyed Carver's character, and while I didn't always agree with his decisions, I liked him. Saying that, the book ignored even a basic understanding of the original Jack the Ripper case, and the ending twist made no sense. (Video review on my Youtube channel to come, which I'll link here later.)
I enjoyed Carver's character, and while I didn't always agree with his decisions, I liked him. Saying that, the book ignored even a basic understanding of the original Jack the Ripper case, and the ending twist made no sense. (Video review on my Youtube channel to come, which I'll link here later.)
May 9, 2012
A severe case of reader/book incompatibility. If I'd been half my age, I'd have given Ripper double the rating I'm giving it now, because the classification on this one is wrong. Despite the serious subject matter, Ripper is NOT a young adult book, it's a children's book. The writing style, the plot on rails, the transparent characters, I would've loved this book years ago, but now that I'm looking for something a bit more serious, meatier and grittier, all of it just irks me.
Actually, part of my annoyance has to do with the first chapter, the teaser showing the first crime before the real story begins. That was actually good. Bloodless, but good. Nervous tone, creepy villain, I was actually looking forward to Carver's story. Until I got to chapter two and realized the writing's just too cute to take seriously. I don't mean this as an insult, but looking at Petrucha's author profile, I see he's written a couple of Nancy Drew comics, and the writing here reminds me of Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, full of juvenile energy, the kind filled with kiddie excitement at the prospect of solving a crime. But when you're solving not missing cash or lost pets but (sort of) murders, sorry, light tone didn't work on me. On my ten year old self, probably, just not now.
The historical aspect didn't work either. Don't get me wrong, Petrucha certainly did his homework, but there's something odd about the way it's incorporated into the story, like all the facts about nineteenth century New York were more for cool points than necessary or integral to the investigation. Actually, might have something to do with the writing style again, because I've read historical novels with historical facts seemlessly woven into the plot, but yeah, most of the facts just stick out here, like they're shouting 'hey, did you know this? cool right?' Not really.
And the plot itself. This is very spoilery, but it's not that hard to figure out. Ok, so Hawking is guiding Carver along to find his father, giving him hints, congratulating him when he's on the right track. Except in order to do that, he would've already have run through the investigation, which means he'd already know who Carver's father is, right? Yep. Why doesn't Carver just ask him then and be done with the whole charade? And then Tudd says Jack the Ripper, who everyone guesses to be Carver's father, would insert himself into Carver's search for his father. Now why give away the entire thing before even half the book's over? Yeah, the entire time, everything's on rails, sometimes it seems Carver's going someplace just so Petrucha can impress us with more of his research, but mostly it's Hawking guiding Carver along like he's on a string, all the while everyone else is praising him for his sharp instincts and great detective skills.
And that leads me finally to characters. Carver, despite everyone's praise, can't be that great if he's basically being strung along and Hawking's the stereotypical bitter old man. And the whole thing about Carver being the son of a serial killer? Kind of superficially done, yeah he's horrified but he doesn't really think or reflect on it much, people just tell him he's different from Jack the Ripper, not a killer, and he accepts it. Honestly, the only character I actually liked was Roosevelt, because I thought Petrucha captured his personality really well, brash and loud, but personable. At least he and Alice actually got an ending, most of the other supporting characters fade into the woodwork during the investigation.
And that's all it comes down to. I just see too many holes in this story, interesting aspects that I really wished got some more attention, other stuff that could be incorporated into the book a bit better. I'd recommend this to kids interested in a well researched nineteenth century detective story in a heartbeat, but for everyone else, either I Hunt Killers for a more serious teen crime series or one of the many great crime thrillers out there.
Actually, part of my annoyance has to do with the first chapter, the teaser showing the first crime before the real story begins. That was actually good. Bloodless, but good. Nervous tone, creepy villain, I was actually looking forward to Carver's story. Until I got to chapter two and realized the writing's just too cute to take seriously. I don't mean this as an insult, but looking at Petrucha's author profile, I see he's written a couple of Nancy Drew comics, and the writing here reminds me of Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, full of juvenile energy, the kind filled with kiddie excitement at the prospect of solving a crime. But when you're solving not missing cash or lost pets but (sort of) murders, sorry, light tone didn't work on me. On my ten year old self, probably, just not now.
The historical aspect didn't work either. Don't get me wrong, Petrucha certainly did his homework, but there's something odd about the way it's incorporated into the story, like all the facts about nineteenth century New York were more for cool points than necessary or integral to the investigation. Actually, might have something to do with the writing style again, because I've read historical novels with historical facts seemlessly woven into the plot, but yeah, most of the facts just stick out here, like they're shouting 'hey, did you know this? cool right?' Not really.
And the plot itself. This is very spoilery, but it's not that hard to figure out. Ok, so Hawking is guiding Carver along to find his father, giving him hints, congratulating him when he's on the right track. Except in order to do that, he would've already have run through the investigation, which means he'd already know who Carver's father is, right? Yep. Why doesn't Carver just ask him then and be done with the whole charade? And then Tudd says Jack the Ripper, who everyone guesses to be Carver's father, would insert himself into Carver's search for his father. Now why give away the entire thing before even half the book's over? Yeah, the entire time, everything's on rails, sometimes it seems Carver's going someplace just so Petrucha can impress us with more of his research, but mostly it's Hawking guiding Carver along like he's on a string, all the while everyone else is praising him for his sharp instincts and great detective skills.
And that leads me finally to characters. Carver, despite everyone's praise, can't be that great if he's basically being strung along and Hawking's the stereotypical bitter old man. And the whole thing about Carver being the son of a serial killer? Kind of superficially done, yeah he's horrified but he doesn't really think or reflect on it much, people just tell him he's different from Jack the Ripper, not a killer, and he accepts it. Honestly, the only character I actually liked was Roosevelt, because I thought Petrucha captured his personality really well, brash and loud, but personable. At least he and Alice actually got an ending, most of the other supporting characters fade into the woodwork during the investigation.
And that's all it comes down to. I just see too many holes in this story, interesting aspects that I really wished got some more attention, other stuff that could be incorporated into the book a bit better. I'd recommend this to kids interested in a well researched nineteenth century detective story in a heartbeat, but for everyone else, either I Hunt Killers for a more serious teen crime series or one of the many great crime thrillers out there.
June 4, 2012
I had just picked up a few books on my way home, and thought this looked interesting. What I didn't think was that I would be rushing to finish it in four hours. The entire plot is completly original, even though Jack the Ripper has been used before.
The phenomenon of serial killers is as interesting as it is terrifying, and Stefan Petrucha uses the terror to his advantage. The characters are multi-faceted and not cookie cutter and one dimensional.
One of the biggest plusses would have to be the fact I didn't figure out what was going to be the "plot twist" in the first chapter; I actually didn't know what was happening until I read it.
All in all it is truly my favorite book of 2012 so far, and a must read for anyone who likes a book full of intrigue, mystery, and an amazing plot.
The phenomenon of serial killers is as interesting as it is terrifying, and Stefan Petrucha uses the terror to his advantage. The characters are multi-faceted and not cookie cutter and one dimensional.
One of the biggest plusses would have to be the fact I didn't figure out what was going to be the "plot twist" in the first chapter; I actually didn't know what was happening until I read it.
All in all it is truly my favorite book of 2012 so far, and a must read for anyone who likes a book full of intrigue, mystery, and an amazing plot.
May 2, 2015
This book was absolutely amazing! Carver was such an amazing main character. Delia and Finn were amazing as well. I didn't like Finn at first but then he started to grow on me. I liked Delia from the very start though. I also liked Mr. Hawking for a little while. Emeril was amazing, and so was Jackson. I liked Emeril throughout the entire book, but I started to dislike Jackson, he was okay at first though. I never saw the ending of this book coming! The ending was amazing and I'm so glad I never saw it coming. It does leave a little bit of mystery as to what Carver, Delia, and Finn will do next. It's pretty obvious from the first few chapters that Jack the Ripper is Carver's dad. This isn't a major spoiler, because you can tell from the first few chapters.
September 9, 2016
Personally I would have liked to rate this book a 4.5. The start was not slow at all which I liked better because I am a little impatient with some books. The first chapter was amazing and made me want to keep reading right then and there. I was on the edge of my seat the whole entire time I was reading and was sometimes reading till 2:00am. My personal opinion on this book is that it was great and well written but not quite perfect.
March 23, 2022
I love this book. I totally did not SEE the ending coming. I liked all the characters I thought the action in this book was amazing even though it was only a little. I loved the twist at the end of the book and I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could.
May 3, 2012
As seen on: Bookosaur
4.5/5
This book is bloody fantastic. See what I did there? Bloody fantastic, since it's a novel about Jack the Ripper?
. . . Oh, hey. I didn't expect you to continue reading after my word play there. Your persistence could only mean one thing: you really want to read a review. Alright, alright . . .
I loved this book to pieces.
. . . You're still here? Seriously? Even after that one? Though I have many more of those bad boys up my sleeve, I will nonetheless crack on with my review. (Eh? Eh? Novel about detectives? Okay, truly, I think I'm done.)
I didn't know what to expect when I started Ripper by Stefan Petrucha, save for the fact that the cover is brilliant. Indeed, the cover was the main reason why I picked up this novel to read in the first place, thinking that, with a cover like that, this novel had no choice but to be fantastic. Admittedly, not a foolproof theory, as I've fallen victim to the Cover Trap before and selected books based on their cover only to regret my decision later. With Ripper, however, I was not disappointed.
The reader is transported to New York City at the turn of the century. The year is 1895, and a Jack the Ripper-like serial killer is on the loose. The murders have the same MO as Saucy Jack: the victims are found mutilated and the bodies are left in places where they will be easily found, just so the killer can show off his handiwork. The only difference with these murders in comparison to their London counterparts is the target: the NYC killer is murdering upper class women. The city is, understandably, on edge. To make matters worse, the city's police force is rife with corruption and scandal; however, Theodore Roosevelt, the new police commissioner, has made it his personal mission to change the police force's seedy reputation.
As an aspiring detective, 14-year-old Carver Young has been following the murders in NYC from the orphanage where he lives. When Carver finds a puzzling letter in his file written by his biological father, Carver, with the help of the New Pinkertons, a secret detective agency, embarks on the greatest case of his young life - discovering his father's identity. Before long, Carver's personal search for his father becomes intertwined with the hunt for the serial killer and it becomes obvious that Carver is the only person who can put a stop to the vicious murders.
This book has all the right elements to send a deliciously creepy shiver down one's spine. First of all, the time period. Oh, how I love novels set in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Petrucha's descriptions are so vivid that I could practically hear the sounds of Old New York City: the horses' hooves clopping on the cobblestone, a black carriage following dutifully behind; the excited, boisterous voice of Teddy Roosevelt as he leans out of a window of the Mulberry Street Police Headquarters yelling "Yieee!" to attract the attention of the press on Newspaper Row; and the voices of the newsboys shouting, "Extra! Extra! Killer Strikes Again!" or "Extra! Extra! Devil in Manhattan!" or whatever headline the Times and the Journal had cooked up to boost sales for that day's newspaper. (Confession: Thanks to Disney's Newsies , a musical based on the 1899 Newsboys Strike in NYC, I was a little disappointed every time a newsboy was mentioned without some sort of mid-air punch and crotch-thrusting dance movement associated with them in the same sentence. For your viewing pleasure, the mid-air punch can be seen at around 2:23 and the crotch thrust can be enjoyed at 2:39 in the video I've linked to directly above.)
Secondly, the setting. Most of the action takes place in two different places: (1) the secret headquarters of the New Pinkertons, hidden beneath Devlin's department store and accessed only by a secret combination; and (2) Blackwell Island, home to the Blackwell Penitentiary and Asylum where "the doctors are as mad as the patients" (p. 72). I did say deliciously creepy, didn't I? Throw in an orphanage, police headquarters, city-run jails nicknamed The Tombs, the streets of NYC, and Ellis Island, and we've got ourselves one heck of a backdrop.
Thirdly, what really made this book for me is the characters. Ripper has one of the best collection of characters I've come across since The Shadow of the Wind . Carver Young is a resourceful young man who finds himself adopted by Albert Hawking, a retired Pinkerton detective who lives on Blackwell Island studying the criminally insane and who lives by the philosophy of becoming mad to find the mad, a thief to catch a thief, and worse (p. 80). Hawking becomes Carver's mentor and helps Carver track down his real father, but, at times, it seems that Hawking is as mad as the inmates he studies. Also helping Carver are Delia and Finn, friends and fellow orphans who have found adoptive families of their own. I especially enjoyed the character of Delia, a wannabe crime reporter, who proves that the mere fact that she is a girl doesn't mean she has to be left behind. There is also a cast of secondary characters mentioned who add to the delicious creepiness, like Simpson, one of the patients of the insane asylum who believes he can pass through walls, or like Sarah Edwards, the cat-killer and member of the Midnight Band of Mercy, whose sole purpose is to put down neighbourhood cats using chloroform. Most obvious, perhaps, is the character of Jack the Ripper, who is portrayed exactly like my darkest nightmare pictures him.
Lastly, one more thing I really enjoyed about Ripper is that many of the characters, gadgets, and places that are incorporated in the story are actually historically accurate. This book took me a long time to read, only because I would stop mid-paragraph to Google the Pinkerton Detective Agency, or the Midnight Band of Mercy, or Alice Roosevelt, or H.H. Holmes, or Jack the Ripper's murders. Also, Petrucha has even reproduced the infamous "Dear Boss" letter that has been largely accepted as penned by the real Jack the Ripper. Like I said, deliciously creepy!
I'm pretty familiar with the story of Jack the Ripper - I've even taken a Ripper tour in London, England - so I thought this novel, and in particular the ending, would not be a surprise. Guess what? (I apologize ahead of time for what's to come:) I was dead wrong. I loved this book to death and would kill for a sequel.
4.5/5
This book is bloody fantastic. See what I did there? Bloody fantastic, since it's a novel about Jack the Ripper?
. . . Oh, hey. I didn't expect you to continue reading after my word play there. Your persistence could only mean one thing: you really want to read a review. Alright, alright . . .
I loved this book to pieces.
. . . You're still here? Seriously? Even after that one? Though I have many more of those bad boys up my sleeve, I will nonetheless crack on with my review. (Eh? Eh? Novel about detectives? Okay, truly, I think I'm done.)
I didn't know what to expect when I started Ripper by Stefan Petrucha, save for the fact that the cover is brilliant. Indeed, the cover was the main reason why I picked up this novel to read in the first place, thinking that, with a cover like that, this novel had no choice but to be fantastic. Admittedly, not a foolproof theory, as I've fallen victim to the Cover Trap before and selected books based on their cover only to regret my decision later. With Ripper, however, I was not disappointed.
The reader is transported to New York City at the turn of the century. The year is 1895, and a Jack the Ripper-like serial killer is on the loose. The murders have the same MO as Saucy Jack: the victims are found mutilated and the bodies are left in places where they will be easily found, just so the killer can show off his handiwork. The only difference with these murders in comparison to their London counterparts is the target: the NYC killer is murdering upper class women. The city is, understandably, on edge. To make matters worse, the city's police force is rife with corruption and scandal; however, Theodore Roosevelt, the new police commissioner, has made it his personal mission to change the police force's seedy reputation.
As an aspiring detective, 14-year-old Carver Young has been following the murders in NYC from the orphanage where he lives. When Carver finds a puzzling letter in his file written by his biological father, Carver, with the help of the New Pinkertons, a secret detective agency, embarks on the greatest case of his young life - discovering his father's identity. Before long, Carver's personal search for his father becomes intertwined with the hunt for the serial killer and it becomes obvious that Carver is the only person who can put a stop to the vicious murders.
This book has all the right elements to send a deliciously creepy shiver down one's spine. First of all, the time period. Oh, how I love novels set in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Petrucha's descriptions are so vivid that I could practically hear the sounds of Old New York City: the horses' hooves clopping on the cobblestone, a black carriage following dutifully behind; the excited, boisterous voice of Teddy Roosevelt as he leans out of a window of the Mulberry Street Police Headquarters yelling "Yieee!" to attract the attention of the press on Newspaper Row; and the voices of the newsboys shouting, "Extra! Extra! Killer Strikes Again!" or "Extra! Extra! Devil in Manhattan!" or whatever headline the Times and the Journal had cooked up to boost sales for that day's newspaper. (Confession: Thanks to Disney's Newsies , a musical based on the 1899 Newsboys Strike in NYC, I was a little disappointed every time a newsboy was mentioned without some sort of mid-air punch and crotch-thrusting dance movement associated with them in the same sentence. For your viewing pleasure, the mid-air punch can be seen at around 2:23 and the crotch thrust can be enjoyed at 2:39 in the video I've linked to directly above.)
Secondly, the setting. Most of the action takes place in two different places: (1) the secret headquarters of the New Pinkertons, hidden beneath Devlin's department store and accessed only by a secret combination; and (2) Blackwell Island, home to the Blackwell Penitentiary and Asylum where "the doctors are as mad as the patients" (p. 72). I did say deliciously creepy, didn't I? Throw in an orphanage, police headquarters, city-run jails nicknamed The Tombs, the streets of NYC, and Ellis Island, and we've got ourselves one heck of a backdrop.
Thirdly, what really made this book for me is the characters. Ripper has one of the best collection of characters I've come across since The Shadow of the Wind . Carver Young is a resourceful young man who finds himself adopted by Albert Hawking, a retired Pinkerton detective who lives on Blackwell Island studying the criminally insane and who lives by the philosophy of becoming mad to find the mad, a thief to catch a thief, and worse (p. 80). Hawking becomes Carver's mentor and helps Carver track down his real father, but, at times, it seems that Hawking is as mad as the inmates he studies. Also helping Carver are Delia and Finn, friends and fellow orphans who have found adoptive families of their own. I especially enjoyed the character of Delia, a wannabe crime reporter, who proves that the mere fact that she is a girl doesn't mean she has to be left behind. There is also a cast of secondary characters mentioned who add to the delicious creepiness, like Simpson, one of the patients of the insane asylum who believes he can pass through walls, or like Sarah Edwards, the cat-killer and member of the Midnight Band of Mercy, whose sole purpose is to put down neighbourhood cats using chloroform. Most obvious, perhaps, is the character of Jack the Ripper, who is portrayed exactly like my darkest nightmare pictures him.
Lastly, one more thing I really enjoyed about Ripper is that many of the characters, gadgets, and places that are incorporated in the story are actually historically accurate. This book took me a long time to read, only because I would stop mid-paragraph to Google the Pinkerton Detective Agency, or the Midnight Band of Mercy, or Alice Roosevelt, or H.H. Holmes, or Jack the Ripper's murders. Also, Petrucha has even reproduced the infamous "Dear Boss" letter that has been largely accepted as penned by the real Jack the Ripper. Like I said, deliciously creepy!
I'm pretty familiar with the story of Jack the Ripper - I've even taken a Ripper tour in London, England - so I thought this novel, and in particular the ending, would not be a surprise. Guess what? (I apologize ahead of time for what's to come:) I was dead wrong. I loved this book to death and would kill for a sequel.
April 21, 2018
Eleven women murdered; all by one man. Ripper, written by Stefan Petrucha (2012) is a historical fiction book about the son of Jack the Ripper. The whole story about the Ripper is true; however, we knew his about his son, due to not knowing who the ripper actually was. Ripper follows the theme of Petrucha’s other novels. Some of these novels include: Dead Man walking, The Demon of River Heights, and X-Files. This also has some historical facts in it, which is why I would call it historical fiction.
Caver lived in an orphanage, however, he was getting too old to live there. So, he had to be kicked out or get adopted at the reopening. Before he was kicked out he found an old letter from his father. Carver likes to think of himself as a detective. He planned on finding his father but the only clue he had is just this one letter. Caver’s father thought he died in childbirth along with his mother. A group of secret detectives knew of this and decided to adopt Caver. There was a murderer loose in New York City. Caver is the one who realized that the string of murders were connected to the ones England was best known for: The Jack the Ripper murders. Little did he realize- he is being used to find this murder. Their goal was to put a stop to these murders.
I would give this book a two star rating. I gave it this rating because it was not very interesting. The book definitely dragged on. Sadly, I was under the impression this book would be very suspenseful, which caused me to be disappointed when I found out it was not. The book felt more like of a chore to read, rather for pleasure. It seemed very unorganized, and nothing exciting happened (like I was hoping for). The book is called Ripper, based on a famous murder; I expect there to be some excitement.
Caver lived in an orphanage, however, he was getting too old to live there. So, he had to be kicked out or get adopted at the reopening. Before he was kicked out he found an old letter from his father. Carver likes to think of himself as a detective. He planned on finding his father but the only clue he had is just this one letter. Caver’s father thought he died in childbirth along with his mother. A group of secret detectives knew of this and decided to adopt Caver. There was a murderer loose in New York City. Caver is the one who realized that the string of murders were connected to the ones England was best known for: The Jack the Ripper murders. Little did he realize- he is being used to find this murder. Their goal was to put a stop to these murders.
I would give this book a two star rating. I gave it this rating because it was not very interesting. The book definitely dragged on. Sadly, I was under the impression this book would be very suspenseful, which caused me to be disappointed when I found out it was not. The book felt more like of a chore to read, rather for pleasure. It seemed very unorganized, and nothing exciting happened (like I was hoping for). The book is called Ripper, based on a famous murder; I expect there to be some excitement.
February 16, 2021
Nota: 3.5
Um bom livro de mistério aos moldes de Sherlock Holmes
Comecei a ler pelo "Jack, o estripador" do título. Sempre tive curiosidade de ler algo sobre ele, mas nunca tinha a oportunidade.
Quando comecei a ler, fiquei um pouco desapontado pois o livro estava tomando uma cara de mistério juvenil, tipo aquelas historinhas do Sherlock Holmes adolescente.
Mas aí, a leitura fluída e os mistérios que apareciam, me mantinham motivado a continuar.
Até que chegou um momento que pensei: "Mas não é que esse livrinho é bom mesmo?".
Acompanhamos a história de Carver Young, um jovem que vive em um orfanato, que é fã dos livros de mistérios e romances policiais e que após um fechamento repentino do orfanato, se ve trabalhando com um grande investigador da época.
O livro é muito legal pois é repleto de mistérios, enquanto Carver está em uma busca por seu pai biológico, ao melhor estilo Sherlock Holmes. Isso tudo em uma Nova York do passado, com detetives secretos, conspirações, engenhocas futuristas, e um estripador a solta para dar um charme à história rsrs.
Um bom livro de mistério aos moldes de Sherlock Holmes
Comecei a ler pelo "Jack, o estripador" do título. Sempre tive curiosidade de ler algo sobre ele, mas nunca tinha a oportunidade.
Quando comecei a ler, fiquei um pouco desapontado pois o livro estava tomando uma cara de mistério juvenil, tipo aquelas historinhas do Sherlock Holmes adolescente.
Mas aí, a leitura fluída e os mistérios que apareciam, me mantinham motivado a continuar.
Até que chegou um momento que pensei: "Mas não é que esse livrinho é bom mesmo?".
Acompanhamos a história de Carver Young, um jovem que vive em um orfanato, que é fã dos livros de mistérios e romances policiais e que após um fechamento repentino do orfanato, se ve trabalhando com um grande investigador da época.
O livro é muito legal pois é repleto de mistérios, enquanto Carver está em uma busca por seu pai biológico, ao melhor estilo Sherlock Holmes. Isso tudo em uma Nova York do passado, com detetives secretos, conspirações, engenhocas futuristas, e um estripador a solta para dar um charme à história rsrs.
December 30, 2021
Esta es la primera vez que leo alguna novela que hable de Jack el Destripador, directa o indirectamente. No me considero un gran fan de la novela policiaca, pero eso no quiere decir que no me haya gustado esta. Me ha parecido muy buena la evolución de los personajes, Carver, el protagonista, ha vivido un proceso de desarrollo impresionante que me ha gustado mucho.
Además es un libro muy ligero, no por la extensión, sino en gran parte por la prosa, que hace que sin darte cuenta te hayas leído medio libro, haciendo de él una lectura muy ágil.
Si lo vuestro es el misterio con toques de ficción, sin duda esta es vuestra novela.
Además es un libro muy ligero, no por la extensión, sino en gran parte por la prosa, que hace que sin darte cuenta te hayas leído medio libro, haciendo de él una lectura muy ágil.
Si lo vuestro es el misterio con toques de ficción, sin duda esta es vuestra novela.
March 3, 2018
Not what I expected in the least. I had no idea it was teen book. I thought it was yet another take on Jack the Ripper, which it was. But I thought it was an adult horror not a teen adventure. Lots of silly parts which may have entertained a younger version of me. But this take barely kept my interest and too many juvenile twists.
November 23, 2018
I thought that this book was really interesting, it really had me at the edge of my seat while reading it!
April 30, 2019
Of course, there was a twist, but it was so sudden that it didn't really make sense before the book abruptly ended. The ending felt rushed. However, the rest was still great, so...
March 28, 2021
i really liked this book. I did not predict the ending at all. I can not believe who Jack the Ripper was in this book. I liked how the main character's father was jack the Ripper.
September 11, 2024
Carver was mildly hypocritical and rude at times. I didn't expect the twist, I liked it. I didn't notice the foreshadowing, which was well hidden if you didn't read too deep into it . I HATE Delia with a burning passion. She needs to go. Finn and Emeril are the best characters fo sho 🔥
October 13, 2016
First off I would like to say I would have given this 3 stars if I hadn't at one point predicted the mystery. Ripper is a story about a kid named Carver young that takes place in the 1800's. Carver is an orphan from Elias Island and one day runs into a man named Albert Hawking. This Albert Hawking figure adopts Carver and puts him under his mentor-ship. The story continues on and Carver starts to find out his connection with a serial killer the Ripper. Something I didn't like about the book is the person who is the killer should be clearly recognizable Carver. Honestly even if the man was disguised he still should be able to determine the height and build of the person and at least start to think it could be true. I think this book was written to show how it feels to have your abyss, once you go into your personal abyss there isn't going out. The reason I picked this book because of the insane killer Jack the Ripper, I really like characters like the Joker who the Ripper relates to. One thing I thought I noticed the author to do is always show the bad side of Carver. I think she did this just to show connection between Carver and his dad to show how it must get in your head to have such a crazed father. In conclusion, the book was engaging and met my standards of a good book.
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