Jack the Ripper: The Suspects

by The Whitechapel Society

The latest research on the ultimate whodunnit by the world's leading society for Ripper studies
 The Whitechapel Murders of 1888 remain unsolved and hundreds of theories have been suggested as to the killer's identity. However, many of the suggestions naming the infamous Ripper remain ill-informed and ludicrous, until now. The authors of this book are all members of The Whitechapel Society, the world's largest organization for the study of Jack the Ripper. Each has spent many years researching a particular suspect and the results of their latest, cutting-edge investigations are published here for the first time. Based on indisputable facts and concrete evidence, the cases put forward in this collection allow readers to decide exactly who they believe is the man behind the myth. With each chapter discussing a separate suspect in detail, this book is the ultimate guide to one of the most famous criminal investigations in history.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History

96 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

Reviews

[Matthew Gurteen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book actually surprised me with how well-researched it was. Although it is only short, 'Jack the Ripper: The Suspects' is a well-edited and healthily sceptical approach to some of the prime suspects in the Jack the Ripper case. Each suspect is given a few pages with a new author who presents the theory. Most of the authors in this book did their research, and I appreciated they discussed the flaws in their theories as well as the 'supporting evidence.' Most of the chapters were well-referenced, although these references were inconsistent. I honestly would not have minded if some of them had been a bit longer, which is not praise I give to Ripper books often. The book is also well-illustrated throughout.

Unfortunately, not all of the authors got the memo on what they were writing. There are clear chapters that needed more work, and someone could have closely tied the whole thing together. Essentially, what this book needed was a professional editor to oversee the direction of each contributor. Overall, however, I would love to see a complete study like this. I would recommend 'Jack the Ripper: The Suspects' to anyone interested in the Whitechapel case.

[Lavinia Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something in the mysterious persona of Jack the Ripper intrigues most true crime lovers. This book offers a balanced, objective review of the most prominent Jack the Ripper suspects, offering arguments from both sides. What makes each a viable suspect in the infamous Whitechapel murders? What sinks the sometimes wild and bizarre theories surrounding some of these men? This book explores this in thoughtful contemplation.

Aside from a few aspects of each case I could argue and didn't fit, I enjoyed this book. That being said, opening discussion is a sign of a good book. It definitely made me think without it pointing to one suspect and trying to convince me of one or the other. I enjoyed that this is from the Whitechapel Society, so I knew a lot of time and dedication went into these theories. There were only a few points on criminal psychology I felt were inaccurate or not thoroughly explained enough, hence the loss of a star.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of essays exploring rather fair-handedly, the main suspects of the Whitechapel murders in 1888.
Doesn't go into great detail but is good as an overview.

[Ally.Always.Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.
I wasn't impressed. It was pretty much all opinion. I was hoping for some facts but it seemed to be lacking.

[Rachel Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Midnight Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not the best Jack the Ripper book I've read. I think this could have been better if it was more based on facts and less on individual opinions--