RipHer

by Lee Leslie

Coming soon

Doctor Rowena Radcliffe opens a small clinic in Whitechapel. There she meets five poor, disenfranchised women destined to become famous. Famous for the mystery that surrounds their deaths at the hand of Jack the Ripper. The Ripper was never caught. The question of why those specific women were targeted has never been answered.

RipHer is a historical novel offering a unique twist to the unsolved murders. It takes the reader down a speculative path-the Ripper was not who or what the public believe. The truth about the identity of the killer was hidden as it was too shocking for the public to learn truth.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction

367 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2012

Reviews

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the characters in this book. Very quickly I wanted to see how they developed as they renewed their relationships. I became so interested in the characters that I was nervous about the Ripper murders starting because I thought it might take away from their development. Instead, the murders were more like a small plot device to move along the story and bring it to a conclusion. I don't feel that it necessarily had to be during the Jack the Ripper murders, although the author did seem to have the murders well researched. Instead, I believe the book could have been placed almost anywhere as the story was more character driven and the scenery was generally neglected, which is a shame for something set during the Jack the Ripper murders in the somewhere as atmospheric as Victorian London.

The language did not always seem to reflect Victorian England, but behaviour seemed appropriate and well researched. I wanted to read more about Rowena and her troubles being a doctor in a male dominated field. Honestly, I think I would have enjoyed the book a great deal if it had just been about her difficulty in gaining the respect of male doctors, gaining the trust of the prostitutes of London, and her relationship with Lord de Grey.

Overall, I enjoy reading the history of the Jack the Ripper murders, and find that reinterpretations can often fall flat, especially when the murderer is found, but knew what I was in for for this one (the title is a dead giveaway). I enjoyed this book, not so much for the Ripper aspect, but for the characters, and would certainly pick up another book by this author.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always found the Jack the Ripper case to be extremely interesting and intriguing so I was excited to win this book. It was a great read, really fast paced. Also, although the lead character is a female doctor in nineteenth century England, her character seems believable and the circumstances seem believable. However, I did have a few flaws with the book. First, I believe in my historical fiction being as accurate as is possible. One character is the Duke of Albany. He is seen as a friend and almost mentor to some of the characters and it is largely by his recommendation that Rowena (the main character) is allowed to work on the Ripper case. However, a simple Google search would show that in 1888, the Duke of Albany was the 4 year old grandson of Queen Victoria. Probably not the best person for the character. I am sure there are plenty of other dukes in 1888 that would have made more sense. It seems to be an odd, out of place, unresearched bit. Also, the ending was, to me, quite predicable. Other than that, it was a good read.

[Sherrel Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

RipHer a Finalist in 2012 Daphne Du Maurie Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense