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The Return of the Ripper?: The Murder of Frances Coles
In the early hours of a cold February morning in 1891, the murdered body of Frances Coles was discovered beneath a railway arch in London’s Swallow Gardens. The nature of her wounds, the weapon used to inflict them, and the murder site itself were clear indicators for many that London’s most famous serial killer, Jack the Ripper, had returned.
But just how does Whitechapel’s notorious murderer fit in with the facts surrounding the case?
Contentious then as it still is today, is it reasonable to assume Frances Coles’ death proved to be the last in the Ripper’s reign of terror? Or was he long gone from Whitechapel’s streets by the time of her murder?
There can be no doubting the facts surrounding the killing are just as mysterious as those that involved the murders of Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Jane Kelly and, intriguingly, several others. All these women died in a similar fashion and their cases still sit in Whitechapel’s unsolved murder files. However, unlike those that had gone before, in the case of Frances Coles there was a serious suspect.
How involved was the suspect in the Frances Coles murder and did he have anything to do with any of the earlier murders carried out in Whitechapel? These questions have remained unanswered, until now. In The Return of The Ripper? Kevin Turton re-examines the facts behind the Coles murder case and the potential links with the unsolved Whitechapel murders of the 1880s.
But just how does Whitechapel’s notorious murderer fit in with the facts surrounding the case?
Contentious then as it still is today, is it reasonable to assume Frances Coles’ death proved to be the last in the Ripper’s reign of terror? Or was he long gone from Whitechapel’s streets by the time of her murder?
There can be no doubting the facts surrounding the killing are just as mysterious as those that involved the murders of Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Jane Kelly and, intriguingly, several others. All these women died in a similar fashion and their cases still sit in Whitechapel’s unsolved murder files. However, unlike those that had gone before, in the case of Frances Coles there was a serious suspect.
How involved was the suspect in the Frances Coles murder and did he have anything to do with any of the earlier murders carried out in Whitechapel? These questions have remained unanswered, until now. In The Return of The Ripper? Kevin Turton re-examines the facts behind the Coles murder case and the potential links with the unsolved Whitechapel murders of the 1880s.
219 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 17, 2023
In 1888–1891, at least 10 women were murdered in the Whitechapel district of East London, England. Some of their cases are footnotes compared to Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Kelly—the canonical five who are considered victims of the serial killer newspapers nicknamed Jack the Ripper. All 10 murders remain unsolved.
In The Return of the Ripper, Kevin Turton takes an in-depth look at one case, the death of Frances Coles. The well-paced narrative begins with her early morning murder on 13 February 1891, then follows the detectives searching for her identity, a motive, and a murderer. Like the earlier killings, the victim’s throat was slashed, her body was found accidentally, and no witnesses saw what happened. Tying a few clues together, the police arrest a man for the murder, but after the coroner’s inquest, he’s released.
After laying out Frances Coles’ case, the author describes Jack the Ripper’s profile, the arrested man’s story, how the other nine victims’ murders fit, and what the investigators knew. For armchair gumshoes, Turton provides a map of the murders, images of Whitechapel, and a who’s who list, along with his conclusions.
Prerelease book provided by NetGalley and Pen & Sword Books Ltd. for review consideration.
#TheReturnoftheRipper #NetGalley #nonfiction #TrueCrime #History #Unsolved
In The Return of the Ripper, Kevin Turton takes an in-depth look at one case, the death of Frances Coles. The well-paced narrative begins with her early morning murder on 13 February 1891, then follows the detectives searching for her identity, a motive, and a murderer. Like the earlier killings, the victim’s throat was slashed, her body was found accidentally, and no witnesses saw what happened. Tying a few clues together, the police arrest a man for the murder, but after the coroner’s inquest, he’s released.
After laying out Frances Coles’ case, the author describes Jack the Ripper’s profile, the arrested man’s story, how the other nine victims’ murders fit, and what the investigators knew. For armchair gumshoes, Turton provides a map of the murders, images of Whitechapel, and a who’s who list, along with his conclusions.
Prerelease book provided by NetGalley and Pen & Sword Books Ltd. for review consideration.
#TheReturnoftheRipper #NetGalley #nonfiction #TrueCrime #History #Unsolved
August 8, 2025
This is a fascinating re-examination of the 1891 Frances Coles murder and its possible link to Jack the Ripper’s infamous killing spree. Well-researched and atmospheric, it offers fresh insights, a compelling suspect, and leaves you questioning whether the Ripper truly vanished—or returned for one last crime.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews