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Strange Case of Dr. Doyle: A Journey Into Madness and Mayhem
London. 1910. A procession of well-attired gentlemen and ladies are clearly out of place among the stalls and pushcarts of the Whitechapel District. As the group makes its way through the crowded streets, the tour guide stops now and then to point out various places where the mutilated bodies of the women had been found. Although the murders occurred twenty-two years prior, the man leading the group seems to know every detail and aspect of each slaying. Of those things he does not know, he offers freely his own insightful conjecture. This is, however, no average tour of brutal acts. It is a close look at infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper s trail of blood. And the man leading the group is none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle famous creator of fictional character Sherlock Holmes, the world s greatest detective. In The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle, we learn what draws one famous Englishman to another in ways that are as fascinating as they are shocking. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle actually led a tour group to the sites of the Whitechapel Murders in the year 1910. While we do not have an existing description of that tour, authors Daniel Friedman, MD, and Eugene Friedman, MD, have meticulously pieced together Doyle s own words to create a riveting account of his publicly stated beliefs on each of these horrific murders. As Doyle takes the group on his tour, the reader learns about the victims and the way each died. The authors have also included new pieces of evidence to understand better the murderer known to history only as Jack the Ripper. Interspersed throughout the tour is the Friedmans unique and well-researched account of the life of the young Conan Doyle, which was shrouded in more mystery than any of his own works of fiction. The authors have uncovered facts about which few, if any, Doyle biographers have ever been aware. Doyle was able to reinvent himself so fully through his own writings that few recognized the more disturbing elements that were cut out of his own life story. What these two authors have uncovered in their investigation of Jack the Ripper and Sir Arthur will no doubt spark passion and debate among Sherlockians for years to come. The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle proves once again that truth elementary as it may be is always stranger than fiction."
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 2013
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Daniel Friedman
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 26, 2015
The actual killer leads a "posse" of aspiring crime solvers in an effort to find and identify the killer.
Such appears to be the governing theme in"The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle",an intriguing work where father and son authors.Drs. Eugene and Daniel Friedman strongly suggest, as supported by persuasive evidence that Arthur Conan Doyle ,famed autor and creator of Sherlock Holmes , was Jack the Ripper.
The book artfully mixes biographical facts relative to the life and times of Dr. Doyle with a fictional Doyle- led tour of members of a murder-solving club through the winding slums and back alleys of the Whitechapel district of London.
The reader learns that Dr. Doyle was more than an author.He was a skilled surgeon,a point that bears on the precision with which the Ripper's victims were gutted and dismembered.His attitude towards women was less than chivalrous.He believed that women were the sole cause of venereal disease and should be denied the right to vote . He was strong and athletic.He had an adventurous,risk-taking ,perhaps violent side, as evidenced by episodes,where as a whaling ship doctor, he would venture off board onto dangerous ice rafts to assist in the clubbing of seals.
The most compelling picture of Dr.Doyle as Jack the Ripper comes by way of the excursion of the Doyle-led crime-solving group to the murder sites in Whitechapel.There,we learn of Doyle's unique familiarity with the area of winding, narrow streets and dead ends, a feature that would certainly bear on Ripper's ability to
Lescape and elude detection.His discussions with members of his party show an uncanny,over zealous knowledge of facts relative to the crimes.
Dr.Doyle, in his interaction with the group and general mannerisms , is reminiscent of the style and methodology of his creation, Sherlock Holmes.His logic and deductive reasoning in weighing and analyzing each item of evidence is fascinating.At the same time, the reader can sense the presence of the Ripper by the manner in which Doyle ', often,in dismissing a point or discouraging a theory advanced by a group member seems to be baiting, teasing and gaming them.
The book takes the reader into the mind and manner of Dr. Doyle and makes a powerful case that Arthur Conan Doyle was Jack the Ripper.
Alan Wollersteink
Such appears to be the governing theme in"The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle",an intriguing work where father and son authors.Drs. Eugene and Daniel Friedman strongly suggest, as supported by persuasive evidence that Arthur Conan Doyle ,famed autor and creator of Sherlock Holmes , was Jack the Ripper.
The book artfully mixes biographical facts relative to the life and times of Dr. Doyle with a fictional Doyle- led tour of members of a murder-solving club through the winding slums and back alleys of the Whitechapel district of London.
The reader learns that Dr. Doyle was more than an author.He was a skilled surgeon,a point that bears on the precision with which the Ripper's victims were gutted and dismembered.His attitude towards women was less than chivalrous.He believed that women were the sole cause of venereal disease and should be denied the right to vote . He was strong and athletic.He had an adventurous,risk-taking ,perhaps violent side, as evidenced by episodes,where as a whaling ship doctor, he would venture off board onto dangerous ice rafts to assist in the clubbing of seals.
The most compelling picture of Dr.Doyle as Jack the Ripper comes by way of the excursion of the Doyle-led crime-solving group to the murder sites in Whitechapel.There,we learn of Doyle's unique familiarity with the area of winding, narrow streets and dead ends, a feature that would certainly bear on Ripper's ability to
Lescape and elude detection.His discussions with members of his party show an uncanny,over zealous knowledge of facts relative to the crimes.
Dr.Doyle, in his interaction with the group and general mannerisms , is reminiscent of the style and methodology of his creation, Sherlock Holmes.His logic and deductive reasoning in weighing and analyzing each item of evidence is fascinating.At the same time, the reader can sense the presence of the Ripper by the manner in which Doyle ', often,in dismissing a point or discouraging a theory advanced by a group member seems to be baiting, teasing and gaming them.
The book takes the reader into the mind and manner of Dr. Doyle and makes a powerful case that Arthur Conan Doyle was Jack the Ripper.
Alan Wollersteink
March 6, 2015
Inside the brain of the creator of Sherlock Holmes
Father son writing team Daniel Friedman, MD and Eugene Friedman, MD have written and published the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, MD and in doing so have achieved three important missions - a biography of one of the great writers of the last century, a grimly detailed account of the still unsolved murders of the infamous Jack the Ripper, and a very insightful (if not intended as the point of the book) dissection of the famous Sherlock Holmes (Doyle's creation) whose influence on crime investigation is ongoing in films and television.
Two physicians present an insightful account of the background and birth and extraordinary life of another physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - better than any previous biographer has written - because they write well, they have done their research, and they present Doyle's rather amazing life and experiences along with investigations into the sites and the schemes and the murders of Jack the Ripper by escorting a special tour with his elite `Our Society' to each of the scenes of the crimes, offering fascinating insights if not complete explanations of the true identity of Jack the Ripper and the how and why of his heinous crimes.
Peppered though the book are some original drawings by comic book illustrator John Romita, Jr. as well as some other historic value pen and ink images from the period. It all works amazingly well and as always becomes a `must read' for all of us who dote on Sherlock Homes and his creator. Highly Recommended.
Father son writing team Daniel Friedman, MD and Eugene Friedman, MD have written and published the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, MD and in doing so have achieved three important missions - a biography of one of the great writers of the last century, a grimly detailed account of the still unsolved murders of the infamous Jack the Ripper, and a very insightful (if not intended as the point of the book) dissection of the famous Sherlock Holmes (Doyle's creation) whose influence on crime investigation is ongoing in films and television.
Two physicians present an insightful account of the background and birth and extraordinary life of another physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - better than any previous biographer has written - because they write well, they have done their research, and they present Doyle's rather amazing life and experiences along with investigations into the sites and the schemes and the murders of Jack the Ripper by escorting a special tour with his elite `Our Society' to each of the scenes of the crimes, offering fascinating insights if not complete explanations of the true identity of Jack the Ripper and the how and why of his heinous crimes.
Peppered though the book are some original drawings by comic book illustrator John Romita, Jr. as well as some other historic value pen and ink images from the period. It all works amazingly well and as always becomes a `must read' for all of us who dote on Sherlock Homes and his creator. Highly Recommended.
January 4, 2017
This book was really amazing and the authors had the come to the same possible conclusion as I did. This is a great book to read if you are like me and find Jack The Ripper mesmerizing.
September 12, 2017
I enjoy good narrative novels, but my real love comes from reading true crime and conspiracy novels as well. This book combines the two neatly. If you are interested in unsolved crime and how characters in history may be linked, this book is for you.
I had seen reviews from some who said it was hard to follow, but if you are used to reading historical timelines it is actually a very easy read.
I would suggest this to Arthur Doyle/Holmes fans for their collections as well as unsolved mystery fans.
Without putting in any spoilers, I would like to add my own hypothesis on theories behind this book, but I will leave it up to the individual reader to come up with their own. This was the writer(s) theories and they seem backed up by numerous facts and biblio which is provided in detail.
Recommend
I had seen reviews from some who said it was hard to follow, but if you are used to reading historical timelines it is actually a very easy read.
I would suggest this to Arthur Doyle/Holmes fans for their collections as well as unsolved mystery fans.
Without putting in any spoilers, I would like to add my own hypothesis on theories behind this book, but I will leave it up to the individual reader to come up with their own. This was the writer(s) theories and they seem backed up by numerous facts and biblio which is provided in detail.
Recommend
January 5, 2016
While quite entertaining, this book's eventual premise was a bit hard to believe. I did find the non-fiction aspects of the book far more interesting than the fictional Jack the Ripper tour that is the main "glue" of the story. An easy and light read, but nothing to take too seriously or tax the brain.
Recommended as a good book for a snow day.
Recommended as a good book for a snow day.
February 28, 2021
This was a fascinating book covering Arthur Conan Doyle from childhood up until he got famous while also going over the path of jack the ripper. Well written, keeps you interested and you learn a lot.
April 20, 2015
It was recommended to me that I should read the Strange Case of Dr. Doyle from a co-worker. We have always discussed Ripper Street and Sherlock together and he thought that this book would be right up my alley. Boy, was he right! From the first page to the very last, I was totally won over. The Foreword was excellent. Although I knew a little bit about the Crimes Club already, the authors gave me a new appreciation of what they did at these meetings. Then, I was introduced to Conan Doyle's relatives ( a story in itself) and after that, to a group of amateur sleuths led by Conan Doyle who go after Jack the Ripper (well, clues that will lead to the identity of the Ripper). Every chapter had something to offer, whether to the origin of the Ripper's name or Conan Doyle's amazing life. However, the best part for me was the last chapter where you take all the clues that you have read about and try, on your own, to put a first and last name to Jack the Ripper. The afterword tied everything together for me and the bibliography was immense. In fact, I think every reference was annotated. And the illustrations by John Romita were a real treat.
I would recommend this book to everyone, even if you don't like mysteries. It has so much historical information in it and the authors approach to writing a biography was very different from the ones that I'm used to reading. Kudos.
I would recommend this book to everyone, even if you don't like mysteries. It has so much historical information in it and the authors approach to writing a biography was very different from the ones that I'm used to reading. Kudos.
February 12, 2016
This well written, meticulously and exhaustively researched book is a must read for fans of Conan Doyle and Jack the Ripper. Approaching this book with an open mind and allowing yourself to be taken on the journey will reward. It's essentially two books in one - part biography and part fiction. Each biographical chapter is followed by a fictitious chapter, where Doyle leads a group of colleagues around the murder sites in Whitechapel, retracing the footsteps of Jack the Ripper and discussing the evidence. Although the tour itself is ficticious, the evidence discussed in factual. There are fascinating parallels between Conan Doyle and the Ripper leading the authors to ponder an almost unimaginable possibility, one that is both shocking and controversial but the evidence is compelling. Highly recommended!
May 7, 2015
The research is excellent, however, the conclusions are very general (and could be applied to any number of men at that time) and just too circumstantial for me to take seriously. Worth it for the details about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's early life, and details about the Ripper murders.
September 10, 2015
The case of Jack the Ripper reviewed fictitiously by Sir Conan Doyle. Not too bad.
December 29, 2015
Well, I'm convinced. While the writing was kind of awkward in parts, the authors make a convincing case for Jack The Ripper's true identity: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Really. They are very thorough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2016
disappointing.... I believed this to be fiction but interspersed with small bits of fiction was a lecture on the life of arthur conan doyle.. if I had wanted to read a biography of Doyle's life I would have picked a better option.
July 24, 2022
An ambitious attempt by two authors. Unfortunately the story did not grab me. For one thing I found the premise misleading. It is not entirely nonfiction which was disappointing. I had thought the entire book was a biography but I was wrong.
July 17, 2019
An entertaining read, but in my opinion, the writer’s theory is poorly supported.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2023
“The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle”…research makes a pretty good case of who Jack the Ripper may have been.
January 17, 2016
After reading Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle I disliked Arthur Conan Doyle enough that reading anything more about him was totally unnecessary. Then I saw The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle at the library and the sensational cover intrigued me. I was also deceived by the fact that the book had a Dewey call number that usually indicates non-fiction.
The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle has alternating chapters. Chapter 1 is biographical starting with Doyle's parents and grandparents [yawn]. Doyle's father was described as the stereotypical artistically talented alcoholic and Doyle's mother was a manipulative bitch. No wonder their kid was a sociopath.
Chapter 2 is the beginning of a fictional Jack the Ripper tour of Whitechapel set in 1910. The fictional tour is led by a fictionalized Arthur Conan Doyle and peopled by a cast of fictional characters loosely based on a real tour of Whitechapel led by Dr. Frederick Gordon Brown in 1905.
The chapters continue to alternate between biography and fictional tour for the rest of the book. The biographical chapters end when Doyle was 29 years old, at the time of the Whitechapel murders. When asked his opinions on the Whitechapel murders Doyle suggested that the killer may have disguised himself as a midwife or abortionist to avoid suspicion, escaping in spite of being covered with blood.
Click here to
Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle recounts Doyle's whole life so there are fewer pages there devoted to his childhood, however, that book spends a lot more time on his adult life and authorship. His indifference to his 1st wife and his decade of adultery with the woman who was later to become his 2nd wife is recounted in some detail. In The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle, that whole decade of schtumping is covered in less than a sentence [under]stating that Doyle "long harbored a secret love."
Notes:
As an added plus that I didn't notice when I first picked up the book, the back flap tells me that one of the co-authors attended the same medical school as my oncologist. In an article last year, the New York Times referred to it as "Second-Chance Med School" where misfits go when they aren't accepted by any medical school in the United States.
Dr. Watson attended medical school at St. Bartholomew's, London.
Nit picking: The acknowledgements are in the front of the book. Always a blatant attempt to convince the reader first, that a lot of experts who are smarter than the reader were consulted on obscure points of fact and, second, that the author is financially supporting a loving wife, children, and perhaps a pet who should arouse the reader's sympathy.
The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle has alternating chapters. Chapter 1 is biographical starting with Doyle's parents and grandparents [yawn]. Doyle's father was described as the stereotypical artistically talented alcoholic and Doyle's mother was a manipulative bitch. No wonder their kid was a sociopath.
Chapter 2 is the beginning of a fictional Jack the Ripper tour of Whitechapel set in 1910. The fictional tour is led by a fictionalized Arthur Conan Doyle and peopled by a cast of fictional characters loosely based on a real tour of Whitechapel led by Dr. Frederick Gordon Brown in 1905.
The chapters continue to alternate between biography and fictional tour for the rest of the book. The biographical chapters end when Doyle was 29 years old, at the time of the Whitechapel murders. When asked his opinions on the Whitechapel murders Doyle suggested that the killer may have disguised himself as a midwife or abortionist to avoid suspicion, escaping in spite of being covered with blood.
Click here to
Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle recounts Doyle's whole life so there are fewer pages there devoted to his childhood, however, that book spends a lot more time on his adult life and authorship. His indifference to his 1st wife and his decade of adultery with the woman who was later to become his 2nd wife is recounted in some detail. In The Strange Case of Dr. Doyle, that whole decade of schtumping is covered in less than a sentence [under]stating that Doyle "long harbored a secret love."
Notes:
As an added plus that I didn't notice when I first picked up the book, the back flap tells me that one of the co-authors attended the same medical school as my oncologist. In an article last year, the New York Times referred to it as "Second-Chance Med School" where misfits go when they aren't accepted by any medical school in the United States.
Dr. Watson attended medical school at St. Bartholomew's, London.
Nit picking: The acknowledgements are in the front of the book. Always a blatant attempt to convince the reader first, that a lot of experts who are smarter than the reader were consulted on obscure points of fact and, second, that the author is financially supporting a loving wife, children, and perhaps a pet who should arouse the reader's sympathy.
July 25, 2016
This is really two distinct books wrapped into one, using the common theme of Arthur Conan Doyle to connect them. The first is a biography of Doyle, with the concentration on his life before the smashing success of his Sherlock Holmes stories. He was an MD, yet was never terribly successful at it, so he took up writing. Like so many people that eventually became famous authors, at first publishers expressed very little interest in his Sherlock Holmes stories.
The biography is interesting, for Doyle grew up in difficult circumstances, his father was a talented artist but an unstable drunk. Doyle seemed to always be on the verge of success, yet until the popularity of his Holmes stories exploded, never really got there.
The second “book” is a fictionalized rendition of Doyle taking a group of learned people on a tour of the sites where Jack the Ripper killed his victims. The tour is taking place in 1910, 22 years after the murders took place. The dialog between Doyle and his group covers the facts of the murders as well as the clues that Jack deliberately left behind. This is also interesting, although the dialog is of course fictionalized, the content is not. What is discussed is the facts of each murder as well as informed speculation as to how Jack could kill and then disappear. A point of emphasis is the brutality of the murders, once the deed was done Jack would have to have significant amounts of blood on his clothing. Yet, he was able to escape notice on streets that were patrolled by the police and were often packed with people.
The last section goes off on some very wild speculation, where the premise is put forward that Doyle was in fact Jack the Ripper. This surmise is based on the fact that Jack almost certainly had a detailed knowledge of human anatomy, he had to have been very athletic and was of course very intelligent. All qualities that Doyle possessed. The authors cite very little additional evidence for this conclusion, arguing that Doyle hated prostitutes, blaming them for his father contracting the syphilis that led to his unstable medical condition. While the conclusion is based on little real evidence, it does make for a very interesting conclusion.
This book was made available for free for review purposes.
The biography is interesting, for Doyle grew up in difficult circumstances, his father was a talented artist but an unstable drunk. Doyle seemed to always be on the verge of success, yet until the popularity of his Holmes stories exploded, never really got there.
The second “book” is a fictionalized rendition of Doyle taking a group of learned people on a tour of the sites where Jack the Ripper killed his victims. The tour is taking place in 1910, 22 years after the murders took place. The dialog between Doyle and his group covers the facts of the murders as well as the clues that Jack deliberately left behind. This is also interesting, although the dialog is of course fictionalized, the content is not. What is discussed is the facts of each murder as well as informed speculation as to how Jack could kill and then disappear. A point of emphasis is the brutality of the murders, once the deed was done Jack would have to have significant amounts of blood on his clothing. Yet, he was able to escape notice on streets that were patrolled by the police and were often packed with people.
The last section goes off on some very wild speculation, where the premise is put forward that Doyle was in fact Jack the Ripper. This surmise is based on the fact that Jack almost certainly had a detailed knowledge of human anatomy, he had to have been very athletic and was of course very intelligent. All qualities that Doyle possessed. The authors cite very little additional evidence for this conclusion, arguing that Doyle hated prostitutes, blaming them for his father contracting the syphilis that led to his unstable medical condition. While the conclusion is based on little real evidence, it does make for a very interesting conclusion.
This book was made available for free for review purposes.
April 15, 2015
From the first moment that I heard about this book, I knew had to had to get it. I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, am also, a devotee of true crime stories ... so it was only natural that I read it. As chance would have it, I read in Newsday that the writers of the Dr. Doyle book were have a book signing and discussion at Book Revue in Huntington Village. I thought it would be fun, and maybe educational, to hear them speak. The writers (both doctors) were very lively and engaging speakers and definitely knew their stuff.
After reading the first few chapters, the thing that was most interesting to me was the way the book was put together. Although I read a lot, I've never quite seen a book constructed like this. The chapters change from a Doyle biography to a trip through Whitechapel years after the Ripper murders had occured only to flip-flop back again. I must admit, I really liked their approach. Even though I've read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories, I really learned an incredible amount about Arthur Conan Doyle and the Jack the Ripper killings--- things that I, and I'm sure everyone out there, have never heard of before. It appears they have uncovered things that no one has ever found before.
Now that I have finished the book, I am completely blown away! Their conclusion was definitely spine chilling. If you like a good mystery, you'd better pick up this book ... you won't be sorry!
It was truly a great read and I highly recommend it!
After reading the first few chapters, the thing that was most interesting to me was the way the book was put together. Although I read a lot, I've never quite seen a book constructed like this. The chapters change from a Doyle biography to a trip through Whitechapel years after the Ripper murders had occured only to flip-flop back again. I must admit, I really liked their approach. Even though I've read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories, I really learned an incredible amount about Arthur Conan Doyle and the Jack the Ripper killings--- things that I, and I'm sure everyone out there, have never heard of before. It appears they have uncovered things that no one has ever found before.
Now that I have finished the book, I am completely blown away! Their conclusion was definitely spine chilling. If you like a good mystery, you'd better pick up this book ... you won't be sorry!
It was truly a great read and I highly recommend it!
June 22, 2020
This is an interesting half of a book. Written by a father and son duo; half of the book is a biography of the early life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the other half is a 'tour' and analysis of the crimes of Jack the Ripper by Dr. Sir Arthur to his contemporaries.
If you are interested in the biography, I would recommend skipping over the chapters labled "The Tour". It's just the specter of Doyle lecturing, and it's not nearly as entertaining as I have heard he was.
Conversely; if you are a Ripperologist, the biography seems completely superfluous.
Unfortunately, the connection between the two parts of the book does not become apparent until the end of the book, leaving the reader to feel that they are reading two unrelated books at the same time. It makes one wonder about the father / son relationship and whether either one was capable of reading the other's work with *both* a critical and an encouraging eye. I get the feeling that only the latter prevailed between the two.
And the ending of the book is beyond absurd.
I am not knowledgeable on what is available as far as biographies of Sir Arthur, but I would recommend "Complete Jack The Ripper" by Donald Rumbelow as far superior as as an historical 'true crime" on the Ripper.
If you are interested in the biography, I would recommend skipping over the chapters labled "The Tour". It's just the specter of Doyle lecturing, and it's not nearly as entertaining as I have heard he was.
Conversely; if you are a Ripperologist, the biography seems completely superfluous.
Unfortunately, the connection between the two parts of the book does not become apparent until the end of the book, leaving the reader to feel that they are reading two unrelated books at the same time. It makes one wonder about the father / son relationship and whether either one was capable of reading the other's work with *both* a critical and an encouraging eye. I get the feeling that only the latter prevailed between the two.
And the ending of the book is beyond absurd.
I am not knowledgeable on what is available as far as biographies of Sir Arthur, but I would recommend "Complete Jack The Ripper" by Donald Rumbelow as far superior as as an historical 'true crime" on the Ripper.
March 22, 2015
The authors have written a thoroughly fascinating book. It's a great read: the characters are drawn well, the story is logical and captivating,the writing is excellent, and any reader of mystery books will find this work enjoyable.
This book is a page turner as the reader explores the roles of Arthur Conan Doyle and Jack the Ripper. Wending their way through London streets in the 19th and early 20th centuries, readers find a city struggling with poverty. In a Dickensian style, the authors provide a look at the urban blight in the city and the interesting characters that populated its slums, all set within a thought-provoking mystery tale.
This book is a page turner as the reader explores the roles of Arthur Conan Doyle and Jack the Ripper. Wending their way through London streets in the 19th and early 20th centuries, readers find a city struggling with poverty. In a Dickensian style, the authors provide a look at the urban blight in the city and the interesting characters that populated its slums, all set within a thought-provoking mystery tale.
February 3, 2017
Such an interesting book. Instead of tracking Jack the Ripper it traces the path of Arthur Conan Doyle. You gather up clues and evidence that are told to you by Doyle. He takes you to five crime scenes where you try to figure out what made a Jack tick. It wasn't until the very end that I had my eureka moment and knew exactly the secret identity of this serial killer. It was if you were Sherlock Holmes and doyle was Watson. The authors discussed even the smallest clues and left no stone unturned. Not only is it a really good biography of doyle (although the book stops when he turns 30 which was a little weird), but it really helped to teach me what made Jack the Ripper such a bad guy.
May 25, 2015
Interesting, but far from convincing. I wonder if the authors REALLY believed that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was Jack the Ripper? I have no doubt that he had narcissistic personality disorder and was probably an unpleasant person to know. But a person of Doyle's shear physical size would have hardly gone unnoticed in the Whitechapel section of London in 1888. I've read that he was 6' 2" and over 200 solid lbs. A veritable giant at the time.
July 28, 2015
Very odd book. First chapter is an fictionalized version of a 'Ripper" tour given by Conan Doyle. Next chapter is a piece of his bio starting as a child. It carried on like that. Frankly the Ripper tour was a bore. I read through it quite quickly as the bio part was extremely interesting. I have never read an in depth review of his life. The final chapter sums up the book by 'exposing' the real Jack the Ripper. The evidence was strictly light weight and unbelievable.
August 3, 2015
The book is a fascinating study of both the life of Arthur Conan Doyle and the crime spree of Jack the Ripper. I do think that some of the conclusions drawn by the authors have some merit, but the ultimate conclusion is too much of a stretch. I enjoyed the book, but can't agree with their final "just maybe" off a conclusion.
January 20, 2024
This book felt more technical than I originally expected it to be, not really paying attention to the fact that the authors were a team of doctors as opposed to fiction writers.
The amount of research and detail in this book is amazing and for such a fact-driven book they really made a great story out of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The amount of research and detail in this book is amazing and for such a fact-driven book they really made a great story out of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
July 25, 2016
Good book with some interesting insights. Sadly, the historical fiction portion ended in an anticlimactic fashion. It makes me want to read Doyles complete works and learn more about him.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews