Tales of Jack the Ripper

by Ross E. Lockhart (Editor), Ann K. Schwader, Alan M. Clark

1888: A killer stalks the streets of London's Whitechapel district, brutally—some would say ritualistically—murdering women. With each slaying, the killer grows bolder, his crimes more extreme. So far, there have been five victims (that we know of): Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly.

The story of Jack the Ripper captured lurid headlines and the public's imagination, and the first fictionalization of the Ripper killings, John Francis Brewer's The Curse Upon Mitre Square appeared in October of 1888, mere weeks after the discovery of Jack's first victim. Since then, hundreds of stories have been written about Bloody Jack, his victims, and his legacy. Authors ranging from Marie Belloc Lowndes to Robert Bloch; from Harlan Ellison to Maureen Johnson; from Roger Zelazny to Alan Moore have added their own tales to the Ripper myth. Now, as we arrive at the quasquicentennial of the murders, we bring you a few tales more.

From the editor who brought you The Book of Cthulhu comes Tales of Jack the Ripper, featuring new fiction by many of today's darkest dreamers, including Laird Barron, Walter Greatshell, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Ed Kurtz, Joseph S. Pulver Sr., Stanley C. Sargent, E. Catherine Tobler, and many more.

Genres: Horror, Anthologies, Short Stories, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Crime, Thriller

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2013

About the author

Ross E. Lockhart is the Publisher/Editor in Chief of Word Horde. A lifelong fan of supernatural, fantastic, speculative, and weird fiction, Lockhart holds degrees in English from Sonoma State University (BA) and SFSU (MA). He is a veteran of small-press publishing, having edited scores of well-regarded novels of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Lockhart edited the acclaimed Lovecraftian anthologies The Book of Cthulhu and The Book of Cthulhu II and Tales of Jack the Ripper (2013). Forthcoming are The Children of Old Leech (with Justin Steele, 2014), and Giallo Fantastique (2014). Lockhart's rock-and-roll novel, Chick Bassist, was published by Lazy Fascist Press in 2012. Lockhart lives in an old church in Petaluma, California, with his wife Jennifer, hundreds of books, and Elinor Phantom, a Shih Tzu moonlighting as his editorial assistant. Find Ross online at http://www.haresrocklots.com

Reviews

[Leza Cantoral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ross E. Lockhart's Tales of Jack the Ripper takes you on a twisting hallucinatory and heart rending journey into the dark Whitechapel nightmare that still haunts us to this day. The terror lives on, undiluted by the passing of the years.
More violent crimes have been commited since, it is true, so why does it endure? There is no easy answer, perhaps that in itself, IS the answer. The mysterious timing between murders, the grim setting, the dizzying array of possible motives, the lifestyles of the victims...seeming patterns, the earmarks of a good and juicy mystery.
The more you look, the more all the pieces seem to start sliding about, forming a dark image at the back fo your mind. It all makes some kind of terribe sense, and as you become more repulsed you become more fascinated, and you think: if only I could get into the killers head, then I'd know, then I'd be able to unravel this tangle of thorns.
The stories collected here are varied and vibrant. As you travel through this lush labyrinth of Ripper madness, don't slip on the pooling blood puddles steaming in the icy fog, and don't be too distracted to miss the ghostly lilacs and roses that, though brittle and dried by time, bleed their dizzying bittersweetness upon you, in waves of awe, sadness and wonder. This is truly a beautiful and inspiring colletion, well worth the read and the re-read.

[Orrin Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Disclosure: This volume contains my story "Ripperology."

Tales of Jack the Ripper is the first anthology from Ross Lockhart's new Word Horde imprint, and even if I didn't have a story in it, I'd say that it's an incredible, confident move out of the gate for one of the best editors working in the field of weird and supernatural fiction. Not that every story in Tales of Jack the Ripper falls under the rubric of "weird" or "supernatural," but the anthology as a whole definitely has that vibe.

There are stories that run the gamut here, from naturalistic whodunits to out-and-out Lovecraftian weirdness to Joe Pulver's experimental prose. It's a ripping good anthology from start to finish, but a few of my favorites include Silvia Moreno-Garcia's wonderful fusion of wax museums and Aztec mythology, T.E. Grau's Lovecraftian tale, Ennis Drake's "The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick-Maker," and of course Laird Barron's fantastic and confounding "Termination Dust," among others.

[Justin Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serial killers hold the title of being the most terrifying form of criminal, yet also the most fascinating. Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy, and John Wayne Gacy. The crimes they committed were numerous and brutal, and the complete lack of remorse they displayed made them all the more terrifying. While they all had more victims, many killed in a more gruesome manner, they still haven't quite achieved the status of Jack the Ripper. In his story, Ripperology, Orrin Grey's characters ruminate on this, and it seems that what makes the Ripper so legendary is that he (or she) was never caught. There is no face to put to the name. These other killers, once caught under the public spotlight, are just men with some really deep problems. Jack the Ripper remains a boogeyman. There are many theories out there, but the true identity and motives of the Ripper will forever remain a mystery, and with mystery comes power.


With this in mind, it's no surprise that editor extraordinaire Ross E. Lockhart chose Jack the Ripper to be the theme of his first publication from his new publishing venture, Word Horde, just in time for the quasquicentennial of the Ripper murders. Tales of Jack The Ripper contains seventeen stories (three are reprints, the rest original) and two poems (both reprints) from many notable weird fiction authors. While there are a few weaker tales, most of the tales are strong enough to carry their weight. Now on to the stories I liked.


Of the three reprints, Ramsey Campbell's is the strongest. Jack's Little Friend is a second person narrative, and adds a supernatural twist, that maybe the force driving Jack to kill is a parasite of sorts that can be removed and even latch on to others. In A Host of Shadows, authors Alan M. Clark and Gary A. Braunbeck present readers with a dying, elderly Jack. As death nears, the man who was once the Ripper ruminates on whether or not all the good he has done with his life since is enough to wash away his sins. In more pulpy fashion, Joe R. Lansdale's God of the Razor features an antiques dealer stumbling upon a dark entity that compels people to murder, entering their minds when they cut themselves on a razor. Bits of the story may seem silly, but Lansdale has the voice of a master storyteller and pulls off a creepy little tale.


The reprints come early in the book, making way for the originals. Sylvia Morena-Garcia's Abandon All Flesh is about a girl obsessed with a wax museum's rendition of Jack the Ripper. The girl is cold, and indifferent to much of what's going on around her, thoughts of the Ripper being the only thing that seems to draw a reaction from her.


Ennis Drake's The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker is another exercise in the second person narrative. Drake pens a tale of a man reenacting the Ripper murders, interwoven with other tales of violence, making for a commentary of our violence-saturated culture.


T.E. Grau's The Truffle Pig is one of my favorite stories in the collection, and a pure weird fictional take on the Ripper. Blending bits of Lovecraftiana with a confident narrative voice, Grau's Ripper is a misunderstood defender of mankind, constantly on the hunt to slice away the darkness.


Orrin Grey's Ripperology, as mentioned earlier in the review, offers some insight into what makes the Ripper so special among serial killers. These ideas are woven into a narrative about a friendship between true crime authors.


Hell Broke Loose by Ed Kurtz is a look into why the Ripper does what he does, and if anything is a prequel story in the Ripper saga. The protagonist of the story, Blake Prentiss, is a broken-hearted mess of a man who finds himself entwined with the brutal murders of local girls in 1885 Austin, Texas.


Edward Morris and Joe Pulver both take inspiration from Harlan Ellison's famous anthology Dangerous Visions, which included two connected Ripper stories. Robert Bloch's A Toy For Juliette sees a sadistic woman and her grandfather pull Jack into a dystopian future setting, while Harlan Ellison's The Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World acts as a sequel. Edward Morris explores this theme of dislocation with Where Have You Been All My Life? In this story, Jack wakes up with amnesia far from home. Joe Pulver's Juliette's New Toy is a short piece told in Pulver's disjointed, poetic style.


Pete Rawlik's Villains, by Necessity throws Jack the Ripper, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Sherlock Holmes, Fu Manchu, and many other turn of the century literary figures into a literary blender to produce a very short, very pulpy story that reads like the beginning of a much larger piece.


When the Means Just Defy the End creates a sympathetic Ripper with understandable motives, but loses steam when it veers into ghost-story territory. Stanley C. Sargent does a great job at giving readers a glimpse into the truly unpleasant and disturbing childhood memories of the killer.


One of the darker stories in the collection, Mercedes M. Lackey's A Pretty for Polly paints an unforgettable portrait of a madman. Over the course of the story, the killer's mental state deteriorates further and further, leading to an unforgettable ending.


Laird Barron's Termination Dust is the one story in the anthology that is not overtly about Jack the Ripper. Instead, Barron sets his slasher tale in a small, isolated Alaskan town. During a blizzard, someone goes on a killing spree. The story is not only an unreliable narrative, but it even tells the reader that it is. The answers are not laid out neatly, making for an interesting puzzle piece of a story, demanding re-reads. Barron's story has the distinction of being the best of the bunch, hands down. By taking some of the Ripper murder themes and turning them into an otherwise unrelated narrative, Barron's tale stands out as perhaps the most original piece in the anthology.


Tales of Jack the Ripper marks a strong debut for Word Horde. Lockhart, in usual fashion, has managed to put together a strong, multifaceted anthology that explores the Ripper legend at length. If this book is indicative of what's to be expected from his new press, than readers have much to look forward to.

Review originally appeared on my blog, The Arkham Digest.

[Allison Stumpf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horror is not a genre that can be successfully categorized - and part of the appeal of every scary story is the lack of resolution. The best horror leaves you hanging, with the unshakable dread that it's not over yet, that whatever it was that inspired such fear, whoever it was, is still out there - waiting. But stories about the things that lurk in the night are far more comprehensible then bald analyses of the human condition; above all else, we're absolutely terrified by exactly what humanity - what we - are capable of.

You would be hard-pressed to locate anyone who doesn't know the story of Jack the Ripper. Time and distance have swollen the legend of the killer who stalked the streets of Whitechapel to immense proportions, but perhaps the mordant fascination of generations can be attributed to one simple fact: the identity and motives of Jack the Ripper remain a mystery. Despite an entire body of exceptionally well-researched works that denounce one man after another as light-heeled Jack, it's doubtful that we'll ever know who dunnit.

Appropriately enough, the anthology itself put it best. "The power of the Ripper comes from the fact that he isn't a man. The hand that held the blade may have belonged to a man, or a woman, or to several people... No theory will ever satisfy because the Ripper was much more than the hand that held the knife." - `Ripperology', by Orrin Grey,

Tales of Jack the Ripper, edited by Ross E. Lockhart, brings us nineteen spine-tingling tales that attempt to explore the unknowable. Not every story features the eponymous character we can only call `Jack', but each incorporates the macabre fascination that is his legacy. There are stories that unravel the mystery, putting a name and motive to the man who was perhaps the world's first modern serial killer; there are tales dedicated to his gristly legacy and its inheritors. Plausible re-interpretations of historical murders stand side-by-side with modern narratives, might-have-beens, and what-ifs - because something happened, and while we know the what of it, we still don't know the who and how and why.

This anthology is not afraid to try new things, and that is only part of its innate draw. Marked, in part, by its diversity, the collection can be tentatively labeled a horror anthology - but that's an immense oversimplification. While horror is definitely an underlying theme, the stories run the gamut from supernatural and science fiction to psychoanalysis of a man who literally carved his way into history. An incredible variety of settings and styles, including poetry, are featured herein; there's something for everyone in this anthology. By the same token, there are a few tales that didn't appeal to me quite as much as others, but I can confidently say that that's due to personal preference rather then the writings themselves. My only disappointment was that, for all the stories, I was denied Jack the Ripper in space, but then again, modern media - including well-known franchises as Star Trek and Babylon Five - have already covered that to enormous applause. Several of my personal favorites are as follows -

"Ripperology", by Orrin Grey, bucks conventional plot development. Events are described in a factual, businesslike style that lends the story an incredible realism; a pervasive sense of something `not quite right' culminates in a spectacular crescendo. The conclusion leaves you desperate for more; it isn't satisfying in the least, and I consider that part of the story's appeal.

"The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick-Maker", by Ennis Drake, is one of the most disturbingly delicious stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Its' rambling, disjointed narrative, forcibly melded with detailed descriptions, lend the tale a vivacious reality; the juxtaposition of then and now prompts the disquieting realization that there is little difference between the two.

E. Catherine Tobler's "Once November" is a lyrical, almost wistful composition that is damn near addicting. The subtle subplots buried in the narrative meld into a glorious, overarching whole that left me outright hungry for more.

Violence, the unknown, and the true nature of monsters thread their way through this anthology like spider webs; these stories can be labeled horror, but in an eerie parallel to how Jack the Ripper has outgrown his origins as a flesh-and-blood murderer to become a legend, that's not all they are. Each story is nominally about `light-hearted' Jack or his legacy but in attempting to explain and expand on what happened more then a century ago, they make the Ripper someone the reader can empathize with. In trying to illuminate the unknowable, we make the mystery of Jack the Ripper a window through which we confront ourselves.

Brace yourself for a dark ride. But don't be surprised if the stories in this collection don't bother to conform themselves to your expectations; Jack the Ripper's been dodging quantification for over a century, and he - or she - or it - isn't about to start now.

[Amy H. Sturgis · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read a thematic collection, I look for three main ingredients: quality stories, a wide diversity of stories, and stories that prove their authors possess an awareness and appreciation of the tradition in which they are writing. This collection delivers wholeheartedly on all three. I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I truly loved some of them, and only one was a disappointment. I salute editor Ross E. Lockhart for doing an admirable job. This is a superior achievement.

Here's the breakdown.

Ann K. Schwader's "Whitechapel Autumn" sets the perfect tone for this volume, ominous and mournful, brooding on the horror of the Ripper's deeds. "Nothing grows but woe on Mitre Square," indeed.

Clark and Braunbeck's "A Host of Shadows" shows the last days of the Ripper, now 82-year-old pioneer in neurophysiology Dr. Howard Faber of Knoxville, TN. Paralyzed and dying, Faber experiences a disjointed and jarring patchwork of reality, memory, and hallucination. His son Wayne's choice to end his father's life brings pathos and irony to Thoreau's notion that "one true selfless act" "can erase thousand small hurts."

Ramsey Campbell's "Jack's Little Friend": "It's afternoon when you find the box. You're in the marshes on the verge of the Thames below London." Perhaps it's not the most original story about what possessed Jack (and may in turn possess you), but it's chillingly, vividly told.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Abandon All Flesh" is a poetic exploration of a girl named Julia, her fascination with a waxwork likeness of Jack the Ripper, and her coming of age, after a fashion (a dark and disturbing fashion). Darkly beautiful.

Joe R. Lansdale made my flesh crawl with his descriptions in "God of the Razor." While the plot itself is rather derivative, the execution (if you'll pardon the pun) is quite effective at creating a nightmare-like atmosphere.

Ennis Drake's "The Butcher, The Baker, The Candle-Stick Maker" is the kind of story I was waiting for; it follows a contemporary copycat killer fixed on committing tribute murders during the quasquicentennial anniversary of the original (here identified as Sickert's) atrocities. Told from the point of view of the contemporary copycat, this is both horrifying and mesmerizing in the parallels it makes. Very well done.

Walter Greatshell's clever "Ripping" delivers on its promise: "Come on, who wouldn't be excited to see a new film by Alfred Hitchcock? Or if not that, at least a film crassly purporting to be that?" It's complete with a twist ending. I think Hitch would have approved.

"Something About Dr. Tumblety" is a refreshingly different take on the notion of overcoming one's genetic heritage (or family curse, whether real or simply imagined). Patrick Tumblety delivers both genuine fear and genuine hope.

T.E. Grau's "The Truffle Pig" alone is worth the price of admission, as it were. This nightmarish piece reveals Jack the Ripper and H.H. Holmes to be two faces of the same creature - and he's the good guy! - pitted against dread forces of the Lovecraftian mythos. There is a method to the madness of our protector, it seems. Fantastic.

"No theory, no proof, will ever quench men's thirst for the Ripper legend, because the Ripper can never be contained by any one suspect, or conspiracy, or narrative. In Madame Tussauds' Chamber of Horrors he is represented only by a shadow, the last and final word on the Ripper's legacy." Orrin Grey's "Ripperology" is a well done meditation on Jack through the study of some of his other (far later) victims.

In "Hell Broke Loose," Ed Kurtz cleverly suggests the Servant Girl Annihilator, who preyed on the city of Austin, Texas in 1884 and 1885, made his way to London to become Jack the Ripper in 1888. It's an effective blending of true crime histories and imagination.

As I said, one of the things I most like to see in anthologies (beyond variety, which this book does well) is an awareness/respect for the tradition in which the authors are writing. Edward Morris's "Where Have You Been All My Life?" and "Juliette's New Toy" by Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. offer spine-tingling homages to the greats, Harlan Ellison's "The Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World" and Robert Bloch's "A Toy for Juliette." Brilliant!

"Villains, by Necessity" by Pete Rawlik accomplishes a great deal in a very few pages, drawing in iconic characters such as Professor Moriarty and Fu Manchu to combat Saucy Jack, who may be the spawn (figuratively and literally) of an experiment conducted by a certain Dr. Jekyll. Quite nicely done.

Stanley C. Sargent's "When the Means Just Defy the Ends" is definitely the weak link in the chain. It can't decide if it wants to be a psychological study of the murderer and his reasons for his crimes or a paranormal revenge tale, and it does neither well, and utterly fails in the "show don't tell" department in the process. Sigh.

Mercedes M. Yardley produces great chills for such a short story as "A Pretty for Polly," which tracks the descent into madness of a man who both detests women and adores his little daughter. Quite effective.

"Termination Dust" by Laird Barron goes in a completely different direction, suggesting that evil (and our fascination with it) never dies, and drawing a very subtle comparison between the insular lives of those who braved the Alaskan north in the late twentieth century with those who found themselves in the equally clannish and forbidding landscape of East London in the 1880s. It's relationship may be somewhat tangential to the theme at times, and I wished he'd addressed the gendered nature of the original Ripper violence more directly, but it left me thinking.

"Once November" by E. Catherine Tobler is a close second to "The Truffle Pig" as my favorite story in the collection. Who really died in Mary Jane Kelly's bed? A brilliant explanation for why Kelly was sighted after the murder. Haunting in every possible way.

Ann K. Schwader's painfully beautiful "Silver Kisses" ends this with the ideal dose of poignancy and horror.

Highly recommended for those who wish to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Autumn of Terror with appropriately thoughtful and atmospheric art.

[Ann Schwader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: the two sonnets that begin & end this anthology are mine. I won't be discussing them in my comments.

Emerging just in time for the Ripper's 125th anniversary of terror, Tales of Jack the Ripper is a widely varied anthology of mostly new works. There's something for everyone here, from meticulously researched speculations on Jack's identity (Stanley C. Sargent's "When the Means Just Defy the End," Ed Kurtz's "Hell Broke Loose") to cosmic horror (T.E. Grau's "The Truffle Pig") to pitch-black humor (Walter Greatshell's "Ripping"). There are familiar names -- Ramsey Campbell, Laird Barron, Joe R. Lansdale, Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. -- and plenty of new blood, an encouraging amount of it female. (I particularly liked E. Catherine Tobler's bittersweet "Once November.")

I had difficulty with two stories which, though well-crafted, were homages to "classic" Ripper tales I hadn't read. I also had a little trouble deducing why two other tales, both by well-known authors, had been included in this anthology. Again, both of these stories were extremely well-crafted . .. I just had trouble finding a strong connection to Whitechapel. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, however, I'll leave the reader to make his/her own determination about these.

All in all, this is a solid & strong assortment of mostly fresh Ripper fiction from a promising new press. The production values of the trade paperback are high, & a very affordable Kindle edition is also available.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I appreciated most about this anthology was the breadth of the stories. I wasn't sure if I would actually enjoy a book entirely themed around Jack the Ripper. I was fascinated by Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Abandon All Flesh" and its combination of the classic legend, the wax Ripper, and older, darker tales. In some ways, it made me think of Lovecraft's "Horror in the Museum." "Ripperology" captured the more academic side of my imagination and I plan to reread it. Given the premise, I was quite surprised by how much I liked "A Host of Shadows."

Others which hold my imagination a week after I finished include: "A Pretty for Polly," "Villains by Necessity," "Jack's Little Friend" (which is another I wasn't sure at the outset that I'd like), and "Hell Broke Loose"

Barron's "Termination Dust" is one which I know I'll need to read at least two more times to begin to put together, but it was a fiercely-evocative tale of death and isolation. Of the stories, it was the one I looked forward to the most, as it's the first I've read of his set in his native Alaska instead of the Pacific-Northwest or abroad.

I was pleasantly surprised that there were only a few stories I considered misses, but I won't mention them because others might feel differently when they read it.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I understand I should mention I got my copy as a gift. And it came with a little rubber kidney. A kidne, people. You try explaining to a bewildered barista why that's making you laugh. The looks you get.)

Another book that's making me revisit my policy of reserving five stars for books that everyone should read regardless of whether they are usually interested in the genre--because by any other metric, this would be a five-star book. It's thoughtful, strange, creepy, weird, clever--it ranges from layering strange new meaning onto the quasquicentennial-old[1] events to reinterpreting them in new settings to addressing just what can develop out of a driving obsession with Jack.

Seriously worth picking up, for those with an interest in the Ripper, fans of horror, and those who enjoy the supernatural mixed with their crime fiction.
---
[1] Another plus. Do you know how few books teach me new words?

[Rena Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

TALES OF JACK THE RIPPER is a great collection of works from many different points of view regarding the infamous Jack the Ripper. Some of my favorites are "A Host of Shadows," "A Pretty for Polly," "Hell Broke Loose" and "Once November" but every single work in the anthology is entertaining, you won't be disappointed with this purchase.

[Aeion · Rating 4 out of 5]

The anthology, Tales of Jack the Ripper, edited By Ross Lockhart takes its inspiration from one of the darkest chapters in our history and the fiend who in fostered it. The murderer, know only as Jack the Ripper, could have been anything from a kindly and well renown Doctor to the dark impulses latent in any human heart. Included are such stories as Alan M. Clark and Gary A. Braunbeck ‘s touching and ghastly “Host of Shadows” , Joe R. Lansdale’s harrowing “God of the Razor”, Orrin Grey’s well written Ripperology and poetry of Ann K. Schwader. As you read this fine collection of you’ll confront the fact we still don’t and in all likelihood won’t know identity or motivations of one of history’s most renowned serial murderers. Here upon the 125th anniversary of his famous murder spree, Tales of Jack the Ripper will present you with the fearsome enigma of Black Jack and good reason for looking over your shoulder at night. A fine read and worthy addition to any horror collection.

[Emma Alice Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Party At Jack's Place

A good anthology is like a good party. You go into it knowing a few people there and leave with some awesome new friends and get your throat slit and your guts ripped out. Wait, no, that's not it. This is a tight anthology. Not a bad story in the bunch. I knew some of the authors going in. If you haven't read "God of the Razor," you need to get with the program. And I came out with some new names I'm really psyched about seeing more from: Edward Morris, Patrick Tumblety, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, in particular. All offered unique variations of the Jack the Ripper story. What happened before? What happened after? What happened in Alaska? (Seriously, Laird Barron, what the heck happened in Alaska?) Ghosts. Mutilations. Just fantastic writing on every page. Don't say no. Say slash, slash, slash.

[Dustin]

From the synopsis, as well as this fantastic tor.com publication (I didn't finish it, as there are many spoilers,) Word Horde publisher and author, Ross E. Lockhart, has put together one heck of an anthology, with a lot of great talent. Check it out.


https://www.tor.com/2018/02/14/jack-v...

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there anyone who reads genre fiction who isn't in some way interested in, if not obsessed with, Jack the Ripper? Jack, or versions of him, has appeared in mystery fiction, science fiction, fantasy and of course horror ... and I wouldn't be surprised to learn he's appeared in western stories too. Lockhart's volume contains only five reprinted stories; the remainder are new additions to the lore of Bloody Jack. Some are about Jack himself, some about his legacy. Some are stronger than others. But I suspect any Ripperologist (to steal the title of Orrin Grey's story) will find multiple reasons to enjoy this anthology. The book begins and ends with poems by Ann K. Schwader. The volume's prose starts with one of many stories that reveals Jack as a real, flawed, human ("A Host of Shadows" by Alan M. Clark and Gary A. Braunbeck), followed by one of the many that paints Jack as a malevolent spirit infecting individuals ("Jack's Little Friend" by Ramsey Campbell). These two stories set the tone of the book: dark and with a bit of a split personality, just like the legend that inspired it. The reason most of these tales are so effective is that any one of them could be true. Again, as Orrin Grey has a character say in his tale, "No theory, no proof, will ever quench men's thirst for the Ripper legend, because the Ripper can never be contained by any one suspect, or conspiracy, or narrative."

Since I post individual story reviews on my livejournal short story community (http://365shortstories.livejournal.com/), I won't go into details here, but I will list the stories that most stuck with me weeks after reading them. Clearly, Orrin Grey's "Ripperology," as I've referenced it so many times, is a favorite. I also have to call out the original stories Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Abandon All Flesh," Ennis Drake's "The Butcher, The Baker, the Candlestick-Maker," E. Catherine Tobler's "Once November," Laird Barron's "Termination Dust" and Ed Kurtz's "Hell Broke Loose" as particularly effective each in its own way, as well as the reprints of Joe R. Lansdale's "The God of the Razor." And I know my fellow fans of Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton concept will particularly enjoy Pete Rawlik's "Villains, be Necessity," which plays the crossover game so very well but feels like only half of a story.

[Rand Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't want to be caught dead without a copy of `Tales of Jack the Ripper' from Word Horde. Needless to say, Ross E. Lockhart has brought us another brilliantly alchemized collection of tales. These stories will have you feverously flipping pages in a hungry suspense--each holding that `one more page' grip that established readers search for. If you thought you knew all about dear ol'Jack, think not again, but 19 more times! From the sensation of a skipped-heart beat behind heated skin, the all-mighty cringe, a raised brow and squinted eye, to the purest form of empathy, this fine collection will leave you anything but disappointed. I know my fair share of Jack, but these stories are really above and beyond all I had preconceived. Not only are they to die for, but they are even written by some of the best in our era of fiction--Laird Barron, Ramsey Campbell, Joe R. Landsdale, and Stanley C. Sargent, just to name a few.

What adds to the awe of this collection is that most of these pieces are debuting in this anthology! If you are on the line because of repeat stories, discard that thought because there is a small boat-load of fresh fiction. Even more to add is the praise Ross. E. Lockhart has acquired from his previous anthologies `The Book of Cthulhu 1 & 2', which are must have works for Lovecraftian fellows.

So, what are you waiting for? Hopefully not the silent kiss of a long razor? I suggest cutting into a copy as soon as possible, if you catch my drift...before it's too late.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

My problem with this kind of antologies is always the same: I buy them thinkin' "Oh, I'm really going to love this one!" and at the end just a few tales were really great, some nice and some not at all. The good is that sometimes you can find small gems like Pete Rawlik's "Villains, by necessity", a pastiche with Professor Moriarty, Fu Manchu and more. Have to read his "Reanimators" novel as soon as possibile. Vote: 3.5

[Free · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of Ripper stories. The individual writers have a very liberal interpretation of the theme, and that works here. Who wants to read an endless series of faux-Victorian Ripper pastiche? No matter how well written each story might be, the overall effect would pall.

No need to worry that this might occur in this collection. Our "Rippers" are not restricted to being male, adult and within the Victorian period - they are not even restricted to being human.

There are some names you will recognise if you are into horror stories, and others that you may not recognise. But the quality of the stories throughout is consistent. At no time did I read a story and wonder "Why did they include that stinker?" Of course there were ones I enjoyed more than others - there always is - but that is due to personal taste, not a lack of quality in any story.

I do not want to 'spoiler' the more creative takes on the Ripper mythos for other readers so I will not give details. But if you like the idea of a set of stories about Jack the Ripper, and you are interested in a wide variety of treatments of the subject, you will love this. I certainly did.

[Karl]

Table of Contents

1 - Introduction Ross E. Lockhart
3 - Whitechapel Autumn, 1888 – Ann K. Schwader 1999
5 - A Host of Shadows – Alan M. Clark and Gary A. Braunbeck 2000
27 - Jack’s Little Friend – Ramsey Campbell 1975
39 - Abandon All Flesh – Silvia Moreno-Garcia 2013
47 - God of the Razor – Joe R. Lansdale 1987
59 - The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker – Ennis Drake 2013
75 - Ripping – Walter Greatshell 2013
83 - Something About Dr. Tumblety – Patrick Tumblety 2013
95 - The Truffle Pig – T.E. Grau 2013
105 - Ripperology – Orrin Grey 2013
113 - Hell Broke Loose – Ed Kurtz 2013
143 - Where Have You Been All My Life? – Edward Morris 2013
149 - Juliette’s New Toy – Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. 2013
155 - Villains by Necessity – Pete Rawlik 2013
163 - When the Means Just Defy the End – Stanley C. Sargent 2013
197 - A Pretty for Polly – Mercedes M. Yardley 2013
203 - Termination Dust – Laird Barron 2013
233 - Once November – E. Catherine Tobler 2013
243 - Silver Kisses – Ann K. Schwader 2006

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of stories, all loosely based on London's most famous serial killer, The reader gets to examine the killings from various viewpoints including those of the victims and the man himself. There are also a couple of interesting stories set in locations other than gaslight London.

[Damien Angelica Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wickedly good anthology!

[PenneyDreadful · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories I most enjoyed in this anthology are by:

Ramsey Campbell
Mercedes M. Yardley
Joe R. Lansdale.

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I mostly enjoyed about this collection is that it is as varied in its takes on Smiling Jack as the real life events. There are more Ripper theories floating in the ether than can be combined in any one definitive history, and it seems as though each writer managed to latch onto a different answer to who Jack was and the reasons for the original crimes. He was a doctor, a sexually abused son of a hooker, or the bastard sons of Mr. Hyde. He did it for love; for honor; to cleanse the city. With all these and so many more imaginative views on one of the greatest unsolved mysteries ever it seems impossible to consider that the only real overlaps in the narratives are the victims' names. And even the reason they are chosen as sacrificial lambs is wildly different from one to the next.

You can read Michel's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Leigh Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very diverse mix of short stories related to Jack the Ripper. Some were very bizarre, and all were fairly disturbing as they should be. I preferred the ones that were based more on the actual crimes of Jack the Ripper, and set in the same time period. There were several that were a more modern spin with the actual crimes being a kind of influence. All were well written, but not all of them were too my taste. Still, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Jack the Ripper, as these fictional stories do give interesting insights to "what if."

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've done multiple papers and presentations on Jack the Ripper for various history classes I took back when I was still in school. So I was so excited about this anthology of Ripper fiction, which included some of my favorite authors. I bought it right away. And then promptly left it on my shelf for 10 years. Finally decided to actually read it. Was it worth the excitement I felt about it (not to mention the wait)? Mostly yes.

"Ripperology" by Orin Grey was one I'd read before, but I reread it here and it was honestly one of my favorite stories in the book. I can never get enough of Grey's writing; he's one of the best writers in the horror genre today. In "Ripperology," the narrator befriends a Ripperologist (yes, it's a thing) and collector of true crime memorabilia. The man eventually mysteriously (and brutally) kills himself, but not before sending our narrator a parting gift. If you only read one story in this book (which you absolutely should read more of), make it this one.

Other highlights include:

"Abandon All Flesh" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Another story by one of the best contemporary horror writers out there. Beautifully written tale of a girl obsessed with a wax figure of Jack the Ripper.

"Villain, by Necessity" by Peter Rawlik combines the Ripper mystery with the story of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Two underworld crime lords (whom I believe to be Moriarty and Fu Manchu) draft a detective to take down the Ripper. Or is it Rippers? I would love to read a longer story with these characters and set in this world.

"Hell Broke Loose" by Ed Kurtz - Along with Rawlik's contribution, this was one of the more original takes on the Ripper story. The Ripper's killings are linked with those of Austin's Servant Girl Annihilator, another historical serial killer whose identity has remained a mystery. In this story an innocent woman is a victim of a virtual strangers idealization and deification, and he is made unhinged and murderous when she fails to live up to his expectations. This is a unique story about a much less famous killer and also an examination of the more modern idea of toxic masculinity and the dangers of men who think they are owed something from women.

These were my favorites but there were a number of good stories in the anthology, including the classic "God of the Razor" by Joe R. Lansdale and a story from the incredible Ramsey Campbell. Definitely check it out if you're interested in the Ripper mystery or just solid horror in general.

[Toolshed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm gonna repeat myself and say that, on an imaginary scale of coolness, there are three characters who have attained somewhat mythical proportions and who make any story automatically better just by occurring in it or it being somehow, even tangentially, related to them; those characters are, of course, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and Jack the Ripper. All products of the same era, funnily enough. That said, I was not particularly thrilled by a large portion of this anthology.

Obviously the highlight is the Laird Barron story because, well, it's Laird Barron. I have already read "Termination Dust" in his collection but am pretty sure that I could read one Barron story every day of my life till I died. What makes it even more brilliant is that the story itself is almost totally unrelated to the whole Ripper business--only Barron could achieve such a feat in a Jack the Ripper anthology. Then there were stories by authors unknown to me which surprised me in a good way: "The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker", "Ripping" and "Once November" especially was wonderful. "Villains, by Necessity" by Pete Rawlik of the Lovecraft Ezine fame was a great read as well - I love metafiction. Overall, I was expecting more from an anthology with such a great theme.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most interesting things are the mystery and the mood of this book. There is something deeply morbid about the engagement with it. It is like some sort of opening into the pysche of place and space.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skip the Laird Barron story...it's terrible.

[Marian Paroo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally don't "do" Jack the Ripper, but this is a fantastic collection of short stories. And there is a quote from one of them, "Ripperology", that I use a great deal in religious discussions

[Krystal Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of all short stories. Some of the stories really stuck with me (like God Of The Razers) and some really drug on and on.

[Jason Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ross E. Lockhart is a megaphone of an anthologist, broadcasting the best voices Horror and Weird fiction has to offer. Proof of this can easily be found in his Books of Cthulhu I and II, and this gem of a collection, Tales of Jack the Ripper.
Anne K. Shwader opens this anthology with an ominous little poem that plunges like a knife in your chest, and the beauty and brutality never lets up.
These stories are diverse, and come from writers with distinct voices putting new spins and perspective to the Jack the Ripper mythos. I mean, somehow Joseph S. Pulver brought the Funk to Jack the Ripper with Juliette's New Toy. Laird Barron's Termination Dust reads like a modern Slasher, very well laid out, and intelligent. T.E. Grau's The Truffle Pig directly linked Jack the Ripper to Lovecraft's Mythos--and beautifully executed it. Mecedes M. Yardley killed it with a tough, but beautiful Neo-Noir style with A Pretty for Polly. When the Means Just Defy the End by Stanley C. Sargent, I think, centerpieces this collection. A classic that puts a sympathetic spin on Jack, with plenty of ghosts and violence but will definitely pull on one's heart strings.
There's not a dud in here, every one is different and beautiful.
Lockhart is one of the best, you've got to get this book!

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this on goodreads in a giveaway. It pains me to give it less than five stars, but it was a very uneven collection.

I've always been fascinated with what could be considered the world's most famous unsolved mystery. After reading this collection of short stories and poems, I think I'll stick to non-fiction treatments.

That's not to say that this isn't worth picking up, but if you're a fan of pure Ripper lore, skip this.

A few entries are very good. So good, I was disappointed when they ended. Some are okay, with only a passing connection to Jack, and a bit too long because of that.

A couple were straight up "huh?" territory.

A mixture of "What If?", alternate history, contemporary retelling, and origins. I would be disappointed if I bought this. Like I said, if your a big fan of Red Jack, stick to the (non-fiction) facts.