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I, Ripper
The electrifying new thriller from New York Times bestseller Stephen Hunter takes you deep inside the mind of the most notorious serial killer of all time: Jack the Ripper.
In the fall of 1888, Jack the Ripper slaughtered five prostitutes in London’s seamy Whitechapel District. He did not just kill—he ripped with a butcher’s glee—and then, after the particularly gruesome slaying of Mary Jane Kelly, he disappeared. For 127 years, Jack has haunted the dark corners of our imagination, the paradigm of the psychotic killer. We remember him not only for his crimes, but because, despite one of the biggest dragnets in London history, he was never caught.
I, Ripper is a vivid reimagining of Jack’s personal story entwined with that of an Irish journalist who covered the case, knew the principals, charted the investigation, and at last, stymied, went off in a bold new direction. These two men stalk each other through a city twisted in fear of the madman’s blade, a cat-and-mouse game that brings to life the sounds and smells of the fleshpot tenderloin of Whitechapel and all the lurid acts that fueled the Ripper headlines.
320 pages, ebook
First published May 19, 2015
367 people are currently reading
4916 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Hunter
107 books1,979 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Stephen Hunter is the author of fourteen novels, and a chief film critic at The Washington Post, where he won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
Stephen Hunter is the author of fourteen novels, and a chief film critic at The Washington Post, where he won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
July 23, 2017
This one just wasn't for me. I thought it would be a bit different. Oh well, I'm glad there are those that enjoyed it. It's also graphic for those that like a bit of blood and guts
March 9, 2025
If this book were ENTIRELY from Jack The Ripper, I would give it a 4 star....
Unfortunately, Jeb's constant interruptions ruined the whole thing. Can we just remove him from the book entirely?
Jeb's section is a 1.5 star to me. He was annoying, really full of himself, and BEAT UP EVERYTHING HE SAID! Enough was enough. I got so bored by him and mad every time the chapter ended, and I had to be bludgeoned by the over-telling of Jeb's point of view, talking about himself more and more and very little about actual Jack. Highly disappointing.
The Jack parts were very well written.
3 Stars.
Unfortunately, Jeb's constant interruptions ruined the whole thing. Can we just remove him from the book entirely?
Jeb's section is a 1.5 star to me. He was annoying, really full of himself, and BEAT UP EVERYTHING HE SAID! Enough was enough. I got so bored by him and mad every time the chapter ended, and I had to be bludgeoned by the over-telling of Jeb's point of view, talking about himself more and more and very little about actual Jack. Highly disappointing.
The Jack parts were very well written.
3 Stars.
June 9, 2019
Okay so I'm all pumped up, I'm ready to read this book, I've got my popcorn and I'm ready to dive in! I got about halfway through this book and it just falls flat on its face. I'm serious folks. I am a huge fan of the times and of Jack the Ripper stories. This one just didn't do it for me.
The book was extremely gory which was a pleasant surprise for me but I felt like the author tried to make up for the flat parts by being overly detailed in the gore.
The characters were, dare I say, drab to say the least. Even Jack the Ripper wasn't very interesting in this book and that is sad ☹️
This book may be for some people but it definitely is not for me.
The book was extremely gory which was a pleasant surprise for me but I felt like the author tried to make up for the flat parts by being overly detailed in the gore.
The characters were, dare I say, drab to say the least. Even Jack the Ripper wasn't very interesting in this book and that is sad ☹️
This book may be for some people but it definitely is not for me.
August 23, 2016
So incredible. Better review to come later. Once you finish this one, you'll want to turn around and read it again immediately!
April 12, 2015
I, Ripper by Stephen Hunter
In I Ripper, Stephen Hunter allows the reader a visit to a location called Whitechapel located in London. Between August 31st and November 9th, 1888 is when a cloaked figure known to the world as "Jack the Ripper" surfaced. In his book, Hunter takes a fresh approach to historical fiction with two diary type of narratives. The first is Jeb, a newspaper reporter bent on not only announcing the butchers festival, but in addition solving the mystery. The second comes in the form of Jack, where detailed accounts of his crimes are written in an horrific nature. This engrossing novel is a nonstop read for those with steel stomachs and no inhibitions.
August 14, 2015
Ugh.
I just - I couldn't. This was interesting up until about halfway, and then the story lost its energy. The writing was far too elaborate, the chapters dragged out, and even though this book is basically a reimagination of the Jack the Ripper murders (which is right up my alley - no pun intended) the plot did little to engage me.
*sigh*
Onto the next one.
I just - I couldn't. This was interesting up until about halfway, and then the story lost its energy. The writing was far too elaborate, the chapters dragged out, and even though this book is basically a reimagination of the Jack the Ripper murders (which is right up my alley - no pun intended) the plot did little to engage me.
*sigh*
Onto the next one.
July 21, 2015
What do you get as an author out of creative ideas? "I Ripper." Ripper off. 0 of 10 stars
March 16, 2017
10 Stars!!! I would highly recommend this to all Ripperologists....even amateur ones like me. Stephen Hunter has created a chilling masterwork of fiction, blended with painstakingly researched details of the Autumn of Terror. I have read every book dealing with Jack the Ripper that I could get my hands on and, consequently, know the names of his victims as well as the locations and manner of the killings. After reading this novel all of the trivia feels more real to me....not just names, dates, and places, but living, breathing women. (I always knew that intellectually, but reading this made me feel it). Even simply on it's merits as a murder mystery I, Ripper is a standout; I literally couldn't make up my mind who Saucy Jacky was until the 2nd to last chapter!
June 9, 2015
Hooray! I won this in the goodreads giveaways. I can't wait to get it. Im really looking forward to this one. :)
2.5 stars really. I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed. I, Ripper was ok. It was quite dull in some parts and by the end I just didn't care. It wasn't a horrible book, it was just ok.
2.5 stars really. I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed. I, Ripper was ok. It was quite dull in some parts and by the end I just didn't care. It wasn't a horrible book, it was just ok.
August 25, 2015
I, Ripper by Stephen Hunter is not what I expected from this bestselling author of fast paced thrillers. I, Ripper drips red with history, fictional and factual characters thrust into the darkest and bloodiest time in the alleys of Whitechapel. This is perhaps, one of the most original and creative stories I have ever read in the lore of Jack The Ripper.
It is 1888 and five prostitutes are murdered in the filthy dark corners of London's Whitechapel district. But this serial killer is not content with just murdering his victims; his gruesome displays of lurid surgery sicken both veteran policeman and reporter alike. The press quickly deems him; Jack the Ripper.
"...He was what we left behind when we moved indoors, he was the beast of the heart, he was a creature of pure will without interest in, much less an obedience to, all those rules we agreed upon when we put ourselves under roof. Mercy? Pity? Cooperation? Civility? Brotherhood? The hallowed temple of the soul? Bah, he pushed them aside with a single brutish swipe. He was out of the Cimmerian darkness, mangy, hairy, quick to slash and cut and exult in the spillage of blood. He cried havoc, he let slip the dogs of depravity and murder, but even more loudly he cried-- Not so fast. With your modern age, your railways, your steel ships and machines of war and deep penetrations under the earth for fuel to drive it all--not so fast, you blighters. Here is the message I deliver for you to contemplate. I am anarchy. I am fear. I am carnage, slaughter, destruction for its own sake. I will remind you: It is your vanity to believe you have come so far and left me behind. You will never leave me behind. Don't you see it yet? I am you.
That, really, is why I knew he'd strike again.
And he did..."
Jeb Horn is a reporter for The Star who rises to notoriety during this time. his uncanny ability to read into what the Ripper is doing and the failures of the police, make him a force to be reckoned with. But Jeb wants more than readership, he wants the Ripper. As he investigates the murders he begins to draw together a picture of the man who murders so violently. Aided by his new friend, Professor Dare, they believe they know who Jack the Ripper is. But knowing and catching him are two very different challenges.
Secrets and clues unfold in I, Ripper at a rapid pace and the picture Hunter paints of nineteenth century London and the seedy underbelly that is Whitechapel will stick with you for a long time. Hunter has researched the Ripper killings impeccably and the details he brings to the characters and the murders will make you feel that you are there, in the blood and the smells and the hypocrisy of the time. He has a love and passion for it and it comes through. What is different, what is original, what makes I, Ripper really tick are the characters. Jack. Jeb. And Dare. And everyone else in between and all around. That is what makes this so good and the worse part is that I cannot really share because that would be spoiling it for you. But it will surely change how you view some very well known cultural icons of this time.
I, Ripper moves fast. It is rich in intrigue and mystery. Told both through the eyes and thoughts of Jeb the reporter and the diary of Jack the Ripper himself. This is one Ripper story not to be missed.
A really great read!
It is 1888 and five prostitutes are murdered in the filthy dark corners of London's Whitechapel district. But this serial killer is not content with just murdering his victims; his gruesome displays of lurid surgery sicken both veteran policeman and reporter alike. The press quickly deems him; Jack the Ripper.
"...He was what we left behind when we moved indoors, he was the beast of the heart, he was a creature of pure will without interest in, much less an obedience to, all those rules we agreed upon when we put ourselves under roof. Mercy? Pity? Cooperation? Civility? Brotherhood? The hallowed temple of the soul? Bah, he pushed them aside with a single brutish swipe. He was out of the Cimmerian darkness, mangy, hairy, quick to slash and cut and exult in the spillage of blood. He cried havoc, he let slip the dogs of depravity and murder, but even more loudly he cried-- Not so fast. With your modern age, your railways, your steel ships and machines of war and deep penetrations under the earth for fuel to drive it all--not so fast, you blighters. Here is the message I deliver for you to contemplate. I am anarchy. I am fear. I am carnage, slaughter, destruction for its own sake. I will remind you: It is your vanity to believe you have come so far and left me behind. You will never leave me behind. Don't you see it yet? I am you.
That, really, is why I knew he'd strike again.
And he did..."
Jeb Horn is a reporter for The Star who rises to notoriety during this time. his uncanny ability to read into what the Ripper is doing and the failures of the police, make him a force to be reckoned with. But Jeb wants more than readership, he wants the Ripper. As he investigates the murders he begins to draw together a picture of the man who murders so violently. Aided by his new friend, Professor Dare, they believe they know who Jack the Ripper is. But knowing and catching him are two very different challenges.
Secrets and clues unfold in I, Ripper at a rapid pace and the picture Hunter paints of nineteenth century London and the seedy underbelly that is Whitechapel will stick with you for a long time. Hunter has researched the Ripper killings impeccably and the details he brings to the characters and the murders will make you feel that you are there, in the blood and the smells and the hypocrisy of the time. He has a love and passion for it and it comes through. What is different, what is original, what makes I, Ripper really tick are the characters. Jack. Jeb. And Dare. And everyone else in between and all around. That is what makes this so good and the worse part is that I cannot really share because that would be spoiling it for you. But it will surely change how you view some very well known cultural icons of this time.
I, Ripper moves fast. It is rich in intrigue and mystery. Told both through the eyes and thoughts of Jeb the reporter and the diary of Jack the Ripper himself. This is one Ripper story not to be missed.
A really great read!
August 29, 2016
"I, Ripper" was recommended to me by one of my GoodReads friends, Hannah. Hannah has excellent taste.
This is probably not a book I would have picked up if left to my own devices, but on her recommendation I got a copy from the library and I'm glad I did.
"I, Ripper" is told from both the point of view of Jack the Ripper from his personal diaries, and from the notes of a reported from the Star newspaper, Jeb, interspersed with letters written by one of the Whitechapel unfortunates.
Even though everyone knows about the killings, if not the details, I would still call this book a thriller. Because, believe me, even though you know the crimes, you will get caught in the twists and turns as Jeb tries to identify the man killing the whores of Whitechapel.
The last few chapters are startling, amazing, shocking, and horrifying by turns. I worked out who the Ripper was, but the real identity of Jeb, left me stunned.
Brilliant book. A must for all ripperologists, and all fans of Victorian crime fiction.
This is probably not a book I would have picked up if left to my own devices, but on her recommendation I got a copy from the library and I'm glad I did.
"I, Ripper" is told from both the point of view of Jack the Ripper from his personal diaries, and from the notes of a reported from the Star newspaper, Jeb, interspersed with letters written by one of the Whitechapel unfortunates.
Even though everyone knows about the killings, if not the details, I would still call this book a thriller. Because, believe me, even though you know the crimes, you will get caught in the twists and turns as Jeb tries to identify the man killing the whores of Whitechapel.
The last few chapters are startling, amazing, shocking, and horrifying by turns. I worked out who the Ripper was, but the real identity of Jeb, left me stunned.
Brilliant book. A must for all ripperologists, and all fans of Victorian crime fiction.
July 27, 2015
I am so disappointed in this book, it isn't even funny. To call this book flat, doesn't go deep enough. The characters were not inviting/interesting (even with one being Jack the Ripper) and the setting was just bland. I had to force myself to get through it. The one thing that I am happy about is that I nearly purchased the book given the topic and book description that it would have been right up my alley. I decided to hold off and saw it in the library.
February 2, 2018
5 stars all the way
First I have to say this book is not for the faint of heart , but if your into anything that deals with Jack the Ripper then these book is for you, Mr. Hunter has a way with this book that it takes you deep within the mind of the most notorious serial killer of all time , Jake the Ripper. Yes its graphic and gruesome but it takes you to what it was like back in 1888 When Jack the Ripper played a diabolical game with the lives of the women who walked the streets , in this amazing story you get to see it unfold in three different perspective and they are : Jeb a Irish journalist , Jack the Ripper himself, and one other . Its the type of story that once you start to read it , it won't let go, it pulls you into it and has you hooked, it makes you feel like your back in 1888, that you can hear , taste, and see what is going on, there was times that I was so caught up in the story that I jumped a few times when one of my dogs jumped up in my lap. Also I'll admit right now this is the first book of Mr . Hunter's that I've ever picked up and read and I did in fact pick it up because its about Jake the Ripper but I'm still going to be picking up more of his books to read ,but there's just some thing about the case of Jack the Ripper that keeps me hooked, so if you love books that are gruesome, has a diabolical twist to it, has a gothic feel to it , then you might want to check this out.
First I have to say this book is not for the faint of heart , but if your into anything that deals with Jack the Ripper then these book is for you, Mr. Hunter has a way with this book that it takes you deep within the mind of the most notorious serial killer of all time , Jake the Ripper. Yes its graphic and gruesome but it takes you to what it was like back in 1888 When Jack the Ripper played a diabolical game with the lives of the women who walked the streets , in this amazing story you get to see it unfold in three different perspective and they are : Jeb a Irish journalist , Jack the Ripper himself, and one other . Its the type of story that once you start to read it , it won't let go, it pulls you into it and has you hooked, it makes you feel like your back in 1888, that you can hear , taste, and see what is going on, there was times that I was so caught up in the story that I jumped a few times when one of my dogs jumped up in my lap. Also I'll admit right now this is the first book of Mr . Hunter's that I've ever picked up and read and I did in fact pick it up because its about Jake the Ripper but I'm still going to be picking up more of his books to read ,but there's just some thing about the case of Jack the Ripper that keeps me hooked, so if you love books that are gruesome, has a diabolical twist to it, has a gothic feel to it , then you might want to check this out.
August 17, 2015
I anxiously await every Stephen Hunter book, as he's the action writer I most want to grow up to be. I was no less excited when his latest title, "I, Ripper" came out...until I realized it was about Jack the Ripper.
Please. Can we all stop writing about this guy? I know I've had more than enough; I lump all Ripper books in the same pile as Jesse James, Billy the Kid, vampires, werewolves, and all other exhausted topics.
Having said that, Hunter manages to make old material interesting, which is like trying to make boxed mac n' cheese taste better. I knew I'd be in for a struggle when I opened to page one and found the manuscript written in the convoluted style of the 19th Century, and I was not disappointed in that regard. Parts of this novel were tough sledding, as sentences were tortured into lengthy beasts with a beginning far from the end.
Hunter is one of my top ten choices in any genre. This one, however, wasn't my cup of tea.
Please. Can we all stop writing about this guy? I know I've had more than enough; I lump all Ripper books in the same pile as Jesse James, Billy the Kid, vampires, werewolves, and all other exhausted topics.
Having said that, Hunter manages to make old material interesting, which is like trying to make boxed mac n' cheese taste better. I knew I'd be in for a struggle when I opened to page one and found the manuscript written in the convoluted style of the 19th Century, and I was not disappointed in that regard. Parts of this novel were tough sledding, as sentences were tortured into lengthy beasts with a beginning far from the end.
Hunter is one of my top ten choices in any genre. This one, however, wasn't my cup of tea.
June 15, 2017
This one seemed like a safe bet for a great read, as I love most of Hunter’s stuff and, like many others, find the Ripper case perennially fascinating. Unfortunately it ended up pretty underwhelming, for reasons I’m not exactly sure of. The book’s written well and I was definitely pleased with how Hunter managed to ditch his distinctive voice in favor of a 19th-century journalist’s. Victorian London is also given a vivid and thorough life and description, and it’s obvious Hunter did his research (even if he cites Wikipedia in his list of sources, which is always a no-no.)
The biggest complaint I can come up with is really that the mystery was not a great one and the red herrings were way too easy to pick out. Even calling them red herrings is an understatement, as they were more of a washed-out pink. The person who ended up being revealed as Saucy Jacky was number on my suspects list from pretty much the moment they ended the story, which was massively disappointing. Up until the final reveal I was even chiding myself with thoughts like “Nahhhh, that’s too easy. Hunter’s better than that.” Unfortunately in this novel he wasn’t better than that, which is surprising because the man can throw narrative curveballs with the best of them. The subplot concerning the letters sent home by one of London’s prostitutes (called Judies in the novel) turned out to be pretty much pointless, as well.
There was definitely good stuff here, though. Jack’s diary entries were creepy as fuck and convincingly nutty-sounding, and the killings are depicted with a nauseating sensuousness. If you ever really wanted to get inside Jack’s head before, during, and after his murderous adventures this is probably one of the more intense and vivid ways to go about it. I’m not really aware of other Ripper novels but I’m almost positive this was not one of the best of them, despite this novel being a skilled and game attempt at writing one. I’ll chalk it up as being one of Hunter’s few mediocre novels (they’re usually either great like Point of Impact or Dirty White Boys or mystifyingly dumb like The 47th Samurai or Night of Thunder.)
The biggest complaint I can come up with is really that the mystery was not a great one and the red herrings were way too easy to pick out. Even calling them red herrings is an understatement, as they were more of a washed-out pink. The person who ended up being revealed as Saucy Jacky was number on my suspects list from pretty much the moment they ended the story, which was massively disappointing. Up until the final reveal I was even chiding myself with thoughts like “Nahhhh, that’s too easy. Hunter’s better than that.” Unfortunately in this novel he wasn’t better than that, which is surprising because the man can throw narrative curveballs with the best of them. The subplot concerning the letters sent home by one of London’s prostitutes (called Judies in the novel) turned out to be pretty much pointless, as well.
There was definitely good stuff here, though. Jack’s diary entries were creepy as fuck and convincingly nutty-sounding, and the killings are depicted with a nauseating sensuousness. If you ever really wanted to get inside Jack’s head before, during, and after his murderous adventures this is probably one of the more intense and vivid ways to go about it. I’m not really aware of other Ripper novels but I’m almost positive this was not one of the best of them, despite this novel being a skilled and game attempt at writing one. I’ll chalk it up as being one of Hunter’s few mediocre novels (they’re usually either great like Point of Impact or Dirty White Boys or mystifyingly dumb like The 47th Samurai or Night of Thunder.)
June 22, 2015
This book was full of surprises. The story is told by 2 main narrators and one minor one--Jack the Ripper, a reporter named Jeb, and a young prostitute names Mairsian. The first two are in the form of journal entries, and the young girl's is in the form of letters, so all are first person narratives, which draw you into the story quickly. Well, I guessed early on who the prostitute was, but I got the other two wrong. I don't want to spoil the story for everyone, so I won't reveal who Jack the Ripper turned out to be. Hunter did a lot of research for this book, which has an extensive bibliography at the end. On the one hand, his period details, especially the language, the slang, made me feel like I was there. On the other hand, some of the references he made to people and events of the time may not be recognized by some readers (I had no problem with that). The only problem I had with the story was with the death of a character--a death that seemed unlikely and way over the top, but, considering the author's extensive research, must have been possible or have actually happened to someone. Anyone who reads the book will know which death I'm talking about. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it, especially to anyone interested in Jack the Ripper.
February 3, 2016
London 1888. A serial killer called Jack the Ripper is making his presence known in the Whitechapel area and everyone is on the hunt to find him.
The story is told in three voices - 'The Diary' which is Jack's voice, 'Jeb"s Memoir' which is local newspaper reporter Jeb's voice and letters from Mairsian, a local 'Judy' to her mother.
The character of Jeb finds himself in the position of not only reporter but investigator when he teams up with Professor Thomas Dare, a partnership Jeb likens to that of Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes.
This was a solid 3.5 star read for me until near the end when additional information was revealed about the characters, putting the story into a favorite genre of mine and earning it another half star
The story is told in three voices - 'The Diary' which is Jack's voice, 'Jeb"s Memoir' which is local newspaper reporter Jeb's voice and letters from Mairsian, a local 'Judy' to her mother.
The character of Jeb finds himself in the position of not only reporter but investigator when he teams up with Professor Thomas Dare, a partnership Jeb likens to that of Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes.
This was a solid 3.5 star read for me until near the end when additional information was revealed about the characters, putting the story into a favorite genre of mine and earning it another half star
January 2, 2019
The first part is excellent - nicely atmospheric and gory. It then gets bogged down in the middle (it could easily have been trimmed by 100 pages) only to get OTT fantastical for the conclusion. It also contains one of my most hated thriller tropes Read the first third, skim the second, laugh at the last.
April 2, 2020
While fascinating, and I'm sure it required much research and effort, I found it much too gory, I don't know what I was expecting for a book about Jack he Ripper, but it just was not for me
June 2, 2015
2.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
When I saw this book, I was immediately intrigued. Jack the Ripper is a subject that interests me and I was curious about this new story. I was also very surprised to see at the end of the novel, a bibliography showing where the author was able to find some of his ideas. I love the concept.
We follow here two and even three characters exactly but eventually two alternately. Indeed, we can find some passages from the Jack’s diary, describing us his life, his actions, and his murders with great details. Maybe a little too much for me I admit it, but everything was quite interesting to read and to discover. Yes, because we find his meetings with each of his victims, his feelings when he discovers the articles about him or even his particular madness. In addition to this character, as I said we follow another person, a reporter, Jeb. He is a man who is determined to understand who Jack is and to write everything that is happening. He will gradually move closer to the truth, sometimes mistaking the identity of the culprit but it’s true that we can only be surprised at the end when we learn who he really is. I told you about three characters, is not it? Initially we do not understand very well how this woman really fits into the story and with her letters to her parents, but it allows us to see the climate of the time and the opinion of the population compared to all that is happening in society.
I enjoyed the novel in general, but it’s true that I found that the story was a little too long for me and after a while I wasn’t really interesting by the story. The mystery is intriguing of course, but I think that I was unable to hang to the characters and their search. And even in the end, when we learn the identity of the killer, I did not have this satisfaction that we can have when the story is finally resolved. Yet the author’s ideas are very good and all is well led. Perhaps I missed something to really fit in the life of each protagonist emphasized.
In conclusion it was therefore an interesting book, although I think I expected a little more.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
When I saw this book, I was immediately intrigued. Jack the Ripper is a subject that interests me and I was curious about this new story. I was also very surprised to see at the end of the novel, a bibliography showing where the author was able to find some of his ideas. I love the concept.
We follow here two and even three characters exactly but eventually two alternately. Indeed, we can find some passages from the Jack’s diary, describing us his life, his actions, and his murders with great details. Maybe a little too much for me I admit it, but everything was quite interesting to read and to discover. Yes, because we find his meetings with each of his victims, his feelings when he discovers the articles about him or even his particular madness. In addition to this character, as I said we follow another person, a reporter, Jeb. He is a man who is determined to understand who Jack is and to write everything that is happening. He will gradually move closer to the truth, sometimes mistaking the identity of the culprit but it’s true that we can only be surprised at the end when we learn who he really is. I told you about three characters, is not it? Initially we do not understand very well how this woman really fits into the story and with her letters to her parents, but it allows us to see the climate of the time and the opinion of the population compared to all that is happening in society.
I enjoyed the novel in general, but it’s true that I found that the story was a little too long for me and after a while I wasn’t really interesting by the story. The mystery is intriguing of course, but I think that I was unable to hang to the characters and their search. And even in the end, when we learn the identity of the killer, I did not have this satisfaction that we can have when the story is finally resolved. Yet the author’s ideas are very good and all is well led. Perhaps I missed something to really fit in the life of each protagonist emphasized.
In conclusion it was therefore an interesting book, although I think I expected a little more.
April 2, 2016
Beautiful writing on such a gory topic. It took me a while to read because I am not used to reading things so brutal, but I trudged through. I had challenged myself to read historical fiction (something I love, but forget is out there), and opted for Ripper instead of my usual Early American period (presidents - no wonder A loves reading about presidents). There were some moments at the end that brought me to places of familiarity - name drops and character descriptions. That was so nice right at the end.
Structure. I feel I must talk about that a bit because some of my friends have mentioned struggling with this style of writing. The chapters alternated between a journalist and Jack. They are well marked and it is easy to delineate which character has that chapter just through the characters voice. So for those of you who say you hate this style of writing, I encourage you to try this one.
My crime readers - this is a MUST read.
My YA and Middle Grade reading friends (the kids) - this is just too graphic for you.
In summary, I gave it 5 stars for it's literary elements and beautiful craftsmanship of the story. Part of me wanted to give it less so that Goodreads doesn't keep suggesting crime novels to me. They are hard for me to read. The boogy man is real and he is out there. I'll go back to fantasy now.
Structure. I feel I must talk about that a bit because some of my friends have mentioned struggling with this style of writing. The chapters alternated between a journalist and Jack. They are well marked and it is easy to delineate which character has that chapter just through the characters voice. So for those of you who say you hate this style of writing, I encourage you to try this one.
My crime readers - this is a MUST read.
My YA and Middle Grade reading friends (the kids) - this is just too graphic for you.
In summary, I gave it 5 stars for it's literary elements and beautiful craftsmanship of the story. Part of me wanted to give it less so that Goodreads doesn't keep suggesting crime novels to me. They are hard for me to read. The boogy man is real and he is out there. I'll go back to fantasy now.
May 20, 2015
I, RIPPER was definitely “outside the box.” It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever read. I love the title and how “I, Ripper” is incorporated into the story. Stephen Hunter is a brilliant writer and I also love how he told this tale in late nineteenth century British English.
The story is told from alternating viewpoints – a journal kept by Jack the Ripper and a memoir written by a newspaper writer who covered the crimes. The writer, Jeb, admits he is not very heroic, but assures readers there is a hero later in the story.
I wasn’t real keen on this book early on. The opening journal entries are graphic murders followed by graphic sexual encounters followed by graphic murders. At one point I wondered if the book was simply going to be a fictionalized recounting of everything gruesome … but then finally, Jeb begins to channel his inner-Sherlock Holmes and work up a profile of who Jack the Ripper really is – and from that point forward I was unable to put the book down.
There are some tense scenes as Hunter builds to a dramatic conclusion. There are some “twists” and a few predictable moments as well. Taken as a whole, this is an incredibly imaginative book that is sure to entertain horror/thriller/crime fiction fans: 4/5 stars.
The story is told from alternating viewpoints – a journal kept by Jack the Ripper and a memoir written by a newspaper writer who covered the crimes. The writer, Jeb, admits he is not very heroic, but assures readers there is a hero later in the story.
I wasn’t real keen on this book early on. The opening journal entries are graphic murders followed by graphic sexual encounters followed by graphic murders. At one point I wondered if the book was simply going to be a fictionalized recounting of everything gruesome … but then finally, Jeb begins to channel his inner-Sherlock Holmes and work up a profile of who Jack the Ripper really is – and from that point forward I was unable to put the book down.
There are some tense scenes as Hunter builds to a dramatic conclusion. There are some “twists” and a few predictable moments as well. Taken as a whole, this is an incredibly imaginative book that is sure to entertain horror/thriller/crime fiction fans: 4/5 stars.
January 5, 2017
Very graphic book. Ill not say much on this book. If you want an intimate and birds eye view from Jack the Ripper's mind eye, then this is for you. It goes into great depth here and there with paragraph after gruesome paragraph of how it feels, what he is doing, what he is cutting and slicing next, I couldn't deal anymore. I love my horror, but this was over the top. It went on and on, I wanted to say, ok can we please hear about the streets of Victorian London, its people, what Jack does on his down time beside slicing and dicing ect..No. Not happenin'. I suppose if you are a true die hard fan of Ripper stories then this is for you.
This was a book I won here on Goodreads, in exchange for my honest opinion!!
This was a book I won here on Goodreads, in exchange for my honest opinion!!
April 23, 2016
This prose is so beautiful when it comes to the way it was written, but the subject matter is making my stomach heave, so I will have to re-read this when I'm not sick. lol
ETA: Review to come soon.
This book is really gorey so if you have a weak stomach feel free to skip this one.
I loved the writing though it did verge on purple prose a few times.
I figured out who the ripper was 1/2 way through the book, but it didn't matter. It was still good.
Very clever, full of action, and quite a few twists and turns.
ETA: Review to come soon.
This book is really gorey so if you have a weak stomach feel free to skip this one.
I loved the writing though it did verge on purple prose a few times.
I figured out who the ripper was 1/2 way through the book, but it didn't matter. It was still good.
Very clever, full of action, and quite a few twists and turns.
September 16, 2015
Dark, gruesome & gory...not for the light-hearted! Excellent narration by Michael Page too!
June 20, 2015
I just couldn't get into this book. The first 50 pages bored me to tears so I had to give up on it. the way it jumped around though 3 different perspectives didn't help much either.
April 25, 2015
** I received this in a Goodreads “First Reads” giveaway **
JEB
Jeb is a young newspaperman working for the Star, an afternoon newspaper fighting for readers and their pennies among the more than fifty newspapers coming off the presses and then hawked by the newsboys of London in the late 1800’s. He starts his career as “the intermittent substitute music critic” but when Harry Dam, the night crimes reporter, is not available one night Jeb is sent to cover “a nice juicy murder” that has just taken place in Whitechapel. This is the break that Jeb has been waiting for. Jeb had no way of knowing he was about to be introduced to the work of “Jack the Ripper”. As it turns out Jeb is very good at his job (and apparently has a very strong stomach) so soon earns the respect not only of the reporters from other papers but of the “Blue Bottles” (police) as well. They allow him up close and personal access to the carnage The Ripper leaves behind. This is 1888 and forensics are unheard of, the head of the police department is a laughing stock, yellow crime scene tape does not exist and Jeb is in his element.
Before long he is beginning to form his own theories and suspicions about “Saucy Jack”. Although an adamant tee-tote he aggrees to attend a party one evening where he happens to meet Thomas Dare a linguistics professor at a prestigious university. Not being an abstainer, when he is in his cups Professor Dare enjoys bragging about his linguistic knowledge and how is able to see “the beneath” in writing. When a letter arrives at the newspaper allegedly penned by Jack himself and then a sign written in blood is left to taunt the police Professor Dare is convinced he can help Jeb discover the killer’s identity through linguistics. Jeb has first hand knowledge of the crime scenes and Dare has the resources and patience to put the clues together. Between the two of them (ala Sherlock Holmes … Jeb’s literary hero) they develop the first “profile” of a killer and then set out to trap him.
As any good newspaperman should, Jeb tells a good portion of this story as his first person, eyewitness account. Then, as now, the media is quick to come up with catchphrase names for serial killers and Jeb takes the credit for naming Jack the Ripper, rightly so because Jeb is also a nickname – he has a secret identity of his own.
JACK
The rest of the account of that bloody “autumn of the knife” we hear from Jack himself. Jack keeps a journal where he writes out the meticulous planning and thought that goes into each of his kills before he carries them out. Then when the evil deed is accomplished he comes back and records exactly what happened. Being privy to a serial killers journal is gory reading, and Jack holds nothing back. He gleefully recounts every detail and takes a great amount of pleasure in the fact that he has bested the local police and stymied “the Yard”. Of course Jack never signs his journal entries.
MAIRSIAN
Mairsian is one of the fallen angels walking the streets of Whitechapel. Like so many of her fellow ladies of the evening she has an unfortunate liking for gin. Unlike some of the other ladies Mairsian has a home, parents and family. From her ramshackle room she pens letters to her mum assuring her that she is being careful and not be worried. She only “entertains” gentlemen now and has a guardian angel in the form of a nice man who doesn’t beat her to shove her about. She promises to be home as soon as she can lose her taste for the gin so her parents can be proud of her again.
Mairsian’s letters to her mum are interspersed between Jeb’s account and Jack’s diary giving an insight into what the ladies of Whitechapel were thinking while Jack was on the loose.
“Saucy Jack”, “Leather Apron”, “The Whitechapel Killer” and “Jack the Ripper” – nicknames all – because his true identity is still unknown, 127 years after his killing spree. Countless books, both fiction and non-fiction have been written about Jack the Ripper. Add television programs and movies into that mix and you would be hard pressed to find someone not familiar with Jack the Ripper. I have read a handful of books about the subject myself and in my opinion Mr. Hunter holds his own. He does not profess (as some other authors have) to solve the mystery, but appropriately he does give us his culprit in the end. There is no doubt that this book is meticulously researched, Mr. Hunter incorporates not only accurate accounts of the killings he also draws a clear picture of the social values of the time, the poverty, filth, overcrowding and danger of the area and how the Ripper case added to the anti-Semitism rampant at the time. This is excellent historical fiction written in the era's manner of speech and peppered with colorful cockney phrases. While reading it amused me to catch certain references to modern day police procedures and newspaper terms, which the characters in the book claim to “invent” (like the profiling) or wish such a thing existed so they could somehow have at their disposal. It made me smile and that’s a good thing when I’m reading about Jack.
Because I received an Advance reader Copy I cannot quote from the book’s text but there is a note from Mr. Hunter on the back of the book in which he writes “I hope you find it a blazing fast hansom ride through the gritty, sensual, blood spattered streets of London’s Whitechapel in the autumn of the knife … with the devil himself as your driver.” It was a bloody good ride.
JEB
Jeb is a young newspaperman working for the Star, an afternoon newspaper fighting for readers and their pennies among the more than fifty newspapers coming off the presses and then hawked by the newsboys of London in the late 1800’s. He starts his career as “the intermittent substitute music critic” but when Harry Dam, the night crimes reporter, is not available one night Jeb is sent to cover “a nice juicy murder” that has just taken place in Whitechapel. This is the break that Jeb has been waiting for. Jeb had no way of knowing he was about to be introduced to the work of “Jack the Ripper”. As it turns out Jeb is very good at his job (and apparently has a very strong stomach) so soon earns the respect not only of the reporters from other papers but of the “Blue Bottles” (police) as well. They allow him up close and personal access to the carnage The Ripper leaves behind. This is 1888 and forensics are unheard of, the head of the police department is a laughing stock, yellow crime scene tape does not exist and Jeb is in his element.
Before long he is beginning to form his own theories and suspicions about “Saucy Jack”. Although an adamant tee-tote he aggrees to attend a party one evening where he happens to meet Thomas Dare a linguistics professor at a prestigious university. Not being an abstainer, when he is in his cups Professor Dare enjoys bragging about his linguistic knowledge and how is able to see “the beneath” in writing. When a letter arrives at the newspaper allegedly penned by Jack himself and then a sign written in blood is left to taunt the police Professor Dare is convinced he can help Jeb discover the killer’s identity through linguistics. Jeb has first hand knowledge of the crime scenes and Dare has the resources and patience to put the clues together. Between the two of them (ala Sherlock Holmes … Jeb’s literary hero) they develop the first “profile” of a killer and then set out to trap him.
As any good newspaperman should, Jeb tells a good portion of this story as his first person, eyewitness account. Then, as now, the media is quick to come up with catchphrase names for serial killers and Jeb takes the credit for naming Jack the Ripper, rightly so because Jeb is also a nickname – he has a secret identity of his own.
JACK
The rest of the account of that bloody “autumn of the knife” we hear from Jack himself. Jack keeps a journal where he writes out the meticulous planning and thought that goes into each of his kills before he carries them out. Then when the evil deed is accomplished he comes back and records exactly what happened. Being privy to a serial killers journal is gory reading, and Jack holds nothing back. He gleefully recounts every detail and takes a great amount of pleasure in the fact that he has bested the local police and stymied “the Yard”. Of course Jack never signs his journal entries.
MAIRSIAN
Mairsian is one of the fallen angels walking the streets of Whitechapel. Like so many of her fellow ladies of the evening she has an unfortunate liking for gin. Unlike some of the other ladies Mairsian has a home, parents and family. From her ramshackle room she pens letters to her mum assuring her that she is being careful and not be worried. She only “entertains” gentlemen now and has a guardian angel in the form of a nice man who doesn’t beat her to shove her about. She promises to be home as soon as she can lose her taste for the gin so her parents can be proud of her again.
Mairsian’s letters to her mum are interspersed between Jeb’s account and Jack’s diary giving an insight into what the ladies of Whitechapel were thinking while Jack was on the loose.
“Saucy Jack”, “Leather Apron”, “The Whitechapel Killer” and “Jack the Ripper” – nicknames all – because his true identity is still unknown, 127 years after his killing spree. Countless books, both fiction and non-fiction have been written about Jack the Ripper. Add television programs and movies into that mix and you would be hard pressed to find someone not familiar with Jack the Ripper. I have read a handful of books about the subject myself and in my opinion Mr. Hunter holds his own. He does not profess (as some other authors have) to solve the mystery, but appropriately he does give us his culprit in the end. There is no doubt that this book is meticulously researched, Mr. Hunter incorporates not only accurate accounts of the killings he also draws a clear picture of the social values of the time, the poverty, filth, overcrowding and danger of the area and how the Ripper case added to the anti-Semitism rampant at the time. This is excellent historical fiction written in the era's manner of speech and peppered with colorful cockney phrases. While reading it amused me to catch certain references to modern day police procedures and newspaper terms, which the characters in the book claim to “invent” (like the profiling) or wish such a thing existed so they could somehow have at their disposal. It made me smile and that’s a good thing when I’m reading about Jack.
Because I received an Advance reader Copy I cannot quote from the book’s text but there is a note from Mr. Hunter on the back of the book in which he writes “I hope you find it a blazing fast hansom ride through the gritty, sensual, blood spattered streets of London’s Whitechapel in the autumn of the knife … with the devil himself as your driver.” It was a bloody good ride.
June 8, 2015
"In the fall of 1888, Jack the Ripper murdered five prostitutes in London's seamy Whitechapel District. He did not just kill-he desecrated with insane glee. Then, after the particularly gruesome slaying of Mary Jane Kelly, he disappeared. For 127 years, Jack has haunted the dark corners of our imagination, the archetype of the psychotic killer. We remember him not only for his crimes, but because, despite one of the biggest dragnets in London history, he was never caught."
"I, Ripper is a vivid re-imagining of Jack's personal story entwined with that of an Irish journalist who covered the case, knew the principals, charted the investigation, and at last, stymied, went off in a bold new direction."
The writing skill, creative approach and authentic tone will not surprise Stephen Hunter fans. He traces a plausible analysis of the maniacal killer, Jack the Ripper. He alternates between a graphic view into the Ripper's memoir as he cleverly interweaves the POV of the news reporter who is following, and often involved in the story. Hunter also gives us a vivid glimpse into Victorian London in 1888.
I had difficulty reading this story due to the horrific and graphic descriptions, particularly from Jack the Ripper's diary. But if you're a die hard Stephen Hunter fan, and if you enjoyed the Third Bullet, you'll find this hard to put down. Be forewarned: "I, Ripper" is not for the "faint of heart."
"I, Ripper is a vivid re-imagining of Jack's personal story entwined with that of an Irish journalist who covered the case, knew the principals, charted the investigation, and at last, stymied, went off in a bold new direction."
The writing skill, creative approach and authentic tone will not surprise Stephen Hunter fans. He traces a plausible analysis of the maniacal killer, Jack the Ripper. He alternates between a graphic view into the Ripper's memoir as he cleverly interweaves the POV of the news reporter who is following, and often involved in the story. Hunter also gives us a vivid glimpse into Victorian London in 1888.
I had difficulty reading this story due to the horrific and graphic descriptions, particularly from Jack the Ripper's diary. But if you're a die hard Stephen Hunter fan, and if you enjoyed the Third Bullet, you'll find this hard to put down. Be forewarned: "I, Ripper" is not for the "faint of heart."
June 23, 2015
The concept of the book was very good. I also liked the two alternating narratives from the two main characters; the London Star reporter, Jeb and Jack the Ripper himself. Where it all goes wrong for me is an American author writing in the style of late Victorian London. For any film buffs, it's like Dick van Dyke's awful cockney accent in Mary Poppins or Ray Winstone's terrible American accent in The Departed. Being English, and having read many British authors of this period such as Conan Doyle, I can't remember seeing words like awesome, intersection or faucet (we say tap) in any. I think the author compiled a list of olde English words and was determined to cram them all in, regardless of whether they had been in normal London parlance in the 1880's. I sped-read most of it as much of it was boring but the ending was quite good and it almost seemed as if the author suddenly latched on to how the rest of the book should have been written. This could have been so much better if he hadn't tried to pretend to be a Victorian English writer.
February 28, 2017
I've probably read pretty much all things related to Jack the Ripper. It's a subject matter that has been done over and over again. Like a fine wine, there are those that harbor an intensely satisfying bouquet and those that tend to releash a bit of the ol' vinegar. This one was filled with heady vinegar.
Stephen Hunter gave us some moments. It was of a different slant with the journalist's point of view and the diaries/memoirs of Jack. You better be ready for some extremely graphic depictions of gore when picking this one up. Yes, a walk through the streets of White Chapel leaves a bit of muck and mire on one's sole and on one's soul. Be advised.
I couldn't wait for this book to come out. I had it marked at the top of my list. Ironically, it took me ages to finish it. It was like "Move along, people, move along. Nothing new to see here."
Stephen Hunter gave us some moments. It was of a different slant with the journalist's point of view and the diaries/memoirs of Jack. You better be ready for some extremely graphic depictions of gore when picking this one up. Yes, a walk through the streets of White Chapel leaves a bit of muck and mire on one's sole and on one's soul. Be advised.
I couldn't wait for this book to come out. I had it marked at the top of my list. Ironically, it took me ages to finish it. It was like "Move along, people, move along. Nothing new to see here."
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