What do you think?
Rate this book
Gaslight and Fog
1888, Whitechapel. A woman wakes in a dark alley where a murder has just taken place. She can't remember her name or how she got there. Only later does she learn the man in the alley with her was Jack the Ripper. Soon she realizes she has been thrust more than a century into the past. And what of the fate of her daughter who was with her when this catastrophic timeslip occurred? She can only hope she too was not transported to the past. Striving to keep the secret that she is from another time, she tries to adapt to a world that is foreign to her while desperately trying to figure out how to return to her own time. As the grisly murders pile up, Inspector Abberline of Scotland Yard wants to know who she is and how she is connected to the Ripper. To her surprise, she finds herself falling in love with the shrewd detective, but if she stays in his time, she may be the Ripper’s next victim.
302 pages, Paperback
Published March 27, 2016
3 people are currently reading
2667 people want to read
About the author
Deanna Madden
10 books211 followersI write novels that cross genres but frequently involve the past (historical) or the future (speculative). I have taught literature and creative writing as a college teacher, and some of that immersion in literature finds its way into my writing. Originally from the Midwest, I now live in Honolulu, Hawaii, where snow is never an issue but hurricanes are.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 5, 2017
Visiting London from the USA, Mary and her daughter Courtney join a walking, ‘Jack the Ripper’ tour. Whilst arriving at the place where his first victim was killed, a bottle of wine is dropped out of a window, smashing and scaring the tourists, making them scarper in all directions.
Mary, (although she doesn’t remember her name), suddenly finds herself in a dark street in the early hours of the morning, with a pounding head. Further down the street, a figure lies on the floor, and another stands over it. The next minute a man walks by whistling. This scene would turn out to be ‘Jack the Ripper’ and his first confirmed victim, Mary Ann Nichols.
It soon becomes evident that Mary has been transported back in time to 1888, and becomes the only person to ever see ‘Jack’, although not his face. With suspected amnesia the doctor who arrives on the scene takes Mary home with him to recuperate, hoping that she may be able to tell the police more once her memories return.
With the help of Inspector Abberline, the man in charge of the murder case, Dr Ellman, his wife, their housekeeper Lucy, and their cook, Mrs Haslip, Mary tries to maintain a normal life as a Victorian, whilst trying to piece together whom she really is, and if there is some link between her and ‘Jack the Ripper’.
I’m not normally a lover of historical fiction, but there are some eras that intrigue me. The Victorian period is one of them, so I happily sat down with a brew and proceeded to read ‘Gaslight and Fog’.
At the start the book, the word cell phone was mentioned and my heart sank. Knowing that this was a book set in London, England, I just hoped that it wasn’t going to be full of Americanisms. Luckily it wasn’t long after that we learn Mary is from the States and it was her who mentioned the phone, so I was relieved.
I read the book in a day as I was that hooked. Deanna certainly did her homework when it came to information on ‘Jack the Ripper’, and I was glad to see that the facts about the deaths of these poor woman hadn’t been tampered with or altered.
The book had me engrossed from the first chapter, and sucked me in to a well-developed, well-thought-out plot. My enjoyment lasted all the way until the last chapter. Unfortunately this chapter didn’t compliment the rest of the story. The ending was too short, and I felt that there was so much more that Ms.Madden could have done to give this book that memorable, explosive, jaw-dropping ending.
My other concern is with the cover. It looks very Mills & Boon-esq, and I feel it doesn’t compliment the wonderful, gripping, and totally absorbing story that is within. I know that you ‘shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover’, but a vast majority of readers do, and this is such a brilliant piece of fiction that it doesn’t deserve to be overlooked. It is most certainly a must-read.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Mary, (although she doesn’t remember her name), suddenly finds herself in a dark street in the early hours of the morning, with a pounding head. Further down the street, a figure lies on the floor, and another stands over it. The next minute a man walks by whistling. This scene would turn out to be ‘Jack the Ripper’ and his first confirmed victim, Mary Ann Nichols.
It soon becomes evident that Mary has been transported back in time to 1888, and becomes the only person to ever see ‘Jack’, although not his face. With suspected amnesia the doctor who arrives on the scene takes Mary home with him to recuperate, hoping that she may be able to tell the police more once her memories return.
With the help of Inspector Abberline, the man in charge of the murder case, Dr Ellman, his wife, their housekeeper Lucy, and their cook, Mrs Haslip, Mary tries to maintain a normal life as a Victorian, whilst trying to piece together whom she really is, and if there is some link between her and ‘Jack the Ripper’.
I’m not normally a lover of historical fiction, but there are some eras that intrigue me. The Victorian period is one of them, so I happily sat down with a brew and proceeded to read ‘Gaslight and Fog’.
At the start the book, the word cell phone was mentioned and my heart sank. Knowing that this was a book set in London, England, I just hoped that it wasn’t going to be full of Americanisms. Luckily it wasn’t long after that we learn Mary is from the States and it was her who mentioned the phone, so I was relieved.
I read the book in a day as I was that hooked. Deanna certainly did her homework when it came to information on ‘Jack the Ripper’, and I was glad to see that the facts about the deaths of these poor woman hadn’t been tampered with or altered.
The book had me engrossed from the first chapter, and sucked me in to a well-developed, well-thought-out plot. My enjoyment lasted all the way until the last chapter. Unfortunately this chapter didn’t compliment the rest of the story. The ending was too short, and I felt that there was so much more that Ms.Madden could have done to give this book that memorable, explosive, jaw-dropping ending.
My other concern is with the cover. It looks very Mills & Boon-esq, and I feel it doesn’t compliment the wonderful, gripping, and totally absorbing story that is within. I know that you ‘shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover’, but a vast majority of readers do, and this is such a brilliant piece of fiction that it doesn’t deserve to be overlooked. It is most certainly a must-read.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
March 26, 2018
Thank you author Deanna Madden and Goodreads giveaway for allowing me to read this most enjoyable journey through Jack the Ripper's 1888.
November 3, 2017
This was a weird book. I usually like Jack the Ripper/Whitechapel stuff, but this story fell short of the mark for me.
One of my issues was with the main character, Virginia/Mary/whatever her name was, a piano teacher in her 40s. She seemed slightly dumb. She didn't know what an "inquest" was, she wasn't sure if "mutton" was the same thing as "sheep" or not, and she didn't know what "Madame Tussaud's" wax museum was. I have a low tolerance for ignorance/stupidity, and I almost threw in the towel because of it.
Additionally, the story just... ended. I felt like there were a LOT of loose threads and I wanted to know what happened to all the characters. I was not satisfied with the ending, and I do not recommend this book.
One of my issues was with the main character, Virginia/Mary/whatever her name was, a piano teacher in her 40s. She seemed slightly dumb. She didn't know what an "inquest" was, she wasn't sure if "mutton" was the same thing as "sheep" or not, and she didn't know what "Madame Tussaud's" wax museum was. I have a low tolerance for ignorance/stupidity, and I almost threw in the towel because of it.
Additionally, the story just... ended. I felt like there were a LOT of loose threads and I wanted to know what happened to all the characters. I was not satisfied with the ending, and I do not recommend this book.
January 4, 2017
LOVED IT & THE ENDING!!! But you'll have to read it to find out the ending! Fabulous book, kept my interest the whole way thru..... "Gaslight & Fog" perfect name for this captivating read!! I now have another Favorite author..... Thanks to the author & Goodreads for the opportunity to read & review this book, which I will definitely share.
June 15, 2018
Great mystery!
Want to read
June 29, 2018I work in Whitechapel and know this area very well. In many ways, this area is like a city within a city and is very rich historically with many "famous" or infamous events using Whitechapel are as a stage. Would be great to get my hands on it!
October 7, 2018
As someone who enjoys books about Jack the Ripper this one holds up well! Very fast paced!
Thank you for the free copy!
Thank you for the free copy!
December 16, 2016
This was a good read. It was hard to put down. I just hope there is a sequel...it left me wanting to know what happens next!
November 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I have never read anything like it before and I was drawn into the story right from the beginning. It reminded me of the tv programme Ashes to Ashes with the head injury and time travel.
May 31, 2017
It was hard to put this book down. I liked the idea about the story, and was thrown for a big loop in my thinking at the end. Yes, I still liked this book, it is just the story took a turn I was not expecting. I felt that Mary was in the past and that what she was seeing and feeling were real. It was another story from a bit like "Life on Mars". I know I am on a ramble, but it is just hard to say how pleased I was with this story. I do hope a follow on will be forth coming.
March 7, 2023
3.5 * rounded up. This was a wonderful book with a terrible ending. I was completely caught up in the characters and the plot until the last chapter when it all fell apart. I'd love to know how the author came to tag such a poor ending on such a good piece of writing. I look forward to reading other of her books and hope that the mismatch was a bit of live and learn. I recommend the book for a very fun story most of the way through..
September 30, 2019
This was a waste of time. I’m so disappointed as I really WANTED to like this book. It was slow and silly with nonsensical words and incidents thrown in regularly. What was the seance about? What about her laying around in her jeans and running shoes? Such mindless drivel...... it dragged on with nothing happening for pages on end. Blah.....
January 31, 2020
Disappointing ending
This was a great book until the end. The cliffhanger ending was extremely disappointing! Hopefully the author will write a sequel soon.
This was a great book until the end. The cliffhanger ending was extremely disappointing! Hopefully the author will write a sequel soon.
September 10, 2016
Where the future meets the past. Interesting story with Jack the Ripper background. I won it in a contest and it was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews