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Jack the Ripper: a chilling insight into one of the world's most infamous killers
One of the world's greatest unsolved crimes is brought back to life over 100 years later.
With insights into life in Victorian London's East End, evidence from the original case and copies of contemporary documents, this compelling book examines the brutal and notorious murders, the victims and the possible motives of the murderer who would become known as Jack the Ripper.
With insights into life in Victorian London's East End, evidence from the original case and copies of contemporary documents, this compelling book examines the brutal and notorious murders, the victims and the possible motives of the murderer who would become known as Jack the Ripper.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 15, 2019
I am writing my own "ghost" story and I mention Jack the Ripper in it. As I was writing, I wondered if my information was accurate. Jack the Ripper is a nefarious legend about a serial killer, his victims were prostitutes but that was as far as my knowledge went. I did not want to include erroneous information in my book, even if it is fiction.
As I was visiting my local bookstore I came across Jack the Ripper: a chilling insight into one of the world's most infamous killers by Geoff Barker. It was on sale for five dollars. Well, who could resist such an enticement? Not me.
This book is good for a number of reasons. It's not very long, imminently readable, and filled with illustrations and photographs, some a bit graphic, so please use discretion. It's not a children's book.
Also, the author is methodically thorough. He starts with the part of Victorian London where the murders took place, giving the reader a history of the neighborhoods and people who populated them. He provides maps to show the neighborhoods and also the scenes of the crime. He also provides information as to where to find those sites today, since some of neighborhoods have changed considerably.
After that we get a couple of pages for each murder victim. There were five that are recorded as positively resembling each other enough to create the conclusion they were done by the same hand.
What's nice is that we get a brief history of each woman. She's not merely a murder statistic, she's a person who has her own history that abruptly stops with her murder.
What all of the women had in common was they were alcoholics that supported themselves through prostitution. What I found interesting is that none of them started out that way. They started out married with children, even coming from working class households. However their alcohol addictions ruined their marriages, caused them to desert husband and children and basically live from one bottle to the other.
The scenario is similar with each case. They spent their money on drink and then couldn't pay for their night's lodgings, so they went out to ply their trade to get enough money to pay for a night's lodging. Little did they know they would not be needing lodgings that night because they would end up at the morgue.
I mention this because I think I tend to think of these women as poor helpless, born into poverty and as a result they took to drink to drown their sorrows, so to speak. This book does not paint that picture at all. They started out well off with a working husband and family and it was the alcohol that caused their degradation into poverty and prostitution, not the other way around.
Barker tells us details of the serial killer by how he killed. It was always with a knife and, well I won't write the details because they're gruesome, but just to say that the method of killing seemed to indicate someone with medical knowledge, which lead some to suspect the murderer was of the medical profession.
However, there are several suspects and this is how Barker rounds up his history. He describes each suspect and why they might be Jack the Ripper. One reason these men are suspected is because they died or ended up in insane asylums, or left the country which would explain why the murders after a couple of months abruptly stopped.
I read this book in one setting. And, as perverse as it sounds, I'm glad to finally know the facts about this horrible legend.
As I was visiting my local bookstore I came across Jack the Ripper: a chilling insight into one of the world's most infamous killers by Geoff Barker. It was on sale for five dollars. Well, who could resist such an enticement? Not me.
This book is good for a number of reasons. It's not very long, imminently readable, and filled with illustrations and photographs, some a bit graphic, so please use discretion. It's not a children's book.
Also, the author is methodically thorough. He starts with the part of Victorian London where the murders took place, giving the reader a history of the neighborhoods and people who populated them. He provides maps to show the neighborhoods and also the scenes of the crime. He also provides information as to where to find those sites today, since some of neighborhoods have changed considerably.
After that we get a couple of pages for each murder victim. There were five that are recorded as positively resembling each other enough to create the conclusion they were done by the same hand.
What's nice is that we get a brief history of each woman. She's not merely a murder statistic, she's a person who has her own history that abruptly stops with her murder.
What all of the women had in common was they were alcoholics that supported themselves through prostitution. What I found interesting is that none of them started out that way. They started out married with children, even coming from working class households. However their alcohol addictions ruined their marriages, caused them to desert husband and children and basically live from one bottle to the other.
The scenario is similar with each case. They spent their money on drink and then couldn't pay for their night's lodgings, so they went out to ply their trade to get enough money to pay for a night's lodging. Little did they know they would not be needing lodgings that night because they would end up at the morgue.
I mention this because I think I tend to think of these women as poor helpless, born into poverty and as a result they took to drink to drown their sorrows, so to speak. This book does not paint that picture at all. They started out well off with a working husband and family and it was the alcohol that caused their degradation into poverty and prostitution, not the other way around.
Barker tells us details of the serial killer by how he killed. It was always with a knife and, well I won't write the details because they're gruesome, but just to say that the method of killing seemed to indicate someone with medical knowledge, which lead some to suspect the murderer was of the medical profession.
However, there are several suspects and this is how Barker rounds up his history. He describes each suspect and why they might be Jack the Ripper. One reason these men are suspected is because they died or ended up in insane asylums, or left the country which would explain why the murders after a couple of months abruptly stopped.
I read this book in one setting. And, as perverse as it sounds, I'm glad to finally know the facts about this horrible legend.
June 6, 2020
It's a concise but very complete account of JTR and all there is to know about it. It gives information about all the victims, details of the murders, list of suspects, the officers who worked on the case and the books they wrote after retiring. It also mentions where those crime scenes are located today.
Also, it's very heavily loaded with graphics, illustrations, and some real photos from the time too. I think it's a really good place to start if someone wants to read about JTR. Loved it.
Also, it's very heavily loaded with graphics, illustrations, and some real photos from the time too. I think it's a really good place to start if someone wants to read about JTR. Loved it.
October 13, 2020
Jack the Ripper
قرأت هذا الكتاب كقراءة استطرادية بعد قراءة كتاب (الخمسة) والذي فصلت فيه المؤلفة حيوات النساء اللواتي قتلهن جاك السفاح، هذا الكتاب كبقية الكتب يركز على الجرائم وعلى المشتبه بهم والنظريات التي طرحت.
قرأت هذا الكتاب كقراءة استطرادية بعد قراءة كتاب (الخمسة) والذي فصلت فيه المؤلفة حيوات النساء اللواتي قتلهن جاك السفاح، هذا الكتاب كبقية الكتب يركز على الجرائم وعلى المشتبه بهم والنظريات التي طرحت.
September 21, 2018
This book was truly nothing more than a pamphlet as it is repetitive and stuffed with drawings. The writing is elementary level and in fact, if the book wasn't about such a horrible killer, I would have thought this to be one of those overpriced, book fair offerings that you got in grade school.
The book needed to be proofread before publication and that might have raised it to a 3 star, but doubtful.
The writing is small, simple and rarely covers a entire page. I don't think it took me 30 minutes to fly through this and it should have been a 15 minute read, as the author simply shuffles sentences around and offers up the same information over and over.
I barely recommend this for die-hard Jack the Ripper fans and definitely don't for those with barely a passing interest.
The book needed to be proofread before publication and that might have raised it to a 3 star, but doubtful.
The writing is small, simple and rarely covers a entire page. I don't think it took me 30 minutes to fly through this and it should have been a 15 minute read, as the author simply shuffles sentences around and offers up the same information over and over.
I barely recommend this for die-hard Jack the Ripper fans and definitely don't for those with barely a passing interest.
February 10, 2018
Overall an entertaining coffee table book with lots of pictures and illustrations, summing up a few well known facts about the Jack the Ripper case. I liked how it also offered a brief perspective on the victims' lives. Overall nothing new, nothing comprehensive and I did not understand the point of having a picture of Johnny Depp from the movie From Hell other than giving readers some eye candy, but that clashes with the real pictures of the victims in the mortuary. I'd recommend it just if you like to have a glimpse of the 'romanticized' version of London's Victorian East End slums when you have an hour or so to kill (excuse the poor choice of words).
April 26, 2017
I loved everything about this book. From the amazing illustrations and pictures to the easy fluid writing. The book is well written and unbiased and a must read for all true crime buffs.
August 12, 2020
Halfway through… no not even halfway there, I decided this was the most boring book I have ever read in my entire life. Who wrote this? No. Who edited this? What’s the target population? Preteens and teenagers? At my age, morbid pictures and good graphics aren’t enough to excite the nerves. This was like a compiled edition of poorly written essays lifted from the Internet. I was truly dead curious about the facts and fiction surrounding the eponymous Jack the Ripper. Instead of stimulating my curiosity, this book just made me lose my mind. It was redundant all throughout and highly infuriating. Now, I barely care for the story.
This is like the book version of the stereotypical dumb blonde (no offense meant, sorry). Pretty on the outside, empty on the inside.
This is like the book version of the stereotypical dumb blonde (no offense meant, sorry). Pretty on the outside, empty on the inside.
May 4, 2022
A fascinating book of the various stories authors have written concerning Jack the Ripper. Although it does not contain all of them, Otto Penzler collects much of the popular fiction inspired by the real Whitechapel murders. Of course, some stories were better than others. This book does include Marie Belloc-Lowndes' 'The Lodger', my favourite thriller. As a historical document, however, this book is tremendous. I would recommend it to anyone interested in crime writing.
April 1, 2023
This book is pretty perfect for those who want to look in to Jack the Ripper but don't want to be bogged down by too much information. Geoff Barker lays out the case, the victims, the investigators and the suspects in a clear, easy to follow chapters as well as supporting some amazing images and photos on the pages throughout the book.
October 18, 2017
This version was published in 2016, not 2012, but was done too early to include the current investigations into whether an American doctor, H. H. Holmes, was actually Jack the Ripper...fascinating stuff, though...
November 8, 2017
I liked this book. Not sure who it was written by but very concise and easy to read. Also, many facts about who the Ripper might be but giving clear, concise, information about the victims, the police involved in the case and finally who the Ripper may, or may not, be. An enjoyable read.
July 23, 2022
3.5 Stars.
I really enjoyed reading it and getting to know more about the history of Jack the Ripper!
I really enjoyed reading it and getting to know more about the history of Jack the Ripper!
July 17, 2025
Pretty informative especially since I never really looked into jack the ripper in general. the illustrations were also nice to look at.
March 29, 2016
Since no author is associated with this book and the book reads very much like a thesis that repeats certain information over and over again, I am inclined to believe that this particular study of Jack the Ripper was done by a handful of researchers, all contributing their take on their assigned chapter without verifying what their counterparts had written. Which leaves the book needing a tighter editor, not only for the repetitive information (How many times does the reader really need to know the dates of the deaths, especially of the Canonical Five? Or the key suspects?), but inconsistencies in the number of times a particular victim is stabbed. The number ranges from 21 to nearly 40 times.
Granted, the book gives a sufficient idea of what London, particularly the Whitechapel and Spitalfielda areas, were like in the late 1880's. It also gives a decent account of how Scortland Yard came to be. As a matter of fact it discusses a certain Mr. Bond with Scotland Yard who helped introduce many of the investigative techniques commonly used today and gives pause to wonder if Ian Fleming based 007 after him to a degree, or at least as an homage.
Granted, the book is non-fiction, but the reading is a bit dry in places while in others it seems more relaxed, almost a difference in writing styles. This also makes the reader wonder if there were multiple authors involved with the writing. The book is informative, but this take on Jack the Ripper falls in the middle of Jack the Ripper case studies.
Be
Granted, the book gives a sufficient idea of what London, particularly the Whitechapel and Spitalfielda areas, were like in the late 1880's. It also gives a decent account of how Scortland Yard came to be. As a matter of fact it discusses a certain Mr. Bond with Scotland Yard who helped introduce many of the investigative techniques commonly used today and gives pause to wonder if Ian Fleming based 007 after him to a degree, or at least as an homage.
Granted, the book is non-fiction, but the reading is a bit dry in places while in others it seems more relaxed, almost a difference in writing styles. This also makes the reader wonder if there were multiple authors involved with the writing. The book is informative, but this take on Jack the Ripper falls in the middle of Jack the Ripper case studies.
Be
January 31, 2017
There is a lot wrong with this book and lets start with the length, it consists of 150 pages on Jack the Ripper followed by 850 pages of short stories, yeah you read that right 850 pages of short stories, surely someone should have realised that they could have got 3 or 4 volumes out of it, instead what you have is way too many samey tales and you start to notice a few things about the writers, most notably that everyone seems to believe that the two most famous letters (yours truly Jack the Ripper and A kidney for Mr Lusk) were written by the killer something which the police at the time never quite believed and by this point it is generally agreed that they were written by a reporter, nobody even seems to consider the more interesting options of having the killer be a reporter or annoyed that his actual letter is ignored in favour of these two, there are a few cases of 7 victims being mentioned, quite a few Sherlock Holmes stories but none in which he catches the villain before Mary Kelly, family tradition means that because an ancestor was JTH then of course they have to keep killing people.
While it was interesting to read the original Short Story of the Lodger placing it directly before the novel only exposes the padding involved in adding 80 pages to it, and some of the unpublished material seems to have had a good reason to be unpublished, and the newer stories add nothing to the book.
on the whole it simply has too many stories to be worth recommending as there is very little variety .
While it was interesting to read the original Short Story of the Lodger placing it directly before the novel only exposes the padding involved in adding 80 pages to it, and some of the unpublished material seems to have had a good reason to be unpublished, and the newer stories add nothing to the book.
on the whole it simply has too many stories to be worth recommending as there is very little variety .
October 14, 2012
I loved this book. I loved that it used historical fact, memorabilia and Historians opinions throughout the years, to provide a full, detailed story of the Jack the Ripper murders, and suspects, without using the book as an agenda to incriminate anyone, or point the finger at one theory over another.
I loved the inclusion of the female suspect, and the victims who are not officially recognised as Jack the Ripper's work, but who show similarities and may possibly be the first attacks before he escalated. A very well rounded presentation of the case.
I liked the memorabilia a lot, but even though they're copies, reading some of Jack's letters was a bit disturbing, especially the large Mr Lusk letter.
I loved the inclusion of the female suspect, and the victims who are not officially recognised as Jack the Ripper's work, but who show similarities and may possibly be the first attacks before he escalated. A very well rounded presentation of the case.
I liked the memorabilia a lot, but even though they're copies, reading some of Jack's letters was a bit disturbing, especially the large Mr Lusk letter.
August 4, 2018
Not a great book but worth the read. Very informative & a good introduction to the Jack the Ripper case. (Or it’s a nice re-introduction if you’re like me & interested in the case but haven’t read up on it in a while.)
November 24, 2018
A good summary of the Ripper's story, the victims, the suspects an the myth behind the murders. Easy to read and well structured. Personally, I did not find it fascinating as it does not bring anything new about the case. But it does its job as an entertaining piece to read.
July 21, 2020
It's chilling all right and very informative. However, it's not at all conclusive, but that's not its intention. The title says "insight" and you'll get all the insight information you can want for something this gruesome!!
March 31, 2013
Good factual book that doesn't take sides and looks at all possible angles. Nice read!
October 29, 2018
Lovely to look at but had issues getting through it.
November 24, 2018
informative. nauseating. easy read. those poor women. if only fingerprinting would have even been discovered then. I wonder if that would have even helped catch him.
May 16, 2019
Not as i expected... wanted more
March 10, 2022
Lots of fascinating info presented in a visual format (more pictures than text). Probably not much use to the keen Ripperologist but great for anyone with a more casual interest.
May 14, 2023
An informative short book on Jack the Ripper. It contains some new interesting information that I was unaware of.
Recommend this book to any one for wants an overview of the case.
Recommend this book to any one for wants an overview of the case.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews