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People of Abandoned Character
'Astonishing ... I'd be amazed if it isn't dominating the shortlists come next year's awards season' M.W. CRAVEN. Marry in haste... Murder at leisure? London, 1888: Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon, she returns home with her new husband wrapped around her little finger. But then everything changes. Thomas's behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. The gentle caresses she enjoyed on her wedding night are now just a honeyed memory. When the first woman is murdered in Whitechapel, Susannah's interest is piqued. But as she follows the reports of the ongoing hunt for the killer, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time Thomas stays out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or is her husband the man they call Jack the Ripper?
419 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2020
186 people are currently reading
5617 people want to read
About the author
Clare Whitfield
5 books133 followersClare Whitfield was born the fourth child to ex-Armed Forces parents. She grew up on St Helier Estate in Morden before moving to Sutton and currently lives in Hampshire.
People of Abandoned Character, her first novel, was published in 2020 and won the Goldsboro Glass Bell 2021 Award and was shortlisted for the HWA Crime Debut 2021. The Gone and the Forgotten, her second novel, was published in June 2022. Her third novel, Poor Girls, was published in November 2024.
People of Abandoned Character, her first novel, was published in 2020 and won the Goldsboro Glass Bell 2021 Award and was shortlisted for the HWA Crime Debut 2021. The Gone and the Forgotten, her second novel, was published in June 2022. Her third novel, Poor Girls, was published in November 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 660 reviews
September 18, 2020
I had no idea what to expect from this but, wow, for a debut novel in a genre I rarely read, kudos to the author for this book. Susannah Chapman, a plain woman with few prospects, has been trapped caring for her ailing grandmother for years. When granny finally expires Susannah, aged 27, is finally free to pursue a career in nursing to provide her with a basic living. She moves to London and qualifies as a nurse but then she meets the dashing and charming surgeon, Dr Thomas Lancaster. The doctor, although five years younger than her, pursues her with vigour. Finally, realising this is probably going to be her best stepping stone out of grinding poverty, Susannah accepts his proposal and they marry.
Well, as soon as the honeymoon was over, the honeymoon was over and Thomas becomes distant and absent and altogether strange. If she questions him or makes any comment he would snap at her. Susannah has to console herself with her comfortable lifestyle and the hostile company of the housekeeper, Mrs Wiggs. But when news of murdered prostitutes in the Whitechapel area is reported Susannah becomes very interested indeed. Thomas’s strange overnight absences do seem to coincide with these murders.
This story is a kind of re-imagining of the Ripper murders of Victorian London told from a woman’s perspective. It was really well done and you get an appreciation of how fragile the lives of women really were in our not too distant past. They certainly weren’t credited with any ability to think for themselves. One of the reasons I don’t read much historical fiction, particularly from this era, is that for anyone who was not well off life was so very squalid. This was described in all it putrid detail in this book. All in all it was very well written, the characters jumped off the page and some descriptions were so vivid they made me cringe. I enjoyed this book a lot. I think it would appeal to anyone who likes historical fiction and even many who, like me, generally don’t! Many thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus and Clare Whitfield for my copy. My opinions are my own.
Well, as soon as the honeymoon was over, the honeymoon was over and Thomas becomes distant and absent and altogether strange. If she questions him or makes any comment he would snap at her. Susannah has to console herself with her comfortable lifestyle and the hostile company of the housekeeper, Mrs Wiggs. But when news of murdered prostitutes in the Whitechapel area is reported Susannah becomes very interested indeed. Thomas’s strange overnight absences do seem to coincide with these murders.
This story is a kind of re-imagining of the Ripper murders of Victorian London told from a woman’s perspective. It was really well done and you get an appreciation of how fragile the lives of women really were in our not too distant past. They certainly weren’t credited with any ability to think for themselves. One of the reasons I don’t read much historical fiction, particularly from this era, is that for anyone who was not well off life was so very squalid. This was described in all it putrid detail in this book. All in all it was very well written, the characters jumped off the page and some descriptions were so vivid they made me cringe. I enjoyed this book a lot. I think it would appeal to anyone who likes historical fiction and even many who, like me, generally don’t! Many thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus and Clare Whitfield for my copy. My opinions are my own.
October 8, 2022
3.5 stars
This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/pe...
Susannah Chapman is orphaned at the age of five and raised by her grandparents in Reading, England.
Susannah chafes at the dull life in Reading, and in 1885 - after both her grandparents have died - Susannah moves to London to become a nurse.
By 1888 Susannah is working at the London Hospital in Whitechapel, which serves the impoverished residents of the surrounding slums.
Susannah hopes for security and a better life, but the work is grueling and her ghetto living quarters are small and spare.
Susannah brings the filth and stink of the Whitechapel slums to life with her vivid description, "The parishes of these parts didn’t have shitrakers, because tenants couldn’t pay, and nor could we afford lighting, so the streets were deep in foul-smelling rubbish and swilling with blood and urine from the tanneries and abattoirs...Everywhere stank, thick with the stench of sweat and shit and whatever odour came with the trade of that court’s inhabitants: phosphorus, smoked fish, meat....A few years living like that and our lungs never recovered."
So when handsome Dr. Thomas Lancaster comes courting, Susannah is happy to embark on a romance.
Susannah doesn't consider herself pretty and isn't in the upper class, but she accepts the surgeon's professions of love.
Susannah and Thomas marry quickly, and - on their honeymoon - Thomas introduces Susannah to passionate sex and laudanum.
Susannah envisions a wonderful life together until the newlyweds return to Thomas's house in Chelsea. The house is large and well-appointed, but Thomas's long-time housekeeper, Mrs. Wiggs, is cold and haughty and has no use for Susannah.
For her part, Susannah is cowed and intimated by Mrs. Wiggs, and takes to staying in her room and using her 'little drops.'
To make things worse, Thomas's personality changes completely. He becomes contemptuous and abusive and subjects Susannah to humiliating sexual practices. Thomas also stays away from the house for days, claiming to be doing important work that will make his career.
On one occasion, Thomas comes home in the early hours of the morning, disheveled and covered with blood. At other times, Susannah observes Mrs. Wiggs whispering with Thomas in the hallway and washing bloodstained shirts.
It's at this time that the Whitechapel murders begin. The first victim is a prostitute named Mary Ann Nichols, who's found dead and mutilated in London's Whitechapel district.
Over time, more prostitutes are killed, each one being butchered in a manner that suggests the killer has surgical skills. The Whitechapel murderer is eventually dubbed Jack the Ripper.
With nothing else to do, Susannah becomes consumed with the Whitechapel homicides. She scours the newspapers for stories, cuts out articles, makes notes, visits the sites of the murders, and imagines the killings in her mind.
Susannah notices that the prostitute murders coincide with Thomas's absences from home, and she suspects her husband might be Jack the Ripper.
Worried and feeling unwell, Susannah consults Dr. Shivershev, a physician she knows from London Hospital.
Susannah talks to Shivershev about the Ripper killings, but he fobs her off, suggesting this isn't an appropriate interest for a woman. Susannah has nowhere to turn, and continues to obsess about her abusive husband and miserable marriage - which she can't escape because of Victorian mores.
Things take a dramatic turn, and Susannah demonstrates courage, mettle and intelligence as she confronts danger and depravity.
This unique take on the Ripper legend is a page-turner filled with secrets, twists, and surprises.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
September 6, 2020
Clare Whitfield’s, “People of Abandoned Character” was one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever awarded to a book. Victorian London, a unique take on Jack the Ripper and an atmospheric location with descriptions the best I’ve read, I could have kept reading this for days, with every single page keeping me entertained.
“Susannah, a nurse at The London hospital, rushes into marriage with a young and wealthy surgeon Thomas Lancaster. After a passionate honeymoon, they return home to Chelsea but everything changes within their marriage. Thomas's behavior becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. The gentle and carefree man she married is just a distant memory. When the first woman is murdered in Whitechapel, Susannah's interest is piqued. As she follows the reports of the ongoing hunt for the killer, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time Thomas stays out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or could her husband be the man they call Jack the Ripper?”
Anything to do with the infamous Ripper instantly piques my interest. Even to this day, everyone has their own opinions on who he actually was and the author has invented a fantastic take on the deaths, with an ending that was truly remarkable and realistic. When the murders were taking place back in the 1880’s, well to do ladies were fascinated in the deaths and used to visit the areas where the deaths occurred, often with women acting out the last moments of the victims. That fascination hasn’t ceased, nigh on one hundred and fifty years later, with it being one of the most talked about period in history for a serial killer in England - people can’t help having their own opinion. The fact that it was unsolved adds to the theories of who the Whitechapel Murderer actually was and I felt this story was not beyond the realms of possibility.
The author has certainly done her research on the time and conditions of London 1888. The cultural influx of the Jews and Russians, the squalor of the living conditions, the workhouses, the poverty, the sights, sounds and smells, all were so life like and convincing, I felt I was there with Susannah in every step she took through the London streets.
Susannah herself has her own backstory. With a smouldering hint at something occurring between her and another nurse she worked with before marrying Thomas, this created an intense curiosity as to what could have happened. This, together with her childhood, living with a grief stricken and strict grandmother, made an absorbing and intensely entertaining read that wasn’t just all about the brutal and vicious murders of the time.
Clare Whitfield, a debut author (who writes like a professional long time writer) doesn’t hold back on any of the harrowing descriptions of the murders, the ladies of a certain class and the nefarious affairs of certain men who visited notorious dens of immorality.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough - as a thriller, superb historical fiction or for anyone who loves Ripperology, it’s a five star read from me and a book that will definitely be staying on my bookshelves.
5 stars!
Many thanks to LoveReading for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
“Susannah, a nurse at The London hospital, rushes into marriage with a young and wealthy surgeon Thomas Lancaster. After a passionate honeymoon, they return home to Chelsea but everything changes within their marriage. Thomas's behavior becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. The gentle and carefree man she married is just a distant memory. When the first woman is murdered in Whitechapel, Susannah's interest is piqued. As she follows the reports of the ongoing hunt for the killer, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time Thomas stays out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or could her husband be the man they call Jack the Ripper?”
Anything to do with the infamous Ripper instantly piques my interest. Even to this day, everyone has their own opinions on who he actually was and the author has invented a fantastic take on the deaths, with an ending that was truly remarkable and realistic. When the murders were taking place back in the 1880’s, well to do ladies were fascinated in the deaths and used to visit the areas where the deaths occurred, often with women acting out the last moments of the victims. That fascination hasn’t ceased, nigh on one hundred and fifty years later, with it being one of the most talked about period in history for a serial killer in England - people can’t help having their own opinion. The fact that it was unsolved adds to the theories of who the Whitechapel Murderer actually was and I felt this story was not beyond the realms of possibility.
The author has certainly done her research on the time and conditions of London 1888. The cultural influx of the Jews and Russians, the squalor of the living conditions, the workhouses, the poverty, the sights, sounds and smells, all were so life like and convincing, I felt I was there with Susannah in every step she took through the London streets.
Susannah herself has her own backstory. With a smouldering hint at something occurring between her and another nurse she worked with before marrying Thomas, this created an intense curiosity as to what could have happened. This, together with her childhood, living with a grief stricken and strict grandmother, made an absorbing and intensely entertaining read that wasn’t just all about the brutal and vicious murders of the time.
Clare Whitfield, a debut author (who writes like a professional long time writer) doesn’t hold back on any of the harrowing descriptions of the murders, the ladies of a certain class and the nefarious affairs of certain men who visited notorious dens of immorality.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough - as a thriller, superb historical fiction or for anyone who loves Ripperology, it’s a five star read from me and a book that will definitely be staying on my bookshelves.
5 stars!
Many thanks to LoveReading for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2020
A historical mystery published 2020
A debut novel from Clare Whitfield and what a debut it turned out to be.
This is a warts and all depiction of what life was like in the East End of London in the late 1800s.
In the 1800s London was the epicentre on the financial, military and political world. Yet for all it’s dominating power the life for the denizens of London’s east end was appalling. The filth, the squaller, the venereal disease and public drunkenness was, by modern day standards, out of control.
In the middle of all this human misery was Susannah Chapman, a tall, plain and introverted young woman.
Susannah was a nurse at the London hospital and whilst life was far from perfect she was one of the lucky ones, she had a roof over her head and food in her stomach.
Then a human whirlwind by the name of Thomas Lancaster entered her life and she was swept off her feet. Thomas pursued Susannah with such a passion that when he proposed, Susannah could do nothing but accept.
It didn’t take long for the other side of Thomas’s nature to come to the surface.
When Thomas wasn’t being overly affectionate he was physically, emotionally, sexually and verbally abusive. Susannah grew to be terrified of Thomas.
About this time prostitutes were being killed in the most gruesome of ways, this was the handy work of Jack the Ripper.
Susannah couldn’t help but notice that when a murder occurred Thomas would be missing from the house, sometimes for days at a time. On one occasion Thomas arrived home late at night covered in blood and it was not his own.
Susannah came to believe that she was married to the monster the press were calling ‘Jack the Ripper’.
The novel has a notably Dickensian feel to the narrative. It is highly atmospheric and manages to evoke a feeling of being there in the middle of all this awfulness.
A highly recommended 4 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley, Head of Zeus publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book
A debut novel from Clare Whitfield and what a debut it turned out to be.
This is a warts and all depiction of what life was like in the East End of London in the late 1800s.
In the 1800s London was the epicentre on the financial, military and political world. Yet for all it’s dominating power the life for the denizens of London’s east end was appalling. The filth, the squaller, the venereal disease and public drunkenness was, by modern day standards, out of control.
In the middle of all this human misery was Susannah Chapman, a tall, plain and introverted young woman.
Susannah was a nurse at the London hospital and whilst life was far from perfect she was one of the lucky ones, she had a roof over her head and food in her stomach.
Then a human whirlwind by the name of Thomas Lancaster entered her life and she was swept off her feet. Thomas pursued Susannah with such a passion that when he proposed, Susannah could do nothing but accept.
It didn’t take long for the other side of Thomas’s nature to come to the surface.
When Thomas wasn’t being overly affectionate he was physically, emotionally, sexually and verbally abusive. Susannah grew to be terrified of Thomas.
About this time prostitutes were being killed in the most gruesome of ways, this was the handy work of Jack the Ripper.
Susannah couldn’t help but notice that when a murder occurred Thomas would be missing from the house, sometimes for days at a time. On one occasion Thomas arrived home late at night covered in blood and it was not his own.
Susannah came to believe that she was married to the monster the press were calling ‘Jack the Ripper’.
The novel has a notably Dickensian feel to the narrative. It is highly atmospheric and manages to evoke a feeling of being there in the middle of all this awfulness.
A highly recommended 4 star read.
My thanks to NetGalley, Head of Zeus publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book
November 19, 2022
1.5 stars
Here we have yet another twist or variation on the mythology around Jack the Ripper. This is set in London around the time of the Ripper murders, close to Whitechapel. There will be spoilers ahead as it is difficult to say anything meaningful about this novel without. It must also be said that any writer straying into this area after Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five needs to be really good. This isn’t. One can reach for the usual descriptors like, gothic, atmospheric, visceral. But it is just another variant on an old theme.
There are certainly several tropes in play.
Strong female lead, nurse marries handsome doctor who turns out to be abusive, violent and secretive. Unfortunately strong female lead turns out to be a murderer (more than one) as well.
Of course there is a Jewish doctor as well as this is the East End and Whitechapel. The Jewish doctor is an arranger of abortions, stealer of organs and also a murderer.
Strong female lead also has a relationship with a female nurse. The LGBTQ+ element might be a positive if it wasn’t linked to a homicidal protagonist. There is also a Molly House the descriptions of which have an element of farce and somewhat less than wholesome. It felt a little like a parody.
The ending was so odd and clunky. The last Ripper victim, Mary Kelly being a part of the previous killings; really?
The cuckoo storyline is way too contrived and the housekeeper was somewhat unbelievable.
I generally partial to Victorian Gothic and I know there have been positive reviews of this. But I didn’t get it.
Here we have yet another twist or variation on the mythology around Jack the Ripper. This is set in London around the time of the Ripper murders, close to Whitechapel. There will be spoilers ahead as it is difficult to say anything meaningful about this novel without. It must also be said that any writer straying into this area after Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five needs to be really good. This isn’t. One can reach for the usual descriptors like, gothic, atmospheric, visceral. But it is just another variant on an old theme.
There are certainly several tropes in play.
Strong female lead, nurse marries handsome doctor who turns out to be abusive, violent and secretive. Unfortunately strong female lead turns out to be a murderer (more than one) as well.
Of course there is a Jewish doctor as well as this is the East End and Whitechapel. The Jewish doctor is an arranger of abortions, stealer of organs and also a murderer.
Strong female lead also has a relationship with a female nurse. The LGBTQ+ element might be a positive if it wasn’t linked to a homicidal protagonist. There is also a Molly House the descriptions of which have an element of farce and somewhat less than wholesome. It felt a little like a parody.
The ending was so odd and clunky. The last Ripper victim, Mary Kelly being a part of the previous killings; really?
The cuckoo storyline is way too contrived and the housekeeper was somewhat unbelievable.
I generally partial to Victorian Gothic and I know there have been positive reviews of this. But I didn’t get it.
April 8, 2021
What would you do if you suspected that your husband was Jack the Ripper?
Set in Victorian London, this compelling atmospheric thriller explores the unsolved case of Jack the Ripper as well as the fragile role of women in 1888 London.
Protagonist Susannah is a 30-year old nurse who loved and married a 25-year old surgeon. Unfortunately, Susannah's happiness is short-lived. After just two weeks of marriage, Susannah's husband turns abusive. In addition, her new husband starts to disappear at night; frequently returning home covered in blood and sometimes with scratches on his face.
As Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of White Castle (London), Susannah quickly realizes that there is a correlation between her husband's mysterious disappearances and the Jack the Ripper murders.
Although I was aware of the infamous Jack the Ripper, I knew very little about the case. Specifically, I did not realize that Jack the Ripper was never caught and that police suspected that "The Ripper" was either a physician or a butcher since the murder victims' mutilations involved disembowelment and organ removal.
Also, I was totally clueless about the HUGE prevalence of racism, domestic violence, dire poverty, hardship, disease, substance abuse, and prostitution that existed in Victorian London. iN 1888, residents of London's Whitecastle district worried about food, shelter, AND encountering a looming "Ripper" who delighted in slitting women's necks and removing their organs.
WARNING: This book has vivid descriptions of body mutilation.
"People of Abandoned Character" is an ambitious debut for first-time author Claire Whitfield. The author's characters were expertly crafted and the first half of this book really moved. I keenly felt the despair that Susannah suffered during her abusive marriage as well as her unhappy childhood. I also felt her fear of possibly being married to the infamous "Jack the Ripper".
Unfortunately, the second half of the book frequently dragged and the book lost its fast tempo. Also, the "twists" that the author included at the end of the book were unrealistic and contrived.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was superb.
Three stars rounded up.
Set in Victorian London, this compelling atmospheric thriller explores the unsolved case of Jack the Ripper as well as the fragile role of women in 1888 London.
Protagonist Susannah is a 30-year old nurse who loved and married a 25-year old surgeon. Unfortunately, Susannah's happiness is short-lived. After just two weeks of marriage, Susannah's husband turns abusive. In addition, her new husband starts to disappear at night; frequently returning home covered in blood and sometimes with scratches on his face.
As Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of White Castle (London), Susannah quickly realizes that there is a correlation between her husband's mysterious disappearances and the Jack the Ripper murders.
Although I was aware of the infamous Jack the Ripper, I knew very little about the case. Specifically, I did not realize that Jack the Ripper was never caught and that police suspected that "The Ripper" was either a physician or a butcher since the murder victims' mutilations involved disembowelment and organ removal.
Also, I was totally clueless about the HUGE prevalence of racism, domestic violence, dire poverty, hardship, disease, substance abuse, and prostitution that existed in Victorian London. iN 1888, residents of London's Whitecastle district worried about food, shelter, AND encountering a looming "Ripper" who delighted in slitting women's necks and removing their organs.
WARNING: This book has vivid descriptions of body mutilation.
"People of Abandoned Character" is an ambitious debut for first-time author Claire Whitfield. The author's characters were expertly crafted and the first half of this book really moved. I keenly felt the despair that Susannah suffered during her abusive marriage as well as her unhappy childhood. I also felt her fear of possibly being married to the infamous "Jack the Ripper".
Unfortunately, the second half of the book frequently dragged and the book lost its fast tempo. Also, the "twists" that the author included at the end of the book were unrealistic and contrived.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was superb.
Three stars rounded up.
September 24, 2021
Was so happy to find this with my Kindle Unlimited subscription because I searched for this high and low and almost purchased it on Ebay just to get my hands on this.
Set in London 1888, Susannah, a spinster nurse with no prospects of marriage meets and eventually marries a young, attractive doctor at the hospital she works at. Much to her good fortune
Susannah begins her new life in comfort and security with her new husband and his dour housekeeper Mrs. Wiggs, but soon after things begin to dramatically change around her. Her once attentive husband has become taciturn and abusive often disappearing for days without explanation, returning with blood on his clothing and Mrs. Wiggs who barely tolerated her has become her enemy, coupled with the news that someone is murdering and mutilating prostitutes around London. As Susannah's husband becomes more abusive and secretive she begins to wonder if maybe just maybe he is the infamous Jack the Ripper and maybe Mrs. Wiggs just isn't his housekeeper.
This was a sometimes gruesome, descriptive thriller, not for the squeamish, but knowing the topic is Jack the Ripper you know going in that this might be a bit gory for some. The storyline is intensely good with unexpected twists that I wasn't anticipating, glad I managed to snag this read.
Set in London 1888, Susannah, a spinster nurse with no prospects of marriage meets and eventually marries a young, attractive doctor at the hospital she works at. Much to her good fortune
Susannah begins her new life in comfort and security with her new husband and his dour housekeeper Mrs. Wiggs, but soon after things begin to dramatically change around her. Her once attentive husband has become taciturn and abusive often disappearing for days without explanation, returning with blood on his clothing and Mrs. Wiggs who barely tolerated her has become her enemy, coupled with the news that someone is murdering and mutilating prostitutes around London. As Susannah's husband becomes more abusive and secretive she begins to wonder if maybe just maybe he is the infamous Jack the Ripper and maybe Mrs. Wiggs just isn't his housekeeper.
This was a sometimes gruesome, descriptive thriller, not for the squeamish, but knowing the topic is Jack the Ripper you know going in that this might be a bit gory for some. The storyline is intensely good with unexpected twists that I wasn't anticipating, glad I managed to snag this read.
September 10, 2020
‘People of Abandoned Character’ is Clare Whitfield’s first novel; full marks for an eye-catching title. It’s also a great idea to explore late Victorian London through the eyes of the wife of Jack the Ripper – or is he? Having recently read ‘Five’, the brilliant historical exposition of his victims, by Hallie Rubenhold, I was hoping for another intelligent exploration of a Victorian woman’s lot, albeit it fictional, intertwined with a Gothic thriller. Sadly, this was not to be.
The novel suffers from too many coincidences. Nor has Whitfield mastered the art of conveying horror as opposed to spelling it out. From the middle of the narrative onwards the reader is immersed in a great deal of blood, gore, depravity, and violence in general. It’s not that this is inappropriate for the subject matter but the unsubtle rendering has the effect of making the reader care less and less.
Susannah, the central character, trains as a nurse at the London Hospital. The author makes use of interesting historical detail and the development of her friendship with Aisling is convincing. Nevertheless, her relationship with a young surgeon, Thomas, never really feels credible in any way, especially for a woman who has been brave enough to strike out alone. And it’s not as if she is destitute. Whilst Susannah mentions frequently how much she relies on the financial security that her marriage affords her (hah!), she is a woman of property and could easily have remained economically independent and single.
There are several occasions in the novel when the prose is particularly poorly constructed or clumsily expressed. Susannah’s desire to read about the Ripper’s victims is justified as some sort of act of mercy – ‘someone should have the courage to accompany them in this’ - and this comes across as nonsense. In fact, Susannah even suggests that some might find this explanation ‘perverse’. The final chapters are event-packed yet lack the psychological and emotional details to make them feel believable. They read as a ‘let’s tie up all the loose ends’ exercise rather than anything more satisfying. Sadly, this novel fails to deliver on its potential.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
The novel suffers from too many coincidences. Nor has Whitfield mastered the art of conveying horror as opposed to spelling it out. From the middle of the narrative onwards the reader is immersed in a great deal of blood, gore, depravity, and violence in general. It’s not that this is inappropriate for the subject matter but the unsubtle rendering has the effect of making the reader care less and less.
Susannah, the central character, trains as a nurse at the London Hospital. The author makes use of interesting historical detail and the development of her friendship with Aisling is convincing. Nevertheless, her relationship with a young surgeon, Thomas, never really feels credible in any way, especially for a woman who has been brave enough to strike out alone. And it’s not as if she is destitute. Whilst Susannah mentions frequently how much she relies on the financial security that her marriage affords her (hah!), she is a woman of property and could easily have remained economically independent and single.
There are several occasions in the novel when the prose is particularly poorly constructed or clumsily expressed. Susannah’s desire to read about the Ripper’s victims is justified as some sort of act of mercy – ‘someone should have the courage to accompany them in this’ - and this comes across as nonsense. In fact, Susannah even suggests that some might find this explanation ‘perverse’. The final chapters are event-packed yet lack the psychological and emotional details to make them feel believable. They read as a ‘let’s tie up all the loose ends’ exercise rather than anything more satisfying. Sadly, this novel fails to deliver on its potential.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
October 1, 2020
People of Abandoned Character is a historical crime thriller and Clare Whitfield's debut novel, set against the backdrop of Jack the Ripper's hunting ground of late-nineteenth-century Whitechapel, London. Susannah, a nurse at The London Hospital, rushes headlong into a marriage with young, affluent surgeon Thomas Lancaster. They've barely made it home to Chelsea from their honeymoon before it suddenly dawns on Susannah that Thomas's charming disposition is changing, either that or the facade he had been showing was beginning to crack. He becomes increasingly volatile, violent and prone to temper changes at the flick of a switch staying out the entire night before returning home covered in blood and hiding horrifying secrets. When the first woman is brutally murdered in Whitechapel, Susannah cannot tear herself away from the news; she watches with both trepidation and interest at the media and police hunt for the merciless killer, and she allows the shocking thought to enter her mind that her husband, the once sweet and empathetic man she wed, is the perpetrator... because every time Thomas is out late, another victim is discovered brutally slain...
Wow, this was a frighteningly gripping and refreshingly original take on Jack the Ripper and Ripperology which paints a disturbing portrait of a wife slowly coming to the realisation that she married a monster. These type of stories featuring psychopaths of the past can often come across as theatrical and glorified but this was wonderfully authentic and believable in every sense. Susannah is trapped in the equivalent of a perpetual nightmare in which she is perfectly aware what is likely to be happening but is not able to look away from the sheer horror of it either as she seeks out more information as if to confirm her already realised fear — she's married to a serial killer. The descriptions of the crimes themselves can be graphic and overwhelming but somehow they don't come off as sensationalist, and despite the potential for the plot to be surface level, Whitfield adds a fascinating depth to it by addressing the issues of the time — misogyny, domestic violence, abject poverty and discrimination. Painting a stark, moody and atmospheric portrait of Victorian London, this is a riveting, powerful and thought-provoking read. Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.
Wow, this was a frighteningly gripping and refreshingly original take on Jack the Ripper and Ripperology which paints a disturbing portrait of a wife slowly coming to the realisation that she married a monster. These type of stories featuring psychopaths of the past can often come across as theatrical and glorified but this was wonderfully authentic and believable in every sense. Susannah is trapped in the equivalent of a perpetual nightmare in which she is perfectly aware what is likely to be happening but is not able to look away from the sheer horror of it either as she seeks out more information as if to confirm her already realised fear — she's married to a serial killer. The descriptions of the crimes themselves can be graphic and overwhelming but somehow they don't come off as sensationalist, and despite the potential for the plot to be surface level, Whitfield adds a fascinating depth to it by addressing the issues of the time — misogyny, domestic violence, abject poverty and discrimination. Painting a stark, moody and atmospheric portrait of Victorian London, this is a riveting, powerful and thought-provoking read. Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.
May 19, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
I have a bit of a fascination with Jack the Ripper and my favourite historical novels are set in Victorian London so I had a feeling that People of Abandoned Character might just be the book for me, and I was certainly right.
We meet Susannah who has been through some tough times in her life. Hoping to make a new start after the death of her grandparents who raised her, she decides to train as a nurse, and it is here that she meets her younger husband Thomas Lancaster, a surgeon from an affluent family.
The couple quickly marries and after their honeymoon, Susannah moves into the large family home where there are maids, cooks, gardeners, etc. Not something she is used to and coming from a poor background she quickly feels out of her depth. Then Thomas changes, demanding things from her in the bedroom, becoming distant and cold, violent and repulsive towards her. She also notices that he stays out late on each of the nights that a woman is murdered in Whitechapel.
Being inquisitive, Susannah begins to think that her husband could be the man they are calling ‘Jack the Ripper’, and she begins her own investigations into proving her theory. Could Susannah’s husband really be a cold-blooded killer of women?
From the very first page, I adored this book. Susannah was a feisty, strong-willed woman who after years of heartbreak and being poor she had taken it upon herself to be a better person and get herself out of the situation she had grown up in. When Thomas Lancaster shows an interest in her she can’t believe her luck. A man with standings and money interested in someone like herself.
She loved Thomas but his behaviour changing so quickly after their marriage showed her that she was nothing to him, just a wife he needed to take. Someone to be at his beck and call when he wanted.
The plot weaves the story of Jack the Ripper in nicely to the home life of Susannah and Thomas. We get to read what the papers were writing at the time and how Susannah starts to think maybe her husband could be the killer. She certainly was careful and meticulous in her investigations, which added another level to this historical mystery with Susannah coming across as an amateur detective.
There were quite a few twists in the plot that I hadn’t seen coming and a few surprises too. The attention to detail and the plight of the people, especially the poor people living in Victorian England came across so vividly as well as how badly women were treated, especially by their husbands. This has become one of my favourite historical novels and if you love the Victorian era then grab a copy now!
I have a bit of a fascination with Jack the Ripper and my favourite historical novels are set in Victorian London so I had a feeling that People of Abandoned Character might just be the book for me, and I was certainly right.
We meet Susannah who has been through some tough times in her life. Hoping to make a new start after the death of her grandparents who raised her, she decides to train as a nurse, and it is here that she meets her younger husband Thomas Lancaster, a surgeon from an affluent family.
The couple quickly marries and after their honeymoon, Susannah moves into the large family home where there are maids, cooks, gardeners, etc. Not something she is used to and coming from a poor background she quickly feels out of her depth. Then Thomas changes, demanding things from her in the bedroom, becoming distant and cold, violent and repulsive towards her. She also notices that he stays out late on each of the nights that a woman is murdered in Whitechapel.
Being inquisitive, Susannah begins to think that her husband could be the man they are calling ‘Jack the Ripper’, and she begins her own investigations into proving her theory. Could Susannah’s husband really be a cold-blooded killer of women?
From the very first page, I adored this book. Susannah was a feisty, strong-willed woman who after years of heartbreak and being poor she had taken it upon herself to be a better person and get herself out of the situation she had grown up in. When Thomas Lancaster shows an interest in her she can’t believe her luck. A man with standings and money interested in someone like herself.
She loved Thomas but his behaviour changing so quickly after their marriage showed her that she was nothing to him, just a wife he needed to take. Someone to be at his beck and call when he wanted.
The plot weaves the story of Jack the Ripper in nicely to the home life of Susannah and Thomas. We get to read what the papers were writing at the time and how Susannah starts to think maybe her husband could be the killer. She certainly was careful and meticulous in her investigations, which added another level to this historical mystery with Susannah coming across as an amateur detective.
There were quite a few twists in the plot that I hadn’t seen coming and a few surprises too. The attention to detail and the plight of the people, especially the poor people living in Victorian England came across so vividly as well as how badly women were treated, especially by their husbands. This has become one of my favourite historical novels and if you love the Victorian era then grab a copy now!
March 14, 2021
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*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**3.5 stars**
People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield. (2020).
London, 1888. Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon she returns with her new husband. But then everything changes quickly. Thomas's behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent, he stays out all night and returns home bloodied and full of secrets. Lonely and frustrated, Susannah starts following the gruesome reports of a series of murders in Whitechapel. Every time Thomas is out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or is he the man they call Jack the Ripper?
I couldn't help but be intrigued by this synopsis; could you even imagine if you thought your spouse was a serial killer?! Which of course, when you think about it logically, would actually occur in reality. Susannah was an odd lead if I'm being honest: she was intelligent but naive, likeable at times but also off-putting personality wise, she felt like an unreliable narrator. Thomas was clearly unwell mentally but was he Jack the Ripper...you'll have to read the book to find out! I think I felt like the last quarter was a bit rushed in comparison to the rest of the novel, the tone just felt a bit different and everything changed very quickly.
Overall: I did enjoy it, I just didn't love it. It's definitely a clever and unique story and worth a read if you like historical fiction and/or murder crime stories.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**3.5 stars**
People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield. (2020).
London, 1888. Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon she returns with her new husband. But then everything changes quickly. Thomas's behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent, he stays out all night and returns home bloodied and full of secrets. Lonely and frustrated, Susannah starts following the gruesome reports of a series of murders in Whitechapel. Every time Thomas is out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or is he the man they call Jack the Ripper?
I couldn't help but be intrigued by this synopsis; could you even imagine if you thought your spouse was a serial killer?! Which of course, when you think about it logically, would actually occur in reality. Susannah was an odd lead if I'm being honest: she was intelligent but naive, likeable at times but also off-putting personality wise, she felt like an unreliable narrator. Thomas was clearly unwell mentally but was he Jack the Ripper...you'll have to read the book to find out! I think I felt like the last quarter was a bit rushed in comparison to the rest of the novel, the tone just felt a bit different and everything changed very quickly.
Overall: I did enjoy it, I just didn't love it. It's definitely a clever and unique story and worth a read if you like historical fiction and/or murder crime stories.
September 30, 2020
London, 1888: Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. When they return from honeymoon, she has her husband wrapped around her little finger. But Thomas's behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. When the first woman in Whitechapel is murdered, Susannah's interest is piqued. Everytime Thomas stays out late, someone is found dead. Is it a coincidence or is her husband Jack the Ripper?
Nurse Susannah Chapman married Dr. Lancaster for love. But love soon turned to fear. Susannah goes from a headstrong woman to a snivelling wreck. None of the characters are likeable. The era has been well researched and seems true to it's time. Both Thomas and Susannah have secrets. There's gory details of the injuries, locality and people. The story is told from Susannah's perspective. This is a good debut novel.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HeadOfZeus and the author #ClareWhitfield for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nurse Susannah Chapman married Dr. Lancaster for love. But love soon turned to fear. Susannah goes from a headstrong woman to a snivelling wreck. None of the characters are likeable. The era has been well researched and seems true to it's time. Both Thomas and Susannah have secrets. There's gory details of the injuries, locality and people. The story is told from Susannah's perspective. This is a good debut novel.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HeadOfZeus and the author #ClareWhitfield for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2021
An absolute belter – what would you do if you suspected you had married Jack the Ripper?
People of Abandoned Character is a wonderfully twisty and atmospheric thriller that examines the utter fragility of a woman’s place in the world of Victorian London. It is devastating to learn how easily one could become impoverished, a ‘fallen woman’ as it were, and how difficult it would be to then forge your own freedom. Lost to the underbelly of Whitechapel, where even other women posed a threat - ready to blind or mutilate any woman they saw as competition – it is terrifying to contemplate just how futile one’s plight must be.
Whitfield’s delineation of the socio-political atmosphere as well as the topography and squalor of London is engrossing and convincing. The plot is relatively fast-paced, and I was gripped from the get-go. The prose for me was occasionally too on-the-nose and the characters lacked personality, especially Thomas, Susannah’s husband and prime suspect for Leather Apron himself. The revelation and denouement came too easily but nevertheless it is a satisfying read.
A perfect fictional accompaniment to The Five by Hallie Rubenhold. With thanks to the publisher for the proof copy.
People of Abandoned Character is a wonderfully twisty and atmospheric thriller that examines the utter fragility of a woman’s place in the world of Victorian London. It is devastating to learn how easily one could become impoverished, a ‘fallen woman’ as it were, and how difficult it would be to then forge your own freedom. Lost to the underbelly of Whitechapel, where even other women posed a threat - ready to blind or mutilate any woman they saw as competition – it is terrifying to contemplate just how futile one’s plight must be.
Whitfield’s delineation of the socio-political atmosphere as well as the topography and squalor of London is engrossing and convincing. The plot is relatively fast-paced, and I was gripped from the get-go. The prose for me was occasionally too on-the-nose and the characters lacked personality, especially Thomas, Susannah’s husband and prime suspect for Leather Apron himself. The revelation and denouement came too easily but nevertheless it is a satisfying read.
A perfect fictional accompaniment to The Five by Hallie Rubenhold. With thanks to the publisher for the proof copy.
September 30, 2020
London, 1888: Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. When they return from honeymoon, she has her husband wrapped around her little finger. But Thomas's behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets. When the first woman in Whitechapel is murdered, Susannah's interest is piqued. Everytime Thomas stays out late, someone is found dead. Is it a coincidence or is her husband Jack the Ripper?
Nurse Susannah Chapman married Dr.Thomas Lancaster for love. But love soon turned to fear. Susannah does from a headstrong woman to a snivelling wreck. None of the characters are likeable. The era has been well researched and seems true to it's time. Both %homes and Susannah have secrets. There's gory details of the injuries, locally and people. The story is told from Susannah's perspective. This is a good debut novel.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HeadOfZeus and the author #ClareWhitfield for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nurse Susannah Chapman married Dr.Thomas Lancaster for love. But love soon turned to fear. Susannah does from a headstrong woman to a snivelling wreck. None of the characters are likeable. The era has been well researched and seems true to it's time. Both %homes and Susannah have secrets. There's gory details of the injuries, locally and people. The story is told from Susannah's perspective. This is a good debut novel.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HeadOfZeus and the author #ClareWhitfield for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2020
Clare Whitfield has excelled with this book. I was intrigued from the start and found that the story was expressed well and flowed along nicely.
In London in 1888, this book is seen from Susannah's view, as a nurse who rushes into marriage with a surgeon. She finds herself in a desperate lonely situation and focuses all her attention on the horrific murders happening at the time.
This book includes murder, secrets and deceit. It does provide gruesome details though out the book so be prepared but it is well worth it as it adds to the terrific storyline.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish to thank better reading for this copy to read and review.
In London in 1888, this book is seen from Susannah's view, as a nurse who rushes into marriage with a surgeon. She finds herself in a desperate lonely situation and focuses all her attention on the horrific murders happening at the time.
This book includes murder, secrets and deceit. It does provide gruesome details though out the book so be prepared but it is well worth it as it adds to the terrific storyline.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish to thank better reading for this copy to read and review.
September 23, 2020
My review is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Twitter @bookpage5
What would you do if you thought you had married a murder? He is my husband!
Honestly if you are going to read any book in October, this has got to be high up on the list.
Susannah is to become a nurse at London hospital, in Whitechapel. In 1888 susannah a nurse and Thomas a doctor were married in St Jude’s Whitechapel.
After they were married Thomas takes his wife Susannah back to his house. Thomas has a housekeeper, Mrs Wiggs.
Soon after Susannah arriving at his house they had their first argument, with Thomas storming out of the bedroom and didn’t come back until early hours.
In the morning it didn’t take long before Mrs Wiggs noticed the atmosphere betweenThomas and Susannah.
Thomas becomes quite frightening, Susannah notices he has violent outbursts slamming his palms down on the table with his vein throbbing in his forehead.
They had only been married a few weeks and already Susannah had become confused by her husband’s behaviour. Thomas excuse for disappearing in the late evenings was of course he was working seeing private patients.
Susannah blood ran cold seeing in the newspapers women that have stabbed to death. When her husband comes home with blood covered on his white shirt, his excuse is that he was in a fight.
With reading about all this the women that had been murdered Susannah is now feeling horrified that her husband could be a murderer. Is her gut feeling right? Or is it all a coincidence? Or is her husband the man they call Jack the Ripper?
For many of us we all know about Jack the Ripper, therefore everyone is going to be talking about Susannah and Thomas in People of abandoned character.
Twitter @bookpage5
What would you do if you thought you had married a murder? He is my husband!
Honestly if you are going to read any book in October, this has got to be high up on the list.
Susannah is to become a nurse at London hospital, in Whitechapel. In 1888 susannah a nurse and Thomas a doctor were married in St Jude’s Whitechapel.
After they were married Thomas takes his wife Susannah back to his house. Thomas has a housekeeper, Mrs Wiggs.
Soon after Susannah arriving at his house they had their first argument, with Thomas storming out of the bedroom and didn’t come back until early hours.
In the morning it didn’t take long before Mrs Wiggs noticed the atmosphere betweenThomas and Susannah.
Thomas becomes quite frightening, Susannah notices he has violent outbursts slamming his palms down on the table with his vein throbbing in his forehead.
They had only been married a few weeks and already Susannah had become confused by her husband’s behaviour. Thomas excuse for disappearing in the late evenings was of course he was working seeing private patients.
Susannah blood ran cold seeing in the newspapers women that have stabbed to death. When her husband comes home with blood covered on his white shirt, his excuse is that he was in a fight.
With reading about all this the women that had been murdered Susannah is now feeling horrified that her husband could be a murderer. Is her gut feeling right? Or is it all a coincidence? Or is her husband the man they call Jack the Ripper?
For many of us we all know about Jack the Ripper, therefore everyone is going to be talking about Susannah and Thomas in People of abandoned character.
November 25, 2020
Completely defied the minimalist expectations set by the tag line and the summary- this book is far more than it appears to be! Astoundingly thought provoking and engrossing throughout the entirety of the novel, I binged this in one sitting.
Despite being purported as a historical domestic thriller set in late 1800’s Victorian England at the time when Jack the Ripper terrorized the streets of London, People of Abandoned Character uses this idea less as a plot device and more as a backdrop into a deep social introspection on the nature of this brutality and dehumanization effort against women of lower class. While this is traditionally a tale of crimes against prostitutes, the author makes a generalized exploration of these acts of aggression towards other groupings including the poor, illegitimate, homosexual, and the mentally ill. Told through the lens of a woman of few social resources who makes an advantageous marriage to a handsome, wealthy young surgeon only to quickly realize his deviant behavior paints him as a prime suspect as Jack the Ripper, the narrative took on the unique and interesting focus of rehumanizing the victims in a sympathetic manner.
On top of the interesting narrative choice, the twist presented in the novel is utterly unpredictable. The macabre undertones were very reminiscent of some of my favorite stories from the Pendergast series by Preston & Child. Upon reflection, this bizarre twist has me thinking deeply over what the author was actually trying to accomplish with a book entitled People of Abandoned Character. Make it to the end and it’s a thought that will completely consume you as well. This is definitely a story I won’t be able to stop thinking about for quite a while.
Despite being purported as a historical domestic thriller set in late 1800’s Victorian England at the time when Jack the Ripper terrorized the streets of London, People of Abandoned Character uses this idea less as a plot device and more as a backdrop into a deep social introspection on the nature of this brutality and dehumanization effort against women of lower class. While this is traditionally a tale of crimes against prostitutes, the author makes a generalized exploration of these acts of aggression towards other groupings including the poor, illegitimate, homosexual, and the mentally ill. Told through the lens of a woman of few social resources who makes an advantageous marriage to a handsome, wealthy young surgeon only to quickly realize his deviant behavior paints him as a prime suspect as Jack the Ripper, the narrative took on the unique and interesting focus of rehumanizing the victims in a sympathetic manner.
On top of the interesting narrative choice, the twist presented in the novel is utterly unpredictable. The macabre undertones were very reminiscent of some of my favorite stories from the Pendergast series by Preston & Child. Upon reflection, this bizarre twist has me thinking deeply over what the author was actually trying to accomplish with a book entitled People of Abandoned Character. Make it to the end and it’s a thought that will completely consume you as well. This is definitely a story I won’t be able to stop thinking about for quite a while.
January 31, 2021
I enjoyed this until the 80% mark, when it descended into absurd melodrama. I thought the way Mary Kelly’s murder was handled was tasteless in the extreme. I was also bothered by all the victims being portrayed as prostitutes, though this would have been the assumption at the time.
November 15, 2020
A great debut that was a real page-turner!
June 2, 2021
Visit the locations in Jack the Ripper's London
You might think you've read everything there is to read about Jack the Ripper but this is a new angle and a whole new premise to be honest.
Have you ever thought that there might have been a woman, newly married who started to suspect her husband of killing these women or at least being involved somehow. If so, what would she have done knowing that women at that time were trapped, married ones controlled and their role in society not what is is today.
Susannah is the woman in the novel with a rich husband who does what he wants. The housekeeper has clearly read Rebecca as is acting very Danvers-like so the whole house is eerie and unsettling. Ah if only that were the only thing Susannah had to worry about! AS the novel progresses, so to do the murders. But it's Susannah's reaction to them and what goes on in the house that really shocks here. What IS her husband up to and why?
Along with the main gripping plot, there are short excerpts about the real life victims and this really helps to place the novel and to remind us that this was of course a very real case. The victims get to speak and it's a loud voice they each have here which works well. I found this brought them into the main story and made it more real and believable and honoured their memory.
Really strong writing, atmospheric scene setting and an angle on a well worn story that really is refreshed and new under this author. A compelling read and what an interesting premise! Makes you think - well what you have done if that had been you?
You might think you've read everything there is to read about Jack the Ripper but this is a new angle and a whole new premise to be honest.
Have you ever thought that there might have been a woman, newly married who started to suspect her husband of killing these women or at least being involved somehow. If so, what would she have done knowing that women at that time were trapped, married ones controlled and their role in society not what is is today.
Susannah is the woman in the novel with a rich husband who does what he wants. The housekeeper has clearly read Rebecca as is acting very Danvers-like so the whole house is eerie and unsettling. Ah if only that were the only thing Susannah had to worry about! AS the novel progresses, so to do the murders. But it's Susannah's reaction to them and what goes on in the house that really shocks here. What IS her husband up to and why?
Along with the main gripping plot, there are short excerpts about the real life victims and this really helps to place the novel and to remind us that this was of course a very real case. The victims get to speak and it's a loud voice they each have here which works well. I found this brought them into the main story and made it more real and believable and honoured their memory.
Really strong writing, atmospheric scene setting and an angle on a well worn story that really is refreshed and new under this author. A compelling read and what an interesting premise! Makes you think - well what you have done if that had been you?
January 20, 2022
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book. It should have been perfect for me but it wasn't at all what I expected.
It starts out quite like Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, one of my favourite books. With the main character being 'rescued' from a life she doesn't want and swept of her feet by a rich gentleman with an unwelcoming house keeper. Unfortunately the rest of the plot was no where near as well written as Rebecca.
The book has some serious structural issues. The one that bothered me the most was a medical condition of two characters. It isn't mentioned once until it becomes very convenient for the plot. The description throughout is also annoyingly sparce. There is just enough to form a picture in your head, then half way through a chapter she'll drop in something else that completely changes what you'd pictured. Like there's a staircase leading to the kitchen that wasn't mentioned upon entering the kitchen, or a wooden partition seperaring two rooms that wasn't mentioned upon entering said room, despite the room being described as having very few features.
The same goes for the plot, the structure is all over the place. There are a lot of flash backs to the past but they're all out of order and it's very frustrating. She even feels the need to flash back in the present to just a few days earlier, despite it having no significance. I found my self getting very annoyed.
It's a real shame because the plot sounded so good! I should have been gripped, but because of these problems, despite the protagonist fearing for her life most of the time, there is no sense of urgency.
However, I did like the glimpse into life in the 1800's, what it was like to be a nurse and a women during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders. The stories surrounding the nurses were great, Mabel and Aisling in particular. I felt it a shame that this isn't the main plot of the book.
It starts out quite like Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, one of my favourite books. With the main character being 'rescued' from a life she doesn't want and swept of her feet by a rich gentleman with an unwelcoming house keeper. Unfortunately the rest of the plot was no where near as well written as Rebecca.
The book has some serious structural issues. The one that bothered me the most was a medical condition of two characters. It isn't mentioned once until it becomes very convenient for the plot. The description throughout is also annoyingly sparce. There is just enough to form a picture in your head, then half way through a chapter she'll drop in something else that completely changes what you'd pictured. Like there's a staircase leading to the kitchen that wasn't mentioned upon entering the kitchen, or a wooden partition seperaring two rooms that wasn't mentioned upon entering said room, despite the room being described as having very few features.
The same goes for the plot, the structure is all over the place. There are a lot of flash backs to the past but they're all out of order and it's very frustrating. She even feels the need to flash back in the present to just a few days earlier, despite it having no significance. I found my self getting very annoyed.
It's a real shame because the plot sounded so good! I should have been gripped, but because of these problems, despite the protagonist fearing for her life most of the time, there is no sense of urgency.
However, I did like the glimpse into life in the 1800's, what it was like to be a nurse and a women during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders. The stories surrounding the nurses were great, Mabel and Aisling in particular. I felt it a shame that this isn't the main plot of the book.
September 13, 2020
Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review
This is Clare Whitfield's debut novel, and it is one that I enjoyed.
I love true crime, and I have been fascinated by Jack The Ripper for many years now.
People of Abandoned Character is a warts and all story of life in Victorian England, the slums of London and the people who live there.
I liked how we are taken on one woman's journey and the questions she asks about her husband.
Is he Jack The Ripper?
I am sure many wived/girfriends/friends/family wondered this at the time and for many years afterwards.
Susannah draws us into her story, with all the twists and turns. It had me wondering many a time about people around her.
I did find the first half a little bit slow, however the second half is a belter of a story. I was on the edge of my couch as I read the second half.
Ms Whitfield has written a story that flows well and keep the reader wondering.
I look forward to more of her words in the future.
This is Clare Whitfield's debut novel, and it is one that I enjoyed.
I love true crime, and I have been fascinated by Jack The Ripper for many years now.
People of Abandoned Character is a warts and all story of life in Victorian England, the slums of London and the people who live there.
I liked how we are taken on one woman's journey and the questions she asks about her husband.
Is he Jack The Ripper?
I am sure many wived/girfriends/friends/family wondered this at the time and for many years afterwards.
Susannah draws us into her story, with all the twists and turns. It had me wondering many a time about people around her.
I did find the first half a little bit slow, however the second half is a belter of a story. I was on the edge of my couch as I read the second half.
Ms Whitfield has written a story that flows well and keep the reader wondering.
I look forward to more of her words in the future.
February 7, 2021
I am sorry to report that the promising premise of this book was sadly betrayed by one-dimensional characters and unbelievable plot twists. I found the idea that an intelligent, abused, medically-trained wife comes to believe her husband is Jack the Ripper to be original and exciting. However, it was immediately clear that he is not clever enough to be the Ripper and she is too drug-addled to be a reliable narrator. I don’t mean to imply that the plot was predictable - quite the opposite in fact - but the twists and final reveal were so far-fetched that it lost all credibility with me, particularly as I felt zero-sympathy for Susannah. She seemed totally selfish and dull; even the fact that the real love of her life was a woman, couldn’t make her any more interesting. I appreciate that Whitfield was trying to draw attention to some of the challenges faced by women at this time and the difficult choices they have to make (based on poverty, abuse and exploitation) but the characters were too self-interested and repellent for me. That was really the main issue - too much unbelievable stuff was going on but none of it occurred at sufficient depth to inspire any feeling in myself as the reader. Whitfield's writing was generally engaing and she created vivd descriptions, but it would have been beneficial to apply the 'show-don't-tell' principle to the plots and character too. Lots of other readers really enjoyed this book so I am sure my opinion represents the minority; but as strong, engaging characters are my priority in any book, this one just didn't do it for me I'm afraid.
September 2, 2020
My bookselling spidersense is telling me that People of Abandoned Character should be on every bookseller's lips. The narrative is told through Susannah, a nurse working at the London hospital, whilst there she finds herself being charmed by a wealthy surgeon. After a hasty marriage things begin to change, Thomas is no longer charming, he becomes secretive, the only person he seems to trust is their housekeeper Mrs Wiggs. Susannah finds herself alone and when a woman is murdered in Whitechapel, Susannah follows the news obsessively and begins to doubt her husband.
This is an absolute gem of a book. Clare Whitfield manages to create a novel which blends fact with fiction beautifully. With themes of poverty, science, the Ripper and feminism all worked into this highly readable novel.
This is an absolute gem of a book. Clare Whitfield manages to create a novel which blends fact with fiction beautifully. With themes of poverty, science, the Ripper and feminism all worked into this highly readable novel.
March 28, 2023
3.5⭐️
Goed boek! Interessante verhaallijn en karakters, goed geschreven ook
Goed boek! Interessante verhaallijn en karakters, goed geschreven ook
April 15, 2022
Really impressive start. It was like a mash up of Reddit’s AITA, the Yellow Wallpaper, and a bit of Crimson Peak, all tied together using the setting of London, 1888. And there were some great points made about classism and the divide between the rich and the poor at the time which is still poignant now.
At first, I thought I would rate the book 5 stars. It was clunky in parts, mostly in tying the MC’s interest in the murders, but it’s harrowing commentary on abuse, gender violence (including its portrayal of abuse, which felt very modern and relevant even against a historical backdrop), and classism made it appear like this book was making important points.
And then came the ending, and it was… not good. Bizarre, actually. And anything good the author seemed to be trying to say was wiped out.
I have no idea what to make of the ending. Perhaps on a second read I could better understand the very sudden killing-man-with-arsenic storyline, or the shadowy brotherhood that she… joins? But it felt very jarring. Am I to believe that after empathising with the victims for so long, the MC just… became a part of it. Assists the woman that had lured the victims in to take their organs? And some of the reveals were really clunky, I felt. The reveal about Thomas being a cuckoo, and Wigg replacing the real Lancaster kid with him, made me do a quadruple check. She just pieces some things together very quickly, others it takes a whole book to reach. I thought the storyline with Aisling was great but then… it kind of went nowhere?
Also, I remember thinking, wow the author’s really detailing a lot of less than stellar opinions about Jewish folk, like, a lot. It crops up a lot: people at that time think Jewish people are bad. And I’m aware that race relations against Jewish people is a big, big part of Jack the Ripper history. Their treatment, particularly in and around Spitalfields, at that time was abhorrent (anti-semitism is still rife), so I was /hoping/ for the author to do something with it. Break it down, point out the injustice of it. I thought it was going to come to something.
Instead, the Jewish character, Dr Shivershev is part of a shadowy organisation tracking down organs for the sake of gaining knowledge, participating in the JTR murders, at least that of ‘Mary Kelley’ (I’m still confused about this - were the murders part of this organisation thing? Were they committed by Thomas or Shivershev, why is the MC rolling with this????). He’s a villain, remorseless, will do anything for more knowledge.
Also, having Mary Kelley lure the other women to their deaths???? Bad!!!!! Not good!!!! Also, idk, I felt like the author went head over heels to describe Mary’s beauty, while the other women were subjected to the same rhetoric: looks older than she is at 40, looks rough, drinks too much, ruined her looks, few teeth, etc. It feels like it’s jumping into that ripperology bandwagon of distinguishing Mary for being younger while the others were in their 40s. Weird, didn’t like it.
When I thought the author had a point to make, it felt strong but it quickly fell apart.
At first, I thought I would rate the book 5 stars. It was clunky in parts, mostly in tying the MC’s interest in the murders, but it’s harrowing commentary on abuse, gender violence (including its portrayal of abuse, which felt very modern and relevant even against a historical backdrop), and classism made it appear like this book was making important points.
And then came the ending, and it was… not good. Bizarre, actually. And anything good the author seemed to be trying to say was wiped out.
I have no idea what to make of the ending. Perhaps on a second read I could better understand the very sudden killing-man-with-arsenic storyline, or the shadowy brotherhood that she… joins? But it felt very jarring. Am I to believe that after empathising with the victims for so long, the MC just… became a part of it. Assists the woman that had lured the victims in to take their organs? And some of the reveals were really clunky, I felt. The reveal about Thomas being a cuckoo, and Wigg replacing the real Lancaster kid with him, made me do a quadruple check. She just pieces some things together very quickly, others it takes a whole book to reach. I thought the storyline with Aisling was great but then… it kind of went nowhere?
Also, I remember thinking, wow the author’s really detailing a lot of less than stellar opinions about Jewish folk, like, a lot. It crops up a lot: people at that time think Jewish people are bad. And I’m aware that race relations against Jewish people is a big, big part of Jack the Ripper history. Their treatment, particularly in and around Spitalfields, at that time was abhorrent (anti-semitism is still rife), so I was /hoping/ for the author to do something with it. Break it down, point out the injustice of it. I thought it was going to come to something.
Instead, the Jewish character, Dr Shivershev is part of a shadowy organisation tracking down organs for the sake of gaining knowledge, participating in the JTR murders, at least that of ‘Mary Kelley’ (I’m still confused about this - were the murders part of this organisation thing? Were they committed by Thomas or Shivershev, why is the MC rolling with this????). He’s a villain, remorseless, will do anything for more knowledge.
Also, having Mary Kelley lure the other women to their deaths???? Bad!!!!! Not good!!!! Also, idk, I felt like the author went head over heels to describe Mary’s beauty, while the other women were subjected to the same rhetoric: looks older than she is at 40, looks rough, drinks too much, ruined her looks, few teeth, etc. It feels like it’s jumping into that ripperology bandwagon of distinguishing Mary for being younger while the others were in their 40s. Weird, didn’t like it.
When I thought the author had a point to make, it felt strong but it quickly fell apart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2021
People Of Abandoned Character is Clare Whitfield's take on the mystery of Jack the Ripper.
Susannah, a woman with no family who works as a nurse, is newly married to Thomas Lancaster, a surgeon from a wealthy family. Their courtship is feisty and flirtatious and their honeymoon passionate, but upon returning to Thomas's London home, things soon change. Thomas becomes increasingly cruel and distant and his sexual demands more aggressive. He's paranoid, secretive and frequently absent - most often at night.
Meanwhile, Susannah is increasingly fascinated and horrified by the murders of women taking place in Whitechapel, a district she knows all too well. When details of the Ripper's knowledge of anatomy start to surface, Susannah begins to connect the dots.
This might lead you to imagine that People of Abandoned Character is a creepy Gothic chiller - especially if you factor in that Dr Lancaster has a Mrs Danvers-like housekeeper who makes a point of bullying his new bride. But that isn't really the feeling I got from this book. Susannah is certainly in the classic literary position of being a lone woman in peril in a large house, but she has plenty of secrets of her own and is far from a reliable narrator, as well as being capable of quite cold, self-serving behaviour. She is rightfully resentful of the limitations placed upon her simply because she's a woman, and yet at the same time her judgements of other women are often quite harsh and unsympathetic, which jarred a little with the feminist elements of the novel.
In what I assume is an attempt to humanise the Ripper's victims, Whitfield gives each of them a chapter of her own. In their own right, those chapters are quite powerful, but in the context of this book, they felt slightly tokenistic to me, as if they were there to assuage guilt rising from using real-life murders as a plot device. If you are uncomfortable with entertainment being derived from the real-life Ripper murders, don't write a book about them: this novel would have worked perfectly well with a fictional murder spree at its core, and if you want people to read more about Jack the Ripper's victims, tell them to read Hallie Rubenhold's excellent work of non-fiction The Five rather than projecting your own assumptions on them.
Overall, I just couldn't get along with this book. The language is sometimes anachronistic, and the plot becomes increasingly ridiculous as the story unfolds. The solution to the Ripper mystery is underwhelming, and some racist, xenophobic attitudes of the day are underlined rather than countered by one of the characters. This one just wasn't for me.
Susannah, a woman with no family who works as a nurse, is newly married to Thomas Lancaster, a surgeon from a wealthy family. Their courtship is feisty and flirtatious and their honeymoon passionate, but upon returning to Thomas's London home, things soon change. Thomas becomes increasingly cruel and distant and his sexual demands more aggressive. He's paranoid, secretive and frequently absent - most often at night.
Meanwhile, Susannah is increasingly fascinated and horrified by the murders of women taking place in Whitechapel, a district she knows all too well. When details of the Ripper's knowledge of anatomy start to surface, Susannah begins to connect the dots.
This might lead you to imagine that People of Abandoned Character is a creepy Gothic chiller - especially if you factor in that Dr Lancaster has a Mrs Danvers-like housekeeper who makes a point of bullying his new bride. But that isn't really the feeling I got from this book. Susannah is certainly in the classic literary position of being a lone woman in peril in a large house, but she has plenty of secrets of her own and is far from a reliable narrator, as well as being capable of quite cold, self-serving behaviour. She is rightfully resentful of the limitations placed upon her simply because she's a woman, and yet at the same time her judgements of other women are often quite harsh and unsympathetic, which jarred a little with the feminist elements of the novel.
In what I assume is an attempt to humanise the Ripper's victims, Whitfield gives each of them a chapter of her own. In their own right, those chapters are quite powerful, but in the context of this book, they felt slightly tokenistic to me, as if they were there to assuage guilt rising from using real-life murders as a plot device. If you are uncomfortable with entertainment being derived from the real-life Ripper murders, don't write a book about them: this novel would have worked perfectly well with a fictional murder spree at its core, and if you want people to read more about Jack the Ripper's victims, tell them to read Hallie Rubenhold's excellent work of non-fiction The Five rather than projecting your own assumptions on them.
Overall, I just couldn't get along with this book. The language is sometimes anachronistic, and the plot becomes increasingly ridiculous as the story unfolds. The solution to the Ripper mystery is underwhelming, and some racist, xenophobic attitudes of the day are underlined rather than countered by one of the characters. This one just wasn't for me.
August 7, 2021
I loved this book. I loved the writing. I loved the language. The author captured 1888 London with all the grime, desperation of the lower class and the foul stinking fog.
Susannah, our heroine narrator, escapes her horrid past and gets herself to London to train as a nurse. Being already 27 years old, she has little hope of finding a husband. All Susannah wants is a way out of poverty.
Enter the dashing Dr. Thomas Lancaster who sweeps Susannah off her feet. They are wed in short order and have a honeymoon which appears to be the start of a wonderful union.
Upon returning home the change in Thomas is nothing Susannah could have imagined. Before 100 pages I was screaming at Susannah to get the hell out – but poor Susannah had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. She is stuck in a house with her abusive husband and his peculiar housekeeper.
The Ripper murders have taken over the newspapers in all the gory details and Susannah begins to correlate her husband’s nightly outings with the times of the murders. Even so, she has no proof and between her husband and the housekeeper her life is going from bad to worse.
Susannah becomes more desperate and despondent as the Ripper murders continue and her husband’s actions become more bizarre and depraved.
Surely there must be a way out of her predicament as she contemplates:
“I was a different kind. There was something innately bad inside me, because I was willing to do absolutely anything to save my own skin”. (Pg.389)
As a first novel this was top notch writing!
A NOTE: I found an undercurrent of aspersions towards Jewish people (men in particular) which may or may not have been intentional on the part of the author…I choose to believe it was not intentional.
Susannah, our heroine narrator, escapes her horrid past and gets herself to London to train as a nurse. Being already 27 years old, she has little hope of finding a husband. All Susannah wants is a way out of poverty.
Enter the dashing Dr. Thomas Lancaster who sweeps Susannah off her feet. They are wed in short order and have a honeymoon which appears to be the start of a wonderful union.
Upon returning home the change in Thomas is nothing Susannah could have imagined. Before 100 pages I was screaming at Susannah to get the hell out – but poor Susannah had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. She is stuck in a house with her abusive husband and his peculiar housekeeper.
The Ripper murders have taken over the newspapers in all the gory details and Susannah begins to correlate her husband’s nightly outings with the times of the murders. Even so, she has no proof and between her husband and the housekeeper her life is going from bad to worse.
Susannah becomes more desperate and despondent as the Ripper murders continue and her husband’s actions become more bizarre and depraved.
Surely there must be a way out of her predicament as she contemplates:
“I was a different kind. There was something innately bad inside me, because I was willing to do absolutely anything to save my own skin”. (Pg.389)
As a first novel this was top notch writing!
A NOTE: I found an undercurrent of aspersions towards Jewish people (men in particular) which may or may not have been intentional on the part of the author…I choose to believe it was not intentional.
April 7, 2022
5 stars hands down! A heartbreaking look at what women had to do to survive in Victorian London, some of which is still very relevant today. In some respects we have come a long way, in others, hardly at all.
This book tackles some very modern day issues including Mysoginy, drug addiction, mental illness, classism, sexism, rape culture, domestic violence, poverty, homophobia etc
I have always had an interest in anything to do with the victorian era especially the 'not so nice bits' and this book did not disappoint!
This book tackles some very modern day issues including Mysoginy, drug addiction, mental illness, classism, sexism, rape culture, domestic violence, poverty, homophobia etc
I have always had an interest in anything to do with the victorian era especially the 'not so nice bits' and this book did not disappoint!
September 5, 2022
LOVED IT.
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