Whitechapel Rising

John Decker #5

by Anthony M. Strong

An impossible killer stalks the streets of London.

Jack the Ripper faded into history over a century ago, his identity lost to the ages. Until a work crew restoring a Mayfair home make a shocking find. A secret basement room walled up since Victorian times. The Whitechapel murderer's lair. And inside, a corpse that has waited in silent darkness for over a hundred years. But it won't stay that way...

Within hours of the room's discovery, the body goes missing, and the murders begin anew.

With a violent killer on the loose and the body count rising, John Decker, still new to CUSP, is sent to England, along with seasoned operative Colum O'Shea. Their mission - to stop a ruthless monster from obtaining the one thing that will allow him to escape forever.

As the city huddles in fear and the terror mounts, Decker finds himself in a race against time to catch a hellish fiend smarter than any he has ever faced. Because if he doesn't, the next death might hit a little too close to home.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Monsters, Mystery Thriller, Action, Urban Fantasy

260 pages, Paperback

First published November 9, 2020

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ripper is Here!

John Decker, Collum O’Brien and Adam Hunt are interested in the idea of Jack the Ripper. Decker and Collum are going to London to investigate what they believe to be The Ripper’s body found in a basement.

But when they get to London, they hear the news, the body is gone. Who took the body? Where did the body go?

Decker believes that if the body is the Ripper, he walked out of the room himself. Walked up the stairs, out the front door and walked down the street all by himself. He also kills a young lady on his way to wherever he is going. He is the Ripper alright.

The Ripper is alive and he has a purpose; a method to his madness.

Four brutal stars. 💫💫💫💫

[Regina the Constant Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook 🎧

A friend recommended this author/series to me a few years ago and I’m finally getting around to reading it. If you’re looking for great literary writing or a moving story then you’re not going to be interested in reading these. These are B-movies in book form. I happen to LOVE B-movies, so I’m enjoying the shit out of these. This one finds John and teammate Colum O’Shea traveling to London to catch Jack the Ripper after he was accidentally freed from a walled in room in a Whitechapel home undergoing renovations.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense With Terror!

Small backstory:

John Decker is back in this installment with trying to track down Jack the Ripper who was released from his resting place and resurrected to the point where he goes on a killing spree almost as if time has been reversed from when Jack the Ripper roamed the streets of London.

John along with his sidekick Mina and Colum who is sort of his new boss are on the hunt for the murderer as they track him through the street of London in the wake of murders of young women. They will need to do everything in their power to stop him before he leaves tons of bodies lying all over the city!

That is about all I can give on a small taste so if you want to know more then go read this book and series!

Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story as right away the author pulls you into his world with some action! I was surprised that there was not a buildup of suspense first but I wasn't complaining as I love stories where the author grabs you right away taking you on a crazy action spin right out the gate!

This book goes deep into the heart of London as the author brings alive the character Jack the Ripper and sends him on a bloody swath through the streets of London once again and John Decker and his friends must track him down bringing an end to the Ripper's murdering reign!

I felt that the book was just the right pace and I had a hard time putting the book down after the 60% mark as so much happens after the halfway mark that I found myself staying up half the night to finish the book as there was so much action with suspense that there was no way I was going to go to sleep till I see how it all turned out! Giving this book five "Ripper Roaring Blood" stars!

[Barefoot Gypsy Jimerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting take on Jack the Ripper. The man that keeps people guessing to this day.

[Sammie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so fun!!! I love a good twist on Jack the Ripper, and I also love a new and returning cast of characters! A pair of construction workers unearth a strange and morbid scene while demoing a brick wall within a London property. Let me paint a picture. A dilapidated old room. A mummified corpse modeling a set of pure gold handcuffs. Loads of 1800s era articles on Jack the Ripper and his victims. And an ancient and bloody knife. Oh, and once everyone vacated the premises, the corpse got up and walked away. Literally.

Enter John Decker and his Irish sidekick Colum. They are investigating the missing body of Jack the Ripper, knowing that he is a reanimated race of beings that can elongate their lives thanks to their victim’s lifeblood. They must traverse London and find the creature, before it kills many more people. The only problem? Bodies have already started turning up. But they have something The Ripper needs, and he won’t be going anywhere until he gets it. Also, we get Mina back from our second book in Alaska, and I love her! I also want her and Colum to get together, but that’s the romance reader in me…onto the next Decker Adventure!

[myreadingescapism · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This was so witty. I loved it.

[RACHEL · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHOOPS in a classic RACHEL move I didn't notice that this novel is several books deep in a series that I am unfamiliar with and also I went in thinking the title was Jack's Back (you know, like the David Spacer movie) and over all that was a mess.

The idea of The Zoo and CUSP interests me but the characters didn't stand out enough to convince me to read any further.

Detective Noirish in the sense that beautiful women do all the work and hand all the answers to the main (male) character and a lot of the investigative/law enforcement sections feel skimmed over compared to the sections of dialogue. I didn't like the dialogue enough to make up for the other places the book felt lacking.

Also it seems like the draw of the series must be the main character duo but MAN there are a lot of names side characters that get whole sections of book devoted to them for seemingly no reason.

I will say that the take on old Jack was very cool. I wish they had been more active in the monster hunting and research because I think the characters digging into how and why and then formulating a plan rather than tooling around London awkwardly flirting and then literally having the answer handed to them by a non-participating third party would have been neat.

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decker is back and this time he's taking on Jack the Ripper. Somehow he's managed to allude capture and remain hidden until someone wakes him up like a long sleeping vampire. I enjoyed this one a lot and I'm glad John has some sidekicks now as it helps jazz up the story. Not only do they have to catch this infamous killer, they have to dive into the past to learn the secrets the Ripper has been hiding. It borders supernatural limits again but still feels like it believes in the world of possibilities so I can't wait to see what's next!

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series, love this book. Had me at Jack the Ripper.

[Flora Provot · Rating 5 out of 5]

It keeps getting better!

The John Decker Supernatural thrillers are like a combination of the Supernatural TV Series and the Night Stalker. I am enjoying every page of this series.

[Dana Delamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Intriguing take on Jack the Ripper.

[Donna Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wild ride through Whitechapel! This author's books never disappoint and "Whitechapel Rising" is no exception. This truly was a uniquely clever story with atmosphere, mystery and heart-pounding thrills. Barely have his feet left the soil of Ireland than Decker is thrust into a mad chase across London, hot on the heels of none other than the most infamous killer of all time. There are surprises galore and once you start reading, you won't be able to stop. I read this one in two breathless sittings and am ready for more. This is an absolutely stellar series that I hope goes on for a long time to come. It'll be fun to see where Decker ends up next and what manner of monster he'll be up against. Don't miss it!
**I volunteered to review a complimentary copy of this book.**

[Julie L Harold · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simplistic and dumb.

Flimsy story with an interesting but poorly executed premise. The ending is particularly weak. Writing was tolerable, but characters were shallow and one dimensional.

[Calvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on Jack the Ripper

I've always been a fan of Jack the Ripper stories so I was excited to read this. Overall the book is okay. Not brain melting good but not terrible like some of the previous novels have been. Decker finally starts acting like a cop again and using clues and investigative methods to deduce what is going on. His partner is practically useless in this book though. Colum does nothing to advance the story or even help Decker with the investigation aside from some easy internet searches.

The explanation of Jack was actually pretty interesting and one I hadn't considered before. The author did hit a big snag halfway through the book and seemingly forgot that Jack "died" in the 1800s. At one point, the novel is being told from Jack's point of view and he somehow knows what various pieces of modern technology are. I'm guessing the author did it for the audience's sake or switched to a modern view, but it just seemed weird. I wish we would have gotten more backstory on Jack and what he was. Flashbacks to ancient times were too short to be fulfilling.

Another thing I've noticed is the author loves to use characters' full names. We're 5 books in the series and the author constantly uses Decker's full name. The same goes for other characters too. It just feels awkward and clunky reading through and continously seeing both first and last names of characters. It really interrupts the flow.

The novels seem to be getting better as the author learns from his editing mistakes. Hopefully he continues this trend

[Zac Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I volunteered to review a complimentary copy of this book but I truly recommend it! 5 BIG STARS! Wow, what a treat, three new John Decker novels in one year and Whitechapel Rising sure ends the year with a bang!
As the title implies, the subject is the infamous serial killer Jack The Ripper, but with an original new take on the story. One of the reasons that Jack is still such an interesting subject is because he was never caught... or was he? A highly secret organization of the Victorian Era tracked Jack down and put an end to his murder spree and walled the corpse up in a secret room in his basement. Why? Why not tell the world? Because the world wasn't ready to hear the truth, Jack wasn't an ordinary man. Fast forward 132 years and a construction crew accidentally discovers the hidden room, and Jack. Now freed from his prison Jack reawakens, and so does his bloodlust!
Fresh off of his first assignment with CUSP in Ireland, Decker is sent to London to investigate the discovery. What he finds defies all reason, but just another day at the office for CUSP. Suspenseful, interesting and fast paced, I found it hard to put down! Another home run Mr. Strong!

[Jamie English · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven’t read any of the other books in this series and luckily I got all I needed without having to start at book 1. I was interested in the whole Jack the Ripper aspect. It had promise but I feel it fell flat. It kind of irks me that un-walling a body automatically goes to we found Jack the Ripper. I feel a full investigation would have happened to conclude this was indeed the elusive killer but nope. Removed a wall, we see news articles, a knife and a male body and look it’s Jack the Ripper! Jack the Ripper didn’t just slit his victims throats. Thus the name Jack the Ripper. However in this book it was only slitting throats and then he’d consume the blood to rejuvenate himself. Ho hum. Decker is an idiot and as a homicide detective should have better instincts. I probably won’t be reading more of this series.

[Cat B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The following is my true and honest review.
In the fall of 1888, the serial killer known to the world as Jack the Ripper disappeared. His identity was never discovered, or if it was it was never revealed to the public. WHITECHAPEL RISING, is this author's "what if". I was captivated by this book from page one. Very nice little tale indeed. If you are familiar with the John Decker series then you know what to expect. I was not. Having said that, the book does stand alone very nicely. I never felt lost not knowing what came before, just curious and intrigued. This is the first of this authors work that I have read. It certainly won't be the last.

[Ruth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good story!

I have never read a John Decker story before this one. But the Whitechapel Rising name really drew me in and I certainly didn't expect what I got!
John Decker is a member of a secret organization called CUSP, and he is tasked with a very bizarre case....Jack the Ripper has risen from the dead and walked right out of the prison he's been kept in for over a century.
John and his companion Colum are meant to find him and bring him down yet again, except Jack isn't exactly what anyone thought he was!
You'll have to read the book to find out the rest, but let me just say.....this book does NOT disappoint!

[mr stuart keate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whitechapel Rising what a cracking read about Jack The Ripper. Yet again it was enthralling and extremely very fast paced. I had to tell my self to stop and pause, but after the next chapter I would say, sadly this didn't work. It is initially set in 1889 then jumps forward to the present day, the author's main character in this book is John Decker, a much loved character yet again lands himself in an adherent circumstance, this adventure has you craving more and more from this series. It is excellently written book not to be missed which is unpredictable by far. Unexpected twist, read it and find out.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack the Ripper has returned. Rather, he was resurrected through an accidental discovery during a demolition project in London. Now Jack is no ordinary Ripper - he is a sort of hybrid vampire and he needs to kill in order to survive. All this drama leads to an unlikely alliance between a secretive organization, local law enforcement and university researchers. While the premise of the book is a bit on the absurd side, the story itself is compelling enough to keep my interest. This is the second of Anthony Strong's books I've read and likely won't be the last.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for a straight ripper horror novel and though this wasnt quite what i was looking for, it was interesting. I had not read any of the Decker books, and found the character to be a little thin. It was obvious that I was supposed to be more invested in him then this book made me. It was interesting enough to make me want to go back and read the first in the series, which i plan on doing next, so in that respect, it did its job. I hope that a little backround on the charactor will add to my appreaction of this book.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Becky Fullwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inoffensive

Absolutely inoffensive. No sex, no bad language, unscary violence. No meat on these bones. A vegan horror if you will. Thin ,weak characters and predictable dialogue, but a couple of new switches on the vampire mystique. What creature had ever been stopped with gold? There is little else of note, much could have been done with the character of Adam, kind of a la Renfield; but that opportunity was missed.

[Boomer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit although my expectations were low, I enjoyed this. It's a different approach to the Ripper story although it wont exactly tax your brain cells, it is an enjoyable tale. It was a pleasant surprise to see Mina from Cold Sanctuary back and I liked the relationship between her and John Decker.

If you're in the mood for a quick supernatural slasher book, this is a good choice and it's miles better then the disaster that was Grendel's Labyrinth

[Elizabeth Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I volunteered to review a complimentary copy of this book. John Decker is back again in a fast paced new book. This time Decker is in London. Jack the Ripper has been unleashed from his century old prison and it's a race against the clockfor the CUSP team to stop him before he kills again. Will he be stopped in time? A fast paced and unputdownable book!

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series but can be read as a stand alone. This is a fantastic mystery with a paranormal twist. The characters are wonderful and the pacing steady. The way the author takes a famous killer like Jack The Ripper and totally twists it into a complete new version is wonderful. I had a hard time putting this book down and look forward to more by this author.

[Barbara Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is the next in a series of books it doesn't really matter if you haven't read the previous ones, there are references to them but it is not essential to the storyline. This is an enjoyable book with a build up of tension which keeps the reader engaged throughout, it has a good pace to it and neatly combines the characters.

[Julie Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

More intrigue and suspense from Anthony Strong.
Jack the Ripper lives on ! He's been walled up in a building that in the present day has unfortunately been demolished, thus unleashing him to reign in terror once again. Great balance and links between past and present, plenty of thrills and twists to ensure you keep on reading.
Loved it. I received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Barbara J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best yet!

After reading book 1 and 3, Jack the Ripper sounded like a tame story, but it was anything but.... A new look at an old story, and all the better for the new "facts." Truly, I hated to see it end. I'm about to start book 4, and I'm definitely expecting a thrill ride. (Got to pause at some point and read book 2!)

[Louise A Smalldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg...

Now I don’t usually like books written by men with the exception of Dan brown, I usually find male authors hard to read. But this... omg I couldn’t put it down. It entertained me, kept me on the edge of my seat and best of all made me cheer at the end

I’ve just downloaded black tide, so will definitely be reading it next