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The Complete History of Jack the Ripper
The murders in London between 1888-91 attributed to Jack the Ripper constitute one of the most mysterious unsolved criminal cases. This story is the result of many years meticulous research. The author reassesses all the evidence and challenges everything we thought we knew about the Victorian serial killer and the vanished East End he terrorized.
544 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 1994
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10127 people want to read
About the author
Philip Sugden
5 books17 followersPhilip Sugden was an English historian, best known for his comprehensive study of the Whitechapel murders, including the books The Complete History of Jack the Ripper, first published in 1994, and The Life and Times of Jack the Ripper (1996). He was the first academic historian to work on the case.
The younger of twin boys, Philip Sugden was born on January 27, 1947 at Hull, where his father was a painter and decorator. Leaving Ainthorpe High School at the age of 16, he spent four years with the parks department of Hull city council before taking his A-levels at the Hull College of Commerce and gaining a place to read History at Hull University, graduating in 1972.
He immediately embarked on his doctorate, but his dissertation on early Stuart maritime expansion remained unfinished, partly on account of his meticulous nature and repeated rewriting, and partly because his grant ran out. In 1976 he took a teaching job at Chenet School in Cannock, a former grammar school that was being transformed into a comprehensive, where he taught history, English and economics.
Meanwhile, he had become enthralled by the Georgian period, and in particular crime in 18th-century London; and while there were many popular books covering rakes and highwaymen, Sugden was one of the first serious writers in the field, using his spare time to delve into contemporary records that had lain undisturbed for more than two centuries, many of them written in archaic legal Latin which he taught himself to decipher.
Becoming disenchanted with teaching, he turned to full-time writing and researching in 1988. By then, on his brother’s urging, he had determined to write an honest and dependable book about Jack the Ripper, who had fascinated him since his school days. Nine years in the research and writing, his book was a critical and popular success, selling in excess of 100,000 copies.
Sugden contributed several articles to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, including one on the 18th-century thief and prison-breaker Jack Sheppard and another on the Edwardian multiple bigamist George Joseph Smith, the so-called “Brides in the Bath” murderer.
Two other books remained unfinished at the time of his death. One, A Cabinet of Curiosities, deals with historical mysteries ranging from the sea serpent reportedly sighted in the harbour at Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1817, to the riddle of the aviator Amy Johnson’s fatal flight in 1941. The other, Forbidden Hero — The Georgian Underworld of Jack Sheppard, is set amid the paupers, pimps, prostitutes, thieves and thief-takers of Hogarthian London.
The younger of twin boys, Philip Sugden was born on January 27, 1947 at Hull, where his father was a painter and decorator. Leaving Ainthorpe High School at the age of 16, he spent four years with the parks department of Hull city council before taking his A-levels at the Hull College of Commerce and gaining a place to read History at Hull University, graduating in 1972.
He immediately embarked on his doctorate, but his dissertation on early Stuart maritime expansion remained unfinished, partly on account of his meticulous nature and repeated rewriting, and partly because his grant ran out. In 1976 he took a teaching job at Chenet School in Cannock, a former grammar school that was being transformed into a comprehensive, where he taught history, English and economics.
Meanwhile, he had become enthralled by the Georgian period, and in particular crime in 18th-century London; and while there were many popular books covering rakes and highwaymen, Sugden was one of the first serious writers in the field, using his spare time to delve into contemporary records that had lain undisturbed for more than two centuries, many of them written in archaic legal Latin which he taught himself to decipher.
Becoming disenchanted with teaching, he turned to full-time writing and researching in 1988. By then, on his brother’s urging, he had determined to write an honest and dependable book about Jack the Ripper, who had fascinated him since his school days. Nine years in the research and writing, his book was a critical and popular success, selling in excess of 100,000 copies.
Sugden contributed several articles to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, including one on the 18th-century thief and prison-breaker Jack Sheppard and another on the Edwardian multiple bigamist George Joseph Smith, the so-called “Brides in the Bath” murderer.
Two other books remained unfinished at the time of his death. One, A Cabinet of Curiosities, deals with historical mysteries ranging from the sea serpent reportedly sighted in the harbour at Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1817, to the riddle of the aviator Amy Johnson’s fatal flight in 1941. The other, Forbidden Hero — The Georgian Underworld of Jack Sheppard, is set amid the paupers, pimps, prostitutes, thieves and thief-takers of Hogarthian London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
March 22, 2024
(A) 87% | Extraordinary
Notes: A readable, in-depth, nightmarish account, it's no less than required reading for the knowledgeable and novice alike.
Notes: A readable, in-depth, nightmarish account, it's no less than required reading for the knowledgeable and novice alike.
June 21, 2012
Is there anything new to say about Jack the Ripper and the infamous 1888 Whitechapel Murders? Well, yes, there is, and Philip Sugden has said it. Most Ripper books suffer from two principle weaknesses: first, they set out to make a case for a favoured and predetermined suspect, and second, they exist in a close, almost incestuous relationship one with the other. That is to say that they are secondary works based on secondary works, which means that when errors appear they are rarely questioned, repeated to the point where fiction becomes fact and legend truth.
Sugden is having none of this. He is an historian with the instincts of an historian. He is also, it might be said, a superb detective, sifting through the evidence in a careful and forensic manner. He takes nothing for granted, plowing through the mythology perpetuated by others and taking the source material as his point of departure. He sifts carefully through contemporary police reports and other primary documents, building up his case piece by piece. His arguments proceed on this basis and are mustered with considerable care.
The other virtue of this book, at least so far as I am concerned, is that the author manages to humanise the victims, people who in most other accounts are depicted in lurid detail or merely as passing shadows. He makes one sympathise even with these poor and wretched girls. Above all he brings to life a London of long ago and the desperation of so many lives in the impoverished east-end of the city.
Altogether it is a thorough, well-written and exhaustive account of the murders and the circumstances surrounding the murders rather than just another piece of vacuous speculation. Those coming to the subject for the first time will obtain no better guide. Even seasoned ‘Ripperologists’ are likely to uncover one or two surprises.
In the end there is no definite conclusion because the evidence will simply not allow such closure. It is a mystery that will remain a mystery but one can only hope that Sugden’s magisterial work will help arrest the wilder flights of fancy. If you like good history, if you like a good detective story or if you simply like a good read this book is most definitely for you.
Sugden is having none of this. He is an historian with the instincts of an historian. He is also, it might be said, a superb detective, sifting through the evidence in a careful and forensic manner. He takes nothing for granted, plowing through the mythology perpetuated by others and taking the source material as his point of departure. He sifts carefully through contemporary police reports and other primary documents, building up his case piece by piece. His arguments proceed on this basis and are mustered with considerable care.
The other virtue of this book, at least so far as I am concerned, is that the author manages to humanise the victims, people who in most other accounts are depicted in lurid detail or merely as passing shadows. He makes one sympathise even with these poor and wretched girls. Above all he brings to life a London of long ago and the desperation of so many lives in the impoverished east-end of the city.
Altogether it is a thorough, well-written and exhaustive account of the murders and the circumstances surrounding the murders rather than just another piece of vacuous speculation. Those coming to the subject for the first time will obtain no better guide. Even seasoned ‘Ripperologists’ are likely to uncover one or two surprises.
In the end there is no definite conclusion because the evidence will simply not allow such closure. It is a mystery that will remain a mystery but one can only hope that Sugden’s magisterial work will help arrest the wilder flights of fancy. If you like good history, if you like a good detective story or if you simply like a good read this book is most definitely for you.
February 17, 2010
If you are interested in Jack the Ripper but don't have the time to wade through all the material on him, just read this book. It's a comprehensive study of the Ripper murders and the best book written on the subject, in my opinion. Sugden is one of the few Ripperologists who is also a trained historian, and he puts his skills to good work here, dissecting the available evidence. Also, unlike many other Ripper writers, he's not trying to propogate one "solution" theory or another -- he simply presents the facts and lets the reader make up their mind. This is top-of-the-line history, as good as it gets.
June 13, 2013
This is one of the best books on the History the Whitechapel Murders that I have ever read. If you are interested in Jack the Ripper. This is the book for you. The author is a historian and you can tell how much research and knowledge went into this book. I also like that this book did not take a stance on who was the killer. So many Jack the Ripper books make a case for who the author "thinks" was the killer. I like that this book, instead, focuses on the Whitechapel Murders. It gives lots of detailed information not only on the Murders themselves, the victims, the suspects but also on the Whitechapel district of London but the socio-economic times that the murders took place in.
Many people are fascinated by Jack the Ripper. There are so many tv shows, movies, etc. about the serial killer. If people really want to know more about the case, I would sugget this book.
Many people are fascinated by Jack the Ripper. There are so many tv shows, movies, etc. about the serial killer. If people really want to know more about the case, I would sugget this book.
September 2, 2011
First let me state the categories of people who should (please note the emphasis) study (not 'read') this book: -
1. Anybody who is interested in the any or all of the following: the Whitechapel killings, the subsequent frenzy, investigation into the murders, armchair investigations by "Mycroft" wannabes, and the literally literary witch-hunt being carried out over the past century & more to "unmask" the killer;
2. Anybody who is interested in understanding the socio-economic dynamics of the world's largest, richest, proudest and yet ruthlessly exploitative (of its own citizens, esp. the young and the women) city at that point of time when the nails were finally being hammered into the coffin of the 19th Century that had experienced the pinnacle of British glory;
3. Anybody who, after being overfed on the serial killers (Hannibal et.al) produced by the "hot" American novelists, actually wishes to know how it is like to be chasing a black cat in an enormous dark cavern while blindfolded;
4. Anybody who actually thinks that "the truth" might have been out there at some stage, but even with a centuries old "cold" case something can be done (unlike some trashy attempt sub-titled: "CASE CLOSED").
This book is not only accurate and free from all the popular & obscure misconceptions, it is also a living proof that history can be made more attractive than fiction while staying rigorously free from falsehoods. Recommended to everybody belonging to the aforementioned 4 categories as well as to all who, after reading some new adventure pitting Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper, start pondering over "what if.."-s.
1. Anybody who is interested in the any or all of the following: the Whitechapel killings, the subsequent frenzy, investigation into the murders, armchair investigations by "Mycroft" wannabes, and the literally literary witch-hunt being carried out over the past century & more to "unmask" the killer;
2. Anybody who is interested in understanding the socio-economic dynamics of the world's largest, richest, proudest and yet ruthlessly exploitative (of its own citizens, esp. the young and the women) city at that point of time when the nails were finally being hammered into the coffin of the 19th Century that had experienced the pinnacle of British glory;
3. Anybody who, after being overfed on the serial killers (Hannibal et.al) produced by the "hot" American novelists, actually wishes to know how it is like to be chasing a black cat in an enormous dark cavern while blindfolded;
4. Anybody who actually thinks that "the truth" might have been out there at some stage, but even with a centuries old "cold" case something can be done (unlike some trashy attempt sub-titled: "CASE CLOSED").
This book is not only accurate and free from all the popular & obscure misconceptions, it is also a living proof that history can be made more attractive than fiction while staying rigorously free from falsehoods. Recommended to everybody belonging to the aforementioned 4 categories as well as to all who, after reading some new adventure pitting Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper, start pondering over "what if.."-s.
September 14, 2011
A very complete, through look at what is actually known about Jack the Ripper and his victims. While the text does get rather dry in spots, it is very well written and escapes the sensationalism so prevalent in Ripperology. If you want to know the facts, this is a great book to find them in.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Philip...
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Philip...
September 13, 2020
The Complete History of Jack the Ripper by Philip Sugden was fascinating from start to finish.
I am impressed and enthralled by the the author's exhaustive research before the book's release in 1994 and after its 2nd printing in 1995. His dedication to the truth was impressive and the amount of information that he detailed in every single chapter made me regard him as a credible source on the Jack the Ripper killings.
His work as opposed to others by Ripperologists and so-called experts studied not only the facts but also refuted the myths and sensationalized information that were spread by the press, the authorities, and the fake witnesses alike.
Another impressive aspect of The Complete History of Jack the Ripper was the author's revealing information about the life of each victim and their background. So instead of writing them as one-dimensional individuals, solely defined by their brutal death, Philip Sugden wrote about them with respect and care, and equally revealed their flaws and merits.
I must say that this was one of (if not THE Most) the goriest and graphic books that I've read ... and believe me when I tell you that I've read and watched my share of gore. Supported with autopsy reports and doctors' testimonies, we were completely zoomed in into the injuries and mutilations that the Ripper inflected on his victims.
And lastly, this book studied each man who was suspected by some high-rank authorities. The author traced each known step and even revealed some of their unknown movements by using never-seen-before files.
Unlike many researchers before him (and ones to come after this book's release), who claimed and keep claiming that they discovered the identity of one of history's most notorious murderers--Sugden refrained from giving assurances and always insisted that the killer's identity will never be known.
This was why Philip Sugden was hesitant to completely rest his case against the most suspicious individual in the killings and made him give a verdict of "Not Proven".
I am impressed and enthralled by the the author's exhaustive research before the book's release in 1994 and after its 2nd printing in 1995. His dedication to the truth was impressive and the amount of information that he detailed in every single chapter made me regard him as a credible source on the Jack the Ripper killings.
His work as opposed to others by Ripperologists and so-called experts studied not only the facts but also refuted the myths and sensationalized information that were spread by the press, the authorities, and the fake witnesses alike.
Another impressive aspect of The Complete History of Jack the Ripper was the author's revealing information about the life of each victim and their background. So instead of writing them as one-dimensional individuals, solely defined by their brutal death, Philip Sugden wrote about them with respect and care, and equally revealed their flaws and merits.
I must say that this was one of (if not THE Most) the goriest and graphic books that I've read ... and believe me when I tell you that I've read and watched my share of gore. Supported with autopsy reports and doctors' testimonies, we were completely zoomed in into the injuries and mutilations that the Ripper inflected on his victims.
And lastly, this book studied each man who was suspected by some high-rank authorities. The author traced each known step and even revealed some of their unknown movements by using never-seen-before files.
Unlike many researchers before him (and ones to come after this book's release), who claimed and keep claiming that they discovered the identity of one of history's most notorious murderers--Sugden refrained from giving assurances and always insisted that the killer's identity will never be known.
This was why Philip Sugden was hesitant to completely rest his case against the most suspicious individual in the killings and made him give a verdict of "Not Proven".
April 30, 2020
I've always wanted to read a book which gave all the true informations about the Whitechapel murders just for the sake of it, and not for using them to sustain a highly unrealistic theory. This book is completely objective, it only tells the truth. It has everything one wants to know about Jack the Ripper, and I mean literally everything: it is absolutely objective and accurate and yet easy to follow and not boring at all. I liked how in the last part the author considered the most likely suspects and proved they aren't so likely after all, and then drew a killer profile which doesn't accuses one particular man, but at the same time is highly accurate and satisfyng. If only all the Ripper books were like this!
January 13, 2013
I have seen this book hailed far and wide since it first appeared in 1995, and having just read the latest edition (Carroll & Graf/Robinson Publishing, 2002), I must side with those who call this the best book on the subject. Sugden has examined all of the available primary materials himself, uncovering some material that had hitherto been overlooked. As a result, his analysis of possible suspects, the number of murders that can be reasonably claimed for "Jack", and the reliability of several oft-quoted documents (including the contemporary letters to the police and the newspapers) are remarkably level-headed, his interpretation free of the kind of special-pleading and preconceptions that have marred so many other studies.
When approaching common myths or misconceptions, he carefully compares the small amount of (frequently misquoted) evidence that gave rise to them against the phalanx of evidence that proves them to be untrue or unlikely.
He also tells us as much about all of the persons involved - suspects, investigators, witnesses, and victims - as we could reasonably expect, and this quite frequently adds an element of pathos or irony to events that we were denied (or had come to mistrust) in other sources. This has the happy result of making many of the participants in these events take on the contours of real people rather than the paper cutouts from old pantomimes we have been offered all too often in the past.
If a witness offered a different version of events in different interviews or later memoirs, Sugden offers the various versions, places them into context (why do the details vary and are they significant?), and then weighs the reliability of this witness's testimony as a whole, based on witness-reliability studies that have been available to psychologists, sociologists, and criminologists for decades. Refreshingly, he neither sensationalizes nor sentimentalizes, which means that his analysis of the Eddowes case, to cite one example, is the most thorough and most moving account I have read. None of the gruesome details are glossed over, thanks to Sugden's strict adherence to witness and pathologist's reports. All the sad ironies of Eddowes' appearance at this particular location, practically against all odds, are also underlined by a careful examination of police reports and accounts from her friends and family. The accumulation of detail has a relentless quality to it which gains more power from Sugden's clean and unmannered prose that it would from melodramatic underlining or sentiment.
Short of a more fully illustrated version of this same book appearing in hardcover at a later date, I cannot imagine a better book on the subject.
When approaching common myths or misconceptions, he carefully compares the small amount of (frequently misquoted) evidence that gave rise to them against the phalanx of evidence that proves them to be untrue or unlikely.
He also tells us as much about all of the persons involved - suspects, investigators, witnesses, and victims - as we could reasonably expect, and this quite frequently adds an element of pathos or irony to events that we were denied (or had come to mistrust) in other sources. This has the happy result of making many of the participants in these events take on the contours of real people rather than the paper cutouts from old pantomimes we have been offered all too often in the past.
If a witness offered a different version of events in different interviews or later memoirs, Sugden offers the various versions, places them into context (why do the details vary and are they significant?), and then weighs the reliability of this witness's testimony as a whole, based on witness-reliability studies that have been available to psychologists, sociologists, and criminologists for decades. Refreshingly, he neither sensationalizes nor sentimentalizes, which means that his analysis of the Eddowes case, to cite one example, is the most thorough and most moving account I have read. None of the gruesome details are glossed over, thanks to Sugden's strict adherence to witness and pathologist's reports. All the sad ironies of Eddowes' appearance at this particular location, practically against all odds, are also underlined by a careful examination of police reports and accounts from her friends and family. The accumulation of detail has a relentless quality to it which gains more power from Sugden's clean and unmannered prose that it would from melodramatic underlining or sentiment.
Short of a more fully illustrated version of this same book appearing in hardcover at a later date, I cannot imagine a better book on the subject.
August 10, 2016
The most comprehensive and best documented account of the Ripper murders ever written. Such is written on the back of this book and I am inclined to agree fully with it's statement. Philip Sugden has done a tremendous justice to presenting the account of the infamous 1888 Whitechapel murders, not only setting the standard tome for the historical account but wading through the vast conspiracies, theories, and misconceptions many have put forth in regards to it. It contains no personal bias towards any Ripper suspects, and only wishes to present as much factual information to provide a refreshing perspective to the case. I found it also cleverly written and presented, flowing perfectly in prose. Sugden evaluates, reiterates, and debunks many common theories from a variety of sources, from firsthand accounts of Frederick Abberline, Charles Warren, witness statements, and journalistic ambitions, to secondhand perspectives of investigations in the many decades after. The personal lives of the victims are uncovered with such historical professionalism. His commitment to historical accuracy and basic historical common sense evaluation are second to none in regards to the case. My only complaint is the melancholy I felt as the last page was turned and the book ended. Kudos to Sugden for his dedication to historical commitment and accuracy in this case.
March 4, 2013
So many pot-boiler books have been written on the Ripper murders, it seems best to point out one that is actually worth reading.
Sugden's book is unusual, inasmuch as he has no solution to offer and no murderer to finger. He does give convincing reasons why the three lead suspects for one reason or another don't fit the bill as the offender, and concedes that "there is every possibility that the man the Victorians called 'the master murderer of the age' was in reality a complete nobody whose name never found its way into the police file ... some sad social cripple who lived out his days in obscurity" (p. 468).
What makes his book really interesting, I think, is the sheer amount of detail about Victorian London and about the lives of the victims, the police, and the suspects, before and after the murders. Indeed, the crimes themselves seem to be merely the anchors the rest of the book is organised around.
My own speculation on the Ripper case, for what it's worth, is to wonder if there in fact was a "Jack the Ripper". There should be a tangible hypothesis that the murders were not connected, and that the Ripper was, in a sense, the product of a mass hysteria.
Anyway, this is a first class review of the evidence and I recommend it in the highest terms.
Sugden's book is unusual, inasmuch as he has no solution to offer and no murderer to finger. He does give convincing reasons why the three lead suspects for one reason or another don't fit the bill as the offender, and concedes that "there is every possibility that the man the Victorians called 'the master murderer of the age' was in reality a complete nobody whose name never found its way into the police file ... some sad social cripple who lived out his days in obscurity" (p. 468).
What makes his book really interesting, I think, is the sheer amount of detail about Victorian London and about the lives of the victims, the police, and the suspects, before and after the murders. Indeed, the crimes themselves seem to be merely the anchors the rest of the book is organised around.
My own speculation on the Ripper case, for what it's worth, is to wonder if there in fact was a "Jack the Ripper". There should be a tangible hypothesis that the murders were not connected, and that the Ripper was, in a sense, the product of a mass hysteria.
Anyway, this is a first class review of the evidence and I recommend it in the highest terms.
May 4, 2008
This book nearly exhausts everything history can give about Jack the Ripper and it pays off. There aren't any strange, over the top theories about who Ripper was, instead he presents historic archives as evidence, gives you a possible suspect list and lets you decide which to believe. There are no straight answers, but he does debate on some of the popular theories. It gets rather confusing though when you read other Ripper books or watch Ripper movies or documentaries because they all start contradicting each other with their theories. Sugden is right in pointing out that all the theories and evidence will not amount to anything conclusive. In the end, Ripper's identity will still remain a mystery.
January 23, 2020
I really struggled with myself when it came to deciding on one star or two stars for this review, but I decided on one star because I just didn't like it.
Let me explain. It's been a long time since I've read about Jack the Ripper and I wanted a refresher before I tried The Five. I'm fully aware of all the wacky theories out there so I did my own research to find a well-respected narrative based on the facts. I wasn't looking for an answer, just a historical narrative of the case. That's how I found Philip Sugden.
As far as this book is concerned, the research is excellent and the analysis is reasonable, carefully considered and practical. If I had to point to a reliable book, I would point to this one for sure.
But the organization was awful. The book starts with a long rebuttal of all those Ripperologists who get their facts wrong and come up with half-baked theories (this was pre-Patricia Cornwall's book or she would have been mentioned here for sure). I get it, but give me the narrative first THEN get to your analysis of the evidence and critiques. Stop going on tangents and distracting me!
When the author gets to the narrative of the crimes, the sequence of events is very confusing. He juxtaposes so much information in a jumble, sometimes jumping ahead of himself, talking about victims before they were killed, interweaving suspects, police politics, external politics in tangents of which I struggled to keep track. And, then, suddenly, he's back to criticizing other researchers for their poor work and misrepresentations.
This is a book best appreciated by Ripperologists or maybe those already well-versed with the details. The author is spot-on with his criticisms and his work is reliable. It just didn't always feel very coherent. Unfortunately, he appears to be a better researcher than a writer.
Let me explain. It's been a long time since I've read about Jack the Ripper and I wanted a refresher before I tried The Five. I'm fully aware of all the wacky theories out there so I did my own research to find a well-respected narrative based on the facts. I wasn't looking for an answer, just a historical narrative of the case. That's how I found Philip Sugden.
As far as this book is concerned, the research is excellent and the analysis is reasonable, carefully considered and practical. If I had to point to a reliable book, I would point to this one for sure.
But the organization was awful. The book starts with a long rebuttal of all those Ripperologists who get their facts wrong and come up with half-baked theories (this was pre-Patricia Cornwall's book or she would have been mentioned here for sure). I get it, but give me the narrative first THEN get to your analysis of the evidence and critiques. Stop going on tangents and distracting me!
When the author gets to the narrative of the crimes, the sequence of events is very confusing. He juxtaposes so much information in a jumble, sometimes jumping ahead of himself, talking about victims before they were killed, interweaving suspects, police politics, external politics in tangents of which I struggled to keep track. And, then, suddenly, he's back to criticizing other researchers for their poor work and misrepresentations.
This is a book best appreciated by Ripperologists or maybe those already well-versed with the details. The author is spot-on with his criticisms and his work is reliable. It just didn't always feel very coherent. Unfortunately, he appears to be a better researcher than a writer.
April 2, 2019
The most thorough and objective overview of the 1988 Whitechapel Murders that I've ever come across (and I've read a few...).
November 16, 2018
"The experts continue to disagree and the jury is still out there."
This truly is the definitive account of jack the ripper, if you think you know it all, you are wrong.
What I especially liked about this book is the dedication of the author to bring out the facts from a layer of fiction that has accumulated over this topic over the years. Detailed witness accounts, precise timings of the incidents, special attention to the victim backgrounds, accompanying controversies and their sources, calling out other books on the same topic by name for distorting the facts, is what makes this book stand out from the rest. All these and yet it was never boring, infact it's a chilling page turner, and did not even leave a single question unanswered. The last part of the book deals with the suspects and as it went I was afraid the author would (almost did) pronounce "someone" DEFINITELY guilty, but thankfully it all ended with the doubts & proofs neatly laid, and rested on the readers to make their own decisions.
"The minds of men are too frail a thread to hang history from."
This truly is the definitive account of jack the ripper, if you think you know it all, you are wrong.
What I especially liked about this book is the dedication of the author to bring out the facts from a layer of fiction that has accumulated over this topic over the years. Detailed witness accounts, precise timings of the incidents, special attention to the victim backgrounds, accompanying controversies and their sources, calling out other books on the same topic by name for distorting the facts, is what makes this book stand out from the rest. All these and yet it was never boring, infact it's a chilling page turner, and did not even leave a single question unanswered. The last part of the book deals with the suspects and as it went I was afraid the author would (almost did) pronounce "someone" DEFINITELY guilty, but thankfully it all ended with the doubts & proofs neatly laid, and rested on the readers to make their own decisions.
"The minds of men are too frail a thread to hang history from."
May 24, 2020
Quite a bit of information. No answers, of course. I had never delved into the women killed by the Ripper. I found this fascinating. The profile of suspects also interesting. Life in Whitechapel and some of the surrounding areas of London were also profiled. The book is very detailed and seems well researched. Worth the read.
October 2, 2018
Very good book full of information a very good read.
December 17, 2025
I reckoned if there’d be only one Jack the Ripper book I’d read in my lifetime I wanted it to be as definitive and exhaustive as possible. Sugden’s Complete History sure delivers. It’s a full-scale brick of a thing, serving up every last known detail of each murder generally attributed to the killer, other possibly related killings, and full bios on both victims and prime suspects. Has there been new evidence discovered since Complete History was first published in 1994 and revised in 2002? Maybe, and the internet has since given birth to and platforms for scads of amateur Ripperologists, both legitimate and hare-brained, but I’d be surprised if there’s been anything close to the amount of fresh and original research as provided thirty years ago by Sugden (who unfortunately died back in 2014.)
June 21, 2022
Incredibly detailed and well research, goes into pretty much every minute thing that may be important done to the second. Highly recommend this book to anyone with even a fleeting interest in the Jack the Ripper case.
March 22, 2018
Los datos, los testimonios, la investigación... en resumen: la realidad. Reconozco que antes de haber leído From Hell hace un par de años mis conocimientos sobre Jack el Destripador eran casi nulos pero hay algo que Sugden en este libro, Moore en el apéndice de su novela gráfica y yo mismo ante el caudal de autores asegurando haber resuelto el misterio afirmamos o podemos afirmar: que la inmensa mayoría de esos autores empiezan sus libros con una teoría ya estructurada y la obra tiende a ser una selección de las pruebas más convenientes para ajustarse a lo que intentan venderte.
Por suerte en su momento me molesté en escudriñar entre el laberinto de los libros dedicados a la Ripperología alguno que me permitiera ponerme en situación de la manera menos tendenciosa y esta obra de Philip Sugden refulgía con fuerza en mis búsquedas. Y gracias sean dadas porque el libro es, según parece, de los pocos realmente sinceros, ¡tanto que al final el mismo autor reconoce que no tiene ni idea de quien fue Jack en realidad! Esto, que podría parecer una nimiedad, no lo es tanto si tenemos en cuenta el sorprendente detalle de que las obras dedicadas a Jack el Destripador escritas por historiadores con un enfoque profesional son verdaderamente escasas.
No es de extrañar, por tanto, que el libro esté a la altura en ese aspecto y que no haya quedado piedra sin dar la vuelta a la hora de buscar confirmaciones o desestimar algo y en más de una ocasión me he quedado perplejo de los legajos a los que ha tenido que recurrir el autor para corroborar algo. Esta minuciosidad tiene también la culpa, por contra, de que no le ponga cinco estrellas, pues en ocasiones te encuentras con página tras página de descripciones forenses, de los cambios de domicilio de las víctimas o sobre una variación de uno o dos minutos respecto a la última vez que se las vio con vida. Quieras que no son tramos áridos y densos que hay que atravesar. Pero si quería la verdad al desnudo y toda la información disponible no puedo quejarme del resultado, ¿no?
Por suerte en su momento me molesté en escudriñar entre el laberinto de los libros dedicados a la Ripperología alguno que me permitiera ponerme en situación de la manera menos tendenciosa y esta obra de Philip Sugden refulgía con fuerza en mis búsquedas. Y gracias sean dadas porque el libro es, según parece, de los pocos realmente sinceros, ¡tanto que al final el mismo autor reconoce que no tiene ni idea de quien fue Jack en realidad! Esto, que podría parecer una nimiedad, no lo es tanto si tenemos en cuenta el sorprendente detalle de que las obras dedicadas a Jack el Destripador escritas por historiadores con un enfoque profesional son verdaderamente escasas.
No es de extrañar, por tanto, que el libro esté a la altura en ese aspecto y que no haya quedado piedra sin dar la vuelta a la hora de buscar confirmaciones o desestimar algo y en más de una ocasión me he quedado perplejo de los legajos a los que ha tenido que recurrir el autor para corroborar algo. Esta minuciosidad tiene también la culpa, por contra, de que no le ponga cinco estrellas, pues en ocasiones te encuentras con página tras página de descripciones forenses, de los cambios de domicilio de las víctimas o sobre una variación de uno o dos minutos respecto a la última vez que se las vio con vida. Quieras que no son tramos áridos y densos que hay que atravesar. Pero si quería la verdad al desnudo y toda la información disponible no puedo quejarme del resultado, ¿no?
March 8, 2012
Not the best written, or indeed the best researched of all the Jack the Ripper books out there, but by no means the worst either. The text is a bit out of date now, and despite my having the 'new revised' edition, I didn't encounter any new theories.
What it is, is a reasonably good summary of the case, with a fairly interesting look at four key suspects.The author appears to have done little primary research of his own, but does do a credible job of collating the research of others, and is excellent at demonstrating how the 'facts' have been distorted over time to little resemble the truth.
What I did like about this book, is that the author doesn't profess to "KNOW" the identity of the Ripper, and nor does he seek to vilify or promote one suspect over the other. While he does make a conclusion of 'it's was more likely to be this guy than those others' he fully admits that he cannot prove this, as there is no conclusive evidence one way or another.
What it is, is a reasonably good summary of the case, with a fairly interesting look at four key suspects.The author appears to have done little primary research of his own, but does do a credible job of collating the research of others, and is excellent at demonstrating how the 'facts' have been distorted over time to little resemble the truth.
What I did like about this book, is that the author doesn't profess to "KNOW" the identity of the Ripper, and nor does he seek to vilify or promote one suspect over the other. While he does make a conclusion of 'it's was more likely to be this guy than those others' he fully admits that he cannot prove this, as there is no conclusive evidence one way or another.
April 3, 2021
If you want to know everything about Jack the Ripper, read this book. It is an in depth non biased account (which is refreshing to see for a change!) of the murders. Philip Sugden definitely knows his subject. I can honestly say that it's the best book I have read so far, on this unknown serial killer. If you are interested in any way about Jack the Ripper and want to know more, this is the book to read.
December 10, 2018
When I was in London in October, Jack the Ripper's name came up a few times. I realized I didn't know much about him, and so I did what I always do - went looking for a book. After some research, it seemed this was the best place to start, as the author only uses historical sources (rather than other Ripper enthusiasts) and doesn't try to sell the reader his pet theory. And what can I say - that's definitely true.
The book does go fairly into detail, so if you just want a quick and dirty summary of what happened in Whitechapel in 1888, you' re probably better of reading something else. I appreciated the details, however, as they gave a good idea of the atmosphere in London and especially the East End during the time. I also felt the portraits of the victims were well done, and the descriptions of the murder were matter-of-fact rather than delighting in the gruesomeness. Personally, I would have liked some more explanation why so few police files remain. Also, the book's relative age is obvious by some of the phrases he uses - "imbecile" and "idiot" and suchlike did make me wince at times.
All in all though, I felt like this gave me a good general idea of what happened and of what we know (or don't know) about the case. And it was quite gripping, too. I'm glad I came across it and can add my voice to the recommendations.
The book does go fairly into detail, so if you just want a quick and dirty summary of what happened in Whitechapel in 1888, you' re probably better of reading something else. I appreciated the details, however, as they gave a good idea of the atmosphere in London and especially the East End during the time. I also felt the portraits of the victims were well done, and the descriptions of the murder were matter-of-fact rather than delighting in the gruesomeness. Personally, I would have liked some more explanation why so few police files remain. Also, the book's relative age is obvious by some of the phrases he uses - "imbecile" and "idiot" and suchlike did make me wince at times.
All in all though, I felt like this gave me a good general idea of what happened and of what we know (or don't know) about the case. And it was quite gripping, too. I'm glad I came across it and can add my voice to the recommendations.
June 4, 2021
My first foray into Jack the Ripperology was that Patricia Cornwall book, where she just decided Walter Sickert was the Ripper and wrote a whole book to smoosh the facts to fit her theory, pissing of most serious scholars and Sickerts family along the way. I wanted the next book I read to be a good one, and according to the internet this was the one.
I have to say this certainly seems like the definitive book on Jack the Ripper. Sugden isn't promoting a theory, he's objectively looking at the evidence and providing the information. When he does speculate its based on evidence, and even then he admits he could be wrong. While I got the overall knowledge of the murders and the investigation, I also learned about Victorian London in general. I was also extremely interested in the connection to the Jewish community in London at the time, and how everything gets blamed on them. Except hurricanes, those are still apparently caused by homosexuals.
In his thoroughness the book does drag at parts toward the end but was still interesting. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Jack the Ripper.
I have to say this certainly seems like the definitive book on Jack the Ripper. Sugden isn't promoting a theory, he's objectively looking at the evidence and providing the information. When he does speculate its based on evidence, and even then he admits he could be wrong. While I got the overall knowledge of the murders and the investigation, I also learned about Victorian London in general. I was also extremely interested in the connection to the Jewish community in London at the time, and how everything gets blamed on them. Except hurricanes, those are still apparently caused by homosexuals.
In his thoroughness the book does drag at parts toward the end but was still interesting. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Jack the Ripper.
July 1, 2019
ZOUNDS
what a demented and sadistic person.
Sugden's book seemed like being the most level-headed and factual book on the subject, and indeed I was largely impressed with his fidelity to the historically verifiable facts and his ability to sift through rumours ancient and modern to pinpoint trustworthy evidence. That said, it was a little puzzling that he repeatedly insisted that ALL the victims were DEFINITELY prostitutes in the face of explicit evidence otherwise given at some of the inquests and the fact that for many of them, the most obvious explanation for their being out on the streets at night was that they were homeless since they did not have the money to pay for a bed!
Still, most of the book showed a better handle on the evidence than this. Extremely interesting.
what a demented and sadistic person.
Sugden's book seemed like being the most level-headed and factual book on the subject, and indeed I was largely impressed with his fidelity to the historically verifiable facts and his ability to sift through rumours ancient and modern to pinpoint trustworthy evidence. That said, it was a little puzzling that he repeatedly insisted that ALL the victims were DEFINITELY prostitutes in the face of explicit evidence otherwise given at some of the inquests and the fact that for many of them, the most obvious explanation for their being out on the streets at night was that they were homeless since they did not have the money to pay for a bed!
Still, most of the book showed a better handle on the evidence than this. Extremely interesting.
September 15, 2024
Detailed, comprehensive and the most complete history of the Whitechapel murders. My only gripe is that the author regularly jumps forward and back to people and events, not sticking to a clear chronological narrative. Worse yet, in the introduction we are inundated with names and events without much context that make no sense unless one is already knowledgeable about some or most of the history surrounding Jack the Ripper. It could have benefited from proper editing.
October 5, 2018
Comprehensive and thorough.
December 29, 2018
If I do not write in length, anything I write about this book would do unjust to how good and detailed it is. Therefore I would simply say that if you are fascinated as I am of the atrocities that took place in the East London in the Autumn of 1888, and the whole mystery behind Jack the Ripper, this book is a must have. It covers a lot of information based on facts than fantasies woven into this mystery over time.
February 25, 2024
A thoroughly engaging, scholarly account of the 1888 Whitechapel murders.
We don’t know how many women were murdered, we don’t have a motive and we certainly don’t know the identity of the culprit.
Indeed we’ve got a great deal of speculation, often propagated but those with a lively imagination and a profit motive.
The author achieves much in filtering through this inflammatory mess and distilling the horrible facts of the crimes.
We don’t know how many women were murdered, we don’t have a motive and we certainly don’t know the identity of the culprit.
Indeed we’ve got a great deal of speculation, often propagated but those with a lively imagination and a profit motive.
The author achieves much in filtering through this inflammatory mess and distilling the horrible facts of the crimes.
April 15, 2015
The Victorian murderer who slew a handful of women in London's East End has become a worldwide symbol of terror, his fame celebrated in story and song, on the stage and on film, in art and in opera, his tale told in languages as diverse as English and Russian, Spanish and Swedish, German and Japanese. Robert Bloch, the American author of Psycho, has said that Jack the Ripper belongs to the world as surely as Shakespeare. It is not an undue exaggeration.
We've all heard of Jack the Ripper. I became fascinated with the story in middle school. The fact that his identity has never been solved after all of these years is intriguing. Why? Why is this particular case so hard to crack? What was the motive behind these murders? His crimes are now considered the stuff of legend. And there is every possibility that the man the Victorians called 'the master murderer of the age' was in reality a complete nobody whose name never found its way into the police file... some sad social cripple who lived out his days in obscurity, his true identity a secret now known only to the dead.
Sugden really brings these victims to life. That was the big difference from other Ripper books I have read. They aren't just a case study; names in a report; their profession. They were real women that were down on their luck, sure. They may not have had the most innocent of professions, but they were human beings. He also mentions the other tragedies that were a domino effect due to fear & paranoia. The people that took their own lives, were committed to insane asylums & even a case where a young woman was described as having died from shock after a Ripper practical joke.
The Jack the Ripper/Leather Apron/Whitechapel Murderer story is full of myth; factual errors; unreliable witnesses; false leads; hoaxes; sloppy journalism; lack of evidence -- truly a classic case of whodunnit!
This is a mystery that will forever remain a mystery. Most likely, there will never be closure. That is part of the appeal -- it will be something that will continue to exist & analyzed many more times.
More than any other factor it was the failure of the police to catch him that led to our present fascination with the case. Myth feeds on the gaps in history. And in the case of the Ripper's identity it is less a gap than a yawning pit into which Ripperologists, novelists and film-makers can toss any theory they like as long as they are not required to substantiate it.
I have read much on this subject over the years & I feel this is the most comprehensive. If you are interested in Jack the Ripper, this is the book I would recommend above any other!
We've all heard of Jack the Ripper. I became fascinated with the story in middle school. The fact that his identity has never been solved after all of these years is intriguing. Why? Why is this particular case so hard to crack? What was the motive behind these murders? His crimes are now considered the stuff of legend. And there is every possibility that the man the Victorians called 'the master murderer of the age' was in reality a complete nobody whose name never found its way into the police file... some sad social cripple who lived out his days in obscurity, his true identity a secret now known only to the dead.
Sugden really brings these victims to life. That was the big difference from other Ripper books I have read. They aren't just a case study; names in a report; their profession. They were real women that were down on their luck, sure. They may not have had the most innocent of professions, but they were human beings. He also mentions the other tragedies that were a domino effect due to fear & paranoia. The people that took their own lives, were committed to insane asylums & even a case where a young woman was described as having died from shock after a Ripper practical joke.
The Jack the Ripper/Leather Apron/Whitechapel Murderer story is full of myth; factual errors; unreliable witnesses; false leads; hoaxes; sloppy journalism; lack of evidence -- truly a classic case of whodunnit!
This is a mystery that will forever remain a mystery. Most likely, there will never be closure. That is part of the appeal -- it will be something that will continue to exist & analyzed many more times.
More than any other factor it was the failure of the police to catch him that led to our present fascination with the case. Myth feeds on the gaps in history. And in the case of the Ripper's identity it is less a gap than a yawning pit into which Ripperologists, novelists and film-makers can toss any theory they like as long as they are not required to substantiate it.
I have read much on this subject over the years & I feel this is the most comprehensive. If you are interested in Jack the Ripper, this is the book I would recommend above any other!
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