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The Complete Jack the Ripper
Discover the theories and facts surrounding the Whitechapel murders in David Rumbelow's "The Complete Jack the Ripper"...It is 1888 in London's Whitechapel district, where one by one a group of prostitutes are brutally murdered. Opium smoking Inspector Fred Abberline is called upon to investigate these horrific murders and through his visions track down and trap Jack the Ripper. David Rumbelow's casebook sets the crimes firmly in their historical setting, examines the evidence comprehensively and scrupulously, disposes of a number of theories and legends and relates the murder to popular literature and to later similar sex crimes. In addition he has had the advantage of access to some of Scotland Yard's most confidential papers.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
April 17, 2017
Probably the most famous murderer of all time, Jack the Ripper has fascinated the public for over 120 years. He (or "she" as some would posit) has been the subject of books, television, film, broad sheet articles, guided tours and stage plays. Compared to serial killers of current times, the number of his crimes were few, although some credit him with more than the accepted number of five. But he was never identified, never caught, never punished and it continues to challenge "Ripperologists" to put forth their opinions of the identity of Saucy Jack.
His hunting ground was the poverty ridden East End and his victims were all prostitutes, thus the police were initially less than concerned. But the "double event" in which two women were killed and mutilated within minutes of each other caught their attention and the public demanded something be done. The police work was sloppy, evidence disappeared, and suspects were arrested by the dozens, all of whom were almost immediately cleared. The crimes suddenly stopped and the identity of Jack the Ripper was never discovered.
The author does not attempt to name the Ripper in this book; rather he writes a complete history of the crimes and the investigation. The final third of the book looks at those men who have most commonly been named as the Ripper and explains why some could not possibly have committed the crimes and why some could have. They range from a member of the Royal Family to a Jewish hairdresser and in most cases, nothing tangible could connect any of them with the murders. It is probably time to admit that we will never know who was Jack the Ripper, as does the author, but that will not stop the introduction of new theories and "lost information" suddenly found. He has passed into history as part folk hero and part myth.
I highly recommend this very well written book.
His hunting ground was the poverty ridden East End and his victims were all prostitutes, thus the police were initially less than concerned. But the "double event" in which two women were killed and mutilated within minutes of each other caught their attention and the public demanded something be done. The police work was sloppy, evidence disappeared, and suspects were arrested by the dozens, all of whom were almost immediately cleared. The crimes suddenly stopped and the identity of Jack the Ripper was never discovered.
The author does not attempt to name the Ripper in this book; rather he writes a complete history of the crimes and the investigation. The final third of the book looks at those men who have most commonly been named as the Ripper and explains why some could not possibly have committed the crimes and why some could have. They range from a member of the Royal Family to a Jewish hairdresser and in most cases, nothing tangible could connect any of them with the murders. It is probably time to admit that we will never know who was Jack the Ripper, as does the author, but that will not stop the introduction of new theories and "lost information" suddenly found. He has passed into history as part folk hero and part myth.
I highly recommend this very well written book.
July 9, 2012
Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars
I originally rated this 4 stars last night after finishing it, but after a night's sleep, I lowered it to 3.5 stars. Not a big difference, but upon reflection, I think that one of the reasons I enjoyed Rumbelow's book was also, weirdly enough, why I lowered my rating. Here's why: Rumbelow isn't a writer by profession. He was actually a City of London policeman for several years before becoming a writer. His approach to Jack was from a different perspective, and I enjoyed his bare bones, "just-the-facts-ma'm" take on arguably the most famous (and infamous) unsolved crime of all time. He takes the reader through the dirty and hopeless streets of the East End near the turn of the century and paints a dreary picture of life for the population who lived and died there. He provides good background information on all the victims of Jack's rage, and takes us through a line-up of all the known suspects; giving us both the pros and cons of each persons likelihood of being the Ripper.
Rumbelow knows his Ripperology, and covers it all pretty thoroughly, so if you're looking for a decent compendium on Jack and his deeds, you can't go wrong with this book.
However, it must be noted again that writing wasn't Rumbelow's first vocation, and IMO it shows. There isn't a smooth flow and transition throughout the book, and I sometimes I found myself having to re-read a sentence or go back a few pages to figure out what his point was.
In addition, I didn't see the need for his final chapter, "Beyond the Grave", which covered other violent crimes (like the Yorkshire Ripper and the Dusseldorf Monster). While I undertand the parallels Rumbelow was trying to show with more recent cases, it just seemed "tacked on" and could have been better featured in a follow up book. His chapter on the Ripper's impact on pop culture (the theater, movies and books) was also similarily unnecessary IMO, but perhaps other readers will like the inclusions. For my taste, just give the down and dirty on Jack and leave it at that.
This is a grisly, graphic book, with descriptions of the mutilations, mortuary photos, and some pretty disgusting information in the final chapter I previously memtioned (Beyond the Grave). Obviously, this is about the Ripper, so it isn't rainbows and ponies, but Rumbelow doesn't pull any punches -- it's all out there. If you're of a squimish nature, you might just want to Wiki Jack and leave it at that.
All in all, a good reference book, with some very minor problems (your mileage may vary).
I originally rated this 4 stars last night after finishing it, but after a night's sleep, I lowered it to 3.5 stars. Not a big difference, but upon reflection, I think that one of the reasons I enjoyed Rumbelow's book was also, weirdly enough, why I lowered my rating. Here's why: Rumbelow isn't a writer by profession. He was actually a City of London policeman for several years before becoming a writer. His approach to Jack was from a different perspective, and I enjoyed his bare bones, "just-the-facts-ma'm" take on arguably the most famous (and infamous) unsolved crime of all time. He takes the reader through the dirty and hopeless streets of the East End near the turn of the century and paints a dreary picture of life for the population who lived and died there. He provides good background information on all the victims of Jack's rage, and takes us through a line-up of all the known suspects; giving us both the pros and cons of each persons likelihood of being the Ripper.
Rumbelow knows his Ripperology, and covers it all pretty thoroughly, so if you're looking for a decent compendium on Jack and his deeds, you can't go wrong with this book.
However, it must be noted again that writing wasn't Rumbelow's first vocation, and IMO it shows. There isn't a smooth flow and transition throughout the book, and I sometimes I found myself having to re-read a sentence or go back a few pages to figure out what his point was.
In addition, I didn't see the need for his final chapter, "Beyond the Grave", which covered other violent crimes (like the Yorkshire Ripper and the Dusseldorf Monster). While I undertand the parallels Rumbelow was trying to show with more recent cases, it just seemed "tacked on" and could have been better featured in a follow up book. His chapter on the Ripper's impact on pop culture (the theater, movies and books) was also similarily unnecessary IMO, but perhaps other readers will like the inclusions. For my taste, just give the down and dirty on Jack and leave it at that.
This is a grisly, graphic book, with descriptions of the mutilations, mortuary photos, and some pretty disgusting information in the final chapter I previously memtioned (Beyond the Grave). Obviously, this is about the Ripper, so it isn't rainbows and ponies, but Rumbelow doesn't pull any punches -- it's all out there. If you're of a squimish nature, you might just want to Wiki Jack and leave it at that.
All in all, a good reference book, with some very minor problems (your mileage may vary).
May 5, 2023
This book explores the phenomenon of Jack the Ripper, the notorious 19th-century serial killer who slaughtered prostitutes and mutilated their bodies, who eluded capture and gained a grisly but lasting fame by doing so. Rumbelow examines the murder-victims (as well as a few cases mistakenly thought to be victims of the Ripper). He also chronicles the efforts of the police to track down the killer and the fear and fascination generated by the events. Rumbelow examines a number of suspects, both probable and improbable, who might have been responsible for the horrible crimes, as well as the theories, often fantastical, spawned by writers who did not do their research properly or who based their ideas on erroneous information. In his final chapters, Rumbelow describes killing sprees perpetrated by other criminals with similar techniques. Finally, he glances at the enduring effect of the Ripper legend on literature, television and film.
This book might not contain the most contemporary Ripper research, but, for beginners, it's a good place to start.
This book might not contain the most contemporary Ripper research, but, for beginners, it's a good place to start.
September 11, 2015
The last time I read this unsensational guide to Jack the Ripper I was a, no doubt quite morbid, teenager. Reading it as a more well rounded adult (one hopes anyway), I have to say that it holds up really well. Originally published in 1975, former police officer Rumbelow sifts his way through the evidence in a way that is dispassionate and avoids outlandish theories (which makes it somewhat odd that the introduction to my edition is by Colin Wilson, a man always fond of outlandish theories. But no doubt that can be explained by how nice the author is to Wilson in the text). This is not a book to solve the Ripper case, but instead possibly the best compilation of evidence and theories to exist.
Rumbelow is particularly good at capturing late Victorian London, and the forgotten corner of it that was the East End. He brings out the life of the average Whitechapel prostitute, and as much information as he can about the lives of the victims. And, he’s quite sympathetic towards the police (even when he acknowledges that some of what they did was inexplicable) trying, as they were, to solve this huge case with really primitive tools. After all, there were no fingerprints, DNA or CCTV in 1888. This is a scholarly and expert work, which hasn’t dated as much as I thought it might – after all, anything ‘new’ that emerged about the Ripper after this long a time would have to be treated with a fair degree of scepticism.
As for who did it? Well, Rumbelow states a belief (which I actually share) that if in some magical afterlife the name of the Ripper is revealed, all these Ripper hunters with their prize theories are going to hear that name and then let out a baffled: “Who?”
Rumbelow is particularly good at capturing late Victorian London, and the forgotten corner of it that was the East End. He brings out the life of the average Whitechapel prostitute, and as much information as he can about the lives of the victims. And, he’s quite sympathetic towards the police (even when he acknowledges that some of what they did was inexplicable) trying, as they were, to solve this huge case with really primitive tools. After all, there were no fingerprints, DNA or CCTV in 1888. This is a scholarly and expert work, which hasn’t dated as much as I thought it might – after all, anything ‘new’ that emerged about the Ripper after this long a time would have to be treated with a fair degree of scepticism.
As for who did it? Well, Rumbelow states a belief (which I actually share) that if in some magical afterlife the name of the Ripper is revealed, all these Ripper hunters with their prize theories are going to hear that name and then let out a baffled: “Who?”
December 30, 2015
This is the definitive work on Jack the Ripper and is an excellent read. Almost every other book on Jack is trying to prove the author's point of view and so they ignore contrary evidence and slant other evidence to support their conclusions (I'm looking at you, Patricia Cornwell). Their primary interest is in selling their theory and their books. Rumbelow instead presents all the evidence impartially and discusses each suspect impartially and points out flaws in the case against each one and facts that lead towards them. As a former London police officer and long-time Ripper historian, Rumbelow not only presents all available evidence, he is responsible for a great deal of it being found. I think it's safe to say he's considered the ultimate authority on Jack the Ripper and this book is a monument to that.
A key element of the book is Rumbelow's discussion of the life of London during the murders, which is essential to understand how the Ripper operated and how he was able to go undetected. The book is a little dry, but when you're presenting straight facts, it's hard to avoid and the wealth of detail presented makes up for it. Rumbelow's sense of humor also shows through, along with his annoyance at writers who make bold proclamations about having solved the case when there are still huge holes in their evidence. He even presents the evidence that recently came to light that eliminated his main suspect. That's the kind of impartiality I want from a crime historian.
In addition to discussing life in Whitechapel, each killing (and other ones sometimes linked to the Ripper), the book goes into the mythology of Jack and discusses his many appearances in pop culture, from Sherlock Holmes to Star Trek.
In presenting the suspects and the evidence, Rumbelow realizes that there will probably never be a definitive answer to the identity of Jack the Ripper. There are no hidden files waiting to be uncovered, no secret conspiracies waiting to be exposed, just an anonymous murderer who still captivates the world over 100 years later. Rumbelow mentions how when he dies, goes to heaven, meets St. Peter, and asks the identity of Jack the Ripper, he fully expects his response to the answer to be "who?"
A key element of the book is Rumbelow's discussion of the life of London during the murders, which is essential to understand how the Ripper operated and how he was able to go undetected. The book is a little dry, but when you're presenting straight facts, it's hard to avoid and the wealth of detail presented makes up for it. Rumbelow's sense of humor also shows through, along with his annoyance at writers who make bold proclamations about having solved the case when there are still huge holes in their evidence. He even presents the evidence that recently came to light that eliminated his main suspect. That's the kind of impartiality I want from a crime historian.
In addition to discussing life in Whitechapel, each killing (and other ones sometimes linked to the Ripper), the book goes into the mythology of Jack and discusses his many appearances in pop culture, from Sherlock Holmes to Star Trek.
In presenting the suspects and the evidence, Rumbelow realizes that there will probably never be a definitive answer to the identity of Jack the Ripper. There are no hidden files waiting to be uncovered, no secret conspiracies waiting to be exposed, just an anonymous murderer who still captivates the world over 100 years later. Rumbelow mentions how when he dies, goes to heaven, meets St. Peter, and asks the identity of Jack the Ripper, he fully expects his response to the answer to be "who?"
August 4, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ A very interesting and unbiased deep dive into Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel murders. I enjoyed the book as a whole, but felt like the last two chapters could’ve been excluded as they weren’t critical to the case.
March 9, 2021
Es difícil de conseguir; finalmente pude pedir prestada una copia digital de una biblioteca en archive.org. Había lista de espera.
No me parece que lo valga. No tiene mucha información nueva ni está bien escrito. Las últimas 60 páginas donde hace un recuento de obras de ficción inspiradas por el caso, y luego relata varios casos de asesinos seriales ligeramente parecidos pero sin relación alguna, parecen innecesarios y de relleno.
Tardé los 14 días que duraba el préstamo en leer unas 320 páginas; no sé si puedo decir que es malo, pero sí que no me atrapó para nada.
No me parece que lo valga. No tiene mucha información nueva ni está bien escrito. Las últimas 60 páginas donde hace un recuento de obras de ficción inspiradas por el caso, y luego relata varios casos de asesinos seriales ligeramente parecidos pero sin relación alguna, parecen innecesarios y de relleno.
Tardé los 14 días que duraba el préstamo en leer unas 320 páginas; no sé si puedo decir que es malo, pero sí que no me atrapó para nada.
May 26, 2013
Probably the greatest archivist of Jack the Ripper materials wrote the definitive book on what actually occurred during those horrifying months. He also presents the most harrowing photographs taken by police photographers, especially at the site of the final murder.
You won't find identity answers here. The author does not speculate on the identity of the Ripper, although he does provide details of the most infamous suspects.
In addition to case details, I also learned more about "class" issues in British society at the time. If anything, prejudices probably were responsible for adding a massive burden on the investigation, especially with the not-so-hidden agendas of many interested parties.
For the true Ripperologist, this book can be considered the primer. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
You won't find identity answers here. The author does not speculate on the identity of the Ripper, although he does provide details of the most infamous suspects.
In addition to case details, I also learned more about "class" issues in British society at the time. If anything, prejudices probably were responsible for adding a massive burden on the investigation, especially with the not-so-hidden agendas of many interested parties.
For the true Ripperologist, this book can be considered the primer. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
September 1, 2015
We all have those family members who like to lumber you with things once they find out about your interest.
Well this book came from my aunt when she found out about my interest in forensic psychology. Supposedly I need to become an expert in the criminal world – mainly I need to be able to recite the heinous acts of countless individuals across history.
Okay, maybe she did not put it like that but it sort of felt that way when she handed me numerous books on the topic.
Still, despite the fact that such a thing can be viewed as being exceptionally weird, the books she gave me were all interesting reads. This one included. It is educational (even if it is not the kind of topic you would want to teach at school) and an interesting read.
Whilst not my usual I rather enjoyed reading the details of this book.
Well this book came from my aunt when she found out about my interest in forensic psychology. Supposedly I need to become an expert in the criminal world – mainly I need to be able to recite the heinous acts of countless individuals across history.
Okay, maybe she did not put it like that but it sort of felt that way when she handed me numerous books on the topic.
Still, despite the fact that such a thing can be viewed as being exceptionally weird, the books she gave me were all interesting reads. This one included. It is educational (even if it is not the kind of topic you would want to teach at school) and an interesting read.
Whilst not my usual I rather enjoyed reading the details of this book.
December 2, 2023
I was on Rumbelow’s London Walking Tour many years back. That tour was much more vivid because sure of the atmosphere, but this book was certainly full of information and didn’t delve too deeply into conjecture.
May 7, 2025
Over a great review. The setting—- east London was a total nightmare of poverty and apathy ( so of the talks on “welfare work programs” to thrift sounds much like today’s hate ridden speech on the improvised.) Very thorough research my only critique is that I wish the author considered the victims as women instead of just prostitutes ( see the masterpiece The Five.)
March 7, 2014
This book was recommended to me by an odd elderly man (who seemed to know a little too much about serial killers) that I met in the True Crime section at a used book warehouse. I did not know anything at all about Jack the Ripper. I took the book home and asked my husband what he knew about the serial killer. He told me he only knew three things "for sure". One was that he lured his victims to him using grapes (which were considered rare), two that he murdered prostitutes, and three that the police knew who the Ripper was, but he was a prince, so because of politics there was a huge cover up. Only one of these "facts" turned out to be true. Obviously the story of Jack the Ripper has been dramatized over the years by Hollywood and overzealous Ripperologists (yes, that's a thing). This book gets down to the facts of the case and presents some of the many popular theories over the years, but also disproves them. It did give me nightmares, not because of the murders themselves or the crime scene photos (there were some gruesome ones) but because I kept thinking about the case and how little evidence there is, which opens the door to many interpretations as to the who, how and why. It's the mystery of Jack the Ripper that keeps this case popular to this day. This book also includes a chapter at the end of other Jack the Ripper copycats who HAD been caught. But, who's every hear of the Dusseldorf Ripper?
May 6, 2020
4.25 Stars - There’s not a heck of a lot of topics or even themes for that matter in which grab me more than the “ripper-verse”...
In this Jack the Ripper casebook of sorts, the author sets up the readers path by faithfully capturing a great deal of the brutal charm & lore of this somewhat eery time period in Whitechapel, whilst scrupulously laying out the facts of each of the 5 (what is generally accepted to be) brutal cowardly murders of Innocent woman. He-unfortunately does join the rather populous alumni that makes the now more well known, egregious error all writers and authors right up until Hallie Rubehold’s 2019 brilliant Novel ‘The Five’ - have made, by referring to the Rippers victims as ‘Prostitutes’ but I’ll forgive that. Although should I? I
Mean if the aforementioned author was able to be diligent enough to dig out the truth & tell the true backstory to these victims, perhaps we shouldn’t so easily forgive? Anyway, I digress - Rumblelow does a solid job of knocking over a number of theories, as well as presenting previously secret evidence from the Scotland Yard files.
In this Jack the Ripper casebook of sorts, the author sets up the readers path by faithfully capturing a great deal of the brutal charm & lore of this somewhat eery time period in Whitechapel, whilst scrupulously laying out the facts of each of the 5 (what is generally accepted to be) brutal cowardly murders of Innocent woman. He-unfortunately does join the rather populous alumni that makes the now more well known, egregious error all writers and authors right up until Hallie Rubehold’s 2019 brilliant Novel ‘The Five’ - have made, by referring to the Rippers victims as ‘Prostitutes’ but I’ll forgive that. Although should I? I
Mean if the aforementioned author was able to be diligent enough to dig out the truth & tell the true backstory to these victims, perhaps we shouldn’t so easily forgive? Anyway, I digress - Rumblelow does a solid job of knocking over a number of theories, as well as presenting previously secret evidence from the Scotland Yard files.
January 23, 2022
What to say about Rumbelows Jack The Ripper? I had hoped to like it more and in turn, get enthralled with the Ripper case cause there is so much written about it that one could read forever. But Donald did not enthrall me. It was long-winded and full of tangents that meant nothing to me or the Ripper case. I was hoping for more of a bare-bones, fact-based book. Here are the murders, here are the suspects, and here are the theories. What I got in Rumbelow's book was a jumbled and often confusing assortment of facts mixed with theories mixed with side stories. The facts that he does cover and the suspects he talks about are interesting but overall it's a drag and was hard to finish. Would not recommend it.
November 15, 2016
Great book!! Made me want to keep reading even when I had no time. Lots of information but told in an entertaining way!
September 15, 2019
The author did an excellent job of researching this book. Since all the murders occurred in 1888, the author review documentation from then until the present.
Because the murderer has never been found, there are a number of suspects. The author does a great job of reviewing each suspect and the pros and cons associated with that person being the murderer. After reading about several of the suspects, the discussions became mundane to me. Unlike an Agatha Christie mystery, the murderer is never identified. They should have put Hercule Poirot
on the case! LOL.
I was surprised to learn that there have been quite a number of copycat murders since then.
Because the murderer has never been found, there are a number of suspects. The author does a great job of reviewing each suspect and the pros and cons associated with that person being the murderer. After reading about several of the suspects, the discussions became mundane to me. Unlike an Agatha Christie mystery, the murderer is never identified. They should have put Hercule Poirot
on the case! LOL.
I was surprised to learn that there have been quite a number of copycat murders since then.
May 28, 2021
Jack the Ripper is an unsolved serial murder case that has fascinated the public from the first. A string if daring murders by someone who had intimate knowledge of Spittlefields including the streets, police patrols, and the very heartbeat of the area, the crimes are equal horror stories and psychological puzzles.
Extremely well-researched and incredibly detailed, this book brings you into the investigation. Some reviewers felt that the chapter covering other murderers who used similar methods was unnecessary. I. Respectfully disagree. Not only does it show the impression the Ripper murders have had on serial murder, but how detection has evolved over time.
Extremely well-researched and incredibly detailed, this book brings you into the investigation. Some reviewers felt that the chapter covering other murderers who used similar methods was unnecessary. I. Respectfully disagree. Not only does it show the impression the Ripper murders have had on serial murder, but how detection has evolved over time.
May 17, 2025
Definitely a good intro to the topic, but the chapter on fiction based in the murders and then the chapters on similar murderers were of little interest to me.
September 19, 2016
Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook) is the seminal work in the field (by which I mean efforts to understand the murders, the victims, the detectives, the suspects, the newspapers, the public, the politicians, etc., in their historical context, rather than, Hi! I have a crazy theory about the Ripper's real identity!), and it is very good, very readable and thoughtful--and unfortunately, at this point, very outdated. New material has come to light, theories and "facts" have been disproved: the case against M. J. Druitt makes no sense; Mary Jane Kelly was not pregnant; the kidney sent to poor George Lusk cannot be proved to have come from Catherine Eddowes and probably didn't; that whole Freemason thing? Dude, don't even.
It's not a trustworthy source, but I still like this book a lot.
It's not a trustworthy source, but I still like this book a lot.
November 16, 2015
Pinpointing exactly why I couldn't finish this book is difficult because I have read Jack the Ripper histories twice the length of this one, and been as absorbed as if I was reading an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting, hair-yanking thriller.
Somehow, Donald Rumbelow here managed to remove that sense of suspense and horror I have encountered in other Jack the Ripper works. It felt like I was reading a technical manual, actually. I kept trying to soldier through it since I am fascinated by the mysterious 19th century serial killer famous for his brutal murders of 5 Whitechapel prostitutes in the fall of 1888. But in the end, I just couldn't do it. Rumbelow managed to do the opposite of absorbing me...
Somehow, Donald Rumbelow here managed to remove that sense of suspense and horror I have encountered in other Jack the Ripper works. It felt like I was reading a technical manual, actually. I kept trying to soldier through it since I am fascinated by the mysterious 19th century serial killer famous for his brutal murders of 5 Whitechapel prostitutes in the fall of 1888. But in the end, I just couldn't do it. Rumbelow managed to do the opposite of absorbing me...
April 20, 2008
This book is not as good as Philip Sugden's wonderful The Complete History of Jack the Ripper. It was written in the 1970s and is dated as a result; much new information has come to light since then. It also has some inaccuracies, for example repeating the old fable of Mary Kelly's pregnancy. But it was still a worthwhile read for its detail. I particularly enjoyed the section on the various improbable suspects people suggested, something which was missing from Sugden's book. This is a worthy addition to any Ripperologist's shelf, I should think.
September 23, 2013
I first read this book when I was 12 years old. Checked it out of the Scenic Regional Library every summer after that until I went to college. Visited London with my parents in the 1990's and took the Jack the Ripper pub crawl. Guess who was the guide????? Yes, Donald Rumbelow! I was thrilled. Great memory.
July 6, 2012
Really informative. At times, perhaps, a bit too informative. It gave me nightmares. I highly recommend it for anyone with an interest in the subject. It does not provide the answer, but asks a lot of questions, and shows the flaws in many of the myths.
September 2, 2020
Very informative. Written in a very profesional way. Unlike other Ripper books this one just studies what you would be looking for in a suspect at that time and place and goes through the suspects one by one.
September 4, 2015
Clear and concise, a book which deals with what can be confirmed, but also shows how some can be discounted.
February 15, 2025
Ages ago, I read a book titled "Prince Jack," my first encounter with the theory that Albert Victor, the grandson of Queen Victoria, was Jack the Ripper. I was much more impressionable in those days, and I excitedly jumped aboard the "Prince Eddy" school of...well, of overexcited imagination, as opposed to thought. In those days, I read the one book and considered myself well-informed. In the years since, I have calmed down enough to know that I do not qualify as a scholar, or a criminologist, or even a "Ripperologist," a term I think is a riot. By contrast, author Donald Rumbelow is in a position to call himself a Ripperologist and to label his work as "Complete." Rumbelow has the bona fides; a former law enforcement officer in the UK, he once conducted walking tours entitled "On the Trail of Jack the Ripper." (As a sidebar: Rumbelow dismisses the "Prince Eddy" theory out of hand.) I visited London in the early 1990s, and I tried to juggle my commitments so that I could join his version of the tour. Sadly, I could not align my schedule with his. My subsequent experience enables me to attest that the subject of Jack the Ripper attracts all kinds of people. The guide who did conduct the tour I eventually joined...well, she was so quirky that I wondered if she might have cheerfully carried the lamp so that Jack would have sufficient light to work by. But old Saucy Jack was a big draw in the early 90s, and he remains so today. Many new theories and much new evidence has emerged since 1888, and Rumbelow does a competent job of keeping everything comprehensible.
Of course, there are the victims. My heart hurts every time I think of those poor souls: Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Kelly. Rumbelow gives a serviceable, if truncated, account of both their individual and their social circumstances in Victorian England; suffice it to say that their lives were no prettier than their deaths. He also delivers an account of each murder, for those few readers with more than a passing interest in JTR who don't already know the details. He offers maddening accounts of the police response to the crimes, maddening because law enforcement in those days had nowhere near the equipment, the technology, the experience, nor the competence to conduct a skillful investigation. He gives detailed coverage to each of the most likely (and several unlikely) suspects, before discounting nearly all of them. He critiques numerous theories and the armchair sleuths who have proffered them. Toward the end of the book, he names a couple of imitators, who did nearly everything Jack did except escape capture. The book concludes with a photo gallery of the names mentioned most prominently in the case, and for those who have never seen them, be warned: the photos of the Ripper's latter two victims are not for the faint of heart.
I have been thinking quite a bit lately about true crime and its effect on people. I have no idea what I hope to accomplish by immersing myself in heinous details. As mentioned earlier regarding JTR, I went all the way to London and visited the spot where each of the five victims was discovered. Nearly every location has undergone multiple transformations. No derelict wooden structures crammed with the poverty stricken remain. Sagging tenements have been plowed under by acres of glass, steel and concrete. I didn't find any new clues: no blood traces, no footprints or fingerprints, no clothing fibers, no discarded weapons, no potential witnesses. I freely admit that those of us who comb through the details of such appalling crimes are never going to be able to solve them definitively, no matter how devoutly we wish we could. Even Donald Rumbelow, who has devoted his life to the study of Jack the Ripper, does not claim an inarguable solution. But he does lay out the details of the case in an orderly and HIGHLY readable fashion. For all Ripperologists great and small, that will have to suffice
Of course, there are the victims. My heart hurts every time I think of those poor souls: Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Kelly. Rumbelow gives a serviceable, if truncated, account of both their individual and their social circumstances in Victorian England; suffice it to say that their lives were no prettier than their deaths. He also delivers an account of each murder, for those few readers with more than a passing interest in JTR who don't already know the details. He offers maddening accounts of the police response to the crimes, maddening because law enforcement in those days had nowhere near the equipment, the technology, the experience, nor the competence to conduct a skillful investigation. He gives detailed coverage to each of the most likely (and several unlikely) suspects, before discounting nearly all of them. He critiques numerous theories and the armchair sleuths who have proffered them. Toward the end of the book, he names a couple of imitators, who did nearly everything Jack did except escape capture. The book concludes with a photo gallery of the names mentioned most prominently in the case, and for those who have never seen them, be warned: the photos of the Ripper's latter two victims are not for the faint of heart.
I have been thinking quite a bit lately about true crime and its effect on people. I have no idea what I hope to accomplish by immersing myself in heinous details. As mentioned earlier regarding JTR, I went all the way to London and visited the spot where each of the five victims was discovered. Nearly every location has undergone multiple transformations. No derelict wooden structures crammed with the poverty stricken remain. Sagging tenements have been plowed under by acres of glass, steel and concrete. I didn't find any new clues: no blood traces, no footprints or fingerprints, no clothing fibers, no discarded weapons, no potential witnesses. I freely admit that those of us who comb through the details of such appalling crimes are never going to be able to solve them definitively, no matter how devoutly we wish we could. Even Donald Rumbelow, who has devoted his life to the study of Jack the Ripper, does not claim an inarguable solution. But he does lay out the details of the case in an orderly and HIGHLY readable fashion. For all Ripperologists great and small, that will have to suffice
September 20, 2021
This thorough and careful study separates the wheat of evidence from the chaff of 'Ripperology.' Returning to original sources, which constitute a surprisingly paltry record (that is fully explained), Rumbelow shows the murders were thoroughly investigated. The reason they were not solved is simply that in 1888 the Metropolitan and City of London police had none of the tools and processes we take for granted. Arrest and conviction generally required a witness or a confession. Blood could not be typed or even proven to be human, and fingerprints were unrecognized. From the reports on the inquests and the other documents that survived, Rumbelow shows that the police made a huge effort. They interviewed hundreds of people and checked the movements and alibis of dozens of suspects. While Rumbelow concludes that four of the five 'canonical' crimes fit a pattern that indicates the same perpetrator, there is enough conflicting testimony and mitigating factors that it is entirely possible more than one killer was responsible. The most interesting conclusions reached by Rumbelow, based on the actual evidence, are that the women were strangled then mutilated, and that Liz Stride, generally accepted as Ripper Victim #3, is an outlier. Neither Stride's wounds nor the circumstances of her death fit the pattern of the other murders. She was probably killed by Michael Kidney who fit the description of a man seen assaulting her shortly before her murder. He does not fit the descriptions of men seen with the other victims. Although interviewed, there is no evidence that Kidney was ever seriously suspected of the other murders. The possibility that the men seen with the other women before their deaths, who were variously described, were in fact four different killers, is both intriguing and cannot be ruled out due to the paucity of evidence pointing to any person for any of the crimes. Rumbelow allows his readers to draw their own conclusions and moves on to the 'cases' against all the main suspects. They are weak. There is no evidence linking any of them to the murders. Ultimately, the police decided that the perpetrator was dead which seems to indicate they felt Druitt was their man. That murders clearly fitting the ripper pattern stopped after Druitt's suicide is compelling, but hardly conclusive. The case against him is non-existent, but unlike the other 'main suspects' Druitt did have opportunity. The others can be shown to be somewhere else at the time of at least one murder, further weakening the case for the ripper crimes as the work of one person. How and why these murders became the best known crimes in history and 'Jack the Ripper' a universally recognized character is a fascinating story, but it's not the focus here. The cultural impact of the Ripper is covered in a single chapter. Refreshingly, this study examines the real crimes. Rumbelow shows that while the general similarity of the four most likely 'ripper' crimes indicates they were committed by the same person, there is no evidence connecting them that would hold up in court. It is amazing that the perpetrator of the Whitechapel murders, someone we know absolutely nothing about, became the serial killer archetype of popular culture. Rumbelow concludes it is the lack of information about the Ripper that makes him so intriguing. He is a blank, a void, which every investigator can fill up with their own ideas and theories. Most do so without bothering to incorporate what little is actually known. If you have yet not read a single book about Jack the Ripper, start with this one. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2021
Overall: 3 stars. A very thorough and well-researched deep dive on Jack the Ripper, including the historic case and modern attempts to solve it.
I decided to read this because I just finished The Five by Hallie Rubenhold which excels as painting personal portraits of the lives of the five Jack the Ripper victims but fails at giving the reader some basic context for the case. If I could do it again, I’d read them in reverse order.
This book’s strength is also its weakness: it is very, VERY thorough and well-researched and spares the reader no detail. I appreciated the “just the facts, ma’am” approach to covering the crimes and the initial investigations at the time and also enjoyed his coverage (and subsequent ruthless takedowns) of some of the historic and modern theories as to whodunnit. What I have learned from this book is that people obsessed with Jack the Ripper (“ripperologists”) go real hard, and there are some bonkers theories out there (Lewis Carroll? Churchill’s dad? Russian spies? Some famous painter who painted creepy pictures - this was Patricia Cornwell’s theory, btw). It was fun seeing the author, who clearly has expertise-level knowledge on the case, rip to shreds the more preposterous of these theories with some cold, hard facts, but because there are just so goshdarn many of these crackpot theories, it feels like the latter half of the book is never-ending, spilling from one weird theory to the next. I honestly got tired of this exhaustive approach to analyzing every proposed solution, although I appreciate the author’s dedication in researching them.
Maybe if you’re a real hardcore Ripper nerd this level of detail will keep you entertained, but after a while, I just got overwhelmed. Still, it’s a great, no-nonsense summary of the murders and worth checking out for true crime fans that don’t know a lot about the Ripper (and maybe giving up whenever the theory dissection wears you out).
I decided to read this because I just finished The Five by Hallie Rubenhold which excels as painting personal portraits of the lives of the five Jack the Ripper victims but fails at giving the reader some basic context for the case. If I could do it again, I’d read them in reverse order.
This book’s strength is also its weakness: it is very, VERY thorough and well-researched and spares the reader no detail. I appreciated the “just the facts, ma’am” approach to covering the crimes and the initial investigations at the time and also enjoyed his coverage (and subsequent ruthless takedowns) of some of the historic and modern theories as to whodunnit. What I have learned from this book is that people obsessed with Jack the Ripper (“ripperologists”) go real hard, and there are some bonkers theories out there (Lewis Carroll? Churchill’s dad? Russian spies? Some famous painter who painted creepy pictures - this was Patricia Cornwell’s theory, btw). It was fun seeing the author, who clearly has expertise-level knowledge on the case, rip to shreds the more preposterous of these theories with some cold, hard facts, but because there are just so goshdarn many of these crackpot theories, it feels like the latter half of the book is never-ending, spilling from one weird theory to the next. I honestly got tired of this exhaustive approach to analyzing every proposed solution, although I appreciate the author’s dedication in researching them.
Maybe if you’re a real hardcore Ripper nerd this level of detail will keep you entertained, but after a while, I just got overwhelmed. Still, it’s a great, no-nonsense summary of the murders and worth checking out for true crime fans that don’t know a lot about the Ripper (and maybe giving up whenever the theory dissection wears you out).
November 11, 2016
While I'm not typically the sort of person that likes true crime books (the final chapter of this book was so gruesome I almost quit out on it), the case of Jack the Ripper fascinates me in a way that is different from many other serial killer sort of cases in history. Part of it is that we know so little of who he was, part of it is the time period that it evokes in London, part of it is the mythos built around it. This book was a fascinating trip the facts that we know of the murders and the many, many theories that have been put forth as to who it was (most of them preposterous and not worth even debating in my opinion). I still feel at the end of the day it must have been some nobody that will surprise everybody when it's revealed to us in the beyond, but it's still interesting to investigate one of the world's biggest real life mysteries here.
Rumbelow's book is pretty good, but could have been much better. Some of the chapters are sort of pointless, and the suspects chapter goes on a bit too long for a non-expert that doesn't want a full and complete explanation for why a theory is wrong that the dude who came up with it admitted it was a lie anyway.
It's not a bad read if you're interested in beginning to look into this case and get some bearings on an overview of all the different theories and sorts of questions you have to ask about these things, but I still feel that this isn't the definitive go-to Ripper book that could be out there. I'm reading Phillip Sugden's uber-famous and well respected "Complete History" of Jack the Ripper next, so perhaps that one will do the trick.
Rumbelow's book is pretty good, but could have been much better. Some of the chapters are sort of pointless, and the suspects chapter goes on a bit too long for a non-expert that doesn't want a full and complete explanation for why a theory is wrong that the dude who came up with it admitted it was a lie anyway.
It's not a bad read if you're interested in beginning to look into this case and get some bearings on an overview of all the different theories and sorts of questions you have to ask about these things, but I still feel that this isn't the definitive go-to Ripper book that could be out there. I'm reading Phillip Sugden's uber-famous and well respected "Complete History" of Jack the Ripper next, so perhaps that one will do the trick.
September 1, 2023
Primer libro que leo por completo en inglés (bien por mi) y he de reconocer que ha estado bien. Me ha gustado el enfoque del autor de "no apostar" por un sospechoso y amoldar todo el libro a esa suposición (como otros tantos autores que se acercan al caso).
Aquí, Rumbelow escribe un primer capítulo para poner en contexto la zona, la sociedad de la época, etc. Luego pasa a describir los 5 crímenes considerados canónicos (y otros pocos no canónicos) para después dar un listado de los sospechosos más probables, desde los que estuvieron en el punto de mira de la propia Scotland Yard, hasta las últimas teorías.
Cierra el libro con unas referencias de la cultura actual, libros o películas basadas o inspiradas en este personaje para terminar comparando el caso de "Jack" con otros famosos asesinos en serie posteriores a él. Y este es el capítulo que se me ha hecho más pesado, si bien entiendo que lo hace para confrontar comportamientos similares de asesinos capturados y de los que podemos conocer un poco su contexto, psicología y circunstancias... llega a ser un poco denso; como en el caso del Destripador de Yorkshire, del que describe toda la cronología de crímenes en los años 70, o Peter Kürten, el Vampiro de Düsseldorf, creo que se explaya demasiado en estos otros asesinos.
Resumiendo si te interesa el caso de forma objetiva, los hechos, pruebas, etc. (y no te importa leerlo en inglés) puede ser una lectura interesante.
Aquí, Rumbelow escribe un primer capítulo para poner en contexto la zona, la sociedad de la época, etc. Luego pasa a describir los 5 crímenes considerados canónicos (y otros pocos no canónicos) para después dar un listado de los sospechosos más probables, desde los que estuvieron en el punto de mira de la propia Scotland Yard, hasta las últimas teorías.
Cierra el libro con unas referencias de la cultura actual, libros o películas basadas o inspiradas en este personaje para terminar comparando el caso de "Jack" con otros famosos asesinos en serie posteriores a él. Y este es el capítulo que se me ha hecho más pesado, si bien entiendo que lo hace para confrontar comportamientos similares de asesinos capturados y de los que podemos conocer un poco su contexto, psicología y circunstancias... llega a ser un poco denso; como en el caso del Destripador de Yorkshire, del que describe toda la cronología de crímenes en los años 70, o Peter Kürten, el Vampiro de Düsseldorf, creo que se explaya demasiado en estos otros asesinos.
Resumiendo si te interesa el caso de forma objetiva, los hechos, pruebas, etc. (y no te importa leerlo en inglés) puede ser una lectura interesante.
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