Carroty Nell: The Last Victim of Jack the Ripper

by John E. Keefe

The dimly-lit back streets of London's East End were practically deserted as a man and woman made their way through the pre-dawn darkness on a chilly February morning in 1891. No one saw the couple as they passed under the glare of a gas streetlamp, then turned and walked into a dark, tunnel-like passageway under some railway tracks. Had anyone been about, they might have taken the man to be a sailor, and they would have noticed that the woman was rather small and quite attractive. Victorians referred to people like her as unfortunates-impoverished women who turned to prostitution for survival. Her hope that night was just to earn enough money to get a place to sleep. Instead, she was destined to become the final victim of the dreaded killer known as Jack the Ripper. Carroty Nell tells the story of her tragic descent from a working class neighborhood to the mean streets of Whitechapel, and chronicles the events surrounding that fateful encounter.

Genres: History

198 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2010

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written book focusing on Frances "Carroty Nell" Coles, the last victim of Jack the Ripper, this short work serves as an excellent overview of the Ripper case. Keefe examines each of the murders, with detailed discussions of the coroner's inquests, which were almost like grand jury investigations. He ends with balanced analysis of the prime suspects. This book serves as an excellent introduction to the Ripper case as well as a long overdue focus on Carroty Nell.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read simply for the story alone..The book gave fact from the known victims of Jack the Ripper which I was unaware of. However, the story of "Carroty Nell" was just as fascinating.