The Crimes Of Jack the Ripper:
The Whitechapel Murders Re-Examined
by John Roland
Arcturus Publishing, Ltd. 2018
287pp, notes, index
A Review by Gene Stewart
A concise, clear-headed overview of the crimes and conditions surrounding 1888’s autumnal horrors in London’s East End, this book offers stark descriptions of the crime scenes, astute analysis of the myths, and reasoned assessments of the facts pertaining to the murders attributed to Saucy Jack. It is a careful, no-nonsense tour of one of the worst slums of the time during some of its worst days.
Sifting through both contemporary accounts and primary sources, Roland shows us how it was for denizens Of Whitechapel and Spitalfields while leading us toward modern views of these crimes. That the murders and people’s reactions to them keep gnawing at society, drawing interest both serious and puerile, proves the use of a book such as this being added to the countless others.
Roland even offers a new suspect to consider, finding him by following only confirmed evidence. This contrasts the usual approach of Ripper Cottage Industry books, which tend to fix on a chosen target before cherry-picking evidence to fit a thesis, downplaying and disregarding inconvenient facts. His candidate is sensible, persuasive, and deserves to move into the top ranks of suspects.
Ripperologists, rejoice. This is not another Sickert or Lewis Carroll.
With good paper, facsimile letters, many b&w illustrations, and generous white space, the volume, a trade paperback, published in UK by Arcturus Books, is one of high quality, pleasant to read. Even if you’ve read dozens of books about Jack the Ripper, this one is recommended, and would be an excellent one to start with if you haven’t yet dived into this particular rabbit hole, as such fascinating topics are now called. It’s more evocative than ‘time sink’.
/ Gene Stewart, Sloop Stewart, Sun 21 October 2523 Athenian Democratic Era
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