The Man Who Hunted Jack the Ripper

Who he was, if he existed, we will probably never know. What we have is a series of brutal murders, some of which may or may not have been committed by the same person.

Casebook: Jack the Ripper - The Man Who Hunted Jack the Ripper

The reason I pose the question about his existence is because the mythology is founded on media hype when the press built up a sensational and terrifying story, partly fed by information supplied by the police. The dissemination of information through leaks and official lines is of course a topical issue but this book takes us back to the murky, foggy world of Victorian London.

The book follows Reid into peaceful retirement on the Kent coast where he was pleased to discuss his theories with the press. Some suspects are mentioned and they mainly seem to have serious mental illnesses. The Gazette offers you up-to-the-minute national and international news, opinion, features, in-depth articles plus a jobs and appointments section. An indispensable guide on how to write clearly; useful lessons for aspiring solicitors; and a fascinating account of the murder of a George Bernard Shaw devotee.

David Pickup chooses his best books of The Law Society represents solicitors in England and Wales. The Professional Development Centre provides webinars and training to meet the learning and developmental needs of legal professionals. Site powered by Webvision. Cookie policy notice Our Privacy Policy has changed. Skip to main content Skip to navigation.

Sign up for email news alerts. At least not more than just in passing. Sep 02, Mark rated it it was ok Shelves: I happened to see this book at the library on the "new books" table. That coincided with my having just recently finished viewing the first season of the BBC's "Ripper Street" series, which I enjoyed a great deal and highly recommend.

I'm not a Jack the Ripper fanatic and really don't care to become one but this volume promised to tell me about the policeman who was one of the principles in the investigation. Given that I knew nothing about him that goal was achieved. Sadly, it wasn't a particu I happened to see this book at the library on the "new books" table.

Sadly, it wasn't a particularly good experience. I suppose there is a huge body of work, both non- and entirely fiction, about the Ripper murders. Thurgood alludes to this. He does a good job of relating the essentials - who the victims were, how they died, the circumstances of the areas in which they were found, even a bit about the culture of the day, all in a non-sensationalist tone. What I found lacking was good organization of the material and all too often use of the exclamation point, petty perhaps but I noticed it and it bothered me.

The Man Who Hunted Jack The Ripper: Edmund Reid - Victorian Detective

In the end I learned a bit about the events and the people involved though I never found myself engaged fully with the work. Maybe it's just me but I would have liked better pacing and less start-and-stop when it comes to relating the tale of the people and events. Why he starts with an investigation for a crime that took place a year or more after the Ripper cases is beyond me. It would make more sense in a number of ways to have saved that for after the Ripper cases stalled and ultimately failed. Yes, Abberline was the lead investigator in both and, yes, he needed a successful case to bolster his reputation after the Ripper events but that didn't happen either.

See a Problem?

Perhaps the point the author was trying to make was that even in a seemingly open-and-shut case forces brought to bear by the elites will stymie an investigation and leave justice hanging rather than the criminals. At best, this is a book for those who know about the murders and the murdered but nothing about the police. Even then there isn't much here, alas. Jamie rated it really liked it Jul 16, Rose rated it really liked it Jun 29, Caitlin Judd rated it liked it Mar 24, Trevor Newby rated it really liked it Feb 07, Ann rated it liked it Feb 12, Carol Edmonds rated it it was amazing Jan 23, Lauren rated it really liked it Jun 11, Tony Thomas rated it it was amazing Jan 06, Lucy Jones rated it it was amazing Jun 09, Teri Vin rated it it was ok Jun 06, Lisa Davis rated it it was amazing Jun 02, David Tee added it Apr 27, Heather marked it as to-read Aug 12, Nessa Beresford marked it as to-read Nov 16, Lindsay added it Feb 15, Alessandro Mana marked it as to-read May 24, Tabatha Rose marked it as to-read Jul 12, S R marked it as to-read Mar 12, Kathy marked it as to-read Jul 17, Rebecca marked it as to-read Aug 24, Barry marked it as to-read Nov 17,

• BOOK REVIEW The Man who Hunted Jack the Ripper?
• The Intruder?
• God and Creation in Christian Theology.
• The Dogs Philosopher - The Rocks.
• The Man Who Hunted Jack The Ripper: Edmund Reid - Victorian Detective by Nicholas Connell.
• Edmund Reid.
• Navigation menu.