Jack the Ripper: The 21st-Century Investigation

Probably not. The details are pretty gruesome, so once is enough.

Patricia Cornwell's "Jack the Ripper: Case Closed"

The author identifies a suspect I'd never heard of before, and makes a compelling case for his theory.

Let's be clear - the author writes exactly like the former Scotland Yard investigator that he is. The book reads like a precisely written, scrupulously detailed, professionally objective crime scene report. Mariott lays the groundwork for his theory methodically, never mind if it requires that he repeat himself or that he covers familiar ground. In other words,don't expect early Patricia Cornwell. Likewise, Norman Gilligan reads the book with all the passion and drama of a courtroom stenographer.

BUT - as the actual eyewitness testimonies given at the coroner's inquests were read, I slowly became mesmerized. This was real, not the Sherlock Holmes version seen through the lens of a novelist's imagination.

So if you're fascinated by this most dreadful series of crimes as I am, pick this one up and stay with it. Marriott offers the most plausible solution to this 150 year old mystery that I've heard yet, and makes his argument extremely well. I believe him.

This is a fascinating look at the investigations into the ripper killings. The daily lives of the victims is vividly illustrated by the testimony of the people who knew them personally as well as the police and examiners who worked the case. The actual facts of this case are more compelling than any fictional account. These accounts serve to underscore the absolutely brutal and soulless nature of the killer.

This book has received some negative reviews on amazon.com. One of the main complaints is that this is a rehash of other books. A good deal of this book does come from verbatim testimony taken during the investigations. This is necessary detail for a serious investigation that adds to the credibility of the work.

The author, Trevor Marriott; a retired police investigator, does raise some very worthwhile points and challenges some long accepted points in the case.

- The Goulston Street graffito; the famous "The Juews..." message, long assumed to be the work of the killer, may have and may not have had anything to do with the killings.

- While not new, Marriott explores killings beyond the canonical five victims that may have been the work of Jack the Ripper.

- Many more...

I liked the exhaustive archival detective work, and the very clear way in which the evidence was put forward.

Yes, the writing is fairly dry. Gilligan brings personality and emotion to the material.

I was on the edge of my seat toward the end.

I am convinced that Marriott is correct and has, after more than a century, solved the mystery.

Not really. As a reference book, I think this would be helpful with all the detail, but I found that that did not translate well into a recorded book. So much of the first volume sounded like a reading of the transcript of the coroner's inquest. I found this to be pretty slow and not engaging. Also, the narration was done with little inflection and something approaching a monotone.

Summarize more of the records that were read, presumably, in their entirety.

No.

Doubtful.

This recorded book might work well for a researcher but I did not enjoy it.

Far too much time was devoted to the reading out of coroner's notes verbatim. Instead of ' the witness described the man as looking like a sailor or dock worker' we're treated to an endless list of coroner's questions and one word answers.
The conclusions drawn by the author were far reaching in the extreme. I could understand the reasoning behind the conclusion that the Ripper was a merchant seaman;that was sensible and feasible. However, to state that two crimes were positively linked because they were both unsolved is not even circumstantial evidence and then to state that the whereabouts of such and such was unknown at a certain time so he could have been in London was bizarre, so could thousands of other men. The author dismisses the FBI profile, but then uses it to suit his suspect, discounts certain individuals on the basis of age but then dismisses the barriers to age.
Took far to long to get to the authors analysis which then jetted off in one direction making random assumptions on the way.
Finishes the whole piece with a dig at modern day policing and ripperologists who are apparently all deluded and obsessed.

Black Dahlia Avenger Steve Hodel

Over pronounced each and every word. Clear is one thing but this was like something out of My Fair Lady

It's okay to summarise the Coroners court evidence,once the scene has been set and it is clear that the information comes from reports

Very dissappointed

A new theory on the identity of the Ripper. The author starts with all the information available on each murder (police, coroner report, etc.) then continues in the same manner with all the past and current Ripper identities. The organization of data in this manner brings to light some very interesting conclusions. The author thoroughly supports his new entry into the ongoing Ripper mystery.

I would not know since I have not read the print version.

I am not certain how this question applies to what is essentially a "documentary" account. What I found compelling about this book is that the author has uncovered new information ad perspectives on one of the greatest unsolved cases from the 19th century. Just when I thought there was nothing more to say about the Ripper murders, Trevor Marriott uncovers clues and leads left uncovered for over a century, leading him to an entirely different conclusion than other authors on the topic.

Such leads include a conclusion that Jack the Ripper need not have had any supposed surgical skill at all. He further disputes the list of canonical victims. Rather than the usual five (Nichols, Stride, Eddows, Chapman and Kelly) he includes victims before Polly Ann Nichols and victims after Mary Jane Kelly, as well as victims in foreign countries. By expanding his view of victims he also expands the list of suspects.

While the Ripper Killings will never be definitively solved due to the long passage of time and the loss of physical evidence, Marriott has presented a compelling circumstantial case for his chosen suspect.

This book is not an actual mystery, but instead is a book about a mystery. I suppose if I had to name a favourite part it would be the description of the author came to discount the theory that Jack the Ripper possessed advanced surgical skill.

I am not allowed the luxury of listening to books in a single sitting, and I deem this a silly question.

I have never read the print version.

The narrator was excellent, the music was truely perfect! It really set a scary mood. The facts of the murders were so interesting and then the story of the author researching was the best.

It sounded like an intelligent englishman

The suspect presented by the author!

Excellent, anyone who like true crime will love this