August 1888. Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Charles Warren has a precious artefact, a relic of incalculable value that dates back to the very earliest days of human history, in his possession. Previously sent to Jerusalem to survey and explore the ancient religious sites there, he found the solid gold object while excavating a hidden chamber under the Temple Mount, and smuggled it back to England. When a mysterious stranger pays Warren a visit, he's terrified to discover that the man is on the trail of the ancient relic but, with Warren's entire career and reputation at stake, he denies all knowledge of the object, little knowing just how far the stranger is prepared to go to destroy him and recover the artefact. But when the first murder takes place, and Martha Tabram is found stabbed to death in Whitechapel, Warren realizes the callous determination and disregard for human life of his ruthless enemy. And then the Ripper strikes again. And again. As the body count rises, and the Metropolitan Police scour the streets of Whitechapel in a vain attempt to apprehend the murderer, Warren knows that his reputation - and perhaps even his life - hangs in the balance.

Non-fiction work on the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888.

A priceless relic... and a monster that will do anything to get hold of it. In the summer of 1888, a killer is about to rampage through East London. But what are the real motives behind the murders? Police Commissioner Charles Warren has in his possession an ancient artefact of incredible value, and unknowable danger. Discovered on a mission to Jerusalem, he smuggled the relic back to England, never imagining the peril he would place himself in, and more devastatingly, the women of Whitechapel. As the Ripper strikes, again and again, the truth may finally be uncovered... Fans of Iain King, Scott Mariani and Boyd Morrison will love The Ripper Secret, a thriller that blows the legend of Jack the Ripper wide open. Praise for The Ripper Secret ‘Interesting, original’ Historical Novel Society

Fully updated and revised, Donald Rumbelow’s classic work is the ultimate examination of the facts, theories, fictions and fascinations surrounding the greatest whodunit in history. The Complete Jack the Ripper lays out all the evidence in the most comprehensive summary ever written about the Ripper. Rumbelow, a former London Metropolitan policeman, and an authority on crime, has subjected every theory – including those that have emerged in recent years – to the same deep scrutiny. He also examines the mythology surrounding the case and provides some fascinating insights into the portrayal of the Ripper on stage and screen and on the printed page. More seriously, he also examines the horrifying parallel crimes of the Düsseldorf Ripper and the Yorkshire Ripper in an attempt to throw further light on the atrocities of Victorian London.

Examines the century-old series of murders that terrorized London in the 1880s, drawing on research, state-of-the-art forensic science, and insights into the criminal mind to reveal the true identity of the infamous Jack the Ripper.

This true crime history examines the media frenzy surrounding Jack the Ripper—and what the so-called Ripper Letters reveal about Victorian society. In the autumn of 1888, a series of grisly murders took place in Whitechapel in London’s East End. The Whitechapel murderer, arguably the first of his kind, was never caught, though the police and local press received hundreds of letters claiming to be from the killer. Though most if not all of these letters were hoaxes, they gave rise to the best known pen-name in criminal history: Jack the Ripper. Some letters were taken more seriously than others, while a few—such as the infamous “Dear Boss” letter—sent thousands on a hunt to follow its clues. This book is not about the world’s first serial killer but about the twisted souls who played the part on paper, implicated innocent men, or suggested ever more lurid ways in which he could be caught. For true crime historian M.J. Trow, these letters offer a window into the disturbing shadows of the Victorian mind.

"Emma Smith and Martha Tabram were once considered the first victims of Jack the Ripper. Accepted wisdom changed over time and they're now little more than footnotes to the Ripper mystery. But could it be that these early murders are in fact the key to unlocking the secret history of the Whitechapel murders? With new evidence and a fresh evaluation of the facts, we now find ourselves closer than ever to the answers that have eluded historians and criminologists for well over a century."-- From back cover.