Customer Reviews

Jack the Ripper: The Casebook

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book gets two different ratings from me. First, the information - it's straight forward if not brief but covers more-or-less the basics of events and suspects - three stars. Second, the presentation - great pictures, great cover which actually closes shut with a magnetic overlay flap to hold it shut, and of course the gimmick itself, actually 'pullout' fantastic fascimiles of police reports and a number of the infamous Ripper letters - strong five stars. The presentation and appearances are really that good and a briliant marketing ploy. The writing is strong enough but the information is minimal, no topic gets more than two pages and the coffee-table-sized book is only 64 pages long. The author's refuting of the suspects was lacking and almost whimsical to me.

Overall - is it worth adding to your collection, oh absolutely just for the fascimiles. Is the $24 price worth it - that's up for debate. Basic information for beginners, great gimmick for arm-chair researchers.

At a mere 64 pages, Jack the Ripper: The Casebook is not an exhaustive or definitive tome on the Whitechapel murders. What it is, however, is an attractive and informative overview of the crimes meant for leisurely perusal. The pull-out document replicas might seem a bit gimmicky to some, but they do actually enhance the mood and are well done. I wouldn't recommend this for someone seeking some great little-known insight to the mysteries surrounding Jack the Ripper, but it is a great coffee table book, and a wonderful introduction for the Ripper neophyte.

Richard Jones has put together a fascinating collection of pictures, information, and facsimiles. Included in this slender but beautifully published volume are reproductions of police reports and some of the more notorious Ripper letters. This is not a book for going into depth about each suspect, nor is it comprehensive in its survey of Victorian Whitechapel and the Ripper's milieu. It is, however, a lovely addition to any library of Ripperology and is sure to delight anyone interested in the armchair pursuit of Saucy Jack. The cover serves as an interesting box, with a magnetic flap that closes over what would be the open end of the book opposite the binding. The reproductions of the letters and reports, including a page from an 1888 broadside, are what make this a must-have for Ripper enthusiasts. I was very pleased with the quality of this and found the price reasonable; recommended. / Gene Stewart

this is shawn bravard as an avid jack the ripper student i would like to say thank you to the author for this book.not only is this a good book you get the actual copies of the police files and a couple of jack the ripper letters that you as the reader can make your own judgement of who you think jack was i highly recommend this book and i read this several times beautifully packeged and presented great great awesome

amazing book. If this is a book. It's more like an experience. I cant' describe the interaction that you'll have when you read it. If you are a fan of solving enigmas, this is the book you need