Mayhem

Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough—4.5 stars

As Jack the Ripper roams the streets of Whitechapel, another, even more depraved serial killer seeks his victims. The police are frustrated and baffled as more and more women’s torsos turn up, with the rest of their remains—except for their heads—often found in the Thames. This leads to the murderer’s moniker: the Thames River Killer. Dr. Thomas Bond examines the victims in an effort to discover something that will shed light on the perpetrator. Insomnia claims him to a greater extent as the months pass without answers, but the worst is yet to come. When rumors of a possible supernatural connection filter in and challenge his rational nature, insanity threatens as the menace draws near to show more his personal life.

Sarah Pinborough’s “Mayhem” is a chilling and engrossing horror novel set in 1880s Victorian London. During Jack the Ripper’s infamous killing spree, another, perhaps lesser-known, murderer was stalking the area and claiming similar victims. Referred to as the Thames Torso Murders, these homicides likewise went unsolved and were in fact more hideous in their execution than even those of the Ripper. Pinborough uses this bit of history as the premise of her novel, creating an unsettling backstory for this macabre murder mystery. She draws upon historical figures to craft her tale, including Police Surgeon Dr. Thomas Bond and Ripper suspect Aaron Kosminski. The shifting viewpoint of the narrative adds to the disconcerting effect of the story itself by exploring several characters throughout the novel, all of which are related in the third person except for the accounts of Dr. Bond, which implement first-person narration. The book is similar in nature to the Order of the Sanguines series written by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, with a mature adult target audience. There is a certain degree of gory description, but it is not overwhelming and is handled well, relying more on psychological suspense than on a shock factor. Reproductions of authentic newspaper articles concerning the killings appear interspersed between the chapters and enhance the historical feel of the novel. Readers who enjoy atmospheric suspense and mystery with a supernatural element and a Victorian London setting will want to add “Mayhem” to their reading list. show less

In the summer and fall of 1888, Doctor Thomas Bond is assisting the police with their investigations into two murderers running loose in London - Jack the Ripper and, more chillingly, a killer whose victims turn up in pieces and missing their heads. Something not entirely human seems to be behind the epidemic of violence, and the answers are closer than anyone is comfortable with. I loved this horror-thriller based around the true story of a lesser-known Victorian serial killer (although Jack still features prominently in the background), and I was pleasantly surprised by Dr. Bond's characterization. He self-medicates for his anxiety with opium and laudanum, he convinces himself that the supernatural is real and fake and real again, but show more he holds firm to his moral compass all the way through. Thoroughly enjoyable, and I'm excited to read the sequel. show less

Interestingly enough, well before this book came into my life, I'd happened to be browsing through the many publishing-related newsletters in my email inbox one day when a deliciously creepy animated gif banner in one of them caught my eye. In fact, it was an announcement for this very title, bearing the tag line:

"Jack the Ripper is terrorizing London. Now a new killer is stalking the streets, the victims' bodies are dismembered and their heads are missing...the killer likes to keep them."

It gets even more intriguing than that. The book's blurb also describes it as a supernatural thriller, and given my penchant for historical horror novels (particularly those featuring a paranormal angle) I just couldn't resist. So you can imagine my show more excitement when I received Mayhem for review from Jo Fletcher Books, and remembering that banner with its promise of a hunt for a serial killer in Victorian London, I needed little convincing to start this right away.

Still, Mayhem isn't really a story about Jack the Ripper. Between 1888 and 1891 there were a series of murders in or around the Whitechapel area, and the modus operandi of some of these were different enough that investigators theorized that they could have been committed by another person other than Jack. The idea of a separate "Torso Killer" in these "Thames Mysteries" is what forms the basis for this book, and in Sarah Pinborough's version of the events, he takes his victims' heads as trophies.

Though Jack the Ripper doesn't take center stage in Mayhem, his name and his crimes are referred to frequently, and his terrifying hold over East London is part and parcel to the creation of the setting. Establishing that there's the possibility of not just one but two killers stalking the streets creates this sense of dread that is pervasive throughout the novel. Because of the way the plot is set up, even when nothing suspenseful was happening on the page, the book always had me steeling myself in apprehension for something horrible to come along -- that's what a good horror novel does to me.

The supernatural aspect also helps in this regard; as I've said before in my past reviews, I like a touch of that in my horror. In Mayhem, it adds a whole new dimension to the story, making it a lot better than if this had been just a straight-up hunt for an ordinary mundane killer.

In spite of this, much in this book is rooted in reality. The author did her research, and even included the true instance of a reporter's dog used in finding a severed leg during the Whitehall Mystery. Also, a couple of the book's chief characters, like those involved with the investigations, were actual historical figures -- the police detective Henry Moore and the British physician Thomas Bond, for example. The latter comes closest to being our main protagonist, with his chapters being the only ones written in the first person, while the others are in the third person. Initially, I found this point-of-view switching to be quite bizarre, but ultimately it worked for me.

Reports from news articles about the killings are also interspersed between the narratives, which not only establishes the timeline but also provides historical context. A work of fiction this may be, but the book never lets you forget that the Whitechapel murders and their grisly circumstances (especially in the case of Mary Jane Kelly) had really occurred, that at least one insane and very real killer had actually once terrorized London's East End, and I think that's what unsettled me the most as I was reading.

This was a very dark tale, chilling and disturbing without being overblown or excessive. The atmosphere of tension is subtle and builds gradually, but things peaked for me during that terrible scene at the dinner table involving Dr. Bond's revelation. I didn't realize until then that I was just like him -- bracing myself for the inevitable macabre conclusion. This is highly recommended for those who like historical mysteries and crime fiction, particularly if you don't mind a little paranormal thrown into the mix.

Note: I received a review copy of this book compliments of the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinions. My thanks to Jo Fletcher Books! show less

I was excited to read this and Pinborough did not disappoint. I loved that it is written around the infamous Jack the Ripper and Thames torso murders. Factual cases and legit historical elements make up the heart of this story. Pinborough displays incredible investigative research, about not only the murders that took place, but the environment, city, people, issues, etc for the period in which this is set. The fictional elements and characters Pinborough added, blend seamlessly with the reality to create a wonderfully frightening story.

The sequel is just as delightful and reads as a singular story, so this review will serve for both.

I highly recommend this duo, Mayhem and Murder, for anyone who loves this genre, especially those fond show more of historical reads. show less

There are almost two stories at play in Mayhem – one about the chaos caused by the Ripper murders, and one about Dr. Bond. The Torso Killer simply connects the two stories with a mixture of supernatural creepiness and unbelievable factuality. Unfortunately, Ms. Pinborough spends too little time on the Ripper murders, too much time on the Torso Killer, and even more time on Bond’s afterwork activities. Just when momentum builds for either murder investigation, the action shifts to Bond’s side inquiries, something made less than exciting by the fact that they involve an obsessed cleric, a mentally unstable immigrant, and heavy reliance on a strong psychotropic drug. The dream-like quality of these portions of the story fails to show more complement the gruesome truth behind the other probes.

Saving Mayhem from becoming a complete disaster is Ms. Pinborough’s excellent prose. She excels at bringing to life all of the filthy, odorific elements of Victorian London. This serves to heighten the grimness of life on the streets and the challenges faced by the investigators as well as offset the flights of fancy brought about by the mysterious evil entity at work in London.

In Mayhem, the combination of fact and supernatural fantasy does not coalesce into a seamless, interesting story. There is too large a gap between the two, requiring a bit more suspension of disbelief than readers will be willing to expend. Bond is at first a sympathetic figure in all of his exhaustion but quickly turns into a tragic figure as his reliance on self-administered opium increases. So much time is spent on Bond’s visits to the opium dens that they seem to become the focal point of the narrative rather than the two murder investigations. The narrative suffers as a result, and the entire story remains a mish-mash of genres that never joins into a story that fully captures a reader’s imagination and attention. show less

Great research, fascinating setting. Very solid writing, even wonderful in certain sections. But I didn't care for the narrator, who had his head down a hole for eighty percent of the book. Also there was a disturbing lack of women who were not a) doomed or b) pedestal perfect. Mixed feelings.

Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough is a 2014 Jo Fletcher Books publication.

The Torso murders seemed to coincide with the infamous Jack the Ripper case in 1887-1889. Due to the media sensation the Ripper murders caused the Thames River case seemed to go mostly unnoticed.

This book is loosely based on those real- life crimes, but offers a paranormal tint to the story that heightens the already heavy sense of evil, which was an element I wasn’t expecting.

So, while this is a historical mystery, it could also be considered a horror novel. The author did a wonderful job of capturing the time period, creating the atmosphere of a city on edge, terrified of the horrific, and graphic murders plaguing London.

The main character is Doctor Bond, a man show more battling an opium addiction and the visions the drug brings about. When he called to the scene of these horrific crimes, he recognizes a man he’s seen in some of the opium dens he frequents. Coincidence? Apparently not. Bond discovers the man is a priest is not only hunting the torso killer, but something far more evil. As the two join forces, Bond will discover that evil lurks must closer to him than ever could have imagined.

When I checked this book out of the library I didn’t realize the book had a supernatural tone, thinking it was a straightforward historical mystery and crime novel. Horror novels are not really a favorite of mine these days, but this one was very, very absorbing.

It’s creepy and suspenseful, which well drawn characters, who are haunted in one way or another, but determined to contain the evil in their midst. In the end, I had to admit, this was a chillingly spooky novel that I appreciated more than I would have thought.

4 stars show less