The Complete Jack the Ripper

If comprehensive is what you want, then you get Rumbelow. No stone un-turned, no detail slopped in and no ludicrous theory un-scoffed. The chapter on Suspects (which is a third of the book, understandably) may have a bit more detail than I wanted however this is the Encyclopedia Ripperania. It's all here, every little nugget. So finding the amount of information as potentially overwhelming really isn't the point. The word "Complete" in the title is quite accurate here.

Reading about the Düsseldorf and Yorkshire Rippers made me want to yell "make it stop!". True crime isn't my bag. The bits on fictional takes on Jack was very enjoyable. However, most thoroughly grabbing was the sense that you were being brought into the community of show more Ripper nerds, even if just for a moment. And you feel that Rumbelow is letting you know that should you want to, you could research this topic until they find Jack the Ripper himself. show less

This was the first Ripper book I ever read, so I gratefully blame Donald Rumbelow for my "addiction." Some of the info may be a bit dated, but this is still one of the better overall views of the case. VERY difficult to put down.

Excellent introduction to the Jack the Ripper crimes, the suspects and theories as well as the impact on our culture. Rumbelow is very readable.

I got this copy years ago and just got around to reading it. It is a larger sized paperback and signed by the author (Donald Rumbelow) which I had not expected.

Rumbelow really has a lot of information and takes you through with a neutrality so you can make your own decisions. I am a person who is really into the information regarding Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel murders both ones that are attributed to him and ones that are not.

This is a very well put together book and an enjoyable read but to warn the squeamish: it is a bit graphic in details as well as photographs.

Interesting, reasonably solid research. The book is frustrating in that there are paragraphs that go nowhere and conclusions drawn, probably from good evidence (going on the rest of the book), but one feels that certain steps have been left out of the exposition...

I'm somewhat of a Ripper fan, if there is such a thing. The case fascinates me.

Rumbelow's research material included the actual police files and documents. He provides sketches, photographs, and a run-down of 10 prime suspects. Gruesome entertainment.

Nothing spectacular, book would have been more useful if the author has included a simple amp that indicated the dates and locations of the Whitechapel murders. Was also wishing that the author would have presented his own theory of the who teh killer was, rather than just citing other's theories. The chapters on the Duddeldorf killer and Jack the Stripper did not add anything to the book.