What if everything you know about Jack the Ripper is wrong?

“The writing is skilled, absorbing, and hard to put down—I paused only for snack breaks.” Ann Meyer

Over 30 High Quality Reviews From Readers of Advance Copies

After taking 12 student groups on Donald Rumbelow’s Ripper tour and reading his book, I considered myself a novice Ripperologist. When I recently toured Whitechapel with Richard Walker, and read the draft of his book, I realized there was much I, and others , had not considered. Richard’s attention to the victims and the holes in the investigation and investigative techniques opened my eyes to new possibilities. As a tour guide Richard’s style is engaging, and this quality is revealed in print as well. Anyone who thought they knew everything about the Ripper story will benefit from a reading. Carl Ryker – Lawton, Oklahoma, USA

Richard Walker has delivered a tour de force on an endlessly fascinating subject, reflecting immense knowledge and research in language beautifully composed from front to back. His analyses and conclusions stand apart from mainstream views across the genre, and are at least thought-provoking if not utterly persuasive. Almost 140 years beyond the Whitechapel terrors he offers a fresh perspective in a cracking read that will engage Ripperologists and neophytes alike. Highly recommended. Pat Lewis, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

This book is a fascinating exploration into one of London's most famous cases! As he retraces the search for the killer, Richard Walker transports the reader with him to the streets of late 19th century Whitechapel. He scrutinises multiple theories to give a full insight into what might have happened. Through it all he points out the weak points in the police's inquiry and questions the reliability of the witness recollections that may have been used to hinder the investigation. This is not only a deep dive into the historical context of Jack the Ripper's world, but holds cautionary wisdom for modern day crime-solving. It is the perfect read for anyone interested in true crime. I tore through the pages - I highly, highly recommend it! Esther Perrot, Paris, France

What an amazing book—and the research is unbelievable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Most everyone knows the story of Jack the Ripper. But what if that story is wrong? In “Yours Truly Jack the Ripper,” Richard Walker brings remarkable new insights into history’s ultimate cold case. An acclaimed Ripper tour guide, Walker has spent years reliving and studying the infamous serial killings. His meticulously researched, fascinating book separates the misogyny and mindsets of both yesterday and today from fact, resulting in unprecedented findings that turn common beliefs — the basis for almost a hundred and forty years of Ripper studies, books and movies — upside down. As Walker transports us back to the late 1880’s, the exact details surrounding the vicious slayings of five destitute women come alive. He exposes the motivations and discrepancies of eyewitnesses and the police. The missed suspects. The sensationalism that obscured the truth. And the dire circumstances that dragged each victim down to the lowest rung of society in Victorian England and led to their demise. Along the way, Walker disproves familiar assumptions, including that all the victims were prostitutes. He even brings the long-held belief that there was a single Ripper into serious doubt as he takes us on a mesmerizing journey packed with actual transcripts from the time of the brutal murders. Whether you’re a Jack the Ripper buff or not, this real-life murder mystery will keep you turning pages long into the night. Meredith Light– Washington, DC, USA

Longtime Ripper scholar Richard Walker is widely regarded as the finest guide to Whitechapel, and this book shows why. Rather than chasing Jack the Ripper as a puzzle to be “solved,” Walker is chasing meaning. He refuses to turn suffering into entertainment, distancing his work from the lurid tradition of sensational films and pop-culture retellings. Walker knows every facet of the 1888 murders and their historical moment—from the daily realities of the victims’ lives to the wider cast of characters that shaped the era, from Queen Victoria to deeply flawed and often corrupt police officials. All the familiar facts are here, but what makes this book stand out is its meticulous research and humane focus. Quietly and persuasively, Walker dismantles long-held assumptions about the crimes and the society that produced them. He shows how the everyday cruelty of Victorian life created a perfect storm—one that allowed Jack the Ripper to become a media obsession and, paradoxically, a catalyst for reform in the East End. As George Bernard Shaw famously observed, Jack the Ripper “did more than many social reformers” to bring public attention to Whitechapel’s desperate conditions. The writing itself is skilled, absorbing, and hard to put down—I paused only for snack breaks. This is an ideal book for readers who prefer social history and thoughtful analysis over true-crime spectacle, and who believe that understanding the past requires empathy as well as evidence. Ann Meyer, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Yours Truly Jack the Ripper delivers a fresh, insightful perspective on one of history's most notorious cases. Written by a seasoned London walking tour guide who has spent years walking the very streets of Whitechapel and researching the mystery in depth, it moves beyond sensationalism to reveal the stark realities of 1880s East End life. The author pays tribute to the victims while vividly depicting the crushing poverty that left them vulnerable, the flawed investigation, and a press eager to exploit tragedy for headlines. What truly sets this work apart is its measured examination of the many theories surrounding the killer’s identity—ranging from credible to far-fetched—each framed within a historical context rather than speculation. It’s essential reading for readers who crave context over hype. Kim Olsen-Clark, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Yours Truly Jack the Ripper is a gripping fresh look into the killings. Richard Walker immerses you in the time of Jack the Ripper He creates an understanding of the culture and circumstances of Victorian England at the time of the murders. Everything you have been told about the killings is questioned. By revisiting each killing with doubts as to the basic assumptions made you are drawn deeply into the mystery. Richard Walker holds you captive. Once begun you won't be able to stop reading and will be left questioning everything you thought you knew about Jack the Ripper. This is a must read. Leigh Ann Solomons, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, USA

The book is amazing! A real page-turner! It is a rare thing to find a book that presents an incredibly detailed, evidence-based analysis of a subject while being wildly entertaining. Richard Walker has done just that. In my opinion, Mr. Walker has provided the definitive work on the subject of Jack the Ripper. John J. Stevens, Esquire, USA

The book was fantastic. It gives even more question marks on who and how many may have been Jack the Ripper. Julia Halliday – Epsom, Surrey, UK

Given — or perhaps despite — the number of books on the subject already available, it can be difficult to find one that offers a fresh perspective or a new, well-founded theory about the killer’s identity. Yours Truly manages to do both. I would therefore highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the case. Kevin Hulsman Groesbeek, Gelderland, the Netherlands

The book was like going back on the walking tour with Richard.… It’s a fascinating read. I found it to be very logical. Richard brings in sufficient detail to tell the story and support his point of view. The story never lags, since he never gets too bogged down in minutia. It’s the right amount of detail to support his position, while still presenting a briskly moving picture of what happened back in 1888. After reading this book, I have no doubt that I now know what really happened….Thank you, Richard! Ken Hallgring, Neptune, New Jersey, USA.

I have now finished reading your amazing book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I applaud your ability to think outside the box and not go along with the general consensus. Your questioning and analytical approach to the countless witness statements and newspaper reports is thought-provoking and offers alternative explanations which I had never considered before. You've literally dissected the myth with your in-depth knowledge and theories. A well-researched book and a wonderful read! Toni Gooderham , West Wickham, London Borough of Bromley, UK.

What I liked most about Yours Truly Jack the Ripper, is while it's ostensibly a study of the Ripper case, it also shines a light on the precarious status of women (as well as the entire working class) in Victorian England. The writing is clear and concise, and the evidence from the time is thoughtfully evaluated and methodically laid out. In doing this, the book debunks most of the common theories, and although we don't get a definitive identification of Jack the Ripper, we get clues and facts- and an interesting snapshot of the realities of London at the height of the British Empire. Robert Campbell, BA History, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Richard Walker in Yours Truly Jack the Ripper leads the reader on a thought-provoking journey, not just reviewing all the Jack the Ripper murders, but he takes you back to what life was like in the late 1800’s in London/Whitechapel district. He vividly lays out the sorry lives led by single women living on the street and creates an image in the reader’s mind that is not soon forgotten. The book looks at most all the facets of life during 1888, and he reviews with a critical investigative mindset the roles played by the citizens, police force and coroner leading the inquest. Richard deals with every piece of evidence with absolute neutrality and systematically approaches every fragment of information with a questioning mind. The author accepts nothing at face value and questions, based on the key reports and evidence, all the conclusions that other authors have come to. It was a great read! If you know nothing about Jack the Ripper, read his book. If you think you know a lot about Jack the Ripper – read this book. Kevin Phelan Chicago, Illinois, USA

Having previously enjoyed Richard Walker's 'Jack the Ripper's Whitechapel' walking tour (which I highly recommend), I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read Richard's book - which provides more in-depth information on matters touched upon on the tour. The book is extremely well researched and informative, and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone - from those with just a passing interest in the subject (like me) through to the Ripper afficionados. For those in the latter category who have open minds, this book surely has to be compulsory reading. Alastair Gatt, New Zealand.

I found it riveting and was unable to put it down. Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper by Richard Walker is a chilling and thought-provoking read that explores one of history’s most infamous unsolved mysteries. Rather than simply retelling known facts, Walker presents the story through a creative and unsettling lens that draws the reader directly into the mindset surrounding the Jack the Ripper legend. This approach makes the book feel more immersive and personal than a standard true-crime account. What stood out to me most was the way the author blends historical detail with psychological tension. The book doesn’t rely on shock value alone; instead, it builds an atmosphere of unease by focusing on fear, secrecy, and uncertainty. Walker’s writing style is confident and deliberate, which helps maintain a steady sense of suspense throughout. Even readers who are familiar with the Jack the Ripper case may find themselves reconsidering certain assumptions as the narrative unfolds. That said, this book is not a light read. The themes are dark and disturbing, which makes it better suited for adult readers who are comfortable engaging with unsettling subject matter. At times, the tone feels cold and detached, but this can also be seen as a strength—it reinforces the emotional distance and moral ambiguity that surround the case. Overall, Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper is a compelling and eerie book that offers a fresh perspective on a well-known historical mystery. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, historical crime, or narratives that challenge the reader to think rather than simply observe. It’s a book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished reading. Helen & Patrick Mather, Toronto, NSW, Australia

I just finished the book and really enjoyed it! For someone who didn’t know more than the usual folklore surrounding the crimes, the book was a very easy to understand and logical order of the events surrounding these crimes of 1888. For anyone interested in a deeper dive into the culture of late 19th century in London the book paints an excellent picture of why these crimes were significant and why they could have happened in the first place. Additionally, a thorough exam into the victims and possible suspects frames many possibilities to debunk previous thought “discoveries”. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this book was that it DIDN'T provide hard answers; simply facts of the case and surrounding characters. If one is even a bit curious about the unsolved case of Jack the Ripper, this book lays out culture, character, and history in a very logical and readable way to help the reader gain an understanding of why even today we still study this unsolved mysterious case. Andrew Gee, Houston, Texas, USA.

As someone lucky enough to have enjoyed one of Richard Walker’s London Walks Jack the Ripper tours, I looked forward to reading Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper. I wasn’t disappointed. The unique perspective he brings to his tour commentary is expanded upon and fascinatingly presented. But the wonderful thing here is that we get more of it. And we can go back over and re-read. Or, if you’re fortunate enough to hear Richard’s narration on the audiobook version, rewind and re-listen. While other books concentrate on the sensational aspects of the Jack the Ripper lore, Walker’s book – like his guided tours – discuss the killer, yes, but also the lives of the women who were murdered. He looks not only at the murders themselves, but looks holistically at the time period – the often-shameful treatment of women and utter disregard for the poor, the testimony and possible bias of police officers and “witnesses,” and even the weather and moon phases on the nights of the murders. He even re-walks and times the routes claimed to have been taken by important players in the narrative in order to discern timing and find holes in witness testimony. Does Walker give you his thoughts on the Ripper’s true identity? He does, reluctantly. You’ll have to read to find out where his research leads. If you’re looking for a comprehensive, yet utterly readable, look at the Whitechapel murders, Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper by Richard Walker is a great place to start. Mary Williams Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

The book, like Richard’s tours, was both engaging and thought provoking. Well researched, it does a fantastic job describing Victorian London and its harsh realities for those unfortunate to live in Whitechapel. As the story progresses, the reader starts to realize “Maybe this wasn’t one person.” By the end of the book, you’ve examined the most popular theories on who the Ripper was. For me I was left think not who he was, but who they were. Matthew Metcalfe, Acworth, Georgia, USA

I read and then listened to it. Reading it I picked up more on the detail side of the book, other author’s opinions, victims background and possible suspects. You set the scene, including the influences and events of the times. Listening to it put me there. Being able to close my eyes and picture the era, the streets, the hardship and the bias. Your voice and description brought the book to a whole new level. You presented all the evidence, the different author’s conclusions and finally your conclusion. You gave the reader everything necessary for them to form their own conclusion. I very much enjoyed reading and especially listening to your book. Christine Masters, Austen Texas

Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper brings the Whitechapel murders vividly to life while questioning many of the assumptions that have shaped how the story is usually told. Having walked the streets on Mr. Walker’s London tour myself, the book felt like a continuation of that experience, especially in how it shifts attention back to the victims and the realities of Victorian life. It’s an engaging, thought-provoking read that gave me a lot to think about. Julie Landis, San Diego, California, USA

Having read a good few of the very many books about "Jack the Ripper", this book, in my opinion, is the best. Well researched, it includes details I was previously unaware of. By looking at not only the killings and the victims' backgrounds but also the prejudices, policing methods, and the social climate of the time, the book concludes with a very different explanation of who was responsible for the murders. Bob Grice, Doncaster, Yorkshire, UK

Thank you so much for the privilege of reading and enjoying your book. Considering your book from my perspective as a retired scientist and attorney, I found it very professional and perceptive. I have a degree in cellular biology from Purdue university and worked as a public health bacteriologist for 20 years as well as having experience in editing for 10 years the personal correspondence of a major political figure. Anyway, I can't fault your research and sensible explanations. Your depictions of the social conditions of the time, and the misogyny were quite disturbing and saddening, which is exactly why we should be aware of our history. Your explanation of the current understanding of the unreliability of eyewitness testimony is very clear. Your conclusions concerning the likelihood of copycat murders and they're being no one "Jack the Ripper" make a great deal of sense. The media frenzy over the "Jack the Ripper" is similar to other cases of probable copycat murders which does lead to the question of cause-and-effect. Does excessive detailed and/or incorrect media coverage glorify and encourage similar horrific acts? Your discussion of the past is certainly pertinent to today. Sandra Story, Chicago, Illinois

Yours truly Jack the Ripper is a must read for anyone with an interest in Jack the Ripper and Victorian London. It is a comprehensive review of the murders, the victims, the suspects, the investigation, and the times. Mr. Walker cites an array of contemporary and historical resources in his in depth investigation. The conclusion is stunning and satisfying. Alicia Kennedy, Long Beach, New York, USA

Another home run from Richard Walker, who we called, "Richard The Walker" having taken his excellent Jack The Ripper East End walking tour recently. The book follows similar material as Richard's walks. Meticulously researched with a rigorous academic review of available evidence and literature. Richard sets the perfect tone - a narrative format that maintains sensitivity for the victims and their families without dipping into scandal and salaciousness inappropriate for such brutal murders. I believe the book is intended for the reader to study at a pace allowing contemplation, not to breeze through. Ultimately, whether you agree or disagree with Richard's closing opinion, the book will linger with you, rightfully earning its place in scholarly texts associated with the Ripper case. Andrew DC Meddick, Miami, Florida, USA

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Yours Truly’ - it offers a fascinating view on the Whitechapel Murders with focus on the victims, as well as suspects and key players. The author draws you into a vivid and descriptive picture of life in 19th century London which made me really appreciate being born in the 20th Century, and helped me understand the systemic problems facing the victims, the legal system of the day, and those investigating. The final chapters on some of the suspects and the key players in the case were interesting and the whole book holds your attention throughout. I don’t want to give any spoilers but the conclusion as to who the ‘Ripper’ was , is refreshing and well argued. I enjoyed this as an e-book and it was well read by the author. Overall it was a captivating book for all fans of the case, which I would highly recommend! Sue Horner, Towcester, Northamptonshire, UK

Many authors do a disservice to their books by narrating their audio version instead of using a professional.. You are the exception! No voice actor could have done a better job of captivating me throughout the whole listening experience. Richard Walker’s “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper” offers a meticulously researched exploration of the Whitechapel murders with a fresh perspective on the killer’s identity that sets it apart from conventional theories. What makes this work especially compelling is Walker’s vivid reconstruction of Victorian East London’s brutal social landscape, particularly his unflinching portrayal of working-class women’s desperate circumstances in the 1880s. Walker weaves forensic analysis with social history to argue that understanding these murders requires understanding life in Whitechapel itself—the book succeeds as both criminal investigation and powerful social document that gives dignity to the victims. Danny Kao, San Francisco, California, USA

Yours truly, Jack the Ripper, cuts through 137 years of sensational mythology to reexamine the victims, the evidence, and the social forces that shaped the view of what we know about Jack the Ripper. That view, long rooted in Victorian class and gender prejudices, has distorted the understand what actually occurred in the streets of Whitechapel in 1888. By separating fact from fiction and scrutinizing the suspects and conspiracies, Richard Walkers offers a grounded, compelling reassessment of one of history’s most infamous crimes. This meticulously researched yet highly accessible book belongs in every true-crime lovers’ collection. Stephen Jackson, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Richard is a remarkable historian, storyteller and renowned expert on the Whitechapel murders of 1888 and the infamous fiend, Jack the Ripper. If you are visiting London, then I highly recommend joining Richard on one of his walks around the Whitechapel area to visit the scenes of the murders. His colourful stories bring to life the desperation, hunger and poverty of those homeless and jobless who struggled to survive the appalling conditions in Victorian London. Richard’s book provides a detailed consideration of the many theories, evidence and conclusions that were made by Police, Coroners, the Press and the Public at the time. It exposes some flaws in Police investigations, unconscious bias that led to plausible explanations not being considered and produces some compelling theories to what happened before, during and after the murders. Richard also references the writings and theories of many other authors who have speculated on the identity of Jack the Ripper. This is an excellent book and I recommend to anyone interested in learning more about the circumstances of these dreadful murders of woman in London during 1888. Andrew Maclean, N, Hampton, Victoria, Australia

Having been on the walk that Richard does and read a few or more books on the subject, I found this a fresh approach to the case and one that can perhaps be close to solving the mystery. It's extremely well written and researched; it takes you right into the heart of the 1880s East End, a place nearly as lawless as the Wild West. Compelling read with a new theory that isn't over the top. Leslie Amos, London Borough of Romford, UK

The book was a fascinating read. It gave a phenomenal insight and excellent account of life and times in 19th century London's East End. Gave a lot of important detailed information of each of the victims circumstances and backgrounds - those that most people know about and others besides - which I hadn't come across before. Also covering considerable detail concerning the police, investigators and reporters of the events - showing that the media has never really changed over the years! The book was certainly an eye-opener and a must read of any JTR fan! Lynn Southgate, Stuart, Florida, USA

Walker has penned a worthy addition to the annals of Ripperology. He resists the ever-tempting desire to tout a single sensational suspect in favor of sharing illuminating original research grounded in facts and reason to open the reader’s eyes to alternatives to the single suspect mythology. He wields Occam’s razor with the precision of a surgeon as he dissects the many myths that surround the infamous Victorian murders of 1888. Leave your preconceptions at the door and prepare to have your eyes opened! Highly recommended! Jon Gossard, Anaheim, California, USA

This is by far the most comprehensive material I have ever encountered on Jack the Ripper. Not only does it shed light on the victims, but on the entire era. I feel it is very essential the era in itself also plays a part in the entire Jack the Ripper case. As it's a 3rd party in the story, together with the victims and the perpetrator. This is pretty much always forgotten, even by major Ripperologists. It provides the reader/listener with essential information about how life was like in the 1880's and how this came about. If anyone has a bit more interest in the Jack the Ripper case than just the basic things, this book is a must-read/listen. Every time you re-listen a certain part, you discover new things. Kefren Mertens, Aalst, Belgium.

In the spring of 2024, while in London for several days, I decided to take a walking tour of Whitechapel in London’s East End. The tour was about Jack the Ripper, and the tour guide was Richard Walker. At the time, I did not know much about the Ripper other than a generalized knowledge of a maniacal serial murderer stalking prostitutes in the East End slums in 1888. Over the course of two hours, however, I became engrossed by the subject as Richard led us on a walk through the very streets that the victims, Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Liz Stride, Kate Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly lived and died 137 years ago. When I was told that Richard had written a new book on the subject, I was anxious to read it. And I was not disappointed. The book is, in a word, fantastic. He presents us with a thoroughly researched description of the events of the late summer and fall of 1888. We see life in the slums of Whitechapel, especially among the many homeless women of the time, who were truly society's afterthoughts (if they were given any thought at all). We learn about the victims as real people, who they were, where they came from, and their grim daily struggle to survive the poverty that was their lot in life. We are taken step by step, chronologically, through each of the murders' grisly details, Scotland Yard’s subsequent investigations, including alleged witness testimony and available physical evidence. We read about the press coverage of the murders and the public hysteria that it provoked. Yet perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is its methodical debunking of all contemporary mainstream conspiracy theories about the Ripper as a serial psychopathic killer targeting would-be prostitutes. While the mainstream narratives may be “sexier” and have commercial appeal to contemporary audiences, Richard’s take may be less glamorous but no less compelling. He tells the story in the context of the social, economic, and cultural mores and prejudices of late 19th-century Victorian London, rather than through the distorted prism of the 21st century, as many other Ripper authors do. In short, he presents an alternative, simpler, and frankly, more logical explanation of what happened in Whitechapel in 1888. Yours truly Jack the Ripper, by Richard Walker, is an absorbing, compelling, thought-provoking analysis of the Ripper murders, and will be enjoyed not only as a crime story but, in the broader sense, as a study of the cultural history of late 19th-century London. I recommend the book without reservation. Gary Marks, Oldwick, New Jersey, USA.

We like to think we’re smarter than the Victorians when it comes to sensational crime stories. We’re not. We just have faster platforms. Watching modern media turn certain cases into careers and whole business models makes Walker’s point feel current. If you’ve ever seen how celebrity crime coverage can snowball, you already understand the engine he’s describing. In 1888, the technology was different. The incentives weren’t. That’s why Your’s Truly, Jack the Ripper: How the Victorians Created the World’s Greatest Murder Mystery by Richard Walker worked for me. It isn’t a “pick your suspect” book. It’s a book about how “Jack the Ripper” became a product: a name, a character, a story people could follow, argue over, and buy again tomorrow. Walker starts wide and then gets his hands dirty. He gives you the Victorian backdrop, the social neglect, the appetite for shock, the early tabloid instincts. Then he drops you into the streets and makes you live inside the timeline. This is where his background matters. He’s walked these routes so many times that the geography stops being mood and starts being a constraint. The moment you treat the logged timings as real, the case changes. You stop thinking in vibes and start thinking in minutes. You picture moving from point A to point B with the clock running and you feel how quickly “maybe” turns into “how, exactly?” That’s where you start pulling at the thread. Occam’s razor is a useful tool here, but not in the lazy way. Not “simplest story wins.” More like: what explanation needs the fewest extra assumptions while still fitting what we can actually support? Walker keeps returning to that pressure test. It’s one of the reasons the book feels grounded. He also shows how early the evidence got messy. People were interviewed under the wrong names. Details got repeated until repetition started to sound like proof. A lot of Ripper lore lives on inputs that were shaky from the start. The Spitalfields knife sighting is a good example. Someone having a knife in that area wasn’t automatically unusual for the time, so it’s not a magic clue. And the alibi attached to that person doesn’t feel as reassuring once you take the witness account seriously as a human thing, not a courtroom transcript. If the witness was most likely wrong, the whole chain you’re building on top of it gets wobbly fast. Walker doesn’t force everything into one clean box. He leaves room for an uglier possibility: more than one person, copycats, opportunistic violence. Mostly against women who were sleeping rough and easy for society to ignore. That idea can sound complicated until you remember what the city was and what the victims’ reality was. He’s asking you to consider what’s plausible, not what’s neat. The best part of the book is how he treats the victims. He brings their lives back into the story and pushes back on the lazy labels that got slapped onto them. He makes you see how a society can look away while people are alive, then turn around and consume them as content once they’re dead. That shift matters. It changes what kind of reader you are while you’re in the book. I should say this plainly because it shapes how I read Walker. I took the tour. That’s how I met him. I was engaged the whole time, and it wasn’t because it was sensational. It was because it was told with empathy and with a steady focus on the women who were lost, not the monster who got marketed. I recommend this book. It’s rooted in fact, it respects the victims, and it makes you look at the story the way Walker wants you to look at it: as a mirror. Not just for Victorian society, either. Marc and Katrina Anderson, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I found this book to be a fascinating study of both the murders of several women in 1888 London as well as a detailed study of social systems and values of the Victorian Era. The author lays out the background of the environment of the murders showing that the status of penniless women in the society of the time was shockingly low, causing the murder victims to be considered as prostitutes and not worthy of serious police attention. In coroners’ courts, there was an attitude of “get the case closed quickly”, while serious investigations were hampered by police incompetence and lack of professionalism. In all of the cases, the perpetrator of the murder acted with impunity, attacking four homeless women who were sleeping rough, while one of the victims was killed in a lodging room which had little to offer in the way of security and safety. Mr. Walker details each case and its investigation while laying out the many theories regarding possible perpetrators. One by one, he dissects the cases, analyzing the press reports, police records and many of the wildly differing “solutions” presented over the past 137 years, coming to a surprising finding. Were the Jack the Ripper murders carried out by a crazed serial killer, a series of copycat murderers, murders of opportunity, a creation of the gutter press, or a creation motivated by Anti-Semitic prejudice? One must read the book to find out. Robert Sarofeen, Retired Diplomat, Chesterfield, Virginia, USA. robertsarofeen@yahoo.com

An incredibly well-researched and thoughtful book on Jack the Ripper from a local guide who has walked these same streets countless times. Marisa Hill, San Francisco, California, USA

I was fortunate enough to be able to take Richard’s Jack the Ripper tour on a visit to London back in 2023, and now reading this book I feel like I am right back there with him on the streets of Whitechapel, hearing the chilling facts and accounts, wondering what we have all wondered at some point “Who was Jack the Ripper?” Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper, provides a detailed insight into one of histories greatest true crime mysteries. It delves into the background and life of the victims and the bystanders and truly paints a vivid picture of what life in Victorian England was like at that time for women, and how there are still similarities for vulnerable ladies today. This book takes you on a journey and leaves you hungry for more. Richard has a wealth of knowledge on this subject, and more important than that, he clearly has a passion which is apparent in his tours and this book. While we may never truly know what happened back then, or who Jack the Ripper was, it is through detailed and historical accounts like this that we will get as close as possible. Lauren McNichols, British Columbia, Canada.

38 reviews

Yours truly

Jack the Ripper

How the Victorians Created the World’s Greatest Murder Mystery

By

Richard Walker

PART 1: DISMANTLING THE MYTHOLOGY

1: The Story Everyone Knows

In the gaslit streets of Victorian London, a monster stalked the night. Jack the Ripper—the name still sends shivers down spines nearly 140 years later. We know the story: a shadowy figure preying on prostitutes in the dark alleys of Whitechapel, vanishing into the fog after each brutal murder. It's a tale that has spawned countless books, films, and theories. Crime writer Patricia Cornwell spent millions trying to prove the killer was the Victorian artist Walter Sickert. Businessman Russell Edwards bought a bloodstained shawl, convinced DNA would finally unmask the Ripper.

There’s one problem: the story they and everyone else have heard is wrong.

Tour Guides, DNA and Kate Eddowes’s Shawl

I'm Richard Walker, a London tour guide. The first walk I learned and delivered was the Jack the Ripper tour. It appeared to be an exciting acting challenge, a piece of street theatre in which I would perform a one-man show with a gift of a story to tell.

The most popular guided walk in London is about this unknown serial killer. Viator lists 87 companies offering Jack the Ripper tours. It’s a fantastic story combining whodunnit, horror, and illicit sex, set in gaslit Victorian London.

And I was fortunate with my timing, as interest in the case surged in the new millennium. Johnny Depp and Heather Graham added a little glamour to the tale in the film From Hell, which put the murders back in the headlines in 2001.

In the same year, Patricia Cornwell began her research, and in 2002, she published her book Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed, which became a bestseller.

Russell Edwards left a Cambridge cinema fired with a new interest kindled by From Hell. That new interest led Russell to ‘a shawl belonging to Kate Eddowes’ and in 2014, he published Naming Jack the Ripper.

Both books claimed DNA evidence solved the mystery. Russell Edwards says confidently, ‘We have definitely solved the mystery of who Jack the Ripper was. Only non-believers that want to perpetuate the myth will doubt.’

Both writers believe they've solved the case. They can’t both be right, though both could be wrong. What is certain is that they’ve been swept up in a story shaped by Victorian assumptions that continue to influence how we interpret the evidence today.

Exploring My Doubts

During the COVID lockdown, I couldn’t stop exploring my doubts about these 19th-century crimes against women. Revisiting the books I had read led me to new research, revealing a glaring problem with the standard story. I discovered that much of what we ‘know’ about these murders rests on assumptions that have never been appropriately challenged.

These were assumptions made by police officers and journalists. They were all men. Men who were working in or reporting on a highly charged situation. The best of us would be challenged.

Even in our more enlightened times, challenges persist, and things are far from perfect. The London Metropolitan Police commissioned Louise Casey to investigate after one of its officers abducted Sarah Everard from a London street in March 2021, before raping and murdering her.

The 363-page report details disturbing stories of sexual assaults usually covered up or downplayed, with 12% of women working for the Met saying they had been harassed or attacked at work, and one-third experiencing sexism. The report concluded that the Metropolitan Police is broken and rotten, suffering collapsing public trust and is guilty of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia.

If in our 21st-century Metropolitan Police Force, we have ‘sexual assaults usually covered up or downplayed’, what would we expect from the Metropolitan Police shaped by, and dealing with, the culture prevalent in 19th-century Britain?

This matters because the conviction that a murderer was killing prostitutes meant the police ignored another, more likely scenario. This blinkered view of the case almost certainly caused a catastrophic failure to secure justice for the victims.

The conviction arose simply from the question: ‘What woman would end up alone at night with a potential killer?’  Answer: A prostitute.

There were no cameras to record the moments leading up to and including the murder, so that conviction is a possible explanation, but it is not a fact.

Fact: The first four of the five victims were homeless and frequently had no other choice but to sleep rough, and the fifth victim slept in a room that was not secure.

Fact: The five victims were killed when they were lying down.

Fact: In each case, there was no sign of a struggle.

Fact: In each case, they were killed in a densely populated area within yards of where people slept, and nobody heard a sound.

Fact: The murders took place in an area that was less than one square mile, an area that was heavily patrolled by police, vigilantes and a population that was on full alert, yet the killer(s) escaped every time.

Fact: The simplest explanation is that the women were killed by an opportunist who found an easy target as she slept.

Occam’s Razor

William of Occam was a Franciscan friar born in Ockham, Surrey, England. He became a significant figure of medieval thought in 14th-century Europe.

Occam’s razor, also known as the principle of parsimony, suggests that you should choose the simplest explanation if there is more than one explanation for a phenomenon.

That is Occam’s razor. I refer to it in this book, so it’s essential to verify whether we can use it on Jack the Ripper.

If you check for where the simplest explanation appears to be wrong, you will find examples.

Darwin’s theory of evolution provides a unifying explanation for the tremendous variety of life on Earth, all of which evolved over billions of years from a single origin. Darwin’s assumption was that individuals within a population of any species vary, the variations are passed down through the generations, and the individuals with the variations best adapted to suit their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. Once upon a time, there was a single cell adapting with all its might, and four billion years later, we have David Attenborough, all thanks to the power of natural selection. All of which, for me, is a simple explanation for the wonderful variety of life on earth.

However, some have pointed out that while Darwin’s assumptions are pretty straightforward, there are mind-bogglingly complex fields of evolutionary biology and genetics, and so there is a more straightforward explanation for the variety of life on earth: God.

It is claimed that this shows that Occam’s razor may not always give you the correct explanation.

You will have your own opinion, but for me, God requires far more assumptions, complexity, and a giant leap of faith than does Darwin.

Writing in Open Mind, theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili gave another example of where Occam’s razor might not work. He asked the physicist, Peter Higgs, to explain the Higgs boson in 30 seconds.

He looked at me solemnly and, I have to admit, not particularly apologetically, and shook his head. He explained that it had taken him many decades to understand the physics underlying the Higgs mechanism in quantum field theory, so how could people expect such a complex subject to be condensed into a short sound bite? 

I am not familiar with alternative theories to the Higgs mechanism in quantum field theory, so I can’t make a decision about which explanation is the simplest.

Occam’s razor doesn’t say that everything is simple; it says you should choose the simplest explanation when there is more than one, as it is likely to be correct.

Explanations for how something happens in the field of quantum physics are no doubt complex, but other things being equal, the simplest of those complex explanations is likely to be the best choice.

What interested me in this article by Jim Al-Khalili was when he warned that ‘it is hard to fight the human impulse to look for the simplest account of something we don’t understand’.

What I found fascinating about that statement is how many Victorian police officers, journalists, and modern-day experts on the Jack the Ripper case have effortlessly overcome ‘the human impulse to look for the simplest account of something we don’t understand.’

There are numerous examples of where the simplest explanation—indeed what many would regard as common sense—was ignored.

The book I have written does not wrestle with the Higgs boson, complex fields of evolutionary biology and genetics or whether God exists. It is simply about the murders of several women in 1888, and how those murders were and are investigated.

This book examines why the most straightforward explanation was and is ignored and what happens when we apply Occam's razor to the Whitechapel murders. When we strip away prejudices and examine the evidence without predetermined conclusions, a different story emerges.

Available for pre-order