Books Like The Ripper's Shadow

The name Jack the Ripper struck fear into the hearts of many during the 19th century. As the murders continued and Jack continued to evade the police, his story became legendary. There are theories and speculation about the identity of one of the most notorious serial killers in history even today. Along with a vast range of non-fiction novels about Jack the Ripper, his deeds have also inspired plenty of fiction across multiple genres. Books like The Ripper's Shadow by Laura Joh Rowland put their own spin on the legends of the Whitechapel murderer and keep the myth going. If you enjoy murder, mystery, and intrigue, here are a few more books like The Ripper's Shadow that will make you think twice about venturing outside after dark.

Dust and Shadow

by Lyndsay Faye

Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye is written from the perspective of Dr. Watson, describing the attempts by Sherlock Holmes to hunt down Jack the Ripper. Although the novel is fiction, it is filled with enough historical detail to keep it very authentic. Not only does Holmes have to try and track down a serial killer without access to any modern forensics, but he is also wounded in the process. Then, when the popular press gains an interest in the story, they begin to question Holmes's motives. With his credibility on the line, Holmes will stop at nothing to stop the killer, even if it means breaking every rule along the way.

Oscar Wilde and the Return of Jack the Ripper

by Gyles Brandreth

Oscar Wilde and the Return of Jack the Ripper by Gyles Brandreth is another novel that mixes historical fiction with fact for a gripping story. In this book, Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle are recruited to help solve the case of Jack the Ripper. Wilde is the neighbor of Chief Constable Melville Macnaghten, who turns to the author for aid, hoping to make use of his unparalleled knowledge of the London underworld. Arthur Conan Doyle, a close friend of Wilde, narrates the story as the two turn amateur detectives. Viewing the events from the perspective of two brilliant literary minds of Victorian London puts a new spin on the familiar tale.

I, Ripper

by Stephen Hunter

I, Ripper by Stephen Hunter is a novel that that explores the legend of Jack the Ripper from alternating viewpoints. One of these is a journal kept by Jack, while the other comes from a memoir written by a newspaper writer named Jeb. Through his writing, Jeb builds up a profile of the Ripper while Jack's journal entries make for more harrowing reading. While I, Ripper contains enough blood and violence to scare away sensitive readers, the subject matter and unique writing style make it hard to put down.

Death at Whitechapel

by Robin Paige

By setting its story ten years after the events, Death at Whitechapel by Robin Paige takes an interesting approach to the Jack the Ripper mythos. It stars Jennie Jerome Churchill, mother of Winston Churchill, the man who would later become the prime minister of England. Their extravagant lifestyle has already placed Jennie and Winston in a great deal of debt, so it comes as a shock when someone attempts to blackmail them. The blackmailer claims to have proof that Jennie's late husband had a hand in the "Ripper" murders and, unless paid off, will destroy her along with her son's political ambitions. To help her out, Jennie turns to Kate Ardleigh Sheridan, a mystery writer, and her husband, an amateur criminologist.

A Knife in the Fog

by Bradley Harper

A Knife in the Fog by Bradley Harper is set in 1888 and stars a twenty-nine-year-old Arthur Conan Doyle. He is somewhat embittered because his first Sherlock Holmes story appears to be a success but has only earned him twenty-five pounds. This disappointment is enough for him to vow never to write another crime story, but then he is called upon by the former Prime Minister, who wants him to act as a consultant on the Jack the Ripper case. Doyle agrees and is soon joined by Professor Joseph Bell and Miss Margaret Harkness as the hunt for a serial killer begins.

Savage

by Richard Laymon

Savage by Richard Layman is set in the gaslight London of 1888 as Jack the Ripper continues with his murderous spree. However, while killing Mary Kelly, Jack is unaware that a fifteen-year-old boy is cowering under her bed. What happened that night changed Trevor Bentley's life forever, but instead of being driven mad by what he saw, it ignites an obsession to stop Jack the Ripper at all cost. Trevor will stop at nothing to come face to face with Jack the Ripper, but the trail of blood leads him from London to the streets of New York and beyond.

The Cutthroat

by Clive Cussler

The Cutthroat by Clive Cussler is part of his Isaac Bell series named after the protagonist, who is a private detective. Set in 1911, Isaac Bell of the Van Dorn Detective Agency is hired to locate a young woman named Anna Pape. She ran away from home to become an actress, but Bell is shocked to discover that she was murdered. Bell is determined to bring the killer to justice, but his investigation reveals that Anna was not the only petite young blonde woman who was murdered. The more Bell uncovers, the more he becomes convinced that he might be on the trial of none other than Jack the Ripper.