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Ripper

by Stefan Petrucha (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 732 ratings · 181 reviews

You thought you knew him. You were dead wrong.

Carver Young dreams of becoming a detective, despite growing up in an orphanage with only crime novels to encourage him. But when he is adopted by Detective Hawking of the world famous Pinkerton Agency, Carver is given not only the chance to find his biological father, he finds himself smack in the middle of a real life investi...more

Hardcover, 427 pages

Published March 1st 2012 by Philomel

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Community Reviews

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May 15, 2013 Hazel West rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, great-summer-reads

To make a long story short: I totally loved this book! This is by far the best YA book that has come out this year--and in a long time as well. I loved the characters and their interactions with each other, and the whole story line was great as well. It was fast-paced, and, while, yes, it was predictable, adventure stories usually are and that doesn't take away from my love of this book. It was also a good "guy read" and books guys can enjoy are very few and far between in the Young Adult genre....more

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Dec 21, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2011

This book was _so good_. Every time I was between commutes (when I read), I wanted to get back to it. It was serious and well crafted, the are characters complete, and overall the book had a gravity to it that reminded me of books written in the past. Definitely feels timeless.

I worried that the ending would disappoint me (as compared with the rest of the book), but it wasn't bad at all. Really, I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book. Of course, it being YA, there are some contrivances,...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Carver Young wants to be a detective, so when he is adopted from the orphange in 1895 by Detective Hawking of the New Pinkertons agency, he is happy. Several other children in the orphange have been adopted by families in the same circle, his friend Delia by a news reporter. There has just been a Jack the Ripper-like murder, and certain segments of New York society, especially Theodore Roosevelt, the Police Commissioned, are concerned. Hawking puts Carver to the task of finding Carver's father,...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Mara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, books-owned, 2012-reads, historical-fiction, mystery, steampunk

Wow. A truly amazing murder mystery/what if historical-fiction. I absolutely loved this book. Intriguing and fast-paced from the very beginning, Ripper is, in my opinion, one of the best YA books published this year. Carver is a resourceful young man, inquisitive, witty, and everything an amateur detective character should be. And he admires all of the best and brightest literary detectives. And Hawking has the classic, yet perfect, humor that all "foul-tempered, old mentors" are supposed to hav...more Wow. A truly amazing murder mystery/what if historical-fiction. I absolutely loved this book. Intriguing and fast-paced from the very beginning, Ripper is, in my opinion, one of the best YA books published this year. Carver is a resourceful young man, inquisitive, witty, and everything an amateur detective character should be. And he admires all of the best and brightest literary detectives. And Hawking has the classic, yet perfect, humor that all "foul-tempered, old mentors" are supposed to have. But unlike a lot of "foul-tempered, old mentors," Hawking seems genuine. It didn't feel like the Author sat down and thought, Well, all mentors are supposed to foul-tempered and gruff, so Hawking is going to have to be the same way. Hawking also loves Dupin from Poe's three mystery stories - a detective who in fact inspired Conan Doyle to write Sherlock Holmes, - so that is another plus to his character.

While the mystery behind Carver's father's identity is unbelievably easy to figure out - I new it by page 5, - it's a twist that has never been done before, and it was a very good twist. And considering the other and even bigger twist in the end, I'm not sure the Author even tried to really hide who Carver's father is. The ending twist took me longer to figure out, and I initially dismissed it because it seemed too . . . well, too surprising to be the answer. But the Author was evidently thinking along the same lines as I did, and I'm super glad that he did, because it totally made this story. I started to lose some hope in the end being any good when it threatened to become a series of ridiculous and far-fetched situations, which were clearly inspired by too many horror movies (i.e. the "monster" is dead! Oh no! The monster isn't dead! He's just sprung up and grabbed my leg, even though I just unloaded two machine guns into his gut and a hatchet!) The ending events of this book weren't quite that ridiculous, but it was kind of along the same lines, where the Reader thought the villain was dead, and then he's suddenly hijacking the train that our heroes just happen to be on. But the Author completely regained any lost ground with the grand finale twist.

Another thing that also surprised - and pleased me - was the lack of gory detail. There are lots of violent murders in this book; that's part of what makes it so good. But the Author never gives unnecessary detail about it, and that surprised me. So many murder-mystery Authors like to show off their new-found anatomy knowledge in the gruesomest language possible, it seems. By not detailing the extent of the damage done to the bodies, the Author managed to make the scene far more gristly and horrifying than it would have been with descriptions. But maybe he also thought it unnecessary because practically everyone knows how Jack the Ripper killed his victims, so any details would just get tedious.

This story is also filled with awesome steampunk-like gadgets, many of which actually existed. Probably the most fascinating part of this book are the Author Notes, where the Author kindly explains what's fact and fiction, and what inventions actually existed. You'll be surprised at how many he didn't make up, unless you're well-versed in 19th-early 20th century gadgets. (less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Joseph rated it 3 of 5 stars

"It's Harry Potter meets Angels and Demons" sounds like a great story idea if your plan is to replace your editor's irises with dollar signs. In practice, this young adult novel suffers from being a little too familiar for anyone who's delved into the most popular of fiction.

This is the story of Carver Young, a bullied orphan with skills. His notable companions at the orphanage are a brilliant, know-it-all girl who doubles as a love interest and a socially clumsy, misunderstood red-headed bully...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Amy Becker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-literature

Stefan Petrucha does an excellent job of showing a whole different side to Jack the Ripper in this exciting historical fiction, detective, mystery, thriller. We are introduced to the character of 14 year-old Carver Young as his orphanage is closing down and Detective Hawking, of the Pinkerton Agency, adopts him as a sort of apprentice. From there on out we are taken around New York City in the midst of numerous murders as Carver tries to learn who his biological father and where his true loyalti...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Well, where to begin. I started this book this morning and while work did detract me from it momentarily, I was immediately glued to until it's finished afterwards. (I was actually going to make a lame pun about ripping right through this novel - haha. I do laugh at my own terrible jokes)

I would say this was more of a 4.5 but I definitely didn't want to drop it down to four stars. I was looking for a good book about Jack-the-Ripper(as his story has intrigued me lately and I seem to run into it e...more Well, where to begin. I started this book this morning and while work did detract me from it momentarily, I was immediately glued to until it's finished afterwards. (I was actually going to make a lame pun about ripping right through this novel - haha. I do laugh at my own terrible jokes)

I would say this was more of a 4.5 but I definitely didn't want to drop it down to four stars. I was looking for a good book about Jack-the-Ripper(as his story has intrigued me lately and I seem to run into it everywhere so I took it as a sign) with good detective-work and a good ending. I can definitely say I got what I wanted.

The first chapter drew me in immediately (I remember actually saying "Oho~!" out loud) as it was in the perspective of Jack-the-Ripper. While I was terribly disappointed that this was the only chapter in his perspective, I can't say I was surprised either.

The rest of the story is told from the perspective of the 14-year old Carver Young. Carver himself is quite likable, though that's not to say some of his actions or stubborn-ness were grating sometimes. Around then I would remind myself he was 14 and was entitled to act that way. I also think it shows a lot about the author to keep his characteristics and actions (as well as limits) believable to his age. Part of me really did wish Carver's character was older but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Part of me also wished this took place in London but you can't have everything. I also enjoyed watching Carver grow and stand on his own.

I liked the other characters as well, they were complex and , Delia was a strong female character who kept Carver grounded. Hawking was an eccentric and powerful character. I enjoyed how he made Carver work for himself instead of leading him to the answers. Finn was also deeper and instrumental to Carver's growth. The adults were well written and all the different personalities made for an interesting read. Of course the Ripper made for a fine villain and was also incredibly complex. Even while writing this review I still think of the different facets of his character all that he truly did.

Ripper was a very smooth read and for me, a page-turner. Some reviews state how long the novel was but I didn't feel that it dragged on at all. Plus I honestly like a long book (even if I still finish it in a matter of hours). I didn't feel as if there was a large overabundance of unnecessary information and all the loose ends tied up quite nicely. I absolutely adored the ending and the twist was well thought out and executed admirably. There were definitely some hints of humor (view spoiler) but was overall a serious novel.

I came away from Ripper thinking many things and all of them good. I believe the strongest theme that came across to me was that you cannot expect to be handed whatever you want, you must work for it yourself. Second would be that the result is not what is as important, but the journey itself. What you learned, how it affected you and how it brought to that result is farm more important.

I definitely found Ripper to be a delightful take on Jack-the-Ripper's story.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow. I had a feeling this book would be great, but I had no clue it would be as wonderful as it turned out to be. I’m in love. Can I have more books starring Carver, Delia, and Finn?

Carver Young is just a poor orphan with a lock-picking skill and a love for mysteries, when he gets oddly “adopted” by a retired Pinkerton agent, Albert Hawking. Hawking plans to teach Carver how to be a great detective, although his methods are quite crazy. Craver is brought into a secret society of detectives and i...more Wow. I had a feeling this book would be great, but I had no clue it would be as wonderful as it turned out to be. I’m in love. Can I have more books starring Carver, Delia, and Finn?

Carver Young is just a poor orphan with a lock-picking skill and a love for mysteries, when he gets oddly “adopted” by a retired Pinkerton agent, Albert Hawking. Hawking plans to teach Carver how to be a great detective, although his methods are quite crazy. Craver is brought into a secret society of detectives and is encouraged to try to find his biological father. There are also these murders that keep happening, and Carver eventually discovers quite a few things about the killer. It turns into a crazy puzzle game that he tries to figure out with his friend Delia and his frenemy, Finn.

Stefan Petrucha perfectly crafts a historical mystery, and he expertly picks the most deplorably evil of real-life bad guys: Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper, as most people know, was never caught, therefore any story that builds on that mystery is already intriguing. I loved the way he built on the facts and created a crazy story, that more or less could be possible (except for some glaring additions).

The mystery sucked me in and took me all over NYC. Because of the short chapters, I sped right through the book, and even if they had been long I would have still rushed through because the story was so addicting.

And you guys who have read it: that last twist, I honestly did not see it coming. At all. So weird. Mind-blown.

I found the characters to be all VERY complex. And, for this type of book, that is pretty unusual. Hawking was completely crazy, but he changes a lot throughout the book and he becomes such a mentor to Carver. Although half the time I was ticked at him, I did find him to be oddly amazing.
Finn was one of my favorite characters because of the growth he goes through. He matures and changes so much throughout this story, and I loved how realistic he was.
Carver, our main character, was dedicated to his task, but slightly a more boring character (think Harry Potter, wonderful, heroic, but hardly ever anyone’s favorite character). While he was complex, dynamic, and respectable, he confused me to no end. He was SO slow in the beginning and eventually gained in astuteness, but his reasoning was sometimes very hard to follow. He was remarkably dedicated to stopping the murders and finding his father. The lengths he went to sometimes to follow someone or find information…oh goodness, I would never have done that.
Delia was…ehh. I loved her at the same time as I thought she could have been so much more. But then again, this book was not really about women empowerment or anything, so I guess she can just be the cute, intelligent sidekick.

Many reviewers claim that this book is more suited for children than young adults due to the “cleaning up” of such a disturbing topic. While I agree that because of that, it is completely a great mystery read for middle graders, I enjoyed it for the characters, the twists, the mystery, and the concept. It didn’t have to be realistically grisly for me to understand the horror of the situation. Also, I’ve read about Jack the Ripper before, so I already knew that it was horrid.

I would LOVE if this became a series. It’s totally not going to because the concept just covers one storyline. But I thought the ending was open for more, and the characters are just begging for more stories to star in.

Content Warning: Very mild language only a handful of times
(less)

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Aug 01, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ripper
by Stefan Petrucha

This book is extremely imaginative and has an intricate plot. I picked up this book at the "athenaeum" as I was intrigued by the book's cover. This book has many good points: characters who actually seem to have emotions, some pretty cool steam-punk gadgets, detective lessons, a twist ending.

However, this book also has its faults. The reader is able to figure out the key to this mystery by page 9. It may just be me, but I found the end to this book slightly confusing as...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Jessica Day rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ripper is marketed towards the older YA audience due to its dark subject matter but I think it’s a better read for older Preteen/Younger YA readers. Yes, Ripper revolves around the future murders of the infamous Jack the Ripper, the characters and predictability are better suited for a younger reader level. Older readers will find the mystery predictable and the main character a tad juvenile, but younger readers will be able to appreciate the mystery more and relate more with Carter and Delilah....more

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Jul 23, 2012 Amy Wahl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, ya

This book was an impulse selection that I pulled off the YA shelf at the library as I was on line to check out. Having now rad the book in it's entirety I can say I am so happy that something made me pick it up.

Set a few years after the original Jack The Ripper murders, The Ripper paints a vivid picture of what might happen if Saucy Jack made it to NYC. The author does an incredible job of mixing historical facts with pure fiction. Nothing presented in this story feels forced or inaccurate. Desp...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Jeannie Mancini rated it 5 of 5 stars

When Carver Young is told that the orphanage he was raised in was being sold, and that he and two other older teen orphans were unable to stay, their destinies soon change dramatically. At times for the better, other times for the worst. Delia and Finn are adopted by two of New York's finest families, parents of wealth and high social standing. Carver however is taken under wing by a mysterious gentleman named Albert Hawking whose claim to fame is that he is one of the finest Pinkerton Detective...more When Carver Young is told that the orphanage he was raised in was being sold, and that he and two other older teen orphans were unable to stay, their destinies soon change dramatically. At times for the better, other times for the worst. Delia and Finn are adopted by two of New York's finest families, parents of wealth and high social standing. Carver however is taken under wing by a mysterious gentleman named Albert Hawking whose claim to fame is that he is one of the finest Pinkerton Detectives. Growing up enthralled with the dime-store novels of Sherlock Holmes, Carver has always dreamed of being a sleuth himself. Being adopted by an elderly and prestigious Pinkerton agent seemed all that he could hope for until he arrives at an insane asylum instead of what he expected would be the office of a Private Eye!

The world of criminology is thrust upon 14 year old Carver instantly as his new mentor forces the young man to use his wits and detective skills to assist with New York's worst nightmare. Women of the elite social circles are being brutally murdered leaving Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt baffled and stumped as to who this mass murderer could be and just how to catch him. Alternating between the office in the madhouse and in a secret New Pinkerton agency hidden underground, Carver's world gets turned upside down as clue after clue lead him to believe that the slasher is none other than Jack the Ripper, and that he is Saucy Jack's son!

Ripper is an extremely executed teen mystery novel that is fun, exciting, mysterious, and scary. This reader could not put this ingenious tale down and cannot wait for the sequel being penned by the author now. With the Victorian atmosphere of turn-of-the-century New York, funky steampunk-like mechanical gadgets, intriguing good guys and bad guys, true-to-life history, and characters with charisma and charm, readers will digest this novel in one or two sittings. You will cheer Carver and company on as they prowl the streets of New York diving into danger and intrigue every step of the way throwing lots of chills and thrills upon the pages you will find turn rapidly. The added feature of Teddy Roosevelt was an awesome ingredient, returning to the legend of Jack the Ripper was cool, and having the author create a brand new young detective character one can look forward to reading more about, makes this story a five star winner!(less)

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Jun 19, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Carver has gotten a bit too old to be adopted so he can hardly believe his luck when the famous Detective Hawking becomes his adopted father. It seems like a dream come true when Hawking shows him the awe inspiring secret headquarters of the Pinkerton Agency. A secret detective agency filled with all kinds of interesting gadgets. His first task as a budding detective is to try and track down his biological father. Carver would rather help track the serial killer that has been plaguing Manhattan....more

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May 30, 2012 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

So Stefan Petrucha has let old Saucy Jack out of the garden shed, this time to run around New York and get chased by a teen with steampunk gadgets out of an old Wild Wild West TV script. This is a kind of YA "The Alienist" as it is the mid 1890s and so the NYC police commissioner is Teddy Roosevelt, who is mostly antagonistic to the young hero, Carver Young (groan with me at the name) an orphan who wants to become a detective, for probably the same reason that Hermie the Elf wanted to be a denti...more

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May 25, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullies, community, families, friendship, ncbla2013, mysteries

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As is the case for many teens, I've long been fascinated by Jack the Ripper, not so much for the gore of his bloody crimes or his taunting of the police for not catching him, but largely because there is still a mystery behind who Jack the Ripper actually was and what motivated him. Given my fascination with the subject matter, I quickly grabbed this one as soon as it arrived in my office. While in some respects I like the fact that the author includes real figures from history such as Teddy and...more As is the case for many teens, I've long been fascinated by Jack the Ripper, not so much for the gore of his bloody crimes or his taunting of the police for not catching him, but largely because there is still a mystery behind who Jack the Ripper actually was and what motivated him. Given my fascination with the subject matter, I quickly grabbed this one as soon as it arrived in my office. While in some respects I like the fact that the author includes real figures from history such as Teddy and Alice Roosevelt as well as elements of steam-punk with all the detective agency's gadgetry, in other respects they seem just thrown in and not blended in as carefully as they might have been. For instance, in the case of Alice, she says certain things that Alice was well known for saying, and the author attempts to plant clues in the child that foretell what the child will be like. Some of those attempts just seemed heavy-handed to me or designed to impress the reader with what the author knows without giving much insight into the characters. I never really felt as though I were reading a story that takes place in New York, and additional descriptions would have alleviated that lack. Certainly, though, the author does a great job of drawing readers in through the opening pages describing a murder. If only that intensity had held up, I'd have relished this title. In the story being spun here, three older residents of a New York City orphanage are sent their separate ways when the orphanage closes. Although it works for the plot, of course, I found it highly unlikely that Carver Young, the protagonist of the book; Finn, his enemy during his time in the orphanage, and Delia, the love interest,all end up being taken in by well-connected adults whose paths seem to cross quite often. When Carver is adopted by Detective Hawking and put to work in solving the mystery behind his parentage, he quickly realizes that there is a connection between him and Jack the Ripper. While I liked the characters and the almost-nonstopping action in the book, I also was not surprised about the identity of Jack the Ripper, which left me disappointed. I also found it hard to believe that adoptions could be accomplished so easily even during the days of Teddy Roosevelt. Didn't anyone check into the backgrounds of these folks? In the end, this was a fun read that left me shaking my head about some of its impossibilities while still pondering the illusiveness of this individual who captured a nation's attention more than a century ago. (less)

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May 18, 2012 antrea rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 4-7 grade

I grabbed this book from the YA section of the library because the plot seemed amazing and intriguing.

The plot may still be amazing and intriguing - I couldn't force myself to finish it - but the writing style was not. Reading this book reminded me of years ago when I was reading my first chapter book. The chapters are annoyingly short and have abrupt cutoff points; after reading the first 5 or so chapters in about as many minutes, I quickly scanned to the back of the book and was not surprised...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Meghan Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

For a book about an orphan, I’m still a little floored at how it managed to encompass everything that fascinates me about this period. There’s a kind of steampunk flair to the Pinkerton agency that had my imagination running overtime, but it wasn’t just the gleaming steel of the pneumatic subway that had my eyes glued to the page. Petrucha’s world encapsulates two things that I’ve long been fascinated by: the Pinkertons and Jack the Ripper. Although I knew they existed in the same time, I had ne...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Bea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book was AWESOME! Honestly, one of the best mystery novels I've ever read! The plot is so well thought out that it makes me wonder how much work was really put into writing this intricate and interesting story; probably a lot. It is obvious that Petrucha has done his research and he laces his plot with facts from the unsolved case. I suppose that is one thing that makes this so fascinating; Jack the Ripper was never identified and the cases were never solved. There has been much speculation...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Danielle D rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-steam-punk

RIPPED caught my eye because of its visually appealing cover, and I bought it because the premise sounded promising. The story starts with a young man who is in search of his father. In this process, he hooks up with some of the best detectives in the world and gets sucked into the hunt for Jack the Ripper who appears to have begun killing women in NYC. It sounded dark and suspenseful, and I was excited to get started.

While the book was entertaining, I had a hard time imagining for what audience...more

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May 09, 2012 Mitch rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-by-guys-for-guys

A severe case of reader/book incompatibility. If I'd been half my age, I'd have given Ripper double the rating I'm giving it now, because the classification on this one is wrong. Despite the serious subject matter, Ripper is NOT a young adult book, it's a children's book. The writing style, the plot on rails, the transparent characters, I would've loved this book years ago, but now that I'm looking for something a bit more serious, meatier and grittier, all of it just irks me.

Actually, part of m...more A severe case of reader/book incompatibility. If I'd been half my age, I'd have given Ripper double the rating I'm giving it now, because the classification on this one is wrong. Despite the serious subject matter, Ripper is NOT a young adult book, it's a children's book. The writing style, the plot on rails, the transparent characters, I would've loved this book years ago, but now that I'm looking for something a bit more serious, meatier and grittier, all of it just irks me.

Actually, part of my annoyance has to do with the first chapter, the teaser showing the first crime before the real story begins. That was actually good. Bloodless, but good. Nervous tone, creepy villain, I was actually looking forward to Carver's story. Until I got to chapter two and realized the writing's just too cute to take seriously. I don't mean this as an insult, but looking at Petrucha's author profile, I see he's written a couple of Nancy Drew comics, and the writing here reminds me of Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, full of juvenile energy, the kind filled with kiddie excitement at the prospect of solving a crime. But when you're solving not missing cash or lost pets but (sort of) murders, sorry, light tone didn't work on me. On my ten year old self, probably, just not now.

The historical aspect didn't work either. Don't get me wrong, Petrucha certainly did his homework, but there's something odd about the way it's incorporated into the story, like all the facts about nineteenth century New York were more for cool points than necessary or integral to the investigation. Actually, might have something to do with the writing style again, because I've read historical novels with historical facts seemlessly woven into the plot, but yeah, most of the facts just stick out here, like they're shouting 'hey, did you know this? cool right?' Not really.

And the plot itself. This is very spoilery, but it's not that hard to figure out. Ok, so Hawking is guiding Carver along to find his father, giving him hints, congratulating him when he's on the right track. Except in order to do that, he would've already have run through the investigation, which means he'd already know who Carver's father is, right? Yep. Why doesn't Carver just ask him then and be done with the whole charade? And then Tudd says Jack the Ripper, who everyone guesses to be Carver's father, would insert himself into Carver's search for his father. Now why give away the entire thing before even half the book's over? (view spoiler) Yeah, the entire time, everything's on rails, sometimes it seems Carver's going someplace just so Petrucha can impress us with more of his research, but mostly it's Hawking guiding Carver along like he's on a string, all the while everyone else is praising him for his sharp instincts and great detective skills.

And that leads me finally to characters. Carver, despite everyone's praise, can't be that great if he's basically being strung along and Hawking's the stereotypical bitter old man. And the whole thing about Carver being the son of a serial killer? Kind of superficially done, yeah he's horrified but he doesn't really think or reflect on it much, people just tell him he's different from Jack the Ripper, not a killer, and he accepts it. Honestly, the only character I actually liked was Roosevelt, because I thought Petrucha captured his personality really well, brash and loud, but personable. At least he and Alice actually got an ending, most of the other supporting characters fade into the woodwork during the investigation.

And that's all it comes down to. I just see too many holes in this story, interesting aspects that I really wished got some more attention, other stuff that could be incorporated into the book a bit better. I'd recommend this to kids interested in a well researched nineteenth century detective story in a heartbeat, but for everyone else, either I Hunt Killers for a more serious teen crime series or one of the many great crime thrillers out there.(less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed it for the most part. As an adult reading YA, I tend to have to suspend disbelief a bit more than usual.

I actually took two courses in detective fiction when I was at UCLA, and I was pleased to see a lot of what I learned mentioned explicitly in the course of young Carver Young's education--particularly the part about the detective--criminal identification bit.

I quite liked the trio of orphans at the center and actually long for more of their adventures. It hinted at the Harry Potter...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am not at all in mysteries thrillers. But this book took me to a whole other reading level that I really enjoyed!!

What got me hooked on this book? Well the unique plot. I love stories about Jack the Ripper. To read a book based on a kid searching for clues to the killer is super cool! It's makes me feel all Nancy Drew again. With this book I just wanted to get underneath the covers of by bed with a flashlight, dash into the past and follow the clues of Carver Young. The plot, hand downs AWESOM...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Victorious rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, middle-school, psla-13

Growing up in the late 1800s, all Carver Young has ever know is the New York City orphanage where he was left as a baby. Facing it's destruction, sneaky Carver is adopted by a retired, crippled detective who seeks Carver's help in solving the most elusive murderer of all time- Jack the Ripper. Now in New York, Jack the Ripper is murdering again and taunting police with cryptic letters with hidden puzzles. Discovering friendship, family, and mystery along the way, Carver encounters a murder myste...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Jan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teenbooks, horror-fiction

This was an exciting historical novel about Jack the Ripper, that brings the infamous serial killer to Gilded Age New York City. Carver has lived all his life in an orphanage, but one day is suddenly adopted by a Sherlock Holmes-esque Pinkerton detective named Hawking. Carver is determined to find out more about his family, but the only clue that he possesses is a letter purported to be from his father. Once he begins training under Hawking's tutelage, he begins to investigate the letter, which...more

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May 03, 2012 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

As seen on: Bookosaur

4.5/5

This book is bloody fantastic. See what I did there? Bloody fantastic, since it's a novel about Jack the Ripper?

. . . Oh, hey. I didn't expect you to continue reading after my word play there. Your persistence could only mean one thing: you really want to read a review. Alright, alright . . .

I loved this book to pieces.

. . . You're still here? Seriously? Even after thatone? Though I have many more of those bad boys up my sleeve, I will nonetheless crackon with my review...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Kim McGee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ripper is one of the most exciting historical thrillers I have read in a long time. Young Carver is an orphan in 1895 New York City and thrilled to learn that he is being adopted by Mr. Hawking a famous Pinkerton detective. Carver has grown up reading detective novels and soaking up everything he can get his hands on about becoming a investigator. When he reads his file to get more information about his father and then becomes part of the investigation into a new series of murders in New York Ca...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Danny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books, ya, favourite-covers-titles

Hmm... interesting book 2.6 stars.

Generally I don't really enjoy historical fiction but this one had such a pretty cover I had to give it a go :3 The first chapter really draws you in and while the rest of the book unfolds quite nicely, even the epic 'battle scene' at the end doesn't live up to the first chapter. (view spoiler)...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Sterling rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 25, 2012 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural-fantasy

Ripper is the story of Carver Young. A young boy who dreams of being a detective. As an orphan who has no memory of his parents, he's at a loss when he finds out that the orphanage he's called home all his life is closing. He's found a letter from his mysterious father and decides to contact police commissioner Teddy Roosevelt. He's given a chance to research his father when a former Pinkerton detective decides to take him home.

What Carver hasn't discovered is that the writing on the letter mat...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Traci (The Reading Geek) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stefan Petrucha's Ripper is the story of Carver who has always wanted to become a detective. Then Carver is adopted by the mysterious Detective Hawking and is finally given the opportunity to look for his biological father.

I really enjoyed Ripper and found it hard to put this book down until I solved the mystery. There were so many interesting characters that I wanted to get to know even more about. Carver is a young orphan who has dreams of becoming a famous detective. When he is adopted by Det...more

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About Stefan Petrucha

Stefan Petrucha (born January 27, 1959) is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tec...more

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Books by Stefan Petrucha

The Demon of River Heights (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels, #1)

The Haunted Dollhouse (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels, #3)

Writ in Stone (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels, #2)

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Quotes from Ripper

“It's toys, boy, all toys. You'll see more and more contraptions as you get older, but if I teach you anything, you'll learn that all of this is decoration. What counts is what's inside you and what you can see in others. ” — 5 people liked it

“Backed into a corner, the poor can riot, but the rich start war.” — 4 people liked it

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