The Man Who Hunted Jack the Ripper

by Nicholas Connell, Stewart P. Evans

In 1888 the unknown brought death and terror to the streets of Victorian London’s East End. The Man Who Hunted Jack the Ripper is the story of Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, who was head of the Whitechapel detective force. Having joined the Metropolitan Police Force, Reid rose through the ranks and was eventually transferred to the notorious East End. It was at this time that he assumed responsibility to lead his men in a relentless pursuit of Jack the Ripper; his pursuit of the Whitechapel murderer spanned the years 1888 to 1891.

Reid retired from the police force in 1896 but, in the subsequent years, he often reminisced on his involvement in the hunt for the infamous serial killer; from the comfort of his armchair he carefully considered any new theory that came to light about the identity of Jack the Ripper.

The Man Who Hunted Jack the Ripper recounts the full story of a series of murders that shocked the world.

Genres: True Crime, History

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2000

Reviews

[Deanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, and if you saw ripper street that is the name of the main character though there are differences. The real Reid was involved with the Ripper investigation but his was a long career and he was a respected copper. Not bad for a man two inches under the minimum height for a policeman.
Reid was born in the same county as me, though he was a man of Kent and I am a Kentish maid, depends where in the county. I know Herne Bay the town he retired to, I even know the street he lived on and loved the photos of the seaside, the pier is in a sorry state and I wonder what it looked like to him. He sounds like a character.

[Paul Barton · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing read. I expected details of 'on the ground policing' and plenty of personal recollections. Reid's involvement is being somewhat overplayed here, in my opinion, and the only contemporary references seem to be press reports and internal police memos.

It seems to me that anyone wanting new information or fresh insights is going to have to wait for some kind of miraculous discovery in family vaults somewhere. This book is definitely not it. The murders are recounted (we know much more about them from other sources anyway) very briefly and Reid's involvement is noted where applicable. What a pity there are no diary entries to reveal Reid's personal thoughts.

I would love to know the details of Abberline's involvement in the case. If anyone can claim to be "the man who hunted Jack the Ripper" then surely it would be Abberline.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because of Ripper Street and knowing the name Edmund Reid from that. The book is interesting and it asserts the facts of jack the ripper whilst intertwining them with the story of Reid. Overall good, the writing goes a bit text book at times, but is still a worthwhile read

[Amy H. Sturgis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this solid work on Edmund Reid. It's not a comprehensive biography -- in part because it focuses on Reid in his role as one of the most well-known names from Scotland Yard associated with the Whitechapel murders, and in part because there's only so much known about his life -- but what the novel relates is fascinating.

In particular, I was interested to learn how Reid was exceptional on the force (both the shortest man allowed in and, at the time of his retirement, the oldest serving detective inspector), and how he reacted in his later years to various questions about and published interviews from others about the unsolved Ripper killings. Reid considered substantially more women potential Ripper victims than the so-called "Macnaghten five" list represented, and this carries weight, as he personally investigated a number of the other murders. He also vehemently disagreed with the later comments of other (also retired) officials that there ever was a single "Scotland Yard suspect" or any general consensus about the identity of the Ripper.

The details in this slim volume very nicely added to and complemented my understanding of Scotland Yard's history and Victorian police procedure as gained from my reading about the Autumn of Terror and study of Sherlock Holmes and his times. The book also offers useful insights for anyone interested in the current television series Ripper Street, as it deals not only with Reid's personal character and professional reputation, but also with the lives of those close to him (including the eventual institutionalization of his first wife for insanity).

[Tanya Herig · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read, well researched and written. I like the fact that it didn't focus to much on the details of the Whitechapel murders but more on the Reid as a person and as a Inspector.

The only aspect I didn't care for too much was the title, especially since the "Jack the Ripper" part seems to dominate it. Readers who might only buy the book because of this title might get a bit dissapointed when reading it. But that is only my humble opinion.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read, a look at the men who hunted the ripper, especially Edmund Reid, the same man from TV's Ripper Street. The real life Reid was wholly different from his tv counterpart, but from what is covered in the book was a good detective facing a new threat in crime detection...the serial killer

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the changes from the old book.