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Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel
I am afraid that I, Sherlock Holmes, must act as my own chronicler in this singular case, that of the Whitechapel murders of 1888. For the way in which the affair was dropped upon my doorstep left me with little choice as to the contrary. Not twelve months prior, the siren’s call of quiet domesticity and married life had robbed me of Watson’s assistance as both partner and recorder of my cases. Thus, when detective inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard required a lead—any lead—I found myself forced to pursue Jack the Ripper alone and without the aid of my faithful friend. And all for the most damnedable of reasons:
Early on in my investigations, Dr. John H. Watson, formerly of 221b Baker Street, emerged as my prime suspect.
Early on in my investigations, Dr. John H. Watson, formerly of 221b Baker Street, emerged as my prime suspect.
214 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2020
125 people are currently reading
8438 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Wiseman
12 books242 followersM. K. Wiseman has degrees in Interarts & Technology and Library & Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her office, therefore, is a curious mix of storyboards and reference materials. Both help immensely in the writing of historical novels. She currently resides in Wisconsin but dreams often of her childhood home in New Mexico.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
May 26, 2023
Many thanks to BookSirens, and M. K. Wiseman for a chance to review this book. I was given this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion and review. I have not felt compelled, in any way, by the author, the publisher, or BookSirens to alter my sincerest thoughts on this book. Every word of this review is solely and completely mine.
As a big Sherlock Holmes fan, it is great to read something that could be considered canon (according to the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle heirs). It was fascinating to read a case where Holmes, himself, is the teller of the tale, and that Watson is in fact a suspect. I thrilled with the details of the story that fit well into the historical milieu of the Victorian Age. The plot involving Jack the Ripper vs. Holmes is not original, almost in fact done to death, but in Wiseman's capable hands felt fresh. I felt the ending was unsatisfactory, but everything else was extremely well done. I am happy I read the work and recommend this novel, highly.
As a big Sherlock Holmes fan, it is great to read something that could be considered canon (according to the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle heirs). It was fascinating to read a case where Holmes, himself, is the teller of the tale, and that Watson is in fact a suspect. I thrilled with the details of the story that fit well into the historical milieu of the Victorian Age. The plot involving Jack the Ripper vs. Holmes is not original, almost in fact done to death, but in Wiseman's capable hands felt fresh. I felt the ending was unsatisfactory, but everything else was extremely well done. I am happy I read the work and recommend this novel, highly.
January 7, 2023
Although Arthur Conan Doyle never put Sherlock Holmes on the trail of Jack the Ripper many other authors have tried (& usually failed) to blend fact with fiction & have the great detective investigate the Whitchapel murders.
Here American author M K Wiseman has Holmes facing a dilemma when he suspects that his loyal friend & colleague Dr John Watson might be Jack the Ripper! It's a very intriguing idea, but she doesn't quite manage to pull it off.
The writing is workmanlike & the plot is simply a matter of inserting Holmes into the real Ripper killings. There are some irritating things along the way including the use of Americanisms such as block instead of street & sidewalk instead of pavement & having Mrs Hudson address Holmes as Sherlock is unforgivable!!
On the plus side there's an excellent & tense chase across London, but the twist at the end is unfortunately rather weak.
If you want to read a better novel in which Holmes investigates the Ripper murders I can highly recommend Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Murders: An Account of the Matter by John Watson M.D. by Mark Sohn.
Here American author M K Wiseman has Holmes facing a dilemma when he suspects that his loyal friend & colleague Dr John Watson might be Jack the Ripper! It's a very intriguing idea, but she doesn't quite manage to pull it off.
The writing is workmanlike & the plot is simply a matter of inserting Holmes into the real Ripper killings. There are some irritating things along the way including the use of Americanisms such as block instead of street & sidewalk instead of pavement & having Mrs Hudson address Holmes as Sherlock is unforgivable!!
On the plus side there's an excellent & tense chase across London, but the twist at the end is unfortunately rather weak.
If you want to read a better novel in which Holmes investigates the Ripper murders I can highly recommend Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Murders: An Account of the Matter by John Watson M.D. by Mark Sohn.
July 17, 2020
There are two subjects that are bound to catch the attention of any fan of Victorian murder mysteries: The world's favourite fictional consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, and the unfortunately not fictional serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. Wiseman's excellently written, cleverly plotted and obviously well researched addition to the ever growing amount of novels featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous character combines these two subjects into a suspenseful historical mystery that had me thoroughly hooked. Told from Holmes's own POV rather than that of his trusted friend John Watson, it sees the detective become involved in the hunt for Jack the Ripper only to find that ever more compelling evidence leads him to close in on none other than Watson himself as the prime suspect. It's an intriguing idea that is very well executed and fits into the Holmes canon while showcasing the author's well honed writing skills. I'll be looking forward to reading more of her work.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
November 3, 2020
Happy pub day today for the release of this amazing read that I was able to enjoy ahead of release day, and was it fabulous.
I really enjoyed this book so much, I had to remind myself that this is a novel written in 2020 and not in the 1880's.
I am a huge fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes mystery series, and I thought that author M. K. Wiseman did this latest installment to the Sherlock Homes series, justice.
Wiseman wrote so impeccably Sherlock Holmes' voice and the Victorian time period. This was a feat in itself. I could only imagine the pressures of being compared to a writer with millions of fans - but this book was so well written and details so well presented, that it did not distract me from reading this fabulous story.
The story was told through Sherlock Holmes' point of view which I really enjoyed. The story was well plotted and involves the Ripper and in some way finds his dear friend John Watson somehow in the middle of the story.
I really did enjoy that aspect very much!
This was such an engrossing and captivating read I highly recommend for any mystery and thriller fans, and most especially Doyle and Holmes fans will find this a true delight to read.
Well done!!
I really enjoyed this book so much, I had to remind myself that this is a novel written in 2020 and not in the 1880's.
I am a huge fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes mystery series, and I thought that author M. K. Wiseman did this latest installment to the Sherlock Homes series, justice.
Wiseman wrote so impeccably Sherlock Holmes' voice and the Victorian time period. This was a feat in itself. I could only imagine the pressures of being compared to a writer with millions of fans - but this book was so well written and details so well presented, that it did not distract me from reading this fabulous story.
The story was told through Sherlock Holmes' point of view which I really enjoyed. The story was well plotted and involves the Ripper and in some way finds his dear friend John Watson somehow in the middle of the story.
I really did enjoy that aspect very much!
This was such an engrossing and captivating read I highly recommend for any mystery and thriller fans, and most especially Doyle and Holmes fans will find this a true delight to read.
Well done!!
November 4, 2020
Any book about Jack the Ripper is obviously going to be a grim read, but I wasn’t quite prepared for just how grisly the murders would be. Like the policemen in the story, I also felt nauseous reading about the brutality of the crimes. If you feel you don’t have the stomach for it, you may not enjoy the book.
On the other hand, the writing is excellent and well-researched, and conveys the darkness, the shadows, and the tension in the story perfectly. You can picture the London of those days, covered in smoke, grime, and fog–possibly sheltering a criminal in a corner.
Unlike Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, this one is narrated from the point of view of Holmes. It revealed to me a more human side of Holmes that I’ve not come across in the original stories. The twist in this story comes from the fact that Holmes suspects Watson to be Jack the Ripper, yet cannot believe that he would be wrong about his long-time friend and wants to absolve him of all suspicion.
I was also interested to read that Holmes was constantly confounded by the murders–something else I didn’t see in the originals where he had greater control over the investigation.
Unfortunately, I felt that the ending was too tame and it lets the reader down. The build-up throughout the story was superb and I was hoping for something more dramatic. In attempting to keep with historical accuracy, the author has created a rather quiet and safe end to the horror.
(I received a review copy from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review.)
On the other hand, the writing is excellent and well-researched, and conveys the darkness, the shadows, and the tension in the story perfectly. You can picture the London of those days, covered in smoke, grime, and fog–possibly sheltering a criminal in a corner.
Unlike Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, this one is narrated from the point of view of Holmes. It revealed to me a more human side of Holmes that I’ve not come across in the original stories. The twist in this story comes from the fact that Holmes suspects Watson to be Jack the Ripper, yet cannot believe that he would be wrong about his long-time friend and wants to absolve him of all suspicion.
I was also interested to read that Holmes was constantly confounded by the murders–something else I didn’t see in the originals where he had greater control over the investigation.
Unfortunately, I felt that the ending was too tame and it lets the reader down. The build-up throughout the story was superb and I was hoping for something more dramatic. In attempting to keep with historical accuracy, the author has created a rather quiet and safe end to the horror.
(I received a review copy from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review.)
July 4, 2020
Wow, this book was much "darker" than my usual reading, but I'm very glad I took a chance on it, because this is not so much a story about the notorious Jack the Ripper (though he is a major part of the book). Rather, it's the tale of friendship, and how far a man would go to protect and revive it. I was impressed by the tension in Sherlock Holmes as his usual laser-focus was split between Jack and Watson, and his realization at how much he had come to care for his sleuthing partner. His vulnerability made him all the more admirable in my eyes. And though history is not definitive on the identity of "Saucy Jack," the fictional ending of this case shows the author's preference. This is a great historical read for anyone who wants to peek beyond the headlines. I received a free advance review copy from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 8, 2021
It's a daunting prospect to write about one of the most famous fictional detectives ever, especially so many years after the era in which his stories are set. In that aspect, the author has done a good job of creating the London of the late nineteenth century and Sherlock Holmes himself with his various quirks.
This story places Holmes in the investigation into the murders committed by the infamous Jack the Ripper. Very gory descriptions of the murder victims is a part of the narrative and that was shocking to read about. Holmes is the one telling this story as it unfolds because not only is the recently married Dr Watson not at his side, he seems to be a suspect in the investigation because of several of his actions!
Holmes comes across as far more humane and caring and contemplative of personal relationships than in the original stories. I missed his awe inspiring deductions based on the simplest facts in this story that has a lot of physical action from start to finish. The conclusion was a let down mainly because it was a tad tame given the build-up.
This story places Holmes in the investigation into the murders committed by the infamous Jack the Ripper. Very gory descriptions of the murder victims is a part of the narrative and that was shocking to read about. Holmes is the one telling this story as it unfolds because not only is the recently married Dr Watson not at his side, he seems to be a suspect in the investigation because of several of his actions!
Holmes comes across as far more humane and caring and contemplative of personal relationships than in the original stories. I missed his awe inspiring deductions based on the simplest facts in this story that has a lot of physical action from start to finish. The conclusion was a let down mainly because it was a tad tame given the build-up.
September 24, 2020
I enjoyed SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE RIPPER OF WHITECHAPEL. Holmes has always been a great read for me. This author is new to me and is a great read. I believe this novel will be enjoyed by many!
June 21, 2020
Recently I was invited to join the Book Sirens community that allows readers to receive Advanced Readers Copies (ARCs) of not yet published books in return for honest reviews. This is my review under those rules. Thank you Book Sirens for allowing me to read this book. It is scheduled for publication in late 2020.
M.K. WISEMAN is the author of the new mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes. The book is entitled SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE RIPPER OF WHITECHAPEL. As you might be able to guess, this story involves Holmes and Watson in the greatest unsolved true serial killing spree in British if not world history. It is the story of “Jack the Ripper” who terrorized the East London neighborhood of Whitechapel in 1888. Some writers have suggested that he may have been the Prince of Wales in 1888. The author also writes/publishes in fantasy and magic genres.
Some of the characters are based on real people who were involved in the actual murder cases. Some of the descriptions are from contemporary media accounts of the brutal killings. Other characters are straight from the mind of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, original creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Of course, there is Sherlock himself who is the narrator of the story. Dr. John Watson has left Holmes to marry Mary Morstan the love of his life. The last case they had done together was “The Sign of the Four”. Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard makes his required appearance, as do members of The Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes’ gang of street urchins.
At first, Holmes does not want to get involved with the search for the “Whitechapel Ripper” as it is not his kind of case. As the story unfolds, Holmes becomes concerned that his friend Watson may be involved. Once Holmes gets to sleuthing, he becomes convinced that Watson may indeed be The Ripper himself. He enlists The Baker Street Irregulars, Watson’s wife Mary and Scotland Yard to unravel the story. The shocking ending may surprise most readers.
I devoured Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories when I was in high school in the 1950s. I worked for the original publisher of THE ANNOTATED SHERLOCK HOLMES that I have on a bookshelf in my home office. I have read many Doyle imitators over the last six decades. They have all succeeded in some respects to duplicate Doyle but fail in other respects. None really can compare to the original. M.K. WISEMAN does a good job at times to sound like Doyle. At other times, the author just writes well in his/her own voice. If you like the thought of another Sherlock adventure, by all means grab a copy of this book. RECOMMENDED for Sherlock and other mystery fans.
GO! BUY! READ!
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
M.K. WISEMAN is the author of the new mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes. The book is entitled SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE RIPPER OF WHITECHAPEL. As you might be able to guess, this story involves Holmes and Watson in the greatest unsolved true serial killing spree in British if not world history. It is the story of “Jack the Ripper” who terrorized the East London neighborhood of Whitechapel in 1888. Some writers have suggested that he may have been the Prince of Wales in 1888. The author also writes/publishes in fantasy and magic genres.
Some of the characters are based on real people who were involved in the actual murder cases. Some of the descriptions are from contemporary media accounts of the brutal killings. Other characters are straight from the mind of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, original creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Of course, there is Sherlock himself who is the narrator of the story. Dr. John Watson has left Holmes to marry Mary Morstan the love of his life. The last case they had done together was “The Sign of the Four”. Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard makes his required appearance, as do members of The Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes’ gang of street urchins.
At first, Holmes does not want to get involved with the search for the “Whitechapel Ripper” as it is not his kind of case. As the story unfolds, Holmes becomes concerned that his friend Watson may be involved. Once Holmes gets to sleuthing, he becomes convinced that Watson may indeed be The Ripper himself. He enlists The Baker Street Irregulars, Watson’s wife Mary and Scotland Yard to unravel the story. The shocking ending may surprise most readers.
I devoured Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories when I was in high school in the 1950s. I worked for the original publisher of THE ANNOTATED SHERLOCK HOLMES that I have on a bookshelf in my home office. I have read many Doyle imitators over the last six decades. They have all succeeded in some respects to duplicate Doyle but fail in other respects. None really can compare to the original. M.K. WISEMAN does a good job at times to sound like Doyle. At other times, the author just writes well in his/her own voice. If you like the thought of another Sherlock adventure, by all means grab a copy of this book. RECOMMENDED for Sherlock and other mystery fans.
GO! BUY! READ!
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 27, 2025
Keeps you guessing til the end.
July 19, 2020
This is another very Conan Doyle-like story of Holmes - in this instance, we have the added mystery of the notorious Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper.
Wiseman plots and paces his story in a manner that you might be forgiven for thinking this was a lost Conan Doyle manuscript. His take on Holmes is uncannily like the original manuscripts.
However, in this instance, the story is narrated by Holmes whilst Watson becomes one of the secondary characters in this outing. Holmes notes that this is not his usual type of case and is more or less "lured into" the case by not only Inspector Lestrade but Commissioner Warren. The story follows the Ripper murders fairly closely with Homes concluding that there was a "... compendium of errors which had plagued the case ..." which (no spoiler) remains an enigmatic mystery still today.
Definitely one for fans of Holmes and Watson - hope there are more tales on the horizon!
Wiseman plots and paces his story in a manner that you might be forgiven for thinking this was a lost Conan Doyle manuscript. His take on Holmes is uncannily like the original manuscripts.
However, in this instance, the story is narrated by Holmes whilst Watson becomes one of the secondary characters in this outing. Holmes notes that this is not his usual type of case and is more or less "lured into" the case by not only Inspector Lestrade but Commissioner Warren. The story follows the Ripper murders fairly closely with Homes concluding that there was a "... compendium of errors which had plagued the case ..." which (no spoiler) remains an enigmatic mystery still today.
Definitely one for fans of Holmes and Watson - hope there are more tales on the horizon!
October 31, 2020
This is a really interesting Sherlock Holmes story, obviously not canon, but very well done.
It's nearly a year after Dr. John Watson married Mary Morstan, and moved out of the 221B Baker Street flat to his own home and his own medical practice. Holmes has found he really misses Watson, both his company, and his contributions to his investigations--because Watson has been even more absent than might be expected due to marriage and professional obligations, especially these last few months.
And something strange and disturbing is happening; what will become known as the Jack the Ripper killings have started. Watson, on one of his rare visits, has urged Holmes not to become involved, because it's such a disturbing case. But Lestrade also makes a visit to 221B Baker Street, and asks Holmes for his help on this case the police have not so far made any progress on, and Holmes says yes.
Very quickly he finds truly disturbing facts--personally disturbing, not just the disturbing nature of the killings.
This story is different from most Holmes stories, because in this case the villian is Jack the Ripper, and Dr. Watson is a very good fit for one profile of the Ripper. Holmes is acting as his own chronicler this time.
Holmes is appalled he's suspecting his friend at all. He's keeping secrets from Watson--and Watson is clearly keeping secrets from him. Watson, in his turn, is hurt and offended when he realizes Holmes perhaps suspects him of being the Ripper. His real secret, which he is also keeping from his wife, is heartbreaking and terrible, and inextricable from the case. This is really an interesting look at Holmes, Watson, and the complexities of their relationship.
It's worth noting that Wiseman has stuck as close as possible to the historical record, regarding the killings, the victims, and police and witnesses involved in the case. Holmes, Watson, Lestrade, and others are woven in to the real investigation--or the real investigation woven into the fictional one--in a fairly seamless way.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
It's nearly a year after Dr. John Watson married Mary Morstan, and moved out of the 221B Baker Street flat to his own home and his own medical practice. Holmes has found he really misses Watson, both his company, and his contributions to his investigations--because Watson has been even more absent than might be expected due to marriage and professional obligations, especially these last few months.
And something strange and disturbing is happening; what will become known as the Jack the Ripper killings have started. Watson, on one of his rare visits, has urged Holmes not to become involved, because it's such a disturbing case. But Lestrade also makes a visit to 221B Baker Street, and asks Holmes for his help on this case the police have not so far made any progress on, and Holmes says yes.
Very quickly he finds truly disturbing facts--personally disturbing, not just the disturbing nature of the killings.
This story is different from most Holmes stories, because in this case the villian is Jack the Ripper, and Dr. Watson is a very good fit for one profile of the Ripper. Holmes is acting as his own chronicler this time.
Holmes is appalled he's suspecting his friend at all. He's keeping secrets from Watson--and Watson is clearly keeping secrets from him. Watson, in his turn, is hurt and offended when he realizes Holmes perhaps suspects him of being the Ripper. His real secret, which he is also keeping from his wife, is heartbreaking and terrible, and inextricable from the case. This is really an interesting look at Holmes, Watson, and the complexities of their relationship.
It's worth noting that Wiseman has stuck as close as possible to the historical record, regarding the killings, the victims, and police and witnesses involved in the case. Holmes, Watson, Lestrade, and others are woven in to the real investigation--or the real investigation woven into the fictional one--in a fairly seamless way.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
November 4, 2020
Being a lifelong fan of Sherlock Holmes, I couldn’t pass up the chance to dig into this story. And I wasn’t disappointed.
In this retelling, the infamous Holmes is called into the case of the Ripper of Whitechapel, aka Jack the Ripper. While his investigation gleans more than that of Lestrade and Scotland Yard, they also lead him to an unlikely suspect, his friend and partner, Dr. John Watson.
His investigation becomes three-fold: to exonerate his friend or find him guilty… which he cannot allow himself to believe to be true; to find the real killer committing the heinous murders; and to find out why Watson has been acting so out of character, lying to him, and his wife, Mary.
This fast-moving quick read delivers a more personable Holmes, with less of the arrogance and disdain for everyone around him. He is more honest with and about himself, admitting his own failings and shortcomings. Told entirely from his point of view, there is more compassion for those he encounters and less judgment. Okay, except for Lestrade and the Yard. He realizes their job is not an easy one but still disapproves of their shoddy and sometimes, less than professional investigating.
Before Sherlock can prove Watson’s innocence to himself, the police put him under surveillance, promising to arrest the doctor. Working alone, Holmes tries to beat the clock, losing hope not only when all the evidence points to his friend, but when he’s also involved in a life and death struggle with the notorious Jack the Ripper.
A stellar read weaving the great fictional detective with the real-life unsolved crimes of serial killer Jack the Ripper. I highly recommend!
Enjoy!
In this retelling, the infamous Holmes is called into the case of the Ripper of Whitechapel, aka Jack the Ripper. While his investigation gleans more than that of Lestrade and Scotland Yard, they also lead him to an unlikely suspect, his friend and partner, Dr. John Watson.
His investigation becomes three-fold: to exonerate his friend or find him guilty… which he cannot allow himself to believe to be true; to find the real killer committing the heinous murders; and to find out why Watson has been acting so out of character, lying to him, and his wife, Mary.
This fast-moving quick read delivers a more personable Holmes, with less of the arrogance and disdain for everyone around him. He is more honest with and about himself, admitting his own failings and shortcomings. Told entirely from his point of view, there is more compassion for those he encounters and less judgment. Okay, except for Lestrade and the Yard. He realizes their job is not an easy one but still disapproves of their shoddy and sometimes, less than professional investigating.
Before Sherlock can prove Watson’s innocence to himself, the police put him under surveillance, promising to arrest the doctor. Working alone, Holmes tries to beat the clock, losing hope not only when all the evidence points to his friend, but when he’s also involved in a life and death struggle with the notorious Jack the Ripper.
A stellar read weaving the great fictional detective with the real-life unsolved crimes of serial killer Jack the Ripper. I highly recommend!
Enjoy!
May 21, 2020
I really enjoyed the author's approach. Saucy Jack is one of my historical fascinations [the Mystery of Whom? and why did "he" stop so suddenly and quickly--did he die? Did he emigrate? are all so COMPELLING!]. I really liked viewing via Sherlock Holmes' POV as a nice alteration from Dr. Watson's admittedly non-omniscient narration. I admired the developing tension as Holmes investigates Watson's odd behaviour, and must consider him a potential suspect. Then, too, the Denouement in terms of the Ripper's disappearance is satisfying, as is the conclusion between Holmes and Watson. Well done, all around.
October 2, 2022
I've read one of Wiseman's previous books and I wasn't really the biggest fan, but I love both Sherlock Holmes and Ripper narratives so I had to give this one a shot.
I'm really glad I did! The narrative was much more streamlined and Holmes' narrative voice was very easy and engaging to read.
Definitely recommend this one for Ripper aficionados.
I'm really glad I did! The narrative was much more streamlined and Holmes' narrative voice was very easy and engaging to read.
Definitely recommend this one for Ripper aficionados.
August 25, 2022
I do enjoy a bit of Sherlock in its multiple forms so sat down to read this with relish. I was drawn in to Holmes's horror at having to suspect his old friend. Grisly murders but done tastefully if such things are possible. Well written, succinct and lending a genuine air of the era.
June 6, 2023
Thank you for another Goodreads giveaway! Solid reconstruction of Sherlock Holmes on the trail of Jack the Ripper. I wish there was an author's note explaining how he became interested in the series and taking on this challenge.
October 9, 2020
Being an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes was excited that the book review club allowed me to read this .. instantly from the first moment transported to the glum streets of London even my skin felt dirty. I loved this book and was definitely sad to turn the last page. Captured the characters perfectly and the plot was fantastic definite 5 stars
November 4, 2020
Who’s your all-time favourite character?
Mine, without a doubt, it’s Sherlock Holmes. Over the years I’ve read and seen most of the books available with his character as a protagonist and I enjoyed them immensely.
When I had the opportunity to read and review Sherlock Holmes and The Ripper of Whitechapel by M.K. Wiseman, I couldn’t let this one pass and read it in one sitting.
I found it very interesting and intriguing because this time, his best friend and confidant, Dr Watson, was the primary suspect in a series of murders that he took upon to solve.
I enjoyed this suspenseful story, especially because it made him more human and reliable, all his conflicted feelings about everything and his well-known gut intuition saved the day again as expected.
A must-read for sure.
It’s suspenseful, dark and sometimes gruesome but so worth the time.
Mine, without a doubt, it’s Sherlock Holmes. Over the years I’ve read and seen most of the books available with his character as a protagonist and I enjoyed them immensely.
When I had the opportunity to read and review Sherlock Holmes and The Ripper of Whitechapel by M.K. Wiseman, I couldn’t let this one pass and read it in one sitting.
I found it very interesting and intriguing because this time, his best friend and confidant, Dr Watson, was the primary suspect in a series of murders that he took upon to solve.
I enjoyed this suspenseful story, especially because it made him more human and reliable, all his conflicted feelings about everything and his well-known gut intuition saved the day again as expected.
A must-read for sure.
It’s suspenseful, dark and sometimes gruesome but so worth the time.
July 4, 2020
A real page turner that provides the reader with eccentric, but realistic, characters. Holmes is meticulous in his investigative skills and Watson, who is newly married, is attempting to continue helping Holmes while caring for an addicted brother and a loving wife. Jack is utterly gruesome and well described by the obviously very gifted, Ms. Wiseman. Lestrade, the chief detective, worked tirelessly at solving the Whitechapel murders of six prostitutes who were mutilated by our ripper who seemed to enjoy excellent surgical skills. A nail biting, macabre mystery that I highly recommend to all but the faint of heart.
November 14, 2020
Originally published at Reading Reality
Jack the Ripper – whatever his real identity might have been – was most likely not the world’s first serial killer. But he lives in the popular imagination because his bloody spree happened at the dawn of the popular mass media as we know it today.
Between rising literacy, the increasing popularity of newspapers – including the gutter press – and the advent of the telegraph which provided the ability for words, for news to travel around the globe instantaneously, the Ripper murders in Whitechapel became the eye of a perfect storm.
Sensational news, an idea whose time had come but has STILL definitely not gone – and probably never will, combined with a series of absolutely gruesome deaths, an unsolved – still unsolved – mystery, and the ability for everyone who wanted to, pretty much everywhere, to read all about it nearly instantly turned Jack’s crimes into the kind of can’t print enough compulsive reading that has never ended.
Into that series of baffling mysteries at the very dawn of scientific detection, insert one Sherlock Holmes, who was at the forefront of that scientific detection and who, if he had been real and not fictional, would have been in his heyday as a consulting detective and would indubitably been dragged into the case – whether by Scotland Yard or by his compulsion to solve the unsolvable.
In this story, that perfect storm of mass media compulsion turns into its own kind of perfect storm for Holmes himself. Because Watson, his friend and faithful biographer, fits all too easily into Holmes’ profile of the killer. Something that Holmes the thinking machine can’t make himself ignore, no matter how much he wishes it were not possibly so.
Because his best friend seems to have a guilty conscience, or at least a guilty secret. Watson, nearly a year after his marriage to Mary Morstan, moving out of 221b Baker Street and setting up his own household and his own medical practice, is lying to both his wife and Holmes about his whereabouts on the nights when Jack has been out and about on his grisly business.
If Watson is not the killer, Holmes’ suspicion of him will break their friendship. If he is, it will break the heart that Holmes tries to pretend he does not have. Whichever turns out to be the real case, Holmes is certain that nothing will ever be the same.
He has no idea just how right he is. And just how wrong.
Escape Rating B: The initial premise for this story is obvious when one thinks about it. If Holmes had been a real person, he would have been active in 1888 when the Ripper killings took place. In the Holmes’ chronology, the Ripper killings would have taken place around the time of the stories The Sign of the Four and The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor. Stories that Watson faithfully chronicled.
If Holmes were real, of course Scotland Yard would have contacted him, expecting him to bring his singular genius to the solving of this terrible series of murders and mutilations, so it seems logical to place Holmes in the context of the investigation.
(In fact, it’s been done before, most especially in Lyndsay Faye’s utterly marvelous and highly recommended Dust and Shadow. If you liked this take on Holmes investigating the Ripper, you will LOVE that one. I digress.)
The thing that makes this particular version feel different from Faye’s version, or from many another Holmes pastiche, is that this is a rare story that is not chronicled by Holmes’ faithful Boswell, Dr. John Watson, for reasons that become obvious in the story.
But Holmes’ chronicle of his own investigation feels just the tiniest bit “off”. It’s utterly fascinating, and I had a great time reading it, but the Holmes of this version is considerably more angsty than is the norm.
On the other hand, the reason for the angst is also very much outside the norm. He suspects Watson, his best friend, of being the Ripper. That would be enough to make anyone resort to a bit of “purple prose”, even the usually unemotional Sherlock Holmes.
The case then becomes two-fold. Holmes is investigating the Ripper killings. Killings in which he feels that the perpetrator has studied his methods and is deliberately taunting him. Holmes is also investigating Watson’s guilty secret, as Watson is manifestly lying to everyone close to him, and is someone who most definitely knows Holmes’ methods.
So Holmes is working both for and against the police, the police are as competent as usual, meaning not very, and Watson is being furtive and looking extremely guilty about something. Holmes is not sure who or what he should pursue, while the police are following his trail and coming to the same conclusions, without that deep friendship that he needs to protect but feels betrayed at the same time.
But the case, as convoluted as Holmes’ cases generally are, still manages to build itself slowly and methodically towards an inexorable conclusion – just not quite the one that anybody expects.
Readers who have delved into the many, varied and fascinating worlds presented by Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and those who are fascinated by the idea of the greatest detective attempting to solve the unsolvable Ripper murders will be on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Jack the Ripper – whatever his real identity might have been – was most likely not the world’s first serial killer. But he lives in the popular imagination because his bloody spree happened at the dawn of the popular mass media as we know it today.
Between rising literacy, the increasing popularity of newspapers – including the gutter press – and the advent of the telegraph which provided the ability for words, for news to travel around the globe instantaneously, the Ripper murders in Whitechapel became the eye of a perfect storm.
Sensational news, an idea whose time had come but has STILL definitely not gone – and probably never will, combined with a series of absolutely gruesome deaths, an unsolved – still unsolved – mystery, and the ability for everyone who wanted to, pretty much everywhere, to read all about it nearly instantly turned Jack’s crimes into the kind of can’t print enough compulsive reading that has never ended.
Into that series of baffling mysteries at the very dawn of scientific detection, insert one Sherlock Holmes, who was at the forefront of that scientific detection and who, if he had been real and not fictional, would have been in his heyday as a consulting detective and would indubitably been dragged into the case – whether by Scotland Yard or by his compulsion to solve the unsolvable.
In this story, that perfect storm of mass media compulsion turns into its own kind of perfect storm for Holmes himself. Because Watson, his friend and faithful biographer, fits all too easily into Holmes’ profile of the killer. Something that Holmes the thinking machine can’t make himself ignore, no matter how much he wishes it were not possibly so.
Because his best friend seems to have a guilty conscience, or at least a guilty secret. Watson, nearly a year after his marriage to Mary Morstan, moving out of 221b Baker Street and setting up his own household and his own medical practice, is lying to both his wife and Holmes about his whereabouts on the nights when Jack has been out and about on his grisly business.
If Watson is not the killer, Holmes’ suspicion of him will break their friendship. If he is, it will break the heart that Holmes tries to pretend he does not have. Whichever turns out to be the real case, Holmes is certain that nothing will ever be the same.
He has no idea just how right he is. And just how wrong.
Escape Rating B: The initial premise for this story is obvious when one thinks about it. If Holmes had been a real person, he would have been active in 1888 when the Ripper killings took place. In the Holmes’ chronology, the Ripper killings would have taken place around the time of the stories The Sign of the Four and The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor. Stories that Watson faithfully chronicled.
If Holmes were real, of course Scotland Yard would have contacted him, expecting him to bring his singular genius to the solving of this terrible series of murders and mutilations, so it seems logical to place Holmes in the context of the investigation.
(In fact, it’s been done before, most especially in Lyndsay Faye’s utterly marvelous and highly recommended Dust and Shadow. If you liked this take on Holmes investigating the Ripper, you will LOVE that one. I digress.)
The thing that makes this particular version feel different from Faye’s version, or from many another Holmes pastiche, is that this is a rare story that is not chronicled by Holmes’ faithful Boswell, Dr. John Watson, for reasons that become obvious in the story.
But Holmes’ chronicle of his own investigation feels just the tiniest bit “off”. It’s utterly fascinating, and I had a great time reading it, but the Holmes of this version is considerably more angsty than is the norm.
On the other hand, the reason for the angst is also very much outside the norm. He suspects Watson, his best friend, of being the Ripper. That would be enough to make anyone resort to a bit of “purple prose”, even the usually unemotional Sherlock Holmes.
The case then becomes two-fold. Holmes is investigating the Ripper killings. Killings in which he feels that the perpetrator has studied his methods and is deliberately taunting him. Holmes is also investigating Watson’s guilty secret, as Watson is manifestly lying to everyone close to him, and is someone who most definitely knows Holmes’ methods.
So Holmes is working both for and against the police, the police are as competent as usual, meaning not very, and Watson is being furtive and looking extremely guilty about something. Holmes is not sure who or what he should pursue, while the police are following his trail and coming to the same conclusions, without that deep friendship that he needs to protect but feels betrayed at the same time.
But the case, as convoluted as Holmes’ cases generally are, still manages to build itself slowly and methodically towards an inexorable conclusion – just not quite the one that anybody expects.
Readers who have delved into the many, varied and fascinating worlds presented by Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and those who are fascinated by the idea of the greatest detective attempting to solve the unsolvable Ripper murders will be on the edge of their seats until the very end.
July 28, 2021
Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology.blogspot.com/2021/...
When you read a new book by an unknown author in the voice of a beloved character, it’s natural to feel some hesitation and a mild sense of alarm at what might ensue but this author has picked up the style so beautifully that you hardly notice any difference between Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel by MK Wiseman and any of the books written by Arthur Conan Doyle.
The only difference is that instead of Dr Watson being the chronicler, here it is Holmes himself playing that role.
And for good reason too. Dr Watson is now married to Miss Mary Morstan, who was Holmes’ client in The Sign of the Four. The good doctor has now settled in peaceful domesticity with her, while being occupied with managing his practice. Consequently he has had no time to visit his former rooms or his friend, since his marriage. The friendship has also been frayed with Dr Watson’s publication of one of Holmes’ cases, A Study in Scarlet, in the Christmas edition of Beeton’s Chronicle.
The story begins with Charles Warren, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, appealing to Holmes for help. Two women have already died at the hands of a brutal killer, named Jack the Ripper, and now a third body has been found. A message left behind by the killer at the scene of the crime declares, "Five done. Fifteen more and I give myself up."
The bestiality with which the women are killed and mutilated makes the prospect of more killings even more horrific, and Holmes is anxious to solve the mystery. But this challenge proves to be one of the most difficult challenges of his career, especially since the suspicion falls squarely on his dear friend, Dr Watson.
The author has preserved the character of Sherlock Holmes in the universe of 221 Baker Street along with the other characters and setting so beloved around the world. In this book, the author has combined the myth of Sherlock Holmes with serial killings that have been the subject of so much fiction as to seem almost mythical. The book ends with the Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, which is incidentally the first story I read from the canon of Arthur Conan Doyle.
The book consists of the usual cast of characters, including Inspector Lestrade, Mary Watson nee Morstan, and the Baker Street irregulars led by Billy Wiggins.
The murders are all gruesome but it does not make for squeamish reading because of the language of the late 19th century in which it is couched.
The deductive clues that Sherlock Holmes used to enthrall us with, over a century before his time, now have a name in police circles: Profiling, and the author uses the word.
Also, in this book, Holmes has had the time and the inclination to call out his own egoism vis-à-vis Dr Watson and to admit the significance of the human element in deduction.
Unfortunately, despite the flourishing literary style, I found that Holmes wasn’t his usual self here. The deductive skills that used to wow us in Doyle’s canon are missing here. The only evidence we see of his deductive skills is how he gauges the height of the Ripper based on the height from the ground at which the writing has been found. A reasoning we first read in Doyle’s work.
The middle of the book is plagued with doubts and fears, and the investigation picks up pace only around the 80 percent mark.
When you read a new book by an unknown author in the voice of a beloved character, it’s natural to feel some hesitation and a mild sense of alarm at what might ensue but this author has picked up the style so beautifully that you hardly notice any difference between Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel by MK Wiseman and any of the books written by Arthur Conan Doyle.
The only difference is that instead of Dr Watson being the chronicler, here it is Holmes himself playing that role.
And for good reason too. Dr Watson is now married to Miss Mary Morstan, who was Holmes’ client in The Sign of the Four. The good doctor has now settled in peaceful domesticity with her, while being occupied with managing his practice. Consequently he has had no time to visit his former rooms or his friend, since his marriage. The friendship has also been frayed with Dr Watson’s publication of one of Holmes’ cases, A Study in Scarlet, in the Christmas edition of Beeton’s Chronicle.
The story begins with Charles Warren, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, appealing to Holmes for help. Two women have already died at the hands of a brutal killer, named Jack the Ripper, and now a third body has been found. A message left behind by the killer at the scene of the crime declares, "Five done. Fifteen more and I give myself up."
The bestiality with which the women are killed and mutilated makes the prospect of more killings even more horrific, and Holmes is anxious to solve the mystery. But this challenge proves to be one of the most difficult challenges of his career, especially since the suspicion falls squarely on his dear friend, Dr Watson.
The author has preserved the character of Sherlock Holmes in the universe of 221 Baker Street along with the other characters and setting so beloved around the world. In this book, the author has combined the myth of Sherlock Holmes with serial killings that have been the subject of so much fiction as to seem almost mythical. The book ends with the Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, which is incidentally the first story I read from the canon of Arthur Conan Doyle.
The book consists of the usual cast of characters, including Inspector Lestrade, Mary Watson nee Morstan, and the Baker Street irregulars led by Billy Wiggins.
The murders are all gruesome but it does not make for squeamish reading because of the language of the late 19th century in which it is couched.
The deductive clues that Sherlock Holmes used to enthrall us with, over a century before his time, now have a name in police circles: Profiling, and the author uses the word.
Also, in this book, Holmes has had the time and the inclination to call out his own egoism vis-à-vis Dr Watson and to admit the significance of the human element in deduction.
Unfortunately, despite the flourishing literary style, I found that Holmes wasn’t his usual self here. The deductive skills that used to wow us in Doyle’s canon are missing here. The only evidence we see of his deductive skills is how he gauges the height of the Ripper based on the height from the ground at which the writing has been found. A reasoning we first read in Doyle’s work.
The middle of the book is plagued with doubts and fears, and the investigation picks up pace only around the 80 percent mark.
August 30, 2021
Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel earns 5/5 Pipes...Compelling!
As an eager Anglophile and mystery fan, I regularly seek out manifestations of Doyle’s fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Whether the original Victorian setting or reimagined in contemporary times, whether involving new characters or changing gender, whether incorporating historical events or devising new encounters, I am game to check it out. Case in Point: “Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel” by M.K. Wiseman. Using details and suppositions from the infamous real-life, and unsolved, crime to challenge literature’s most adept detective and adding some fictionalized ideas and theories, Wiseman employs a first-person narrative, like a personal account, offering investigative insights, inner thoughts and feelings, and descriptive ideas from Holmes’s perspective. And the twist? Watson, whose medical practice and ten-month marriage has kept him otherwise occupied, becomes a source of suspicion…by Holmes.
It’s 1888, and the Ripper is wielding fear and a knife throughout London’s East End. Holmes has kept abreast of the details, but, as suggested by friend John Watson, he has kept his distance from the investigation. This changes when the fourth victim is found and Sir Charles Warren, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, arrives at Baker Street following up with LeStande suggestion to get Holmes’s help. The crime scene is gruesome, but the most disturbing detail is the scrawl chalked on the wall, “Five. Fifteen more and then I give myself up.” To complicate Holmes’s involvement, post mortems are mishandled, useless details and public sentiment are distractions, crime scenes are disrupted, and his own pertinent notions and profiles are ignored. However, most troubling is the physical evidence, witness statements, and a profile devised from the killer’s penned letter causing Holmes incapable of, in good conscience, dismissing his friend Watson as a person of interest.
I have enjoyed film and television versions of Sherlock Holmes along with any clever twists on many of the original elements and also insightful documentaries and fictional interpretations of Jack the Ripper, and this version holds a high spot with an extremely fascinating premise, intense in some descriptions, of course, and a writing style that does well to illustrate the characters I’ve come to love. I was totally engaged in Holmes’s thoughts in connection to the crime itself and judgements passed against the police and their foibles, but it was his conflicting feelings about entertaining suspicions toward his friend Watson that were so compelling. Wiseman does well to make you feel his angst having been overlooked, now that Watson is married, and his efforts to uncover what it is that has him niggled about his friend and this case. The investigative journey often partners Holmes with Lestrade since Watson is frequently preoccupied which mandates the spying on his friend, and the additional murders are vicious causing more panic exacerbating the cat and mouse chase and personal danger. All leading to a shocking ending. Wow! What a fantastic read!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher thru EdelweissPlus. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments
As an eager Anglophile and mystery fan, I regularly seek out manifestations of Doyle’s fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Whether the original Victorian setting or reimagined in contemporary times, whether involving new characters or changing gender, whether incorporating historical events or devising new encounters, I am game to check it out. Case in Point: “Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel” by M.K. Wiseman. Using details and suppositions from the infamous real-life, and unsolved, crime to challenge literature’s most adept detective and adding some fictionalized ideas and theories, Wiseman employs a first-person narrative, like a personal account, offering investigative insights, inner thoughts and feelings, and descriptive ideas from Holmes’s perspective. And the twist? Watson, whose medical practice and ten-month marriage has kept him otherwise occupied, becomes a source of suspicion…by Holmes.
It’s 1888, and the Ripper is wielding fear and a knife throughout London’s East End. Holmes has kept abreast of the details, but, as suggested by friend John Watson, he has kept his distance from the investigation. This changes when the fourth victim is found and Sir Charles Warren, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, arrives at Baker Street following up with LeStande suggestion to get Holmes’s help. The crime scene is gruesome, but the most disturbing detail is the scrawl chalked on the wall, “Five. Fifteen more and then I give myself up.” To complicate Holmes’s involvement, post mortems are mishandled, useless details and public sentiment are distractions, crime scenes are disrupted, and his own pertinent notions and profiles are ignored. However, most troubling is the physical evidence, witness statements, and a profile devised from the killer’s penned letter causing Holmes incapable of, in good conscience, dismissing his friend Watson as a person of interest.
I have enjoyed film and television versions of Sherlock Holmes along with any clever twists on many of the original elements and also insightful documentaries and fictional interpretations of Jack the Ripper, and this version holds a high spot with an extremely fascinating premise, intense in some descriptions, of course, and a writing style that does well to illustrate the characters I’ve come to love. I was totally engaged in Holmes’s thoughts in connection to the crime itself and judgements passed against the police and their foibles, but it was his conflicting feelings about entertaining suspicions toward his friend Watson that were so compelling. Wiseman does well to make you feel his angst having been overlooked, now that Watson is married, and his efforts to uncover what it is that has him niggled about his friend and this case. The investigative journey often partners Holmes with Lestrade since Watson is frequently preoccupied which mandates the spying on his friend, and the additional murders are vicious causing more panic exacerbating the cat and mouse chase and personal danger. All leading to a shocking ending. Wow! What a fantastic read!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher thru EdelweissPlus. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments
November 3, 2020
The year is 1888, and the infamous Autumn of Terror has already begun. Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective of 221B Baker Street in London, has seen little of his friend Dr John Watson since the doctor married Miss Mary Morstan, a former client of theirs, and moved out of their shared lodgings. Fortified by his long suffering housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, and ably assisted by a band of ragamuffin children known as the Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes has continued to work alone much of the time, although Watson tells him he continues to write his journals about their cases and exploits. Three women have already fallen foul to the knife of the so-called “Red Fiend” stalking the East End of London but Holmes has no interest in investigating, even being dissuaded by Watson to get involved. It is only a visit from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police on Inspector Lestrade’s recommendation that reveals the detectives are completely in the dark and need help. With the most recent discovery of a woman’s body in a yard in Hanbury Street still fresh, Holmes agrees to view the scene. There Holmes makes a disturbing discovery which sets him on a path of suspicion into his old friend. As more murders take place, Holmes finds himself torn between loyalty and evidence which is hard to ignore. Without the aid of his trusted colleague and keeping Lestrade at a distance, will Holmes solve one of the greatest mysteries of all time?
I very much enjoyed this. All the old favourites are there – Holmes with his pipe and violin, the grubby street urchins, the hansom cabs, the fog and gloom of the deprived streets and most importantly, the unfortunate women who have to sell themselves for the price of a bed in a doss house and a drink of cheap gin to dull the pain. The story is related in a very authentic style with only a few “Americanisms” such as fall and blocks. There have been so many twists on the Jack The Ripper story over the years and who knows – might someone have stumbled on the truth? I liked the way that the author stuck to the known events and facts about the victims, the dates and places, and included many of the actual witnesses and police officers involved. In a very entertaining and engrossing story, the master detective Sherlock Holmes lets the reader in on the secret of what really happened in Whitechapel, London in 1888. 4.5*
I very much enjoyed this. All the old favourites are there – Holmes with his pipe and violin, the grubby street urchins, the hansom cabs, the fog and gloom of the deprived streets and most importantly, the unfortunate women who have to sell themselves for the price of a bed in a doss house and a drink of cheap gin to dull the pain. The story is related in a very authentic style with only a few “Americanisms” such as fall and blocks. There have been so many twists on the Jack The Ripper story over the years and who knows – might someone have stumbled on the truth? I liked the way that the author stuck to the known events and facts about the victims, the dates and places, and included many of the actual witnesses and police officers involved. In a very entertaining and engrossing story, the master detective Sherlock Holmes lets the reader in on the secret of what really happened in Whitechapel, London in 1888. 4.5*
November 3, 2020
Sherlock Holmes & the Ripper of Whitechapel takes place some ten months after the marriage of John Watson and Mary Morstan, John has moved out of 221b and has been too involved in his new wife and practice to be at Sherlock's side. When Inspector Lestrade recommends Sherlock to his superiors in regards to the murders in Whitechapel, it is only with an odd niggle of a doubt, as Watson had advised against the cases. But when in the course of investigating the surroundings of the most recent murder, Sherlock finds evidence that sows the seeds of doubt in his most dear friend, he can't help but put his feverish mind to work. Wrestling with doubt at the what the facts portray, versus his own intimate knowledge of his friend, versus said friend's recent actions; Sherlock puts all his resources to use.
For the purists of both Arthur Conan Doyle and Ripperologists, this book may not be quite your cup of tea. However, if you're either only casually aware or don't mind mixing your true crime with a bit of fiction this is a wonderful book. A marvelously fast-paced story told from Sherlock's point of view and with a frightfully close approximation of Arthur Conan Doyle's inimitable style, we race to both stop a killer and uncover the truth. This book unflinchingly shows the damage that long-term secrets and lies can do, as well as the lengths people will go to to help their friends and family.
Note: The author made my day with this note regarding Jack in her listing of the cast of characters. " Jack the Ripper* alias “Red Fiend" & "The Whitechapel Murderer" – (Please note that his actions, motives, and demise are of my own invention, done so as to give closure to the case as interpreted by this story but done with an eye to not giving him voice, face, or agency.)"
In fact, I found the author's handling of the Ripper's victims to be incredibly well done. While not stinting on the gruesome nature of what was done to the women, the focus was on the crimes against them, with only one or two oblique allusions to what may have put them in a situation where they could be victimized.
For the purists of both Arthur Conan Doyle and Ripperologists, this book may not be quite your cup of tea. However, if you're either only casually aware or don't mind mixing your true crime with a bit of fiction this is a wonderful book. A marvelously fast-paced story told from Sherlock's point of view and with a frightfully close approximation of Arthur Conan Doyle's inimitable style, we race to both stop a killer and uncover the truth. This book unflinchingly shows the damage that long-term secrets and lies can do, as well as the lengths people will go to to help their friends and family.
Note: The author made my day with this note regarding Jack in her listing of the cast of characters. " Jack the Ripper* alias “Red Fiend" & "The Whitechapel Murderer" – (Please note that his actions, motives, and demise are of my own invention, done so as to give closure to the case as interpreted by this story but done with an eye to not giving him voice, face, or agency.)"
In fact, I found the author's handling of the Ripper's victims to be incredibly well done. While not stinting on the gruesome nature of what was done to the women, the focus was on the crimes against them, with only one or two oblique allusions to what may have put them in a situation where they could be victimized.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2020
I received an advanced review copy for free and now am leaving my review voluntarily.
Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel By M.K Wiseman
What started as a historical known fact to myself became a dark and twisted story for my favourite consulting detective and his best friend. “The Jack the ripper” murders are known to most people who have the slightest interest for history during the Edwardian/Victorian age, the brutal and horrible murders of women, in the East End of London.
Sherlock as always put up a wonderful case, through the research and pen of M.K. Wiseman, and boy was I intrigued from the first page? Yes! Did I suspect who the murder was? I had an inkling, and a deep fear! Would this be a case that Sherlock and Watson wouldn’t be able to solve?! Or was the deep fear in the pit of my stomach correct about just who the “ripper” was?!
I was at the edge of my seat throughout the book, and I will gladly admit to being nearly choked to death to find out if I was right and if sherlocks deductions for once was wrong, or worse if they were right. The plot was believable to such an extent that you could nearly place yourself in the dark alleys, and streets of London and the different police stations for the different parts of the huge city - and especially at Baker Street 221b.
Wonderfully woven story around the known stories from Mr Conan Doyle about the world’s only known consulting detective and his dear Watson, a race against time, and a true masterpiece, since the tone and plot was extremely well written and very close to the writing style of the original Sherlock Holmes author.
I can only say, wow! Highly recommend read for any lover of Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel By M.K Wiseman
What started as a historical known fact to myself became a dark and twisted story for my favourite consulting detective and his best friend. “The Jack the ripper” murders are known to most people who have the slightest interest for history during the Edwardian/Victorian age, the brutal and horrible murders of women, in the East End of London.
Sherlock as always put up a wonderful case, through the research and pen of M.K. Wiseman, and boy was I intrigued from the first page? Yes! Did I suspect who the murder was? I had an inkling, and a deep fear! Would this be a case that Sherlock and Watson wouldn’t be able to solve?! Or was the deep fear in the pit of my stomach correct about just who the “ripper” was?!
I was at the edge of my seat throughout the book, and I will gladly admit to being nearly choked to death to find out if I was right and if sherlocks deductions for once was wrong, or worse if they were right. The plot was believable to such an extent that you could nearly place yourself in the dark alleys, and streets of London and the different police stations for the different parts of the huge city - and especially at Baker Street 221b.
Wonderfully woven story around the known stories from Mr Conan Doyle about the world’s only known consulting detective and his dear Watson, a race against time, and a true masterpiece, since the tone and plot was extremely well written and very close to the writing style of the original Sherlock Holmes author.
I can only say, wow! Highly recommend read for any lover of Sherlock Holmes.
November 3, 2020
Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel takes two of my favorite things and puts them together in one intense novel. Told from Sherlock's POV, the story follows the renowned detective as he struggles to uncover the identity of the Red Fiend (aka Jack the Ripper). Originally asked by Watson not to investigate the murders, Sherlock is then brought in when Lestrade bandies his name about. It's only when the clues start piling up that Sherlock realizes the evidence is pointing at the least likely person he'd expect: Watson himself.
Can Holmes and Lestrade uncover the truth before it's too late, or will the Ripper continue his killing spree, unencumbered and unchallenged.
I really enjoyed this book. It's easy to get sucked right in, and trying to figure out the mystery along with Sherlock makes it engaging and exciting.
As someone who grew up obsessed with mysteries and found Sherlock to be fascinating, and as someone who was also obsessed with and fascinated by Jack the Ripper, this book made me ridiculously happy. Sure, it's dark, but I've always been a bit on the morbid side, drawn to the macabre.
I even once wrote a short story for my 9th grade English class about Jack the Ripper (and got an A on it!), so that should tell you something right there. I was also tempted to do the Jack the Ripper tour when I was visiting London in 2013, but, alas, I didn't get a chance to. Maybe one day...
Anyway... back to my review!
The ending is a bit surprising, but I won't spoil anything. I definitely didn't expect it to end the way it did, though.
If you're a fan of taut cat-and-mouse games, especially between well-known characters, you'll want to check out Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel.
4 stars!
Can Holmes and Lestrade uncover the truth before it's too late, or will the Ripper continue his killing spree, unencumbered and unchallenged.
I really enjoyed this book. It's easy to get sucked right in, and trying to figure out the mystery along with Sherlock makes it engaging and exciting.
As someone who grew up obsessed with mysteries and found Sherlock to be fascinating, and as someone who was also obsessed with and fascinated by Jack the Ripper, this book made me ridiculously happy. Sure, it's dark, but I've always been a bit on the morbid side, drawn to the macabre.
I even once wrote a short story for my 9th grade English class about Jack the Ripper (and got an A on it!), so that should tell you something right there. I was also tempted to do the Jack the Ripper tour when I was visiting London in 2013, but, alas, I didn't get a chance to. Maybe one day...
Anyway... back to my review!
The ending is a bit surprising, but I won't spoil anything. I definitely didn't expect it to end the way it did, though.
If you're a fan of taut cat-and-mouse games, especially between well-known characters, you'll want to check out Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper of Whitechapel.
4 stars!
November 3, 2020
In this book, we find the two fascinations of Victorian mystery enthusiasts: Sherlock Homes and Jack the Ripper. However, this take is a little different.The investigation is narrated by Sherlock himself because his chief suspect is Dr Watson.
This twist carries with it a number of points of interest - first, Watson is beloved and familiar, yet the author cleverly creates doubt in both Sherlock's mind and the reader's. Second, the deductions that so impress Watson are matter-of-factly unremarkable to Sherlock, and thus are skimmed over in his narration. Lastly, the shift from whodunit to didhedoit changes this from less of a mystery and more of a thriller. The friendship between Holmes and Watson, usually so foundational, is truly put to the test as the body count rises. All in all, this is not your usual Sherlock Holmes story at all!
The characters are either Holmes canon characters or real life players in the Whitechapel murders, which is a nice touch. It was good to see how Watson's marriage and move from Baker Street strained his closeness with Holmes, yet Holmes is exceedingly complimentary towards Mary and not jealous.
I will say that I found the ending confusing and a bit rushed. A lot happened and I had to reread it to understand how everything panned out. There are several items that I thought were left unexplained and so let the book down a bit.
If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes and would like a slightly different twist on a previously undiscussed portion of his life, do pick this up.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources, all opinions are my own
This twist carries with it a number of points of interest - first, Watson is beloved and familiar, yet the author cleverly creates doubt in both Sherlock's mind and the reader's. Second, the deductions that so impress Watson are matter-of-factly unremarkable to Sherlock, and thus are skimmed over in his narration. Lastly, the shift from whodunit to didhedoit changes this from less of a mystery and more of a thriller. The friendship between Holmes and Watson, usually so foundational, is truly put to the test as the body count rises. All in all, this is not your usual Sherlock Holmes story at all!
The characters are either Holmes canon characters or real life players in the Whitechapel murders, which is a nice touch. It was good to see how Watson's marriage and move from Baker Street strained his closeness with Holmes, yet Holmes is exceedingly complimentary towards Mary and not jealous.
I will say that I found the ending confusing and a bit rushed. A lot happened and I had to reread it to understand how everything panned out. There are several items that I thought were left unexplained and so let the book down a bit.
If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes and would like a slightly different twist on a previously undiscussed portion of his life, do pick this up.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources, all opinions are my own
November 4, 2020
A meticulously researched book! Oh the history! M. K. Wiseman handles the real-life horror of Jack the Ripper without shying away from the details. With all the graphic stuff readers consume today, you would think that this wouldn't horrify. You'd be wrong! The fact that Wiseman stayed so close to the actual history, and that you know it as a reader gave me chills. I felt the icy fear and sick horror I can only imagine was reminiscent of a resident of White Chapel during these gruesome events. But even still, Wiseman captures all that while being respectful to the real victims. She does not sensationalize Jack. She gives you the facts as they were.
Now on to the Holmes aspect. First let me say that I am a casual Holmes reader. I have read some of ACD's novels and a few short stories, but I am by no means a Holmesian. I watch the movies, and I always jump at new interpretations of the beloved character. Wiseman's classical writing style complimented the entire feel of the story, and she got around any inconsistencies of style with ACD by making the story from Holmes's perspective rather than Watson's, as his generally are. This had the added bonus of giving the whole cannon a very fresh feel.
I will say that I had a few parts where I raised one eyebrow, places where I felt that certain implications weren't addressed or parts where I was unconvinced by Holmes's assumptions. But that didn't encumber the story overall, and they weren't bothersome enough for me to take any stars away.
Now on to the Holmes aspect. First let me say that I am a casual Holmes reader. I have read some of ACD's novels and a few short stories, but I am by no means a Holmesian. I watch the movies, and I always jump at new interpretations of the beloved character. Wiseman's classical writing style complimented the entire feel of the story, and she got around any inconsistencies of style with ACD by making the story from Holmes's perspective rather than Watson's, as his generally are. This had the added bonus of giving the whole cannon a very fresh feel.
I will say that I had a few parts where I raised one eyebrow, places where I felt that certain implications weren't addressed or parts where I was unconvinced by Holmes's assumptions. But that didn't encumber the story overall, and they weren't bothersome enough for me to take any stars away.
June 13, 2020
#BookSirens
Thank you, BookSirens for the opportunity of reading an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Sherlock Holmes now consults without Dr John Watson, since his marriage his practice has demanded more of his time, so much, so his wife doesn’t see him often either.
There is a new slew of murders in the east end of London. Watson has taken time out of his busy schedule of caring for his patients to visit Holmes about the killings; advising him not to trouble himself getting involved in the case. Holmes is intrigued, but dismisses Watson’s guidance, curious to his reasons, but nothing more.
Sir Charles Warren is leading the investigation, comes to his rooms in Baker Street to request he used his infamous skills to help them find the suscept.
When they arrive at the latest scene, they find there have been numerous people in and out of the crime scene; as a result, everything completely thoroughly compromised. Still, it is Homes who finds the foretelling left by the murderer and a telling clue. From that point on, Holmes is now fully invested.
This book does not manage to capture the tone or the flow of Sherlock Holmes / Arthur Conan Doyle books. There are a few non-British references, and polyglot phrases included were not ever explained, something that Sherlock would never miss the opportunity of doing.
M.K. Wiseman is an established writer and has written several other books, which includes The Bookminder series.
Thank you, BookSirens for the opportunity of reading an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Sherlock Holmes now consults without Dr John Watson, since his marriage his practice has demanded more of his time, so much, so his wife doesn’t see him often either.
There is a new slew of murders in the east end of London. Watson has taken time out of his busy schedule of caring for his patients to visit Holmes about the killings; advising him not to trouble himself getting involved in the case. Holmes is intrigued, but dismisses Watson’s guidance, curious to his reasons, but nothing more.
Sir Charles Warren is leading the investigation, comes to his rooms in Baker Street to request he used his infamous skills to help them find the suscept.
When they arrive at the latest scene, they find there have been numerous people in and out of the crime scene; as a result, everything completely thoroughly compromised. Still, it is Homes who finds the foretelling left by the murderer and a telling clue. From that point on, Holmes is now fully invested.
This book does not manage to capture the tone or the flow of Sherlock Holmes / Arthur Conan Doyle books. There are a few non-British references, and polyglot phrases included were not ever explained, something that Sherlock would never miss the opportunity of doing.
M.K. Wiseman is an established writer and has written several other books, which includes The Bookminder series.
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