West Of Whitechapel: Jack the Ripper in the Wild West

by Wayne D. Dundee

WITH A HUNGER FOR TRUTH, THIS THRILLING WESTERN WILL KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES.

In the late 1880s, a series of grisly murders swept through the Whitechapel slums of London. The victims were all prostitutes, each found with her throat cut and her stomach sliced open. Sensationalized newspaper accounts of the killings spread throughout England and beyond to a horrified yet fascinated reading public. Heightening interest all the more were the taunting letters sent by the killer to Scotland Yard – boldly signed “Jack the Ripper”.

But then, abruptly, the killings stopped. The Ripper was never identified or captured, but the terror seemed over.

A few months later, however, on the American frontier in the raucous, rowdy mining camps that sprang up out of a silver boom in the Colorado Rockies, some eerily similar murders began to occur among the flocks of “soiled doves” who gathered to serve the men in those remote camps. With no law to speak of in such places and sudden death being all too common, no one seemed to take much notice.

Not until a sharp-eyed female journalist spotted the possible connection and became determined to find out the truth. Aided by a guilt-ridden though equally dogged frontier detective, the pair follow a bloody trail through the rugged mountains and boisterous mining camps to try and prove if Jack the Ripper truly ceased his killing ways … or did he merely move them out here – west of Whitechapel?

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2021

About the author

Wayne Dundee lives in the once-notorious old cowtown of Ogallala, on the hinge of Nebraska's panhandle. To date, Dundee has had six novels, three novellas, and over two dozen short stories published. All of the novels and most of the short stories have featured his PI protagonist, Joe Hannibal. He also writes in the fantasy, straight crime, and Western genres. Dismal River is his first Western novel.

Titles in the Hannibal series have been translated into several languages and nominated for an Edgar, an Anthony, and six Shamus Awards. Dundee also founded and was the original editor of Hardboiled Magazine.

A short Western story was recently named winner of the Peacemaker Award from the Western Fictioneers.

Reviews

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wayne Dundee - West of Whitechapel – Reviewed 6/9/21 – Read 6/7-8/21

A notorious killer crossing the big pond, cutting, and killing soiled doves again! Jack the Ripper!!

Lew Torrent was silently sipping a beer at the bar, when he looked over to the man next to him, he could not believe his eyes, Russ Wheeler. Why he had not seen the guy in near on twenty years. The two had served together during the war and had become friends, saving, and trying to keep each other alive. The last time was back in Washington DC after they had both parted ways with the Army. I went on to the Metropolitan Police Department in a covert team and Russ had begun working as a reporter for a New York paper. Russ was in town chasing after “Something big, something really big,” were his words, but he didn’t say any more than that. He had invited me down to meet his wife and newborn daughter. Of course, I had said that I would try to get there, but things just kept getting in the way, and I never made it. Now here he was big as brass and looking just like it! From all the bylines I had read, he sure must have done well!

We were so happy to see each other that he must have juggled the guy next to him, and the young tough guy decided that as finely looking like Russ was, that he surely would be a dandy and he could make mincemeat pie of him. He and his friends started crowding us and I decided to take the bull by the horns and threw the first punch. Well, I have to say, money sure did nothing to stop Russ’s punches and we soon had the matter taken care of. A couple of deputies came in and together with the bouncers, things ended quickly. The bartender spoke up saying it was the roughnecks that started things, so off they went to the hoosegow. Russ, and I took a table with coffee and started catching up. Russ told me that he was up here from Denver looking into something that might lead to the “biggest story of the everlovin’ century”. In fact, it was the same one as when he had been in DC. His daughter and he now worked together, and she was waiting for him back in Denver. We talked ourselves out and as we walked together back to our lodgings, a guy walked up and asked if it was me, I said yes, he raised a gun and started to pull the trigger. Russ yelled out and push me aside, taking the bullet. Hell broke loose and shots rang out, but when I got back to Russ, he made me promise to take care of his daughter, Victoria, and help her. She was all alone now.

Join Lew and Victoria as they continue to chase the elusive “biggest story of the everlovin’ century” – Jack the Ripper in America…

What did I like? Well, I like most people know who the notorious “Jack the Ripper” is, but I sure never thought about him crossing the pond to go into hiding! But Wayne did and wow, what a story!!! I like the way that he cast the character of ‘Jack’, it was so mysterious. And the father-daughter newspaper reporters; now that was over the top. What daughter would not want to work with their father, but one as famous as Russ Wheeler added honor. This put a lot of pressure on her, but she had been in training for years. Her father's words that Lew repeated for her, about her being ready for her own byline, gave her encouragement. But best of all, his praise kept her spirits high.

What will you like? This is filled with so much mystery, intrigue, mysterious events, back history, excitement, and great detective work! The characters are by far the most interesting, I mean come on, “Jack the Ripper”! You will love Lew and Victoria as they struggle to search and fill in the pieces on the most elusive of all killers. Wayne has filled his storyline with the best descriptions and details, and you can almost feel the action and anticipation, as the exhaustive search takes its toll on the pair. The ending is amazing and not one that I ever even imagined, but oh so fitting. Don’t miss this interesting and exciting read that is available today, June 9th, 2021.

• ASIN: B094PMDQ23
• Publisher: Wolfpack Publishing
• Publication Date: 6/9/2021
• File Size: 3538 KB
• Print Length: 250 pages
• Genre: Westerns, Vigilante Justice Thrillers, Thriller & Suspense Fiction

[Phillip · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never, ever been more glad to finish a book in my life. This book is awful, just awful. I suppose I got snookered by the concept of Jack the Ripper. Little did I know that almost nothing in this novel is about Jack the Ripper. It’s about a guy “in a long flowing coat” who has to constantly satiate his “demons” by killing a prostitute every few days or so. The point of view of this novel is odd. the narrator is the main character of the story—a detective who ends up traveling with his best friend’s daughter in pursuit of Jack the Ripper, who evidently had a homosexual relationship with John Wilkes Booth, slaughtered twenty or so women in London, and then inexplicably found his way “out west” to travel with a medicine show of all things where he could occasionally kill a “soiled dove.” If this sounds preposterous, just realize that these facts make far more sense than anything else in this novel. The narrator tells the story, and then here and there we get a chapter italicized where a third person narrator tells us the thoughts and feelings of Jack the Ripper, though he’s never called “Jack the Ripper.” Again, he’s just referred to as the “guy in a long flowing coat.” So stupid! Honestly, I’ve read a number of really hideous works of fiction, but this one takes the cake.

[MAria L De Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ripping good story

I liked the detective western idea and enjoyed every minute of it. Look forward to more books by Mr. Dundee.