"True crime historian Richard Cobb shining a light – literally – onto a dark(er) world, therein replacing the romance of the crimes with the reality of the times."
Despite concerted efforts by the German Luftwaffe and property developers to flatten large swathes of London’s East End, a small number of Georgian- and Victorian-era buildings still stand. Yet the intangible nature of Jack-the-Ripper murder sites means that a good guide is necessary to help bring the world of the 1880s alive. This is something true crime historian Richard Cobb is adept at doing, with his Ripper-Vision tours offering an immersive experience through hand-held projectors shining a light – literally – onto a dark(er) world, therein replacing the romance of the crimes with the reality of the times.
With On the Trail of Jack the Ripper, Cobb endeavours to do likewise – and ultimately delivers. No knowledge of the events is presumed by the author, who chronologically introduces the women slain in and around Whitechapel between 1888-1891, and he laudably provides accurate and empathetic portraits of Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly. Reader discretion is advised, however, for Cobb writes with clinical candour when detailing the crude eviscerations that the aforementioned “canonical five” were subjected to. Prudently, no attempt is made to unmask the killer (or provide directions between sites, curiously) given focus resides in pubs and churches, generally, and an archway, Board School, doorway and dog kennels (outside London), specifically.
The foreword by Neil Storey and images (125+ b/w) of Mark Davis are positives, to be sure, with the only negatives being colloquial writing and publishing errors, but these stylistic shortcomings do not detract from what remains a substantively strong, 129-page paperback. Signposting readers to TV programmes for pre-demolition footage of crime scenes and pinpointing their exact locations today renders it a worthy companion to Richard Jones and Adam Wood’s Edgar’s Guide.
Lee Ruddin, A LoveReading Ambassador
| Primary Genre | Biographies & Autobiographies |
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