When I was at BEA in May of 2010, I saw a display for an upcoming book from Sourcebooks that I knew I simply had to have. The book was What Alice Knew by Paula Marantz Cohen. Not only did the cover draw my attention, but the subtitle was “A Most Curious Tale of Henry James and Jack the Ripper.” I don’t particularly have any intrinsic interest in Henry James, but historical fiction about Jack the Ripper makes me take notice immediately.
Although I enjoyed What Alice Knew, the entire time I was reading it I was thinking about another book I read some two years earlier, also pitting an author against Jack the Ripper. The Dracula Dossier by James Reese is a fabulous epistolary novel told from Bram Stoker’s point of view and written very much in his style. Reese adds a bit of the occult to the story of the Whitechapel murders, weaving his story brilliantly so that it both fits the historical record of Jack the Ripper – even making his killer one of the prime Ripper suspects – and the story of Dracula that the Stoker of The Dracula Dossier had not yet written.
Thinking about the two, I began to wonder what exactly the fascination was with writing classic authors into the story of Jack the Ripper.
As I was contemplating this, I came across yet another book at my local library with a literary figure as part of the Whitechapel murders. Dust and Shadow: an account of the Ripper killings by Dr. John H. Watson by Lyndsay Faye, which places Sherlock Holmes at the scene of the crimes and gives one of literature’s most famous detectives the chance to solve some of history’s most famous crimes. I am still reading this book, but so far it is incredibly engaging and well-written. Giving Sherlock Holmes the chance to take a crack at Jack the Ripper seems to make perfect sense, and I can’t help but think that had he been a real man these crimes would not have gone unsolved over 120 years. I can’t wait to see who Faye fingers as the diabolical Ripper.
As one of the scariest, most gruesome serial killers in recent history, anything about Jack the Ripper is a perfect Haunted Historical fall read, and including a giant of literature makes the story even more fascinating. If you were writing a novel, which author or literary character would you choose to solve the Whitechapel murders?
About the Blogger
JEN KARSBAEK is a passionate reader and the enthusiastic book blogger behind Devourer of Books, which recently won the 2010 Book Blogger Appreciation Week award for Best Eclectic Blog. She has been blogging on Devourer of Books since February of 2008. Jen lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and her toddler son Daniel. You can visit Jen at www.devourerofbooks.com.
I am intrigued. I have always had a weird interest in Jack the Ripper, ever since a trip to Madame Tussauds wax museum in England (when I was in 2nd grade!) I will definitely be checking my library for copies of these. Thanks for sharing!
Krista recently posted..Passages to the Past- Announcing the Mischief of the Mistletoe Christm
I love Madame Tussaud’s! Michelle Moran has a hist-fic book about her life coming out in April: Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution.
Ooh, Dust and Shadow sounds intriguing! I agree, had Sherlock been around, there would be no question of the mystery being solved. Hmm, there are so many characters that could fit the sleuthing role well; maybe Edgar Allan Poe or Catherine Moreland from Northhanger Abbey.
Svea ~Muse in the Fog recently posted..Upcoming Release- The Virgin Widow by Anne OBrien
Oh, I have to agree about Poe or Catherine Moreland! I was recently in Baltimore and had the chance to see many of Poe’s stomping grounds, including the bar he had his last drink in, so I have a Poe fascination as of late.
I never realized there were multiple books with this premise. I recently read and reviewed WHAT ALICE KNEW and really enjoyed it. I’ll have to put these other titles on my TBR list. Thanks for introducing me to them. I bet DUST AND SHADOW is particularly good.
iubookgirl recently posted..Review – Never Let Me Go
I’m not super far into DUST AND SHADOW yet, but it is very good. I read 30 pages on my short lunch break today!
Jen – Devourer of Books recently posted..A Writers Life Guest Post by Melanie Benjamin author of Alice I Have Been
Jen, I remember you, me, and Nicole at our post-BEA slumber party being like “WE WANT THAT ALICE BOOK FROM SOURCEBOOKS!”. Too funny that a few months later you’d be guest posting about it here for me! I’m really enjoying what I’ve read of the book so far as well. Very intriguing.
Am definitely going to check out your review of WHAT ALICE KNEW when I get home tonight! I am loving the book so far.
I think it’s really interesting that various literary figures have each been set on JTR’s trail in completely separate, unrelated novels.
So, so sososososo excited to read this one! I’ve always thought H. Rider Haggard would be all over Jack the Ripper — so maybe he’d be my hero if I tackled a novel about Whitechapel!
Audra recently posted..Teaser Tuesday Oct 26
I love Jen and her blog! I also love Jack the Ripper–I read The Dracula Dossier after she recommended it to me and I currently have What Alice Knew waiting on my bookshelf.
Stephanie recently posted..Book Review: Gray Horses
I truly dig what you made here!