A review by mindsplinters
The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper by Maxim Jakubowski

3.0

A huge and in-depth collection of information on the infamous Whitechapel murders. It starts with a very thorough time-line and overview which was handy indeed for reference. It includes sections on the various documents from newspapers to court records and onward to the postcards and letters purported to be from the killer himself. The next section consists of essays from various authors, putting forward their picks for the most likely suspect or debunking others or examining their pet theories. All bring some fascinating research and time-lines of their own. Some are very logical and strong-feeling; others strike one as so convoluted and esoteric that you wonder if the essay was written in all seriousness. (For instance, the last one doesn't bother naming names - instead it opts to develop a labyrinthian theory that the Ripper did it all to bring about the end of the world based on ancient Sun Worship and magic numbers and... Seriously, I'm not kidding. They really put forward this all as well as predicting that the world would end in 1999 because the Ripper failed the main ritual but extended the power so it would come to fruition 111 years later. Seriously. I couldn't make this up.) The book ends with a listing of the accepted victims and possible additional victims, listings of the less high-profile/frequently-vetted suspects, a thorough filmography and bibliography. Overall a bit of a slog at points but really comprehensive and thorough.