I will never stop reading books about The Five and Whitechapel. We will never know who Jack the Ripper was, and so I appreciate every (sensible) theory and love to read all I can on the topic. These women deserve to have thir stories told, and while it will never happen, Jack deserves to be forgotten.

Side note: I don't like the cover. I think it is a risky game ever putting a face to a potential suspect.

As you may well know, The Five were violently murdered in 1888, with at least six additional murders occurring in Whitechapel from 1888 through 1891.

Here the author makes the case for the murder of Frances Coles being one of the victims. Her body was found in February 1891, yet another bloody and violent death. For many at the time, it looked eearily familiar and residents worried that the Ripper had returned - if he'd ever left in the first place.

The difference between Coles and the other women, however, is that there was a serious and viable suspect for her murder. In that case we are left wondering if he was Jack the Ripper (he couldn't have been, as he was at sea during some of the murders), if he worked with Jack the Ripper (unlikely. That psychopath would not have had a partner), or if this was a stand-alone event (most likely). Yet James Sadler was never convicted of murder and the case remains unsolved (I'm pretty sure he did it).

My main issue with assigning some or all of these additional murders to Jack is that some simply do not fit. By the time Mary Kelly was murdered, Jack had been escalating - and very quickly. I can't even look at the autopsy photos, even in black and white. They're horrific. I think it is possible another serial killer was operating in that period and after Jack 'stopped', but I do not think Coles is a victim of either.

So, in the two years between Kelly's murder and that of Coles, we either have to believe that he suddenly stopped killing for whatever reason (left London, was imprisoned, died), or that he de-escalated (while all murder is terrible, some of the women killed in that period were not subjected to the violence that Kelly in particular was).

There are so many variables to consider - more than I have laid out - and this case will forever hold a place in the collective heart of crime and true crime fans because we so badly just want to KNOW. If we can identify the monster, we know what to look out for. But we can't, and so everyone is suspect.

The author takes a deep look into the murder of Coles; roughly half the book is spent there. We move through the case with the police, from the discovery of her body up through the inquest. he details the evidence against Sadler and explains how the case fell apart and why Sadler was never convicted.

Turton does an excellent job transporting the reader to the slums of Victorian London, a place I would love to see with my own eyes but then leave just as quickly as I arrived. Whitechapel itself remains an endless source of fascination for me, what it must have been like to work and survive in such a place.

While I do not agree that Coles was a Ripper victim, I appreciate the research that went into this text, because there is a plethora. In addition to laying out the case, or no case, for Coles being one of the victims, the author provides maps and images, as well as brief list of all involved in one capacity or another.

Half the book is dedicated to Coles, the other half is a profile of Jack and delves into the murders of The Five. Here the author shows how Coles' death might be connected, but also why some of those connections do not actually work. He also does this, less in-depth, with a few of the other murders considered the to be part of the ten 'Whitechapel Murders' (The Five are included in that count).

I do not believe Coles was a Ripper victim, but I appreciate the time and attention she was given here. All of these women, whether they were victims of the Ripper or not, were some of the most vulnerable in society. For decades no one cared because they were prostitutes, so obviously they had it coming, right? WRONG. All of these women mattered, and even though justice is no longer possible, they were living, breathing human beings who deserved so much better.

Recommended.

I was disappointed in this book. I got bored with it. I was hoping for a bit more new information and I was hoping that it would be done in a more exciting way. Overall, not for me.

If you are fascinated by everything Jack the Ripper, this book is a must read. Frances Coles was murdered in 1891 is thought to be the last victim of Jack. History has always told us he stopped in 1888, but the way Frances was killed is so much like Jack the Ripper's MO that it is hard to deny he was still active, possibly for his last hurrah. Jack the Ripper will forever remain a mystery and fascination of true crime lovers.

Oh another true crime about Jack the Ripper I hear you cry!
Don’t worry it won’t uncover anything you don’t already but it will fill in some details with its detailed research into the subject matter. It covers the 5 victims and looks at the possibility of another. The identity of Jack the Ripper will always be up for debate as there was no physical evidence that could ever be tested even today with every advancement in forensic science.
But the details given in the events of such old cases will always be fascinating to me.

Thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy of this ebook. #netgalley #returnoftheripper #truecrime

In the early hours of a cold February morning in 1891, the murdered body of Frances Coles was discovered beneath a railway arch in London’s Swallow Gardens. The nature of her wounds, the weapon used to inflict them, and the murder site itself were clear indicators for many that London’s most famous serial killer, Jack the Ripper, had returned. This is a great suspense. I love the history of Jack the Ripper so this book intrigued me right off the bat and did not disappoint. highly recommend.

I enjoyed learning about a possible return of Jack the ripper. But likely it probably a copy cat instead but still a good read.

❥ 3 stars ☆

Jack the Ripper is probably known as the first serial killer to most people, and that’s also how I know about the name. He was the first one who got famous in the media and is therefore seen as the first serial killer, even if he actually wasn’t the first.

Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer who was active in and around the Whitechapel district in London, England in 1888. The serial killer is still unidentified, and the cases he is involved in remains unsolved to this day. The Police had many suspects and they brought in hundreds of people for questioning but they could never tie any of them to the crimes. Most scientists agrees that he had 5 victims, who are known as ‘the canonical five’, but it’s unknown exactly how many victims he had. His attacks involved women who worked as prostitutes, who lived and worked in the slums of the East End of London.

The Return of the Ripper? is about the case of Frances Coles, a murder that happened in Whitechapel in 1891, and the possibility of it being another victim of the Jack the Ripper and whether he had come back to Whitechapel or never disappeared. What’s different about this case is that they had a serious suspect, which they didn’t have for ‘the canonical five’ cases. The book is examining the Frances Coles case and if the suspect in this case could have anything to do with the earlier murders in Whitechapel and potential links between them.

I think the book title is a bit misleading, and the book doesn’t give us any new answers. Since Jack the Ripper remains unidentified and the murders connected with him remains unsolved, it’s impossible to know or decide whether he was involved in this case or any others. The book was well written and it goes through this case, tells us about Jack the Ripper and ‘the canonically five’ cases so it can still be a interesting read for anyone who hasn’t read about it before.

Thank you for the ARCof this true crime book investigating if the ripper returned. It was interesting to me

An interesting book to read on Jack the Ripper and who he maybe? Lots of behind w scenes research on this dark period of history.

The Return of the Ripper, by Kevin Turton takes an in-depth look at the murder of Frances Coles on the morning the 13 February 1891. The book looks at how detectives searched for her identity, a motive, and a murderer. And looked at similarities between the Jack The Ripper victims three year earlier who also had their throats slashed however found no connection . The did police arrest a man for the murder, but after the coroner’s inquest,he’s was released and the case remains unresolved.

It was well researched however I did find it a little repetitive at times but is a enjoyable read.

Recommended to true crime readers.

An interesting book about a possible murder by Jack The Ripper and the story of this serial killer.
It's well researched and informative.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Jack the Ripper has always interested me & so I was keen to read this book as I felt it might add an interesting new perspective. I wasn’t wrong.

This book looks at another murder in Whitechapel and wonders whether this too could be the work of ‘Jack’. Frances Coles’ story is interesting & you do learn a little bit more about her & how she operates which isn’t something you always get with stories about JtR.

The prose is pitched about right, enough to be interesting & factual but not at such a high level that it turns you off reading. The length of the book is about right, going into just enough detail.

After covering Frances’ story the author recounts the stories of the Canonical Five. I was initially a bit sceptical about this as it’s hard to think what can be added to something that has been recounted, delved into & pawed over so many times. However these chapters didn’t feel like a re-hash of previous books so it does work & helps round off the story.

Having finished, I’m not sure that the book adds much to the Jack the Ripper story or even whether Frances Coles would be classed as a victim of his. I think there are much better candidates for Ripper victims, which the author also touches on in the book. Definitely something to ponder on & an interesting read to find out more about other people that met an unfortunate end during that period.

Thank you to the publishers & NetGalley for this advanced reading copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
If you enjoy Jack the Ripper books and the different theories surrounding the murders then you will enjoy this one. I thought the research was well done and the book was interesting.

In 1888–1891, at least 10 women were murdered in the Whitechapel district of East London, England. Some of their cases are footnotes compared to Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Kelly—the canonical five who are considered victims of the serial killer newspapers nicknamed Jack the Ripper. All 10 murders remain unsolved.

In The Return of the Ripper, Kevin Turton takes an in-depth look at one case, the death of Frances Coles. The well-paced narrative begins with her early morning murder on 13 February 1891, then follows the detectives searching for her identity, a motive, and a murderer. Like the earlier killings, the victim’s throat was slashed, her body was found accidentally, and no witnesses saw what happened. Tying a few clues together, the police arrest a man for the murder, but after the coroner’s inquest, he’s released.

After laying out Frances Coles’ case, the author describes Jack the Ripper’s profile, the arrested man’s story, how the other nine victims’ murders fit, and what the investigators knew. For armchair gumshoes, Turton provides a map of the murders, images of Whitechapel, and a who’s who list, along with his conclusions.

Prerelease book provided by NetGalley and Pen & Sword Books Ltd. for review consideration.

A very interesting read. Well researched and explained in understandable term.

It can get a little repetitive at times but very enjoyable

If you are a fan of all the Ripper theories, you may like this book. I tend to read or watch anything involving the 1888 Ripper case myself. But I'm not sure how I feel about Turton's "The Return of the Ripper?"

I can see how any murder that occurred during the Ripper's reign and perhaps even a few years later, could be attributed to him. But the murders suggested here, just do not seem to fit the profile as much as the author is trying to squeeze them into the victim count.
The Ripper showed an obvious escalation with the canonical 5 victims, with Mary Kelly being the most extreme killing he has been accused of, so why his next supposed victim would be a simple strangeling or even the stabbings would be attributed to him? Neither of the stabbings, even with the throat cuttings, was not as vicious as the Ripper's signature.

I do believe the Ripper continued his killing, and I think there are more than 5 victims. But I would be more likely to look at him leaving Whitechapel, perhaps even England, and heading to the States to continue his crimes.

An interesting read, but I don't think the case of these women being a victim of The Ripper has been proven.
Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

In 1891, the body of Frances Coles was found under a railway arch in London. While this sort of event was not exactly a rare occurrence, there was something about this death that piqued the interest of the police and the press. Frances had sustained horrific wounds, reminiscent of those carried out by a killer three years earlier. Was Jack the Ripper back?

I have read many books about the five canonical murders attributed to the infamous Jack the Ripper and am also aware of other potential victims. Frances Coles was not a woman I knew too much about, however, so was intrigued to find out how she fit in with what happened in Whitechapel over 130 years ago.

The author has clearly done a lot of research into the case, taking us on a journey to late Victorian London, showing us how dangerous life could be for those less fortunate. The police investigation is shared with us as they find their prime suspect yet find it increasingly difficult to prove that he is, indeed, their man. I found the investigation process fascinating as the police, without the benefits of modern forensics, struggled to get the definitive evidence that they needed.

Fans of reading about the Whitechapel Murders will be pleased to see that there is a succinct section about the canonical victims and also information about some of the other women thought, potentially, to have died at his hand.

This is a good bookshelf addition for true crime fans, especially those with an interest in murders of the Victorian era.

This is an incredibly well researched book giving a very detailed description of the events of the night of Frances Coles' murder and the following Police investigation and media reporting. The book also goes over the original 5 victims and the possibility of another.
We will never know who Jack the Ripper was, there is no physical evidence that could be tested and no DNA database of people living that long ago, so going into this book it's obvious you're not going to get any definitive answers, the murder itself never being solved and the Ripper murders were never solved either.
But the details given and insight into the way the Police dealt with everything from the crime to the investigation and exploring the lives of the people involved was all fascination.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read and review this ARC.

Was drawn to this book by the blurb plus I liked jack the ripper crime case. I was intrigued by this because I always wanted someone to create a different out look for him. And this book didn't let me down at all. 5 star book. Might reread it later on in the year. Highly recommend this book and already told a few people that they need to read this. I was drawn to it by the blurb because it sounded instering to read.

3.5 stars

Overall, I found this book to be fairly informative but also vague in the information that was being presented. I guess I was hoping for a bit more straight-forward information than what I gathered from the book, but otherwise no complaints. :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.