102 chapters of goodness! The book is fast paced rushing through the murder investigation and following Emma as she digs into what is happening and who is murdering people in london, All of this runs alongside the fear the people have of Jack the Ripper and the focus the police appear to have on finder Jack rather than looking into other crimes. The characters of the poorer side of London are all well described, the poverty, the cruelty and the lack of care comes through. What people will do for a handful of pennies is hard to read but makes a great book,

This is the first book by Emily Organ I read and I was pleasantly surprised about the writing and the well plotted mystery.

I kept on reading as it was impossible to put it down.

A deceitful husband, an inquisitive widow, a tangled mystery: this book has all the right ingredients to lure the reader into its universe.

I liked the story so very much I will buy the Penny Green mystery series as I am really curious to see were it all began while I wait for the next installment.

I have received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

Could Emma’s husband be Jack the Ripper?
The Whitechapel Widow is set in London of Jack the Ripper. The story opens when Emma Langley’s husband, shortly before their train departs, goes to buy a newspaper. He never returns. In the 1880s there were no mobile phones, so Emma journeys on in the hope her husband will join her at the destination. He never does. Indeed, she never sees him alive again.
The setup has the intrigue of a locked room mystery as events unravel such that Emma realises she hardly knows her husband, who has a secret life. The unanswered questions build layer on layer when her husband is found murdered and the police question his widow about his movements. Unexplained absences start to add up to a chilling possibility, and the widowed Mrs Langley starts to wonder if the husband could actually be Jack the Ripper.
This is the first book I’ve read by Emily Organ (great name!). Emma teamed up with Penny Green, a former reporter who (according to the edicts of Victorian society) can no longer work as she is a wife and mother. The story can be read as standalone book but it seems Penny has featured in her own series of books – so an interesting cross pollination of characters..
My favourite part (apart from the great premise of “Could my husband be Jack the Ripper”, was the tantalizing glimpse behind the “Dear Boss”, letters. The latter had me wanting the author pan out and show the hand holding the pen. I would describe this as a cosy Victorian murder mystery and will be enjoyed by those seeking an escapist, but not too taxing, read.

new-series, first-in-series, historical-figures, historical-mystery, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, historical-thriller, history-and-culture, London, murders, amateur-sleuth, missing-persons, serial-murder, due-diligence, lies, deception, deceit*****
Emma Langley's husband went missing but did turn up dead in a part of town she knew little about. Turns out that she knew little about the husband either. He lied about darn near everything and spent all but a pittance of her inheritance money. The more she investigates, the more she learns. One of the people she interviews in her search is former intrepid Fleet Street reporter Penny Green and her husband Inspector James Blakely of Scotland Yard. Penny is losing her wits with two small children and nothing to challenge her mind. Husband hires someone to help with the children, so Penny joins forces with Emma and the real investigating begins. Great story with intense due diligence, sideroads into The Ripper, and plot twists that made me nutz.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Avail Mar 27, 2025
#TheWhitechapelWidow by Emily Organ #EmmaLangleyVictorianMysteriesBk1 Storm Publishing @stormbooks_co #NetGalley #cozymystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #VictorianLondon #Whitechapelmurders #deceit #mentalhealthissues #murders

Historical drama set in and around Whitechapel. A husband is not what he seemed which leads his widow to investigate.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This is the first book in a new series, Emma Langley Victorian Mysteries. This book is sent in late 1880s London, on the backdrop of Jack the Ripper - it starts with Emma learning that her husband has been murdered, learning that she did not know this man as much as she thought she did. Emma unravels her husband's secrets as she tries to solve his murder, and those secrets take her to all walks of life and neighborhood within London. The only problem with this is that by bringing to light her husband's killer, she then puts herself in the sights of the same person.

I really enjoyed this book - the mystery of the murderer is not easily figured out. But best of all, the amount of research that went into this book was wonderful - the author transports you to not only the London of the 18880s, but all of the varied neighborhoods of that time. I loved the immersive experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Whitechapel Widow is the first book in a new series "Emma Langley Victorian Mysteries". It is a spin-off from the excellent "Penny Green" historical mystery series. Both series are set in 1880s London and author Emily Organ has written another thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing mystery.

Readers of the earlier book series will be interested in seeing how Penny and her husband, Scotland Yard inspector James Blakely, are navigating family life. Penny no longer works as a newspaper reporter, but is eager to use her investigative skills, in her spare time, to help the newly widowed Mrs Emma Langley discover who murdered her husband. Could it be Jack the Ripper?

So much of the book kept me in suspense as Emma and Penny crisscrossed the streets of London chasing down clues. So far this year I have read several mysteries by other authors and this book far surpasses them all in quality writing, plotting and characterization. And I didn't guess the murderer until the end!

I really like all of Emily's series because they contain interesting facts about London at that time woven into the plot. She does exceptional historical research for each book. They are all Highly Recommended!

I obtained an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

Women Power!

I love how Emma and Penny solved the murders while the men barely did anything. I was waiting for them to solve the case of Jack the Ripper as well, maybe another day.

Thank you Netgalley!

This well written historical mystery takes place in the late 19th century when Jack the Ripper was terrorizing London. The novel grabbed me from the first chapter as Emma Langley’s husband leaves the train they are on to get a newspaper, and does not return. When he is found murdered, as Emma tries to make sense of his disappearance and death, she discovers she never really knew her

It is always a joy to read about resourceful smart women and how they managed to find their way in a misogynistic society. I also enjoyed the atmospheric elements in this well plotted mystery.

Emma is shocked when her husband disappears before boarding their train and even more so when he is discovered dead. Frustrated with the lack of progress by the police she decides to investigate on her own. A wonderful mystery set in the late 1809s while Jack the Ripper is terrorizing London.

While everyone is focusing on Jack the Ripper there are other dark deeds occurring in Whitechapel.
When William Langley is found murdered widow Emma Langley discovers things she had never expected. Gambling dens and lies and the seedy darker side of London take Emma on a dangerous journey!
I loved this book really good read with excellent scene setting and details to create the picture of 1888 London. Emma as a character I found interesting the way her life changed and she adapted and took on challenges really stood out for me along with the danger she put herself in risking her own life.
Excellent read can’t wait for more thanks Netfalley for this arc.

This weaves an intriguing tale at the time of the jack the ripper murders in London. At once exciting and interesting I throughly enjoyed it. Thank you storm and netgalley for arc.