Jack the Ripper: Letters from Hell
The Whitechapel murders of 1888 captured the public's attention  not only for their ferocity but for an almost theatrical aspect  in the form of letters from the purported killer. Evans and  Skinner here expand upon the information presented in their The  Ultimate Jack the Ripper Companion (LJ 12/00) by analyzing the  more than 700 communications. Most of the letters are regarded  as tasteless pranks, including the famous "Dear Boss" missive  that introduced the name "Jack the Ripper" (investigators credit  this moniker to a tabloid journalist). However, a few are  believed to be genuine, namely, the "From Hell" note  accompanying half a kidney possibly removed from victim  Catherine Eddowes. Though perhaps frauds, the letters make  interesting reading and bespeak the depravity of a society that  would use gruesome murders as a means of entertainment. In  addition to an analysis of their texts, this volume includes  complete transcripts of all the letters held in the police files  buttressed with numerous outstanding pictures of the original  notes. While seasoned Ripperologists will love this book, the  specificity limits its usefulness. Therefore, this is  recommended only for collections already sporting a general  overview volume, e.g., John J. Eddleston's noteworthy Jack the  Ripper: An Encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO, 2001). Michael Rogers,  "Library Journal"Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.