Book review: The Return of the Ripper: The Murder of Frances Coles

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.

rating: ★★★★

The Return of the Ripper: The Murder of Frances Coles 

by Kevin Turton

Pen & Sword Books Ltd.