For years I have loved reading about Jack the Ripper. I am fascinated by how someone could murder at least 5 women without being caught. So, when I came across The Whisperer written by Jenna Grey I was intrigued and had to read it as it is set around Jack the Ripper but from a different angle and the killer isn’t hidden.
Set in the poverty of 1888 Whitechapel in London’s East End, Connie McKenzie is trying to succeed as a private investigator and is doing quite well. She takes on the jobs that no one else wants; finding lost dogs, tracking down missing kids and following wayward husbands as well as taking on the odd bookkeeping job. But Whitechapel is a dangerous place and when prostitutes start to be killed in gruesome fashion she decides to try and find the man dubbed “Jack the Ripper”. The only problem is, he’s already aware of her and it could cost her everything.
I loved this book. The Whisperer is a dark story, filled with gruesome details of the murders and is an excellent read. Forget the mystery of Jack the Ripper, The Whisperer doesn’t hide the killer’s identity and it is shown quite quickly the authors vision of who the serial killer was.
From August to November 1888, 5 women were murdered and in a bizarre and gruesome fashion. The Whisperer is told from 2 perspectives, Connie (the female private investigator) and the killer, known as Jack the Ripper (I won’t spoil the story by naming him). It follows Connie’s investigations into finding Jack and the emerging talents of a deadly serial killer.
I couldn’t put this book down. It seems to have been well-researched and mixes fiction with historical facts and blends them together very well. It is creepy, gory, gripping and thrilling and Connie as the heroine works very well (especially in a time where it wouldn’t be a job a woman would necessarily do).
The Whisperer is a great take on the story of the world’s most (in)famous serial killer. If you like crime fiction and Jack the Ripper then this is a fantastic work of fiction. Although if you are just reading to know who Jack the Ripper was then you will be disappointed as the killer named is pure fiction and not one of the usual suspects.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £2.99 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here.