Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper--Case Closed

Came earlier than expected in excellent condition! Will definitely buy from them again.

The other night I told the Englishman sitting next to me in a tavern that England's most notorious criminal had at last been brought to the bar. When I explained that Patricia Cornwell had solved the case of Jack the Ripper with a mountain of circumstantial evidence. He replied "Yes, but it is circumstantial." As though any evidence after 114 years could be anything but!! As I read the one- and two-star reviews of this book here at Amazon. com who claim that the case is not proved, all I can say is that, should I ever be at the bar for murder, I hope these [people] are on my jury! "If you are innocent, go before a judge, if you are guilty [as Sickert surely was] go before a jury." The old adage is still good advice. Most people are skeptics and can't believe that the shadow they see on looking out between both their eyes is their own nose, even though they can see it clearly by looking through one eye and then the other. One of these "jurors" said that since only 99% of the people are eliminated by [mitochondrial] DNA, that such hardly constitutes a good match. We have a criminal in our sights, and, regardless of all the other evidence against him, there is one-percent of the population who is not eliminated by the DNA: Sickert-Jack fall into the one-percent together and that is not a good match? Just take the evidence of the "HA, HA." that taunting phrase appears in about half of the Ripper letters. Cornwell demonstrates from painstaking research that the English did not use this phrase at all, and found it terribly rude--that it is an Americanism pure and simple. It is an important clew left by an arrogant killer. The German-Danish-French-Englishman Sickert would not know "HA HA," nor would a low-life Eastend murderer--except that Sickert learned it from the American painter James Whistler to whom he was apprenticed, and who was well-known for his obnoxious HA HA. Had the Metropolitan Police force been sensitive to such matters, they'd have had their man. Too bad Patricia Cornwell and her staff were not available. This Sickert beast murdered not just helpless down-and-out unfortunates but a number of helpless children, as well. Disgusting animal! If I never look at another SICKert painting it will be too soon. And I am not alone in finding him guilty; the only law-enforcement person who comments in these reviews had this to say: "Not only was this a well researched and written book, I belive it to be the most convicing book on who Jack the Ripper was. I spent most of my life in Law Enforcement, in an Crimnal Investigator capacity. I have read almost all of the books on this Subject. The evidence is really quite convincing, for a crime this old. I believe that the author, has her man. When there is this much evidence, you just cannot walk away [even] with a reasonable doubt.... I too would take it into court. I belive a Judge would convict." [Slightly edited] I only wish I had Ms. Cornwell's resources and skills when I go about investigating all the misunderstood issues from classical antiquity that are moot or stamped "issue closed."

Interesting read. Also product was brand new. I was expecting it to be gently used, but it can still wrapped

Love her books . Godmother of the CSI books. Real detail. Keep up the good work PC!

I've read a lot by Cornwell and I admire her research and enthusiasm for this subject as well as her other books. This book particularly delights in uncovering and revealing many details that, if previously known, were not widely known. She makes a strong, circumstantial case that Sickert was in fact Jack the Ripper but I don't feel it reaches the level of a case that would win in court. There is way too much assumption and pushing the circumstances toward a pre-conceived end. We'll never know for sure who was Jack the Ripper. But because of that fact, this book has merits and certainly provides a lot of entertainment. It is an engaging revisiting of a subject that still fascinates. Cornwell adds to and doesn't detract from that fascination. On the other hand, Cornwell is certain she has the offender and she tries so earnestly to persuade the reader. I followed and I could see it with some straining of incredulity but in the end I just can't buy it. I have to go forward still wondering who was Jack the Ripper and what were his motives.

Delivered as advertised and in excellent condition

I prefer non-fiction, so this book by Patricia Cornwell was of great interest to me. I just finished reading it and think she certainly nailed Jack the Ripper. If the folks at Scotland Yard had invested the time and talent in looking for this killer that Ms. Cornwell did--they could have named him, too. Much as I love factual info--the middle of the book got a little tedious, but you could never fault Ms. Cornwell on her excellent research! The interest picked up again and I really love the book! It opened my eyes to how life was in London in the 17 and 1800"s--truly barbaric. So thankful for America and my timeframe. Also thankful for Ms. Cornwell's persistent pursuit of the truth and believe she found it--great book!

I read this book many years ago and was absolutely fascinated by all the research and insight out into this book. I’ve always been fascinated by the Ripper case and the theories in this book, based on the research are pretty plausible. Such a great read that I couldn’t pass it up when it came across my feed. I use jad to add it to my collection.