This and That – RIPPER—THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER SICKER.

“Monday, August 6, 1888, was a bank holiday, and London was a carnival of wondrous things to do for as little as pennies if one could spare a few.” Thus begins one of my much-loved books about one of my favorite historical characters.

I was 17 years old when I first checked out a book about this character from the then-new Gulfport library. The Head Librarian, Mrs. Person, looked over her horn-rimmed glasses and said in her somewhat monotone voice, “Don’t read this after dark….” A glimmer of a smile creased her wrinkled face.

Alas, I did not heed Mrs. Person’s advice and spent a few restless nights, shaking with fright. However, the book started a lifelong fascination with one of the most—if not the most—famous serial killers of all time: Jack the Ripper.

Looking back (hindsight is always 20/20), that book–WHEN LONDON WALKED IN TERROR (1968)—made for good reading, but perhaps, not good history. It used the historical information that was available at the time. Patricia Cornwell’s book, RIPPER—THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER SICKERT, also uses historical information. However, she “has collected never-before-fore archival material—including a rare mortuary photo, personal correspondence and a will with a mysterious autopsy clause—and applied cutting-edge forensic science to open an old crime to new scrutiny.”

Incorporating material from her first book on the Ripper, PORTRAIT OF A KILLER: JACK THE RIPPER—CASE CLOSED (2002), Mrs. Cornwell’s second book includes “eight new chapters, detailed maps and hundreds of images that bring the sinister case to life.” That case involves the story of a vain but charismatic man, Walter Sickert, a prominent London painter. The ghoulish nature of his paintings, as well as extensive evidence, “points to another name, one that’s left its bloody mark on the pages of history: Jack the Ripper.”

“The day of Christine’s funeral was blustery and cold, and the procession was late. Sickert didn’t pour her ashes into her grave. He dug his hands inside the urn and flung them into the air, and the wind blew them into the faces of everyone there.”

Ms. Cornwell ends her book thusly. This book is a mesmerizing read. For me and my house, I think she’s uncovered who the Ripper was. Read the book and see if you don’t agree.

This will be the last of my First and Last series. Next week, I start something new.

(Originally published November 3, 2021)