THE FIVE, THE UNTOLD LIVES OF THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER, by Hallie Rubenhold

Historical Fiction -- 5 stars



Everyone knows the story of Jack the Ripper and how he killed five prostitutes in the mid 1800s.  Like the Lizzie Borden story, Jack the Ripper is a tale that still holds public attention.  ----- What this book does is put the focus, not on the killer, but on the women he murdered.  And what an eye-opener this is.  Each victim is given her own section that details her family history and life story.  Meticulously researched, we learn that these women began life as proud members of Britain's working class--and may not have been prostitutes at all.  One fact that caught my attention in the beginning is that all five were killed in a prone position.  Were they simply random victims, caught unaware while sleeping rough?  Historian Hallie Rubenhold will make you question everything you thought you knew about the Ripper's victims.  Fascinating and sad.