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Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes (Jack the Ripper) Paperback – June 23, 2011
- Print length418 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJune 23, 2011
- Dimensions6 x 0.95 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101494406438
- ISBN-13978-1494406431
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Publication date : June 23, 2011
- Edition : 2nd
- Language : English
- Print length : 418 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1494406438
- ISBN-13 : 978-1494406431
- Item Weight : 1.55 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.95 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #20,195 inTraditional Detective Mysteries (Books)
- #1,534,742 inLiterature & Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
“Schaffer is the real deal. His writing will knock you out.”
—J.A. Konrath, author of the Jack Daniels Mysteries
Bernard Schaffer is an author from the Philadelphia area.
His acclaimed Santero and Rein Thriller series features Carrie Santero and her mentor, the troubled Jacob Rein. The Thief of All Light, An Unsettled Grave, and Blood Angel, are available from Kensington Books.
His western trilogy debuted in 2021 as part of the Ralph Compton imprint with Berkley Books. All three titles, Face of a Snake, Snake's Fury, and Hell Snake, were selected as Walmart paperback exclusives.
Awards for his work include Suspense Magazine Best of 2019 (Suspense Thriller Category) and an Audiobook Reviewers' Choice Award.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this book a compelling read with well-researched detail and a great blend of fact and fiction. The story is engrossing, particularly praising the Druitt storyline, and features many well-fleshed out characters. Customers describe it as excellently written and fast-paced, though opinions about the pacing are mixed. The book includes graphic violence that some customers find disturbing.
Customers find the book enjoyable and compelling, describing it as gritty and enthralling, with one customer noting it's a terrific page turner.
"...So, the story... It's agreat read. Not quite what I was expecting and not for the easily upset. It's engaging and keeps you hanging on...."Read more
"But still agood read. My biggest disappointment was the portrial of Holmes character up until halfway through the book...."Read more
"...Overall, it is very well-written with enough action to be afun read...."Read more
"...Despite a few anachronisms in dialogue, this is anengaging, compelling book recommended to anyone who appreciates the Holmes Canon and penny..."Read more
Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, finding it engrossing with a very good conclusion, particularly appreciating the Druitt storyline.
"Good story, brings Dr. Watson and Holmes into play to find the Ripper. Believable and well written. Highly recommend it for all Sherlock Holmes Fan"Read more
"...I have always hated that about some authors, they have thisgreat story, this great build-up, you are right there........and then it ends leaving..."Read more
"...I enjoyed the writing. Ienjoyed the storyline...."Read more
"...Thestory jumps all over the place. Extremely graphic on parts that make no sense...."Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book.
"Interesting playout of a theory of who "Jack" was. Whilewell written, not too original but it will keep you reading to the end."Read more
"First let me say if you are looking for awell written novel with an inventive take on Jack the Ripper this is the novel for you...."Read more
"Bernard Schaffer is svery talented writer who has captured the characters and the feel for the times of Conan Doyle's classic detective stories...."Read more
"...Bernard Schaffer is agood writer and I mean no disrespect to him as an author...."Read more
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that many characters are well fleshed out.
"...Thecharacters are well drawn and distinctive and the bad guys motivations are wonderfully developed."Read more
"...Thecharacters were so real to me, they even eclipsed the characters I had built up in my mind after watching "Sherlock" on the BBC, and reading..."Read more
"...The problem is, the authorspends too much time on character development and little to move the story to make it compelling...."Read more
"...In Whitechapel there areplenty of characters who all have their own very distinctive traits including the infamous Jack the Ripper...."Read more
Customers appreciate the book's depth and well-researched detail, with one customer noting how it provides an excellent view into what creates a psychopath.
"...I wept at the end, unashamedly. This was through,well researched, and a new way to see Sherlock, Watson, Jack the Ripper, and Irene Adler."Read more
"...Jack the Ripper, but it brings all of the Sherlock characters a nicedepth and realness to them...."Read more
"...It is obviouslymeticulously researched and well written from that point of view...."Read more
"...Even as a Ripper novel, the book fails utterly. Theresearch is shoddy (if not non-existent), and even the descriptions do not tally with the..."Read more
Customers find the book believable, appreciating its great blend of fact and fiction, and consider it terrific historical fiction.
"...Ripper, but it brings all of the Sherlock characters a nice depth andrealness to them...."Read more
"...Aterrific historical fiction with well-researched detail on London's East End in the late 1800s. The filth and lack of couth is eye-opening...."Read more
"...I did find the handling of Holmes's addiction, yes addiction, in arealistic way; rather than the glorified, inconsequential descriptions by Doyle...."Read more
"...Believable and well written. Highly recommend it for all Sherlock Holmes Fan"Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced while others describe it as disturbing at times.
"...words... salacious, gratuitous violence, prurient, sexually explicit,depraved and just plain blood spattered...."Read more
"Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes is afast moving adventure sure to please fans of crime drama...."Read more
"...Some pretty strange plot devices mixed in as well.Trashy book."Read more
"...I liked having more of Dr. Watson . Thestory kept up a good pace and reminded me of what evil can be."Read more
Customers find the book's content very gory, describing it as bloody and violent.
"...I don't think this book will tell me.Very gory and horrific up to this point so I think I will put it down and go to bed."Read more
"...put in a word of caution that this book is EXTREMELY graphic, violent,bloody and sexual, so it is not for the faint of heart."Read more
"...Mystery,violence, heartache. I devoured this book in one sitting - couldn't put it down...."Read more
"This book calls to mind some big words... salacious,gratuitous violence, prurient, sexually explicit, depraved and just plain blood spattered...."Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2011Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThough I realize it will be considered blasphemous to say so, I actually have never read a Sherlock Holmes novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Growing up, my dad would watch the movies--all 18 times a week HBO would play them--and I found myself interested in the stories. However, it wasn't until the 1985 Young Sherlock Holmes (critically panned, but a classic to me) that I became absolutely enthralled with the characters. If that admission loses my credibility for this review, then so be it, but I wouldn't hold that against this book and deprive yourself of a great read.
When I first talked about Whitechapel with author Bernard J. Schaffer a couple of months ago, he said that his goal was to show readers a version of Sherlock Holmes that they'd never seen before. Mission accomplished. Interestingly, the story is told through the perspective of Dr. John Watson rather than the iconic super sleuth. By doing so, we're also given a thorough view into the complicated life of Holmes's most loyal and trusted sidekick. When Watson interacts with Holmes, Sherlock is a beaten and broken man who has become complacent in the ways of deduction, and is losing the struggle with his drug habit. He no longer sees the challenge in detective work, and he has grown belligerent towards his dearest friend. This leads Watson to seek his day in the sun and attempt to catch The Ripper himself, while the rest of London cries for their hero to rise again.
Mr. Schaffer's greatest feat with this book is in his extraordinary character development. Perhaps none more so than of notorious butcher, Jack the Ripper. Being that the real Ripper was never identified, Schaffer opted to work from a blank canvas and create his persona from scratch, though using familar names from the case. Going down that path required a great deal of homework, including speaking with an FBI analyst, and the story is richer because of it. Quite literally, the devil is in the details. As gruesome as the real Whitechapel murders were, Schaffer has recreated them in horrific fashion. In other words, if you're a squeamish reader, you may want to skip this one.
Because I am not an expert on the Sherlock Holmes universe, I was able to sink my teeth into this meaty story and savor it for what it is--a fantastic piece of quality writing and storytelling. Diehard fans of Doyle's work may not regard it so fondly, however, but I don't get the feeling that pleasing them was the author's intent. It is obvious that Schaffer is knowledgeable regarding the work of Doyle, and that he is a fan. Though he plays with borrowed characters using the rules of his own sandbox, they are all handled delicately and with the utmost respect.
As much as I enjoyed this book, it does not go entirely without complaint. The dream match-up of Holmes versus The Ripper is the star attraction of this story, but their eventual encounter is all too brief. It's like anticipating Freddy versus Jason after a thorough build-up, only to have their final showdown reserved for the last 60 seconds of film. And while that aspect is a bit of a letdown, I still came away from this book completely satisfied. Why? Because the writing is stupendous. Let me say that again, STUPENDOUS. Every character, from the most prominent to the lowest bit player, is deeper than an ocean. There are scenes in this book that I will never forget, including an ending that brought tears to my eyes.
Schaffer is as much a teacher as he is an entertainer. His books are both treasure and textbook. Any aspiring writer should become familiar with his work and soak it all in. He's got me as a fan for life. Treat yourself, buy this book. - Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2012Format: KindleVerified PurchaseSir Arthur Conan Doyle, although he was a police detective, was a man with a certain aristocratic bearing. There is between his fictional investigators and the criminals a distinct distance. The stories are intriguing puzzles of logic and character analysis. While dramatic, they aren't gritty; while they deal with human darkness, they are full of the light of understanding.
Whitechapel by Bernard Schaffer is all darkness. Essentially a police procedural that moves 21st-century grit and realism to the Victorian era, it's written to show a transition from those times into a modern or post-modern view of crime. For Schaffer, Jack the Ripper is not a single killer, but the progenitor of a whole category of criminal, a seminal figure who has triggered the creation of all serial killers to follow.
Yes, Bernard (who is a friend of mine) tells you who the Ripper is right away. And, as the other reviews say, yes, you experience the murders from the Ripper's point of view. (You can also choose the less bloody "Gentleman's Edition" of this book, though.) Yet even this version isn't a gore-fest. All the death and mutilation isn't just there to provoke your disgusted reaction. If you want to read for that reason, there's always Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho (a truly revolting book, in my not humble opinion). The death and mutilation are part of a more comprehensive theme about the growth of evil in a society in transition. This book, Whitechapel, is overall less about bloody death than about the struggles of characters.
Overwhelmingly, the lead character among the many viewpoint characters in this book is Gerard Lestrade, who was for Doyle something between a plot device and a well-meaning sidekick. Here he emerges as a plodding, harried tough cop at odds with his bosses. In this role he is sort of a warm-up for Schaffer's more contemporary later version, Vic Ajax, in the masterful Superbia. Running close second to Lestrade is Dr. John Watson, who gets a fair amount of time in the spotlight. So too do the killer and the redoubtable Irene Adler.
These characters don't feel like Victorians, really; they and the other characters feel all very contemporary. In his cameos, Mycroft Holmes presents a very Realpolitik view that feels especially 21st century-ish to me. Similar comments might be made about everyone in the book.
But what about Sherlock Holmes?
Holmes is a drug addict in this book, and Schaffer's depiction of drug addiction is both painfully accurate and, for Holmes fans, deeply upsetting. Holmes fans want to read about Holmes triumphing over tricky crooks, whereas in Whitechapel he is challenged to triumph over the ennui that has driven him to become useless and nasty, and he is challenged to master his own soul. Holmes as drug addict is a trope just lightly hinted at by Doyle, and elaborated by Nicholas Meyer in the late-70s early-80s novel The Seven Percent Solution, which also brings in Sigmund Freud to cure him. Schaffer shows us Holmes forced to find inner strength. Like a real-life addict, he must in the end fight his battle alone. The Ripper is really a red herring in this aspect of the story, as it is not Holmes vs. the Ripper, but Holmes vs. himself.
I actually read Schaffer's amazing Superbia before reading Whitechapel, and this book reads like a warm-up for his later masterpiece. Whitechapel is a good read, with a moving ending, and it is hard to put down, but it is not really a Holmes book so much as it is an exploration of modern depravity with Doyle's names attached in a nigh-allegorical way.
I never find a boring page in a book by Bernard Schaffer, and I highly recommend all of his books. I'm going to read Guns of Seneca 6 next.
Top reviews from other countries
- Tony HealeyReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2011
5.0 out of 5 starsReality
I like Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes. It has everything you want in a serial killer thriller and Bernard never shies away from showing Victorian London for what it was. For most people, a Victorian thriller involving Sherlock Holmes calls to mind tea parties, deerstalkers, merry gentlemen who can do no harm... you know, every cliche in the book. That's been done. It's been done to death and to be honest with you I'm bored of it. It's why I don't watch Downton Abbey. That is not the real England.
The England I know has a very dark side to it. Growing up in an impoverished urban area in the nineties, I've seen my fair share of people living on the edge of poverty, and that is the side of England that is very rarely portrayed in literature.
And I tell you what, it was no different a hundred and fifty years ago. People still had the same problems (no money) there was a very evident class divide (as there is today), and people were living in less-than-satisfactory conditions (look at the housing crisis in England today).
As a detective, Bernard has seen all of that in the US and has transplanted his experience of that REALITY to Whitechapel to write a novel that deals with realism, not fantasy.
When people reviewed Whitechapel, a few criticized it for being 'too realistic.'
I don't understand this viewpooint. But Bernard being the professional that he is, has gone back and slightly rewritten Whitechapel to cater for those who can't handle that reality being thrown at them.
Was London a seething cess pool back then? Yep. Were there prostitutes selling their bodies for next to nothing just to survive who were brutally and sadistically murdered? Yep.
Why shy away from that?
But still, here we are with Whitechapel 'The Genlemen's Edition'.
It is still the same book. But it is toned down. It is a bit more friendly.
I liked the book just as much as the original Whitechapel, but it is inferior in removing that hard edge the original has.
I hope you like Whitechapel: The Final Stand Of Sherlock Holmes: The Gentlemen's Edition but I would seriously recommend that you seek out the original Whitechapel here:Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes
I prefer reality. I don't see why you would want that removed.
Tony - John NoonanReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2012
4.0 out of 5 starsExcellent
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseWhitechapel is a fantastic read. Yes, it can be seen why it may offend some Sherlockians, but to be quite frank, if you don't want to experiment with Sherlock then don't pick up a pastiche.
There are some very graphic scenes and language, so if easily offended, you're best seeking out the Gentleman's Edition.
I have one request, please can we have more of Lestrade. He's like a 19th Century Gene Hunt. Loved him! - Dicky DidoReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2012
3.0 out of 5 starsNot Bad
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseGot this free for the Kindle from Amazon - Pretty good read (especially for free). Quite gruesome in places so definately not one for the kids. Recommended. - debbeesReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2011
5.0 out of 5 starsBrilliant!!
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseAbsolutely Brilliant!
I finished this a couple of days ago, having started it the moment it hit the Amazon Bookshelves, and I couldn't put it down! The reason I haven't put a review until now is because I was trying to find words other than "I abso-flipping-lutley Loved it" I felt I need to be a little more eloquent!! :-)
The book is Brilliant... It really is... I have read a lot of Jack books.. some fact, some fiction, so the main story line held no surprises.... but the interweaving of the rest of the story had me hooked....
Without giving anything away... I loved the wonderful way the author jumped totally into the mind of Sherlock Holmes, it was perfectly done, and to have some trusty friends from the Holmes books on hand was brilliant too..... I also loved (if that is the right word) the way he portrayed "Jack" and the reasons... whether he is right or not we will never know, but he has managed to sway my convictions of who it was.... Mr Schaffer also gave a lot of time to the police... who are sadly neglected in other books (other than being called useless!!) and his sympathy towards all of the victims.. Jacks and others of the era was heartfelt.
I highly recommend anyone with an interest towards either Jack or Holmes to read it... the smartest mind in literacy history against one of the most twisted in real history... an explosion waiting to happen and it will have you on the edge of your seat (especially as it is not predicable in the slightest... Holmes most defiantly does not say "It is elementary my dear Watson... The butler did it" :-)
The book is dark.. it is nasty.. it is descriptive... vividly of the era.. the smell, the grime, the poverty, it has some outrageously funny one liners (well I thought so) it is totally compelling and addictive. As with Mr Schaffer's last book.. it is beautifully written.. the words flow and catch you in their net pulling you further and further into the story.. you could almost be there!
To repeat myself.. Brilliant.... and yes... I abso-flipping-lutley Loved it!! - goingdownhillfastReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2015
1.0 out of 5 starsAppalling
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseRarely do I feel it necessary to write a review of an e-book, but this one was so appalling I made an exception. This book reads as bad, bad fan fiction. It is very poorly written, and very poorly edited (Who writes 'no fewer a man than...'?!). What is worse is that it tramples on characters that anyone reading this review will know and love. As other reviewers have remarked, the only thing the characters in this book have in common with Conan Doyle's originals are the names. They are otherwise unrecognisable and their actions are wholly uncharacteristic. The author seems to have entirely missed the point of Holmes, because the crime, grotesque as it may be, is never the point: we read for a clever puzzle and Holmes’ ingenious solution. This is here overlooked for a join-the-dots plot conveyed in prose which is simultaneously lurid, prurient and tedious. I am amazed that anyone could like this book. Avoid like the plague.
