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Jack the Ripper Victims Series #1 and 2
Jack the Ripper Victims Series: The Double Event
Jack the Ripper Victims Series: The Double Event (two novels in one volume)
The night of September 30, 1888, Jack the Ripper took two lives in the Whitechapel district of London. Elizabeth Stride was killed about 1:00 AM. A ten minute walk away, and less than an hour later, Catherine Eddowes was killed. The next day, a letter known as the Saucy Jacky postcard was received at the Central News Agency. The message was meant to taunt the police and perhaps the entire city. The writer, who signed the postcard Jack the Ripper, referred to the killings of the night before as “The Double Event.”
Since the murderer was never caught, fascination with the unsolved mystery has been widespread and enduring. But what of the women? Who were they? What was life like for them in London of the time period? What were their struggles, their hopes, their regrets? What of the decisions they made in life might have delivered them into the bloody hands of the Ripper? The two novels within this volume, Say Anything But Your Prayers, about the life of Elizabeth Stride, and Of Thimble and Threat, about the life of Catherine Eddowes, give possible answers to these questions.
Say Anything But Your Prayers
The beast of poverty and disease had stalked Elizabeth all her life, waiting for the right moment to take her down. To survive, she listened to the two extremes within herself--Bess, the innocent child of hope, and Liza, the cynical, hard-bitten opportunist. While Bess paints rosy pictures of what lies ahead and Liza warns of dangers everywhere, the beast, in the guise of a man offering something better, circles closer.
Of Thimble and Threat
The story of the intense love between a mother and a child, a story of poverty and loss, fierce independence, and unconquerable will. It is the devastating portrayal of a self-perpetuated descent into Hell, a lucid view into the darkest parts of the human heart.
The night of September 30, 1888, Jack the Ripper took two lives in the Whitechapel district of London. Elizabeth Stride was killed about 1:00 AM. A ten minute walk away, and less than an hour later, Catherine Eddowes was killed. The next day, a letter known as the Saucy Jacky postcard was received at the Central News Agency. The message was meant to taunt the police and perhaps the entire city. The writer, who signed the postcard Jack the Ripper, referred to the killings of the night before as “The Double Event.”
Since the murderer was never caught, fascination with the unsolved mystery has been widespread and enduring. But what of the women? Who were they? What was life like for them in London of the time period? What were their struggles, their hopes, their regrets? What of the decisions they made in life might have delivered them into the bloody hands of the Ripper? The two novels within this volume, Say Anything But Your Prayers, about the life of Elizabeth Stride, and Of Thimble and Threat, about the life of Catherine Eddowes, give possible answers to these questions.
Say Anything But Your Prayers
The beast of poverty and disease had stalked Elizabeth all her life, waiting for the right moment to take her down. To survive, she listened to the two extremes within herself--Bess, the innocent child of hope, and Liza, the cynical, hard-bitten opportunist. While Bess paints rosy pictures of what lies ahead and Liza warns of dangers everywhere, the beast, in the guise of a man offering something better, circles closer.
Of Thimble and Threat
The story of the intense love between a mother and a child, a story of poverty and loss, fierce independence, and unconquerable will. It is the devastating portrayal of a self-perpetuated descent into Hell, a lucid view into the darkest parts of the human heart.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 15, 2015
About the author
Alan M. Clark
139 books323 followersAuthor and illustrator, Alan M. Clark grew up in Tennessee in a house full of bones and old medical books. His awards include the World Fantasy Award and four Chesley Awards. He is the author of twenty-one books, including fourteen novels, a lavishly illustrated novella, a lavishly illustrated novellette, four collections of fiction, and a nonfiction full-color book of his artwork. Mr. Clark's company, IFD Publishing, has released 45 titles of various editions, including traditional books, both paperback and hardcover, audio books, and ebooks by such authors as F. Paul Wilson, Elizabeth Engstrom, and Jeremy Robert Johnson. Alan M. Clark and his wife, Melody, live in Oregon. www.alanmclark.com Visit his blog: https://ifdpublishing.com/blog
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 1, 2015
This book offers two of Alan Clark’s novels about the victims of Jack the Ripper. Of Thimble and Threat tells the story of Catherine Eddowes, based on the items that police found on her body at the murder scene. Say Anything but Your Prayers follows Elizabeth Stride from her rustic youth in Sweden to her last days selling her body on the streets of London.
Together, these stories reveal how the powerful motivator of survival can lead people without support or voice in their society to deliverances that might, as bad as it sounds, be considered merciful.
The edition also comes with Clark’s illustrations, which look great in Kindle format. His use of shadow, perspective and texture evoke both the Ripper and London as killing machines working in tandem. Pay particular attention to the range of emotion the artist communicates through his rendering of hands.
For readers of Ripperana and fans of Clark’s fiction and artwork, The Double Event is a great deal.
Together, these stories reveal how the powerful motivator of survival can lead people without support or voice in their society to deliverances that might, as bad as it sounds, be considered merciful.
The edition also comes with Clark’s illustrations, which look great in Kindle format. His use of shadow, perspective and texture evoke both the Ripper and London as killing machines working in tandem. Pay particular attention to the range of emotion the artist communicates through his rendering of hands.
For readers of Ripperana and fans of Clark’s fiction and artwork, The Double Event is a great deal.
January 25, 2015
Both of these stories are great! They are both tense and highly emotional stories about the lives of two the victims of Jack the Ripper.
The work that Clark is doing with this series is awesome. His understanding of psychology is sound and there is no point during either of these stories that any decisions that the characters make seem to be forced, or seem unnatural. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book. If you are not a fan of gory horror stories, rest assured, these stories don't belong in that camp. If you are a fan of gory horror stories, give this a read, and you will be surprised at how disturbing true horror is.
The work that Clark is doing with this series is awesome. His understanding of psychology is sound and there is no point during either of these stories that any decisions that the characters make seem to be forced, or seem unnatural. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book. If you are not a fan of gory horror stories, rest assured, these stories don't belong in that camp. If you are a fan of gory horror stories, give this a read, and you will be surprised at how disturbing true horror is.
January 25, 2015
I've had the pleasure to read both these tales. These two tales blend my reader needs quite well - I love thrillers, historical fiction, moody atmospheres, and complicated characters. Alan Clark has created characters that you root for, and yet you want to strangle them yourself just to stop them from their self destruction. I'm heartened to see a series in progress. After all...the Ripper just kept going and going...
July 1, 2023
Thank you Alan M. Clark. This was exactly what I wanted to read. I Loved 'Say Anything But Your Prayers, it reminded me of 'The Savage Tide by Audrey Willsher. The illustrations in this book are amazing. I can't wait to read A Brutal Chill in August.
December 9, 2015
Historical fiction at its finest
A must for those who enjoy historical fiction and definitely those for even a passing interest in the infamous Jack.
So well researched and well described, you actually feel you are in Victorian London. Interspersed with illustrations by the author himself, which only adds the the suspense and ultimate horror of the inescapable.
Mr Clark has a talent for breathing life & light into his portrayal of Jack's victims, only for it to be summarily extinguished in the inevitable end.
A must for those who enjoy historical fiction and definitely those for even a passing interest in the infamous Jack.
So well researched and well described, you actually feel you are in Victorian London. Interspersed with illustrations by the author himself, which only adds the the suspense and ultimate horror of the inescapable.
Mr Clark has a talent for breathing life & light into his portrayal of Jack's victims, only for it to be summarily extinguished in the inevitable end.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews