From Publishers Weekly
Jack the Ripper was renowned artist Walter Sickert (1860-1942) according to Cornwell, in case anyone hasn't yet heard. The evidence Cornwell accumulates toward that conclusion in this brilliant, personal, gripping book is very strong, and will persuade many. In May 2001, Cornwell took a tour of Scotland Yard that interested her in the Ripper case, and in Sickert as a suspect. A look at Sickert's "violent" paintings sealed her interest, and she became determined to apply, for the first time ever, modern investigatory and forensic techniques to the crimes that horrified London more than 100 years ago. The book's narrative is complex, as Cornwell details her emotional involvement in the case; re-creates life in Victorian times, particularly in the late 1880s, and especially the cruel existence of the London poor; offers expertly observed scenarios of how, based on the evidence, the killings occurred and the subsequent investigations were conducted; explains what was found by the team of experts she hired; and gives a psycho-biography of Sickert. The book is filled with newsworthy revelations, including the successful use of DNA analysis to establish a link between an envelope mailed by the Ripper and two envelopes used by Sickert. There are also powerful comparisons made between Sickert's drawing style and that of the Ripper; between words and turns of phrases used by both men; and much other circumstantial evidence. Also newsworthy is Cornwell's conclusion that Sickert continued to kill long after the Ripper supposedly lay down his blade, reaping dozens of victims over his long life. Compassionate, intense, superbly argued, fluidly written and impossible to put down, this is the finest and most important true-crime book to date of the 21st century. Main selection of the BOMC, Literary Guild, Mystery Guild and Doubleday Book Club. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Can truth be stranger than Cornwell's fiction? Here, the best-selling novelist claims to uncover the identity of Jack the Ripper. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
The creator of crime-solving Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta takes a detour in this nonfiction offering to argue that real-life artist Walter Sickert was England's Jack the Ripper. Using new technology, Cornwall says the Ripper's writings match those of the British actor turned painter. Even DNA samples of the spit on the Ripper's postage stamps mirror Sickert's. While no one will ever know for sure, Kate Reading's narration helps punctuate the author's argument. She speaks with such authority that one is convinced by the second chapter. Nonetheless, one wants to hear every point Cornwall makes. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
This is one of the most talked about books of the currentpublishing season; if you have not heard about it yet, you have notbeen keeping up with book news! Cornwell, author of the popular KayScarpetta mystery series, turns her hand here to nonfiction to explorea subject that recently has thoroughly riveted her attention: noneother than the ultimate in unsolved serial murder cases, that of Jackthe Ripper. Readers will remember that the Ripper plunged London'sEast End into abject terror for a few months in 1888, during whichtime he brutally murdered several prostitutes. Cornwell applied moderninvestigative and forensic techniques to answer the question of theRipper's identity, hardly leaving a single stone unturned in gatheringevidence, which she presents in this absolutely absorbing book. Whowas Jack the Ripper, then? Cornwell points her finger at Impressionistpainter Walter Richard Sickert, and her indictment rests on, amongother things, DNA testing and matching watermarks on envelopes. Sheadeptly sets the whole horrifying story within the tenor of life inVictorian England, and the result is a well-constructed, endlesslyfascinating account that is sure not only to arouse debate but also togenerate considerable demand in the library. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
The number-one New York Times-bestselling novelist Patricia Cornwell is known the world over for her brilliant storytelling, the courage of her characters, and the state-of-the-art forensic methods they employ.

In this headline-making new work of nonfiction, Cornwell turns her trademark skills for meticulous research and scientific expertise on one of the most chilling cases of serial murder in the history of crime-the slayings of Jack the Ripper that terrorized 1880s London. With the masterful intuition into the criminal mind that has informed her novels, Cornwell digs deeper into the case than any detective before her-and reveals the true identity of this elusive madman.

Enlisting the help of forensic experts, Cornwell examines all the physical evidence available: thousands of documents and reports, fingerprints, crime-scene photographs, original etchings and paintings, items of clothing, artists' paraphernalia, and traces of DNA. Her unavoidable conclusion: Jack the Ripper was none other than a respected painter of his day, an artist now collected by some of the world's finest museums.


Download Description
""No doubt there will always be skeptics, and critics tainted by self-interest who will refuse to accept that [Walter] Sickert was a serial killer, a damaged diabolical man driven by megalomania and hate. There will be those who will argue that it's all coincidence. As FBI profiler Ed Sulzbach says, 'There really aren't many coincidences in life. And to call coincidence after coincidence after coincidence a coincidence is just plain stupid.'" (Chap. 2 p.14 para. 4) -Patricia Cornwell, Portrait of a Killer In Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed, Cornwell combines the rigorous discipline of twenty-first century police investigation with forensic techniques undreamed of during the late Victorian era to solve one of the most infamous and difficult serial murder cases in history. medical procedures Sickert was forced to endure and reflects on the impact they might have had on the young boy. She also explores the ways in which women might have served as a dangerous reminder of his infuriating and humiliating abnormality. (Chap. 1 p.5 para. 3) ?


About the Author
Patricia Cornwell's most recent number-one bestsellers include The Last Precinct and Isle of Dogs. Her earlier work includes Postmortem-the only novel to win the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity awards and the French Prix du Roman d'Aventure in a single year-and Cruel and Unusual, which won Britain's prestigious Gold Dagger Award for the year's best crime novel of 1993. Her fictional chief medical examiner, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, won the 1999 Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author. Cornwell helped establish the Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine, the first forensic training facility of its kind in the nation, and serves as the Institute's Chairman of the Board. Visit the Institute's website vifsm.org and Cornwell's own website at patriciacornwell.com.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Mystery and thriller writer extraordinaire Patricia Cornwell uses her crime-solving know-how to solve one of history's most baffling cases: the infamous crime spree of Jack the Ripper. Cornwell has invested millions in her quest to reveal who the Ripper really was, and the results of her intense investigation are guaranteed to amaze and enthrall.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Between August and November 1888, at least seven women were murdered in London's Whitechapel area. The gruesome nature of their deaths caused panic and fear in the East End for months, and gave rise to the sobriquet that was to become shorthand for a serial killer - Jack the Ripper." "For over a hundred years the murders have remained among the world's greatest unsolved crimes, and a wealth of theories have been posited which have pointed the finger at royalty, a barber, a doctor, a woman and an artist. Using her formidable range of forensic and technical skills, Patricia Cornwell has applied the rigorous discipline of twenty-first-century police investigation to the extant material, and here presents the hard evidence that the perpetrator was the world-famous artist Walter Sickert." By using techniques unknown in the late Victorian age, Patricia Cornwell has exposed Sickert as the author of the infamous Ripper letters to the Metropolitan Police. Her detailed analysis of his paintings shows how his art continually depicted his horrific mutilation of his victims, and her examination of this man's birth defects, the consequent genital surgical interventions and their effects on his upbringing presents a casebook example of how a psychopathic killer is created.

SYNOPSIS

Crime fiction writer Cornwell adds yet another volume to the Jack the Ripper literature. She argues that the serial killer had to be the painter Walter Richard Sickert (d. 1942) and that the killings continued beyond the 1888 murder spree. She presents a portrait of Sickert as deranged by genital deformations and points to clues in his paintings and his biography as giving weight to her description of him as psychopathic. Explorations of the physical evidence, including DNA tests commissioned by Cornwell are presented and new clues are sought in the accounts of the murders of the Ripper's victims. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

"I knew the identity of a murderer and couldn't possibly avert my gaze," declares bestselling author and Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine chairman of the board Cornwell (The Last Precinct). Claiming to have cracked the unsolved case of Jack the Ripper, the author, combining superb investigative skills and meticulous research with modern technology, presents strong, albeit largely circumstantial, evidence as to the true culprit in this uncharacteristic work of nonfiction. Cornwell's man is the handsome, educated actor-cum-artist Walter Richard Sickert, and she delves into his life, probing the psychological pain and sexual deformity which led to his "impotent fury." Screen, stage and TV actress Burton's splendid, professional narration deserves much of the credit for the book's smooth translation to abridged audio format. Transporting listeners to 19th century England, Burton easily transitions between American and English accents, bringing an authentic, resonating flavor to the era and to the desperate lives of London's "unfortunates" who became the killer's prey. Despite some tedious and over-detailed readings of medical records, laws and police reports, as well as descriptive accounts of Cornwell's experiences re-opening the case, this audiobook turns potentially dry material into an enthralling exploration. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Forecasts, Nov. 11). (Nov.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Cornwell's mission is to prove that artist and iconoclast Walter Sickert was the real Jack the Ripper. Her method is an intriguing though somewhat repetitious circling through Victorian London, where she pulls together circumstantial evidence and coincidences as well as an analysis of his artwork to name him a viable suspect if not the indisputable perpetrator. The portrait of the times and obstacles faced by the authorities is often more intriguing, as the author works through the historical flaws, glitches, mistakes, and limitations of the original investigations. Kate Reading's familiarity with Cornwell's fiction may be jarring for those used to her as the voice of Kay Scarpetta or Pete Marino. Ultimately, Cornwell's expertise as the creator of a modern crime world helps her as a writer more than a "case closer." A popular choice for true crime audiences, historians, and Cornwell fans; Books on Tape's library edition may be a better investment, especially since both publishers use the same reader.-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile