CHAPMAN in paperback

[HelenaWojtczak]

Awww. you're so nice!

Chapman's descendant gave me this photo of Chapman's daughter Cecilia, taken in 1953, when she was about 61.

[Wyatt Earp]

A belated congratulations to you, Helena, on your excellent Chapman book. Your suggestion of Munchausen Syndrome as a possible explanation of Chapman's actions does seem inspired. I'm wondering, however, to what extent you were able to look into black widow(er) serial killers (cases where there was not an obvious financial incentive for the murders) in connection with identifying a motive. Just curious.

[PaulB]

Whether you are interested in George Chapman or not, this book should not be missing from your bookshelf.

[HelenaWojtczak]

A belated congratulations to you, Helena, on your excellent Chapman book. Your suggestion of Munchausen Syndrome as a possible explanation of Chapman's actions does seem inspired. I'm wondering, however, to what extent you were able to look into black widow(er) serial killers (cases where there was not an obvious financial incentive for the murders) in connection with identifying a motive. Just curious.

Hi Wyatt and many thanks for the compliments.

I did not read about any other serial killers when writing about Chapman. I wanted to just concentrate on him and trying to get a feel for what motivated him.

Then one day I was discussing Chapman's possible motives with my boyfriend. It was more like me thinking aloud, actually, kind of bouncing ideas off him to see if they sounded plausible.

I was explaining to the b/f that Chapman seemed to relish all the doctors coming and discussing his girlfriends' illnesses, and I made some comment like: "It's almost as though he wanted to bring doctors to the house... and that he enjoyed baffling them"... and then we both had a vague recollection that there was some syndrome that was connected to this... then the research began, reading up about M.S. and seeing so many parallels with Chapman's behaviour.

Paul B thanks for your nice comment.

Curiously, the recent "shawl" controversy has caused a marked leap in sales of my book. Either Edwards has raised the profile of Ripperology in general, or book buyers, hearing that it was a Pole that dunnit, are getting Kosminski and Klosowski mixed up.

At this rate I might have to print another run.

Helena

[GUT]

A belated congratulations to you, Helena, on your excellent Chapman book. Your suggestion of Munchausen Syndrome as a possible explanation of Chapman's actions does seem inspired. I'm wondering, however, to what extent you were able to look into black widow(er) serial killers (cases where there was not an obvious financial incentive for the murders) in connection with identifying a motive. Just curious.

G'day Wyatt

Not to be pedantic, even if I am, t would actually be Munchausen by Proxy. But as a syndrome it is currently heavily debated as to the validity of such a diagnosis.

[GUT]

G'day Helena

Curiously, the recent "shawl" controversy has caused a marked leap in sales of my book. Either Edwards has raised the profile of Ripperology in general, or book buyers, hearing that it was a Pole that dunnit, are getting Kosminski and Klosowski mixed up.

So it is true, every cloud does have a silver lining.

[HelenaWojtczak]

G'day Wyatt

Not to be pedantic, even if I am, t would actually be Munchausen by Proxy. But as a syndrome it is currently heavily debated as to the validity of such a diagnosis.

Thanks for the correction. As I stated in the book, it was Munchausen by Adult Proxy, which is rarer than MbP, which generally involves mothers and their children.

I'm pretty much convinced that this is the answer, since without it he really had no motive.

Helena

[Wyatt Earp]

I was explaining to the b/f that Chapman seemed to relish all the doctors coming and discussing his girlfriends' illnesses, and I made some comment like: "It's almost as though he wanted to bring doctors to the house... and that he enjoyed baffling them"... and then we both had a vague recollection that there was some syndrome that was connected to this... then the research began, reading up about M.S. and seeing so many parallels with Chapman's behaviour.

You’re right, MBAP (and thanks to you and GUT for the correction on the name) does seem like a very good fit. I haven’t actually looked into the black widows myself, I was just curious about that.

Curiously, the recent "shawl" controversy has caused a marked leap in sales of my book. Either Edwards has raised the profile of Ripperology in general, or book buyers, hearing that it was a Pole that dunnit, are getting Kosminski and Klosowski mixed up.

At this rate I might have to print another run.

If you do that, you might want to change the subtitle from The Mysterious Murders of George Chapman to The Mysterious Murders of Klosowski. And maybe photoshop that cover photo to give him some more impressive sideburns.

[HelenaWojtczak]

And maybe photoshop that cover photo to give him some more impressive sideburns.

Do you find sideburns eerie, then?

[Wyatt Earp]

Do you find sideburns eerie, then?

No, I was thinking that if you beefed up the sideburns, that might help you to sell the book to people who think that a book about Klosowski might be a book about Kosminski. Sorry, just horsing around.

[HelenaWojtczak]

Sorry to those who were unable to buy a copy of Jack the Ripper At Last. There was a slight delay in acquiring the fourth batch of books printed.

I now have plenty here in my office, and post out daily so orders now will get to you (in the UK) by Xmas.

Please use the link below to "Buy It Now".

Thanks!

[HelenaWojtczak]

Update: have received the printed books of the third, enlarged edition and am taking orders now.

[Pierre]

Some pics...

Hi there,

I see a question mark.

Regards, Pierre

[HelenaWojtczak]

Hi there,

I see a question mark.

Regards, Pierre

Well spotted!