Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes

[ApiarySociety]

Greetings, fellow Ripperologists.

My new book Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes went live two days ago and I wanted to make myself available in the event that there are any questions.

The book combines a factual re-telling of the Ripper crimes and investigation with the canon of Sherlock Holmes, albeit in a grittier, darker fashion than has ever been seen before.

In addition to writing, I am a police detective and consulted with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit to get a better feel for my Ripper suspect's personality. I am sure that you will enjoy my take on the genre and look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks for keeping the Ripperologist tradition alive and in such fine form. Take care,

Bernard J. Schaffer

[ApiarySociety]

I Should Also Say...

The book is not just a simple re-evaluation of the Ripper events. I present a clear and concise pathology for my Ripper suspect and build the story to support his actions.

Most Jack the Ripper stories are told backwards. They begin with the crimes and murders and then reveal a suspect who they try to shoehorn in. Whitechapel shows you the Ripper as a boy, growing and evolving into the kind of man who becomes capable of these horrific deeds.

So who is it?

Montague Druitt.

[Bob Hinton]

OK

Well thanks for letting us know.

[Barnaby]

Just downloaded the book to my Kindle. Looking forward to reading it!

[ApiarySociety]

Excellent. I look forward to hearing what experienced Ripperologists think of it.

[Barnaby]

Excellent. I look forward to hearing what experienced Ripperologists think of it.

Well, I'm certainly not an experienced Ripperologist but as fiction I enjoyed the book. I really like what you did with respect to the character of Lestrade. Very different from the Lestrade of Arthur Conan Doyle. Did you replace Abberline with Lestrade? I noted that there was no Abberline in your book.

I won't go into any of the plot specifics here. Suffice to say it is well written and definitely worth the read.

In your notes I noticed that you thanked someone for giving the book a thorough British scrubbing with respect to vocabulary. Did you struggle with how/when to incorporate dialect into your prose? I know that is holding me back.

[ApiarySociety]

I appreciate the feedback, Barnaby. Thank you saying that.
Absolutely correct on the Abberline/Lestrade front. It was a necessary adjustment, and gave me the freedom to have a main character experience the horrors of the Ripper crimes firsthand.
Lestrade's new personality was based more on my experiences as a police investigator and how we tend to emulate the environments we work in.
The British author that helped me focused more on my incorrect useage of Americanisms that they don't say. Trousers, not Pants; Curtains, not Drapes, that type of thing. It was a humongous help.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Any thoughts on leaving a review?

[Phil H]

I downloaded the book this morning and look forward to reading it.

I enjoy Sherlockian pastiches.

The film "Murder by Decree" took a similar line, of course, and as I recall also replaced Abberline by Lestrade (played by Frank Finley). Nothing wrong with that - it allows consistency with the Doyle canon.

Phil

[Casebook Wiki Editor]

We've created a Wiki entry for this today and if folks want to take a "stab" at a review, by all means.

http://wiki.casebook.org/index.php/Whitechapel:_The_Final_Stand_Of_Sherlock_Holmes

[Phil H]

I started the book yesterday. However, before saying more I need to ask whether you want honest feedback (I do have some comments) and wether - if so - you want that publicly (on the face of this site) or privately.

Please let me know.

Phil

[RavenDarkendale]

I enjoyed this book immensely, calling it a hard-hitting story of life in Whitechapel 1888 and a good rundown on what goes into the making of a psychopath. I only dinged Mr. Schaffer for overuse of profanity.

Shortly after that review went live on amazon, I got an e-mail from Mr. Schaffer informing me of his "Gentleman's Edition". He even sent me a free copy!

It is interesting that having brought the novel to a shuddering climax with the exposure of Montague John Druitt as JtR and his subsequent drowning (helped along by his brother, revealed as the murderer of Martha Tabram) Mr. Schaffer then remarks that the killings really didn't end with Mary Kelly, thus planting the seed that there may have been another killer, perhaps the brother of Druitt!

I highly recommend this book!