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What if you thought your husband was Jack the Ripper?
London, 1888. Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon, she returns home with her new husband wrapped around her little finger. But then everything changes. His behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets.
Lonely and frustrated, Susannah starts following the gruesome reports of a spate of murders in Whitechapel. But as the killings continue, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time he stays out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence?
Or is her husband the man the papers call Jack the Ripper?Reviews for People of Abandoned Character:'A mistreated wife suspects her husband might be the Whitechapel killer... Compelling'
Sunday Times'An astonishing book'
M.W. Craven'A gripping and original take on the world's most notorious serial killer. A perfectly thrilling read for those long winter nights'
Adam Hamdy'This impressive debut builds up pace, pathos and intrigue superbly, with plenty of twists and turns'
Woman's Weekly
About the author
Clare Whitfield was born in 1978 in Morden (at the bottom of the Northern line) in Greater London. After university she worked at a publishing company before going on to hold various positions in buying and marketing. She now lives in Hampshire with her family. Her debut novel, People of Abandoned Character, won the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and is also published by Head of Zeus.
Summary
What if you thought your husband was Jack the Ripper?
London, 1888. Susannah rushes into marriage to a young and wealthy surgeon. After a passionate honeymoon, she returns home with her new husband wrapped around her little finger. But then everything changes. His behaviour becomes increasingly volatile and violent. He stays out all night, returning home bloodied and full of secrets.
Lonely and frustrated, Susannah starts following the gruesome reports of a spate of murders in Whitechapel. But as the killings continue, her mind takes her down the darkest path imaginable. Every time he stays out late, another victim is found dead. Is it coincidence? Or is her husband the man the papers call Jack the Ripper?
Reviews for People of Abandoned Character:
'A mistreated wife suspects her husband might be the Whitechapel killer... Compelling' Sunday Times
'An astonishing book' M.W. Craven
'A gripping and original take on the world's most notorious serial killer. A perfectly thrilling read for those long winter nights' Adam Hamdy
'This impressive debut builds up pace, pathos and intrigue superbly, with plenty of twists and turns' Woman's Weekly
Foreword
A brilliantly dark historical crime novel with a masterful hook: What would you do if you thought your husband was Jack the Ripper?
Additional text
With a compelling central character, an attention-grabbing murder mystery, and an easy-to-read, characterful writing style, Whitfield's novel is an excellent debut, and bodes well for her future career
