Reviews

Death at Whitechapel by Robin Paige

ghosthermione's review

I enjoyed the other books but Rudyard Kipling was already pushing my limit. Now, I have about zero interest in reading about Winston Churchill and his parentage...

emeryclarke's review against another edition

3.0

A fun read, though the writing style is a bit stilted. Robin Paige goes does some rather niche conspiracies in this story, straying away from the widely acknowledged theories. For Jack the Ripper fans, this book is a bit frustrating as we one from one theory to the next, leaving plots dangling, unanswered in our wake. At times I could almost feel the voice actor sigh with boredom or roll their eyes.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audio arc for this book in exchange for an honest review.

steven_v's review against another edition

3.0

This is another interesting historical mystery by the husband-wife writer team that works under the pseudonym "Robin Paige." This time, Sir Charles and Lady Kate wind up investigating the murders of Jack the Ripper, and interacting with a young Winston Churchill.

The novel was fairly enjoyable, but I found the whole "Freemason Conspiracy Theory" rather silly, and from what I have read on the internet, although it may have been in vogue at the time this novel was written (in the 1990s), it has been fairly roundly debunked in the years since. (Not that I probably would have credited it anyway.) The theory follows all the typical patterns of a "Grand Conspiracy Theory" (Google it to learn more about the patterns) -- which is to say it's not much different from UFO conspiracy theories, Bigfoot conspiracy theories, JFK conspiracy theories, and so forth. I don't discount the idea, put forward by the authors and, according to them, other "Ripperologists," that "Jack the Ripper" might have been a group of people... but the rest of the conspiracy is a flight of fancy, in my opinion.

I think this brings up another problem, here, which is that the Sheridans are not solving a particular murder. Unlike the previous Victorian mysteries, they're working on something that happened years ago, and for which there's no real direct evidence (almost everything is based on hearsay). Compared to the other stories, in which Charles and Kate witness the murder or examine the body before it's even cold, this distant removal of the crime made the story less interesting.

On the other hand, I enjoyed Charles and Kate as usual - they are wonderful characters. The novel is well written, and the portrayal of Winston Churchill is interesting.

git_r_read's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoy this series. It's not only a good mystery to read, it's a look into the past. A look at class structure, inventions, how everything affects the old way of life.
This one is a look at Jack the Ripper. The repercussions continue with blackmail of Winston Churchill's family. I've not read any biographies of Winston Churchill and this made me want to find one to read.
I am glad I have a stack of the books in the series ready to go any time. I love Kathryn Ardleigh's strength and sense of humor. She's an American in an English world. She continues to write her books under a pen name and assists her forward-thinking husband in his investigations. People know they can trust her and she does her best to not let them down, rich and poor alike.
Definitely recommend.

katieellenf's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

sanne_vds's review

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 I’m not going to lie. This book took me ages to finish, and I had to restart at least once because I could not – for the life of me – remember who everyone was. By the time the story picked up, though, I got into it very fast. The intrigue, the theories, the murders, the side-plots, … everything drew me in. This has much to do with Helen Johns narration. If not for her and her many ways of portraying each character I probably would have given up on the book for good. But I’m glad I didn’t because while it was historically inaccurate, the authors used one of the more credible and plausible theories as a backbone which made for an entertaining listen/read. 

Something I thoroughly enjoyed was the way the authors (I only learned after finishing that the pen name Robin Paige is used by a 2 people; a husband and wife) included actual historical figures in the story. It also shows how people at that time might’ve experienced the scandals in real time and a bit later. It was also interesting to see and learn about the political and social climate of that time. 

To people interested in this book: I recommend it very much if you like historical murder mysteries, Jack the Ripper, female protagonists, etc. but I do warn you about the very slow start of the story. So don’t give up because it does get better after a while and is totally worth the read. Especially the audiobook i recommend, because Helen Johns does an incredible job narrating. 

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an audiobook arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

debjazzergal's review against another edition

3.0

This one intrigued me because it dealt with Victorian times - one of my favorite times in history. It was a quick read and enjoyable but I don't feel a driving need to continue with the series. They (it's a writing team) create a vivid account of Victorian England.

annsbibliotherapy's review against another edition

4.0

I'll be the first to admit that I have a love for the macabre, specifically serial killers and Jack the Ripper makes me wonder over and over who is it, how no one figured it out, and why did he do it.

Robin Paige has taken a story that everyone has at least heard of and written a new story, one that starts not at the beginning but after the fact and puts all of the pieces of the puzzle in place.

With surgical precision, we watch our characters try and figure out if there's anything to the blackmail, who really knows what, and how they go forward with what they know now.

Our Narrator Helen Johns does a wonderful job adding tension and depth to certain situations and mystery and intrigue to others.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this audiobook. I have voluntarily listened to it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

mulvama3's review against another edition

I just wasn’t in the mood for reading. I wanted to listen to it since I started the series by listening. This wasn’t out on audio at the time.

helenephoebe's review against another edition

5.0

Review - I've always been fascinated by Jack the Ripper and perhaps I enjoyed this story so much because it delves into one of my favourite mysteries, and almost makes the absurd royal conspiracy seem believable. I also enjoyed seeing a possible different side to Winston Churchill, as most people will only know him as the victor over the Nazis, but he was young once and this book explores that time.

Genre? - Mystery / Crime / Historical

Characters? - Kate Ardleigh Sheridan / Charles Sheridan / Jennie Churchill / Randolph Churchill / Winston Churchill / Mary Kelly

Setting? - Bishop's Keep & London (England)

Series? - Kate Ardleigh #6

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 20/20