The Top 5 Jack the Ripper Books (Nonfiction)

Jack the Ripper, London's most notorious serial killer, is perhaps one of the most famous mass murderers ever known, if only for the fact that his true identity has never been discovered. Hundreds of theories abound as to who Jack the Ripper was and what his motives were when he killed five prostitutes in the streets and alleys of Whitechapel. Ripperologists spend much of their poring over books, historical documents, and recorded evidence trying to unravel the mystery of Jack the Ripper.

If you're ready to embark on a frightful journey with the intent to learn more about Jack the Ripper, then these five books will surely get you started, perhaps providing you with more gruesome information than you cared for. Or, if you consider yourself a Ripperologist, then these are five Jack the Ripper books you shouldn't be without.

The Complete History of Jack the Ripper by Philip Sugden
Considered by many to be the ultimate Jack the Ripper source for Ripperologists, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper contains extensive information regarding all the available details and evidence of the five murders, including press clippings and police records, possible suspects, why some fit the profile and others don't, and histories of the victims as well. Philip Sugden also references books written by Ripperologists, debunking some, and presenting his own objective theories. The Complete History of Jack the Ripper should be the first Jack the Ripper book in any Ripperologists library.

Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History by Paul Begg
Paul Begg is considered one of the leading experts on the Jack the Ripper case, and is also the author of Jack the Ripper: The Facts, and co-author of The Jack the Ripper A to Z. as well as being the editor of Ripperologist magazine. In his book Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History, Paul Begg examines all aspects of the Jack the Ripper case as well as all social events and conditions in the Whitechapel area at that time. The East London area is accurately portrayed, helping readers to truly feel what living in Whitechapel must have been like in the late 1800s.