Jack the Ripper is the name given to an unknown serial killer who committed his crimes in and around the Whitechapel district of London. The man (or woman) murdered several women, mostly prostitutes, during a killing spree lasting only a few months in 1888. The name came from the signature which appeared on at least one letter that was supposedly sent by the killer. Many people claim the letter to be nothing more than a hoax, but this has never been proven.
     The pseudonym fits whoever it was who was killing the women. Because of the wounds, it appeared the person had some knowledge of anatomy and was very skilled with the use of a knife or scalpel. The investigators assumed their suspect was probably a surgeon, a butcher, or worked in some profession within the meat packing industry. None of the theories could be proven.
     Although Scotland Yard worked hard, no one was ever arrested for the crimes. There was never enough evidence and no witnesses could identify the suspects as the person they might have seen. People today have their own ideas for motives, list of suspects, and pet conspiracy theories about how the murderer got away. To date, that killing spree remains one of the best known cold cases in history.

     It might seem like cheating to use some of the details from the original Jack the Ripper case within one of my novels. The reason I do is because I've always found that case intriguing. Even without modern forensic science, it seems impossible for someone to kill so many people without making a mistake that would lead the police right to his or her front door.
     Can modern science serve as the means to solve a similar case today? What if there's no rock solid motive and the killer is intelligent enough to prevent leaving evidence behind? Would it be possible to narrow down a list of suspects with varying motives without the evidence? These are the questions I answer in Detective Jake: Ripped.