Stalking Jack the Ripper

“The boy cleared his throat and stood, confidence pulling his lean shoulders back, as he faced the class instead of my uncle. I narrowed my eyes. He was also quite tall. Could this be the mysterious visitor from last night?”

Thomas’s confidence, bordering on arrogance, is alluded to in the way he answers questions in the forensic medicine class. His decision to address the class with his answer conveys his belief that he is more knowledgeable than his peers; it is implied that he believes that they will learn from his—undoubtedly correct—deduction. Furthermore, Audrey’s interest in Thomas is clear in her analysis of his posture and appearance.

“I believe he was after her organs.”

Uncle Jonathan postulates that Miss Nichols was murdered for her organs due to the nature of the incisions the murderer made on her body. The unknown murderer—at this point known as Leather Apron and Jack the Ripper—shares a macabre interest with Uncle Jonathan, Audrey, and Thomas, in human anatomy, particularly the positioning and composition of internal organs. This sets up a thematic parallel between the killer and the team attempting to solve his crimes. They function as narrative doubles that show both unethical and ethical ways to conduct medical research, respectively.

“My notebook was filled with images of things a lady had no business being fascinated by, yet I couldn’t control my curiosity.”

Audrey is presented as unusual for her interest in forensic medicine. She struggles to adhere to the strict rules imposed on aristocratic women, such as a narrowly prescribed range of interests, a lack of autonomy, and the inability to pursue careers. Her resentment likely mirrored that of many real-life contemporaries of Audrey, who were constantly patronized, sheltered, and excluded from public life.

“He stopped before me, a softness briefly flashing across his features, and my heart picked up speed.”

Romance is introduced as a recurring theme through Audrey and Thomas’s burgeoning relationship. Audrey’s physical reaction illustrates her attraction to him though she still considers him rude. This moment foreshadows their overt attraction toward one another and their kiss later in the novel.

“‘You look as if you’ve not slept, Mr. Cresswell.’ ‘Who said I did, Miss Wadsworth?’ I raised my brows. ‘Doing subversive things at indecent hours?’ ‘Would it offend you if I were?’”

Thomas and Audrey’s flirtatious banter at the Great Western Royal Hotel tearoom, where they meet to discuss case notes, alludes to their growing romantic connection. This teasing repartee also illustrates both characters’ quick-wittedness and intelligence.

“What connected my father to these two murdered women? I couldn’t help fearing the odds were stacked against this being some bizarre coincidence.”

Audrey notes that the murders are suspiciously connected to her family’s household, which leads her to suspect her father. This clue attempts to draw the reader’s attention away from the true villain, Nathaniel. Astute readers may note that Nathaniel is also just as connected to the murder victims as Lord Wadsworth as he belongs to the same household. This clue may lead readers to suspect Uncle Jonathan, who is also affiliated with the household.

“It bothered me that such a savage could be walking amongst us.”

Ironically, Audrey considers the identity of the unknown “savage” murderer while she relaxes in the park with her brother, Nathaniel, who is revealed to be Jack the Ripper at the conclusion of the novel. Maniscalco plants this subtle clue to imply that the killer is closer than Audrey expects.

“‘Turning something like that into a weapon isn’t hard.’ He lifted his teacup but didn’t sip before setting it down again, his gaze snagging on mine. ‘It’s made of metal and has sharp ends. Any madman or drunk can manage killing someone with it. I, myself, have sharpened quite a few.”

Alistair Dunlop was killed with a sharpened gear, a weapon that was also involved in the killing of the three girls. Maniscalco intentionally plants clues that leads the reader to suspect Thomas as Jack the Ripper. His comment that he has created similar weapons links him to the method used in these crimes.

“It was nice having an acquaintance as abnormal in society’s eyes as I was.”

Audrey defines herself in opposition to society’s standards, which demand that she should be passive, polite, and concerned with societal gossip and stitching. Instead, Audrey is outspoken and intensely curious about murder, crime, and human anatomy. She is drawn to Thomas because he, too, happily flouts many societal conventions.

“Rumors of Bedlam being haunted by monsters were true. At least, they felt real enough as we moved swiftly down cold stone corridors. I held fast to my silky skirts, keeping them as close to my body as I could while walking by cells of criminals and the insane.”

Gothic imagery is employed throughout Stalking Jack the Ripper to create suspense, fear, and intrigue. Maniscalco renders Bedlam as a sinister and ominous location, similar to the way castles are portrayed in Gothic Victorian novels as places that house ghosts, dark secrets, and mental illness.

“There’s no reason you can’t wear a simple frock to work, then don the finest gown and dance the night away. But only if it pleases you.”

Liza supports Audrey in the duality of who she is; she suggests that Audrey can be beautiful and seductive as well as a curious-minded scientist. Audrey finds this revelation freeing, and she feels peace of mind as a result.

“You were wearing the same fragrance two nights ago.”

Thomas asks Audrey whether the envelope, which contained the letter sent by Jack the Ripper, is familiar, as it smelled of her own perfume. Audrey is insulted; however, this suggests that Thomas may be closer to realizing that Nathaniel is the murderer. The perfume indicates Nathaniel’s guilt because he spent most of the previous night with his sister and therefore ended up smelling like her perfume.

“I hated thinking or admitting it, but he fit several of Jack the Ripper’s emerging characteristics. He’d been present for each crime, and absent when Jack had seemingly disappeared for those three and a half weeks in September. Much as I wanted his opinion, I kept these dark speculations from Nathaniel. Worrying him was unnecessary until I had absolute proof that Father was, indeed, Jack.”

Maniscalco continues to plant clues that suggest that Audrey’s father may be Jack the Ripper. Ironically, Audrey hides her suspicions from her brother, not wanting to cause family conflict. The secret of Nathaniel’s guilt conforms to whodunnit tropes, which typically feature a guilty party who is closely connected to the events, but who is intentionally made to seem innocent to the reader.

“I’m not sure which of us moved first, but suddenly, my hands were cradling his face and our lips were crashing together, propriety and polite society be damned.”

Suspense has been building in Thomas and Audrey’s increasingly intimate relationship, and this culminates in their kiss after they are attacked in the East End. The proximity of sex and death is a common feature in Gothic Victorian literature as it blurs the lines between creation and destruction.

“A scratch ran down the side of the cab in an unmistakable M, a feature I was very familiar with, as I’d made it myself last week. It was my identification of a murderer. This carriage belonged to my father.”

Maniscalco continues to plant clues designed to indicate that Lord Wadsworth is responsible for the murders. However, Nathaniel would also use this carriage. While on its surface this is a red herring that seeks to falsely incriminate Lord Wadsworth, the scratch on the carriage is also a subtle clue that hints at Nathaniel’s guilt.

“I slowly turned around, noticing he was suddenly standing a bit too close. He didn’t bother stepping back, almost challenging me to stay near him, to not care about propriety during the daylight house, either. My heart furiously banged in my chest when I realized I didn’t want to move away from him. I wanted to be even closer. I wanted to stand on my tiptoes and press my lips against his again until I forgot about Jack the Ripper and all the gore.”

Audrey finally admits to herself the extent of her feelings for Thomas, which manifests here as intense physical attraction. Her desire to use her closeness to Thomas to forget about the murders shows that, even though Audrey loves crime solving and forensic science, the gruesome nature of the murders has been emotionally and psychologically traumatizing to her.

“Nathaniel paced in front of me, removing a concealed knife from his sleeve. It was roughly six or seven inches in length. The exact size Uncle had predicted Jack the Ripper’s weapon would be. He ran his fingers tenderly over the bloodstained blade, then set it on the table with the taxidermy bird being ripped apart.”

In a climactic reveal, Nathaniel is exposed as Jack the Ripper. His knife, which he used to kill the murdered women, confirms Audrey’s growing suspicions. The tenderness with which he caresses the blade characterizes him as sinister and “unstable,” whereas he had been previously characterized as warm and caring. Furthermore, the ripped-apart bird contrasts with Audrey’s memories of Nathaniel being kind and gentle to animals; it is suggested that there is a sinister duality in his nature.

“‘All that’s left is a little prick of blood and a bit of electricity. Like in the book. You remember the one, don’t you? Our favorite.’ Another tear slid down my cheek. I wasn’t dreaming, I was sitting in Hell. My brother fancied himself Dr. Frankenstein.”

Here, Maniscalco refers to Mary Shelley’s seminal Gothic novel, Frankenstein. She intentionally imitates elements of this Gothic classic, namely an individual obsessed with scientific progress but with little consideration of the moral implications and a monstrous, sewn-together corpse that he will attempt to be brought to life.

“Perhaps I was simply used to the daily mask of a good son and brother that Nathaniel wore. Father never hid his demons, and maybe that scared me more.”

Audrey can readily accept the idea that her father is a murderer because her father has behaved angrily and cruelly toward her whereas Nathaniel has always been supportive and kind. Here, Audrey grapples with her guilt at blaming her innocent father because he was openly hostile even though his intentions were ultimately good. She worries that she did not recognize her brother’s guilt because she prefers her brother’s kind, albeit false, behavior.

“Thomas. With a sudden jolt, I realized how much I loved him and needed to be with him. He was the only truth left in the world I understood.”

In this horrific moment in Nathaniel’s laboratory, Audrey is struck with the intensity of her feelings for Thomas. The timing of this revelation is typical of the literary climax, in which truths are revealed in multiple narrative arcs at the same time.

“‘You, however, were quite curious about the case. Starting that vigilante group was a nice touch,’ Thomas said almost appreciatively. ‘Then there was the pesky matter of those women with connections to your father. Since I’d ruled Lord Wadsworth out, that allowed my mind to stray. Your uncle has this theory, fascinating really, about career murderers killing those they know.’”

Adhering to a well-known trope of the whodunnit, Thomas, fulfilling the role of the victorious sleuth, describes to Nathaniel, the foiled villain, how he managed to work out the truth of his deceptions. This scene is important because it resolves any questions that readers may have and adds an element of surprise when the detective reveals previously unknown details.

“If Father was here, that meant I was in trouble and would be dragged back to my gilded prison, kicking and screaming if need be.”

The gilded prison is a recurring symbol of Audrey’s family’s desire to confine her to traditional gender roles. Audrey feels like a life at home, comprising only gossip and needlework, is a metaphorical prison that would suppress her curiosity and passion for learning.

“Admit it. You’re afraid your father will love me and we’ll be betrothed before the night is through.’ Thomas leaned closer, his lips tickling my ear in the most inappropriate manner as Uncle cleared his throat. ‘I rather fancy the thought of more adventures with you, Miss Wadsworth.’”

These lines imply an imminent engagement between Audrey and Thomas. They also imply that, unlike many unions of this era, Audrey and Thomas’s relationship will be one of equality and a shared passion for learning and science.