Atmospheric and gripping thriller-trip to the gloomy London the Ripper-time

1888 was now truly not an easy year for Scotland Yard: Jack the Ripper killed a woman after another and staggered across London in fear, while the police was forced to watch helplessly and was even mocked publicly in several letters from the offender. In the meantime more than a century continuing speculation surrounding the identity of the still not convicted killer but another crime series is almost a bit forgotten: Almost simultaneously to the under general knowledge the Ripper attributed murders were in the years 1887-89 some more the bodies of women found that were trimmed to almost cruel manner dismembered beyond recognition and spread over the entire city. These so-called Thames Torso Murders are now the focus of Sarah Pinboroughs historical thriller Mayhem and as mentioned in the preface by the author, dive into her novel even many real personalities on how including the protagonist of the story, the London forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Bond who has been involved in fact instrumental in the investigation by Scotland Yard in the late 19th century.

With all the factual accuracy is Pinborough but has also taken some literary freedoms, so Mayhem is not a very realistic thriller, but also makes use of some horror and fantasy elements which, however, in a more manageable, really important they are until later course of history. Important to know is that Mayhem despite small hints in the blurb clearly not Jack the Ripper thriller is who expects a detailed theming of prostitute murders or even new theories about the true identity of the killer hoped, which is quite clearly disappointed because the Ripper himself immersed not on in this book, only the murder victims are sometimes mentioned in passing. In addition, the plot takes a while until it gets into gear so right: The entrance turns out a little bumpy with some small newspaper snippets and in the first few chapters not yet auszumachenden main characters. For Mayhem but in another aspect from the outset strongly: the atmosphere. Just as Sarah Pinborough Victorian London and especially the streets Whitechapel describes one can feel the tension and the danger posed the gloomy district almost firsthand. Dark and narrow streets, shady characters, stuffy opium dens find it truly difficult to escape the disturbing appeal of the dark side of the city.

But it also does not take long until the story itself is always thrilling and surprisingly just wear the aforementioned supernatural elements a significant part to this. That Sarah Pinborough their readers presented the resolution to the identity of the killer quite early, not in the least diminish the tension, but also makes the events even almost more intense. Mayhem benefited also by the good characterization of the protagonist, whose restlessness effectively transmitted to the reader. While the story remains consistently fairly straight forward, offering rather few surprises or unexpected turns, but is still mainly in the second half very gripping, which is also due to the gloomy atmosphere of the novel precisely. Thus Mayhem is a really good and exciting book that skilfully combines historical facts with a supernatural touch for fans of historical thriller and friends of Victorian London. And who has not yet been added to the end of the story enough, may be the continuation Murder still look forward to another gloomy adventure with the forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Bond but do not worry, the first volume is finished content in itself.