“THE RIPPER LIVES” AUTHOR KEVIN MORRIS’ UNHOLY MISSION TO RESURRECT JACK THE RIPPER IN ELECTRIFYING VICTORIAN GOTHIC MURDER MYSTERY.
10-Part Historical Horror Sequel Tells the Story of What Happened After the Murders of the Canonical Five.
The Fall of 1888 in London’s East End has been cemented in history as a time and place of terror. In the span of three short months, five women were horrifically mutilated at the hands of an unknown serial killer. Then, just as he seemingly appeared out of Hell and nightmares, the butcher mystifyingly vanished, never to be heard from again.
“Despite the extraordinary efforts taken to bring the killer to justice, one of my great disappointments with the case was that we lacked the good fortune to give the people an ending, less so the sort it deserved. In turn, those vast and interconnected stories, provided and investigated, go without an ending to this day.” ~ Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline
Who was the Ripper? What happened to him? Why did the murders stop? Historical horror thriller The Ripper Lives delivers the answers in a fresh and satisfying take on the century-plus-old murder mystery.
Kevin Morris, author and founder of the publishing house Trilogies of Terror, tells us everything we need to know.
GES: It’s been over 135 years since the iconic assailant’s last known attack. Why do you think there continues to be a macabre fascination with the case?
KM: Jack the Ripper has become a part of Victorian mythology. He left horrific scenes of carnage, the likes of which had never been seen before nor arguably since. He appeared out of nowhere and then just as mysteriously disappeared. The fact that he was never definitively identified nor apprehended has compelled Ripperologists and amateur detectives alike to speculate endlessly about who he was and what motivated him.
GES: The book takes a unique approach to Ripper lore in that it’s a sequel to the crimes. Tell me about your decision to go in that direction.
KM: The details of the violent attacks have been retold many times in Victorian gothic murder mysteries as well as in the historical horror films Murder By Decree and From Hell, among others. We weren’t interested in rehashing that narrative again, even with a different ending. Instead, we wanted to create a sequel to the official account to bring a fresh perspective to the murder mystery.
(WARNING: Video contains images that may be disturbing to some.)
Horror Fiction vs. Historical Fact
GES: Is the premise of your story something that could have happened?
KM: Anything is possible, and elements of our story could be consistent with actual events, but that wasn’t the goal.
GES: What did you learn from your research?
KM: We learned much about Whitechapel and why it was the ideal hunting ground for the Ripper. The East End was nicknamed Darkest London. The crime-ridden streets and the buildings that lined them were black with soot from the factories that dominated the skyline. The air was thick with smog, blocking the moonlight and dimming the street lamps’ glow. Fallen women plied their trade in shadowy corners at all hours. Their desperation to earn enough money for shelter and drink caused them to make decisions against their welfare. These circumstances made it relatively easy for the murderer to mutilate bodies and evade capture. Although the police had suspects, there were precious few clues, and there is little contemporary agreement on the lunatic’s identity.
GES: The depiction of Jack the Ripper as a gentleman wearing a top hat and cape and carrying a bag has become etched into our collective consciousness. Did this influence the identity of your killer?
KM: That’s an interesting question. The image of the unsub to which you refer is an invention that has, over the decades, become widely accepted as accurate. Hence, some readers may view an alternate description of the madman as somehow false, even if it’s closer to the truth. Although we were aware of this risk, we decided to stay true to our vision and used a modern profile of the serial killer as our guide in drafting the story. Ultimately, this enhanced the suspense and the terror since the unknown is far more horrific than the familiar.
GES: There have been many theories about the case, and this book will no doubt stir the pot of speculation once again. Some of them, including those implicating the Freemasons, Prince Albert Victor, and Sir William Gull, are occasionally confused as fact. Did you feel it necessary to acknowledge previous theories?
KM: Not really. This book is a fictional sequel to the known facts. It doesn’t incorporate the many theories that have been popular in culture. Instead, it’s an entirely original account of what happened after the official story ends, and I hope it’s very satisfying.
A Bingeworthy 10-Part Victorian Gothic Murder Mystery
GES: How did you establish continuity between your story and the actual events?
KM: Our story commences just after the discovery of the fifth victim’s body and even includes scenes from the funeral, so it reads like a natural continuation. The Canonical Five play a posthumous role in the narrative, and a vital new lead is uncovered concerning one of those victims, further connecting the storylines. Fictionalized versions of players in the deranged lunatic’s real-life drama, including Superintendent Donald Swanson and Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline, play lead roles in the sequel. Hence, the story is at once familiar yet fresh and new.
GES: What was your inspiration in conceiving this series as a trilogy?
KM: We were inspired to create a narrative incorporating the genres we love to read: Victorian murder mysteries, horror novels, and historical horror books. Some examples include The Alienist by Caleb Carr and The Terror and Drood by Dan Simmons, as well as classic gothic horror, like Dracula and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The 10-part limited streaming series based on The Alienist and its sequel, The Angel of Darkness, were also significant influences. Creating a series of short reads that work alone and, when combined together, results in a much bigger, more satisfying novel appealed to us. I don’t know if that has ever been done in book form, so this may be a first for publishing.
GES: How does your series sustain interest over ten parts?
KM: Each literary episode ends with a cliffhanger that draws the reader deeper and deeper into the narrative. It’s a formula that we hope people will embrace.
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The Ripper Lives (1–10) is FREE on Kindle Unlimited.