Robin Paige – Death at Whitechapel

The sixth book in the Victorian Mystery series, published February 2000.



Kathryn Ardleigh is becoming accustomed to the high-society circles of her recently Lorded husband Charles Sheridan. And she has found a kindred spirit in Jennie Jerome Churchill, whose carefree lifestyle has made her a frequent topic in the tabloids. But there is more serious scandal threatening Jennie – and the political future of her son Winston. She is being blackmailed by someone who has made a heinous accusation – someone who claims to have proof that Winston’s father was none other than the notorious Jack the Ripper …


I was really surprised by this story. Of course there are multiple theories about Jack the Ripper, but this book sure made me a believer. The gruesome truth (one theory about it) is revealed. Both Charles and Kathryn unearth important clues in this book, and together they get the whole story. I am so not going to spoil anything, just that I liked the book. Another story is about Winston Churchill, and although I know of course who he was, in this book some nasty things (facts?) about him are also revealed. I did not like him. He worshippes his father, who died three years ago, and that is totally wrong of him.
I did like his mother though, she knew herself very well. She could not really handle money, and had a lot of opposition against her relationship with the much younger George Cornwallis-West, who is just a few days older than her son Winston.
Jenny is being blackmailed, and in despair she asks Charles and Kate for their help. Someone is claiming to have proof that her husband was Jack the Ripper! And now the blackmailer is murdered, and Jenny could be a suspect in that. She was seen when she entered the premises, and left a few minutes later in a hurry. But she did not kill him, and she needs the Sheridan’s to find out who did it.


A great story again. Jack the Ripper is of course a never solved mystery, and the explanation in this book is totally believable. This is not invented by Robin Paige however, there are numerous other books and such they refer to. But I loved how it is written. All is well with Charles and Kate, they are still very much in love. Charles spends as little time as possible on his estates and with his mother, who hates Kate. And Kate is getting used to the new social circles they belong to. But she will always be Beryl Bardwell, and an American.

8,5 stars.