New book explores Hemel Hempstead links to the Jack the Ripper case

An author has released a book that explores the Hemel Hempstead links in the Jack the Ripper case from 1888.

Paul Christian, from Hemel Hempstead, discovered that Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding area have a number of links to the shocking series of unsolved murders in 1888.

Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer, between August and November 1888, the Whitechapel area of London was the scene of five brutal murders.

The book, Jack the Ripper's County, is Paul's eighth book and his fourth to feature Jack the Ripper.

He said: "I wrote a previous book in 2018 and it was apparent that there were so many links to Hertfordshire, in particular Hemel Hempstead, Waltham Cross and Stevenage.

"I took photos of various sites in Hemel Hempstead for the book, there were so many links that I decided to write a book on the links between the Jack The Ripper case and Herfordshire.

"Hemel Hempstead’s green spaces were used to train bloodhounds drafted in to follow the Ripper’s trail.

"Vicars of both Kings Langley and Abbot’s Langley gave character references for an officer who was from Abbots Langley and was at one of the most brutal crimes scenes; that of the murder of Catherine Eddowes, in Mitre Square, on September 30 1888.

"Another Ripper suspect was engaged to a woman from Berkhamsted.

“No other area, outside of Whitechapel itself, has as many links to the infamous unsolved murder spree attributed to Jack the Ripper, as Hertfordshire.

"From the north, south, east and west of the county there are people, stories and suspects connected to the killings of 1888 as well as other similar, potentially linked, crimes.

"This book outlines and explains those links with exclusive new revelations, in-depth local research, use of archives and site visits and my own insight as a journalist and writer who has covered the Ripper as a newspaper reporter and author on multiple occasions.

"There are some shocking discoveries, some unbelievable tales and some mass hysteria-led mishaps."

The book is available on Amazon.

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