Avis sur le produitPortrait of a Killer : Jack the Ripper - Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell (2002, Hardcover)

Case Far From Closed!

By the time I finished this book, I almost felt like slitting my own throat!
This is a poorly written, disorganized, and disappointing book. It appears as if not one word was edited out of this ridiculous, plodding tome that could have been one third its current size. The book reads as if Cornwell took all of her voluminous research notes, taped all her little sticky notes together, and just typed it up using some kind of stream-of-consciousness technique known only to her. The fake, grainy, sepia-tone illustrations lost a great deal of important detail seemingly for the sake of uniformity and artsy design. Many of the important primary documents would have been more convincing and much easier to see if they had been carefully and professionally photographed. Cornwell jumps around, not necessarily discussing events in chronological order. In addition, maddening and irrelevant asides are thrown in between the important points she is apparently trying to make. She discusses probable additional victims, yet doesn't bother to provide any kind of comprehensive, dated timeline or chronology for the reader to refer to. The same kind of timeline or chronology should have been provided for the most important of the hundreds of letters the Ripper allegedly wrote. All of that said, I believe that Sickert did the awful deeds, but I don't think Cornwell even came close to making a case. The proof may be in there somewhere, but someone else will have to find it, and rewrite the book. I hope someone from Scotland Yard takes up the ball. In a library, this book is unfortunately classified as a non-fiction book. It should have been placed along side the rest of Ms Cornwell's FICTION! © 2003 S. Spika (rarebookwoman on eBay)Lire l'avis complet...

Portrait of a Killer - Patricia Cornwell

I purchased this book online on eBay, it is a nice hardback book & I got it extremely reasonable. I have read several Patricia Cornwell books some about Dr. Kay Scarpetta & her true story book on Ruth Bell Graham, Cornwell has a way of writing books that holds onto your interest & keeps you reading from cover to cover.
In Portrait of a Killer, Jack the Ripper Case Closed, Patricia Cornwell solves the Ripper Murders through extensive research & criminalistic's used in today's modern times that weren't available to law enforcement back in the 1800's. Cornwell has found that an artist named Walter Sickert was in fact Jack The Ripper & she shares with you her in depth research of the people & times when the murders were committed, how she figured out Sickert was the killer & what she based those finding on. There are pictures included in the book also, which helps give you a sense of how terrible the crimes were, & gives you an insight on some of the people involved.
The book is an over all good read, & I think anyone who is interested in crime stories would enjoy this book because it is based on a true story, but also enjoy any of Patrica Cornwell's books, due to her knowledge of forensic science & the actual way crime scenes are worked, the process of the entire investigation & the outcome, even in her Scarpetta books the way the crimes are solved are based on the way a real life actual crime would be handled & solved.
I suggest Cornwell to any true or imaginary crime buff.Lire l'avis complet...

Jack the Ripper--Case Closed?

If you want to learn more about the Jack the Ripper cases, this is a great book to read. However, it's not for the faint of heart, as it contains some pretty gruesome pictures. Patricia Cornwell did not totally convince me that her suspect is the real Jack the Ripper. In fact, she made me want to read more about him and others opinions as to who he was. This is not your typical Patricia Cornwell book, as it is non-fiction. But she's a good writer and it comes through in this non-fiction account as well. If this subject interests you in the slightest, it's definitely worth reading! I'd give it an 8.Lire l'avis complet...

The title is okay if your English

I heard of the story this Patricia Cornwell had written when it came out. I could not imagine an artist doing such a thing as Sickert. It is worth a read if you are into murder mystery. I bought the book for a friend of mine who is in a wheelchair. She likes mysteries and I thought this book sounded interesting. I flipped through it because I bought a painting by Sickert on ebay. Sickert is the accused artist in the book of being Jack the Ripper. I really can't imagine such a theory but she could be right. She seems to have made a very good case with the evidence she provides. I don't like murder books they are too disturbing.I know it is worth the read for my friend.Lire l'avis complet...

"JACK the RIPPER" case Solved!!!!!

As a big fan of Partricia Cornwell's writing's, & having read several other books about "Jack the Ripper", this book was an obvious read for me. It's definently not for the faint of heart, as it contains some pretty gruesome details, but she tends to get off the subject several times during the book.

I think Cornwell really did a great deal of research on this subject & I truly believe she it right about her
final analysis of who the actual killer was!!!!!! I think OVERALL she did a great job on this book & I would give the book a rating of 8!!!!!!!!Lire l'avis complet...

Rivoting, understandably eerie, well researched

Second time through this book. I like it better this time. I'm absorbing the info more clearly this time than I did the first. My only real criticism of this work is that there IS so much information (no fault of the Author). That being said, I don't know how you can NOT be convinced. She showed empathy for the family of the accused where it would have been just as easy to be cold. I have grown to appreciate her work and her strength of character due to the enormous task that she undertook both professionally and personally. Would recommend this to anyone wanting a clear picture of the period and the potential suspects.Lire l'avis complet...

JACK THE RIPPER: SOLVED!

I had never read a book written by Patricia Cornwell before, but will certainly do so again! I purchased 'Portrait of a Killer' out of my curiousity for serial killers and was nothing short of amazed by this book. Cornwell with the help of law enforcement experts and modern technology literally solves the Jack the Ripper mystery. That's right, this book identifies the Ripper outright! Corwell lays it all out for the reader with a detectives wit, a writers style and in layman's terms. The autopsy pictures are the stuff of legend and the book left no stone unturned! Truly an amazing read from start to finish. An excellent book for fans of the genre, true crime fans or anyone looking for an outstanding read.Lire l'avis complet...

Portrait of a Killer

i have read several of Ms.Cornwell's other fiction novels, and though i am not a big fan of the genre, she is an excellent author. this book however is her most compelling and intense effort, even though it is not her normal type of novel. as a fan of non-fiction, and history, i loved this book for its unique look at an infamous serial-murderer, and her modern approach to forensic science. this is an incredible insight into the most notorious killing spree of all time. as i said, i am not normally a hugh fan of Ms.Cornwell's but this book is a "must read", for anyone even casually interested in history and/or crime-scene investigations. this one will grab you.Lire l'avis complet...

Makes You Wonder

As a curious person who has always been fascinated with Jack The Ripper I bought this book on those merits alone, But Patricia Cornwell delves deep into the mystery of the unknown killer, her smooth flowing writting style puts you back in the foggy shadow filled nights of Whitechappel. Weather or not Walter Sickert was Jack The Ripper is only part of the story,You also experience life in old England and the lives of the misfornutates, What a Journey. Highly recommended book.Lire l'avis complet...

Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper case closed

Very compelling and even shocking.

I am impressed by all the research Patricia Cornwell obviously did for this book. None of the facts or supposition was flippant or unbelievable; in fact, I believed everything she wrote.Lire l'avis complet...

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