The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the RipperThe Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1888 five women were murdered in London's Whitechapel by the killer known as Jack the Ripper. Their names were Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary Jane. Hallie Rubenhold tells the stories of their lives, not their deaths: their families, marriages, work and struggles, showing how Victorian poverty pushed women to the edges of society.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Baillie Gifford Prize. It gives back the lives of women the world remembers only as victims.
You'll love it if you liked
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Worst Hard Time
Behind the Beautiful ForeversGood to know
It doesn't describe the murders. Its claim that most of the women weren't sex workers is disputed by some historians.
By the numbers
- Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics54 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz10 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #131 of the 198 history books we rank
- #154 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #497 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #955 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, True story, Dark
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Quick answers
Is The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper worth reading?
Yes. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize. It ranks #955 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper about?
In 1888 five women were murdered in London's Whitechapel by the killer known as Jack the Ripper. Their names were Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary Jane. Hallie Rubenhold tells the stories of their lives, not their deaths: their families, marriages, work and struggles, showing how Victorian poverty pushed women to the edges of society.
How long does it take to read The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper?
About 10 hours (382 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper won?
Baillie Gifford Prize winner (2019).
What should I read after The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper?
If you liked it, try The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan or Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.