Jack the Ripper has haunted the world's imagination since his murderous reign drew to a close in 1888. Exploring the social context of the crimes, this invaluable survey includes police reports, letters purporting to be from the notorious killer, and newspaper clippings from the time. These documents enable readers to become armchair detectives, sifting through the evidence, sorting out the complex and contradictory theories, and assessing all the clues and conclusions gathered through the decades.