My latest book Jack the Ripper? tells the story of a time-travelling detective who returns to 1888, to Whitechapel, London, after being wrongly named as the infamous Victorian serial killer. This is in an attempt to prove his innocence and restore his family’s good name for the past, present and future.

One might say that you should never meddle with the past, but when you are being accused of the murder of at least five women, during a period known as the “autumn of terror”, you might think differently. 

My inspirations for writing this book include an interest in crime fiction that foregrounds the detective, if this is wise; Victorian history, including how families lived and the dangers the police faced in the East End of London; and time travel, because this is a fascinating subject given what mastering it could potentially mean for all of us! I like to inject some facts into my works of fiction, so that readers have the opportunity to expand their knowledge while enjoying the escapism. In this adventure, I include plenty of Jack the Ripper theories and describe some curious antique objects that all add to the realism as much as drive the plot forward to its surprising conclusion. In addition, I infuse my story with a certain amount of humour to engage and entertain the reader, as the story alternates between the dark and the light.

I feel that Jack the Ripper? would particularly appeal to Authors’ Lounge readers interested in true crime because of how my book accurately details the facts of the time, which I have then interwoven into a fictional adventure. For anyone who likes history and a good mystery, this is all taken care of by my plot. Time travel becomes the chosen method that enables Inspector Doyle to return to the period and the place he once worked prior to his escape. This is a popular branch of science fiction that has a significant following around the world. Then, as a further resource for Ripperologists, I have created a website, which I plan to add to over time.

As an author, I would like to see my book appear in as many independent book shops as possible, as I continue to explore the different groups of people this book is appealing to. My ultimate goal would be to have the characters lifted from the page and brought to life on stage or screen.

My background, prior to being an author and content writer from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, is in insurance, accountancy, and hospital administration. It was later in life that I attended university to pursue a career in writing.

During my time at University Centre Shrewsbury, I obtained a First-Class BA Honours degree in English, which was where I wrote my debut book The Lion Hotel. This is a detective-themed play and comedy set initially inside an historic hotel. I went on to study for an MRes in Storytelling at the University of Chester, and it was while studying there, for my master’s, that I researched the Victorian period in depth and the various theories surrounding many of the Jack the Ripper suspects that are referenced in this latest book. The research I conducted became another creative dissertation and a second book that was published by Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd. They are based in London, albeit a different part to Jack the Ripper was reported to have terrorised.

If you wish to keep both eyes on my writing journey, or to make contact with me to discuss my work, then you can view my posts or message me via Philip Jones – The Book Corner, which is my author page on Facebook.

Another social media platform where you can find me is on TikTok (philipjones121213), where I have created some rather interesting and fun videos relating to my book publications.

Jack the Ripper? is available in paperback or eBook format from online stores such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Waterstones, and can be found on the shelves of many independent bookstores around the world. The interest in this cold case and the unsolved mystery that surrounds The Whitechapel Murderer, remains to this day.

My writing journey so far has been one that has taken me to places and centuries I would never have had the opportunity to visit otherwise. This is unless time travel really does exist in a form that allows history to be changed. It would seem foolish to dismiss something that Inspector Doyle, the protagonist from my latest work, believed would prove the answer to his problem.