'The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper' by Hallie Rubenhold (Doubleday, 2019)
Ask anyone about the 'Jack the Ripper' murder victims, and most people will tell you that they were prostitutes. It's everywhere, from the BBC to Wikipedia. Even Hallie Rubenhold, an author noted for books on the history of women and sex, expected to use the infamous crimes as a gateway into the story of Victorian prostitution. There was just one problem. Her research showed little evidence that three of the five victims were sex workers. Thus the world lost an account of the historical sex trade, but gained an unexpected book about women, history and prejudice - 'The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper'.
