Thank you netgalley. the publisher and the author. The front cover was attractive but what pulled me into this was the writing style as much as I really did enjoy the book I thought it was well thought out well planned greatly paste I think overall I fell in love with the writing style of Richard he has a very smooth detailed indulgent description of places and atmospheres and people and I fell in love with his writing style I will definitely be looking into more of his work

The mutilated body of a woman has been found in Whitechapel, & Detective Jonas Handy is called in on the case which has similarities to the Ripper murders two years previously. Handy turns to surgeon Dr Carter 'Jigsaw' Jackson who is a self-styled criminologist, the best in London, & the two men race to find the killer before there are more deaths.

"Ripper Street meets Sherlock Holmes" - if there was anything guaranteed to draw my attention it would be this line. I love historical crime fiction set in Victorian London & this is a great example of the genre. It moves at breakneck speed & takes the reader on a journey through the streets of late-19th century Whitechapel. Although it is set after the Ripper murders there are some mentions of the victims along with a cameo appearance of Inspector Abberline. I thought it was very atmospheric - the author had obviously completed a great deal of research about the East End, & the two main characters, Handy & Jackson, are fairly likeable so would be good protagonists for a series.

TW: There are some very gory scenes, but that's to be expected in a book about this subject.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Burning Chair Limited, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

It has been two years since Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of London. Two years in which the East End slowly returned to normality. And then the killing starts again. When Detective Jonas Handy finds himself faced with a terrifying spate of new murders, he has nowhere to turn except Doctor Carter “Jigsaw” Jackson: a man whose knowledge of the criminal brain is unmatched in Victorian London. The two men find themselves in a desperate race against time to find the murderer before any more people die. A race that will take them from the murky world of the East End to the even more shady world of the Victorian upper classes.

This is an entertaining, dark and atmospheric book with an excellent plot twist. Recommended for thriller fans, especially historical thrillers. Perfect for the time of year and dark, cold nights. If you are a strict fan of historical facts then this may not be for you, some of the real truth has been altered, if you don't mind then it is a worthy read!

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

This is a Victorian detective thriller set in London after the Ripper murders. When another woman is murdered Jonas Handy of the police begins to investigate and is helped by surgeon Carter Jackson. The gruesome murder makes them wonder if the Ripper has begun his terrible activities again but as they pursue enquiries Jackson queries the method of the murder.
The atmosphere of the East End of London is well described and shows the terrible surroundings of its inhabitants and the lack of choices for women and children to escape abject poverty. As Handley and Jackson dig deeper into the murder the gap between poor and wealthy is exposed with terrifying consequences.
The novel is quite gory in parts and violence features frequently but this reflects the era and events portrayed. It comes close to being a melodrama but the well rounded characters save it from this. I hope the pairing of Handley and Jackson will lead to a new crime series to be enjoyed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Burning Chair Publishing for the ARC..

Still reading it. I am in LOVE! I think that I am going to have a fictional husband by the end of this book.

Full review will be posed on my Goodreads account.

Very much in the vein of Ripper Street, "Shadow of the Knife" by Richard Ayre explores the "what if" scenario of Jack the Ripper murders carrying on after the documented five victims. An interesting book that carries off the atmosphere and investigations that may have taken place at the time. An good plot twist at the end. Good East End fun!

Always good to be back on the dirty streets of the east end,and this book does a good job of bringing it to life.

Some great characters,that I hope will be popping up again in another book..

It has its gruesome moments,but equally had some comedy moments,making it a decent all round read.

Very enjoyable.

Immediately you are pulled into the dark, dismal world of late 1800's East End London and it is quite riveting. Great attention to detail from research. There are just a couple scenes of gore meticulously described, so if you're the queasy type, prepare yourself. But other than that, a great read for this spooky time of the year!

A book that touts itself to be Ripper Street meets Sherlock and is in fact something like that. It isn’t a Jack the Ripper novel as such, it’s. Ripper adjacent novel. It takes place a few years later in the same area when similar horrific crimes are being revisited upon the Whitechapel’s ladies of the night.
An ambitious detective and his Watson like sidekick (although a much more active one at that) set out to solve the murders, a journey that takes them from the darkest dankest alleyways to the poshest plushest society dens.
I’ve read the author before just recently, another thriller, albeit a very different one. It was entertaining so I downloaded this one purely on name recognition and it didn’t disappoint. Ayre certainly proves himself once again as an indie author to watch. Yes, he did mess with historical facts to the extent that some devoted Ripperologists might take umbrage, he admits to as much and yes, he plans to serialize these characters, which is…well, depends on how much you like serializations. For a book that compares itself to two tv shows, one ought to expect no less.
Overall, entertaining, as dark and atmospheric as such a tale ought to be and with an excellent plot twist. Recommended for thriller fans, especially historical thrillers. Thanks Netgalley.

this was the perfect blend of historical novel and mystery novel. The story itself was a great journey and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The characters felt like real people and the world they lived in.