Alan's new novel, Of Thimble and Threat: The Life of a Ripper Victim, is a historical fiction inspired by the life of Catherine Eddowes, the fourth victim of Jack the Ripper. The novel will be released this fall (2011) by Lazy Fascist Press

Alan's foreword to the novel:

This is a work of fiction inspired by the life of Catherine Eddowes, a woman believed to be the fourth victim of Jack the Ripper. For purposes of storytelling, I have not adhered strictly to her history. I have assigned to my main character emotional characteristics and reactions that seem consistent with her life and circumstances. My goal is to provide a glimpse into a time when the industrial revolution had created not only prosperity, but also unimaginable suffering in what was the greatest city in the richest country in the world. Apparently it was a society in which the impoverished, and especially poor, single, middle-aged women were considered by many to have little worth. The murders of four women in the fall of 1888 was only a symptom of the social ills in London.

This is not the story of Jack the Ripper. If anything, the Whitechapel Murderer is merely a force of nature within the environment of this tale. It is the story of a human life tragically cut short, one that would have been quickly forgotten if the manner of her death had been anything other than astounding.

In modern times, information about those who are murdered is readily available. It flows easily and with little in the way of filters from the news. I am most often interested in what I can learn about what motivates those who kill. For my own emotional protection, I frequently shy away from thinking too much about the personalities, loves and aspirations of those who suffer from violent crimes.

My first real insight into the humanity of Catherine Eddowes came from reading the police report about her murder, particularly the part that listed her articles of clothing and the possessions found on her person at the time of her death. Catherine Eddowes had spent each of the two nights before the night of her death in a different casual ward. The casual wards were part of the workhouse system, a place for the transient, the ill, or those known to be criminals to receive temporary shelter in what was considered at the time to be appalling conditions. Like many of the homeless today, she was wearing many layers of clothing. She was carrying over fifty personal items. It is likely she had everything she owned on her person.

With a sense of what her time and circumstance were, I found this pitiful list more compelling that anything I’ve read about Jack the Ripper.

—Alan M. Clark
Eugene, Oregon

"Of Thimble and Threat: The Life of a Ripper Victim" , wird am 18. Oktober 2011 von Lazy Fascist Press veröffentlicht. Sein Debüt feiert Alan´s neuer Roman bei der World Fantasy Convention und der BizarroCon. Der Roman ist eine historische Fiktion, die durch das Leben der Catherine Eddowes, das vierte Opfer von Jack the Ripper inspiriert wurde.
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Alan's new novel, Of Thimble and Threat: The Life of a Ripper Victim, will be released October 18th by Lazy Fascist Press, and will debut at the World Fantasy Convention and BizarroCon. The novel is a historical fiction inspired by the life of Catherine Eddowes, the fourth victim of Jack the Ripper.

Genre:
Historical/General Fiction

Trade Paperback:
Pages: 168
Price: $10.95
Release Date: 10/18/2011

TOP-NEWS:

Alan M. Clark´s Roman “Of Thimble and Threat: The Life of a Rippers Victim” wird im Frühjahr 2013 in deutscher Sprache erscheinen!

Dies ist natürlich die Top-Nachricht für alle deutschsprachigen Fans von Alan M. Clark.

Der Roman wird veröffentlicht von VOODOO PRESS, einem Verlag (Horror, Fantasy, SF, Mystery & Bizarro Fiction)
aus Österreich unter der Regie von Michael Preissl.

Der deutsche Titel, das genaue Erscheinungsdatum u. a. stehen noch nicht fest.

Aber ihr werdet hier natürlich sofort informiert, sobald es etwas neues gibt.