Reviewed by Carmen Tenorio for Readers' Favorite
The Buffalo Butcher: Jack the Ripper in the Electric City by Robert Brighton delves into the horrific serial killings of women, most of whom were prostitutes from the Tenderloin district or the infamous whorehouses and shabby parlors of vice and honky-tonk in downtown Buffalo, New York. The events deeply troubled Buffalo’s mayor, police, and newspapers because they were at a loss for reliable leads to solve the crime. They could not afford to tarnish the city’s image due to the upcoming visit of President McKinley to the Pan-American Exposition of 1901. The crimes were seen akin to London’s Jack the Ripper mainly because of the victims and the gruesome way they were killed. Out of fear for their lives and safety, a group of courtesans who work for a high-end brothel try to help solve the case before they become the next victims. Leader Helen Crosby, (or Miss Bell as she is professionally known) who has finally found a solid clue, has decided to take matters into her own hands. Will Helen’s instincts prove to be correct? Will she be able to finally identify the killer and stop the murders?
Author Robert Brighton's skillful storytelling features thrilling moments, tension, intense scenes, and well-balanced pacing. All is compounded and woven through his meticulous and impressively researched historical details in the story’s setting and multidimensional, realistic, and gritty characters that make it a stirring piece of work. The author deftly recreates the dysfunctional power relations, structures, social dynamics, and mores evident at that time. This is a provocative and intriguing novel best suited for a mature audience because of its complex and dark themes. But mixed into the plot are redemptive motifs like friendship, compassion, resilience, courage, love, and even adult matters that deal with sexuality, and sexual exploration. This makes a captivating and engrossing cover-to-cover read that serves up a platter of mystery, drama, sex, and riveting suspense intertwined with unforgettable and impactful plot twists and turns. The Buffalo Butcher is a highly recommended, unputdownable novel for true crime, mystery, historical fiction, or period-piece fanatics.
