The Five by Hallie Rubenhold is a powerful, meticulously researched work of nonfiction that breathes life back into the stories of Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly, the five women whose names are so often overshadowed by the man who murdered them. Instead of focusing on the infamous figure of Jack the Ripper, Rubenhold shifts the spotlight to his victims, giving them the dignity and attention they have long been denied.

Each chapter offers an intricate, emotionally resonant portrait of one woman’s life, complete with rich historical context, family dynamics, and the social pressures and hardships they faced in Victorian England. Rubenhold peels back the assumptions long held by both police and the public, particularly the label of “prostitute” that was unfairly applied to all five. In fact, her careful documentation and use of personal records show that only two of the women actually identified as sex workers. The others were victims of poverty, addiction, and a harsh, unforgiving society that failed them.

Rubenhold’s narrative voice is both compassionate and compelling, grounded in historical fact but alive with empathy. Her work restores humanity to women who have too often been reduced to footnotes in true crime lore. The Five doesn’t just reclaim their stories, it challenges readers to reconsider how society remembers victims and whose lives are deemed worthy of remembrance.