If she isn’t interested in solving the case what is the point of this podcast? It seems see is just wants to people to call them sex workers instead of prostitutes..... She also plays a segment from a lecture she did where she tells someone they need to read her book then when they reply you need to read mine, so says no. She is the female version of a Ripperologist

In general, I have zero interest in Jack the Ripper and only a modest one in Victorian era documentaries, but this podcast holds my attention. Maybe it’s the profiles of the overlooked victims and the circumstances that led them into a wrong-place, wrong-time situation. Whatever the reason, I eagerly await each episode.

The content is fine. I don’t have an opinion one way or the other about Jack the Ripper, the women, or self proclaimed Ripperologists. The problem I had with this podcast was it was just….Bad. Not interesting at all. Oddly uninteresting.

I am obsessed with this podcast. The story telling and depth for these women’s lives and experiences is so well crafted and considered, I was absolutely heartbroken to find it’s only up to episode 5. I cannot wait for the rest of the episodes.

Instead of just sharing her research, the author finds it necessary and, I guess, profitable to construct a narrative that features her as the hero.

In this world, people have nothing but contempt for the victims, but the brave author is here to fight back against the patriarchy.

From the looks of many other comments, there's a robust market for feminist hagiography.

Makes you see the Jack The Ripper murdered in a whole new and interesting light.

Great to hear about the rest of the story surrounding Jack the Ripper. The host is a true historian. Real historians examine all aspects of a moment in time, not just the juicy bits. All those who criticize her for this are not true historians.

This is such a good podcast! Hallie Rubenhold is telling a story everyone should know about since Jack’s side is all you ever hear. Plus, she’s a wonderful narrator. She is pleasant on the ears, so knowledgeable on the subject and the story is put together very well. Please listen!

It’s kind of interesting, but doesn’t really grab the attention. And the theme song is a bit much! I think this might be better as a show where the story can be enhanced by visuals. Not great in the form of a podcast.

Like a few others started listening to this because it was introduced on an episode of Cautionary Tales. After couple of episodes of “suppose this”, “maybe that”, and “it isn’t hard to assume”, combined with a lot of axe grinding about critics real and imagined, it is a bit much to endure with few fact-based insights. Yes, we all agree, living conditions were terrible for the poor in the late 1800’s and especially so for women. Was eager for a new take on these horrendous crimes and initially thought here’s a very clever take exploring through victims’ lives and perspectives. However, this podcast’s attempt to do that falls woefully short because instead of actually and factually exploring these women’s lives, it seems overly bent on convincing already convinced listeners that these victims are worthy of the exploration. After 3 episodes of “convincing” via generalized inference and the start of a second or third rebuff of critics in the fourth episode with few actual insights, I stopped listening. I would suggest you don’t even start.

Bleh, tried this podcast after hearing it promoted on Cautionary Tales. The subject interests me. But, putting it nicely, I could not get past the poor attitude and tone of the host.

History through Toxic feminist lenses

My heart goes to all victims despite gender

I would love for her to cite her sources.

Miss Rubenhold is the ultimate storyteller. She makes you feel as if you were right there in history. I enjoy each and every episode! 🖤🖤👍👍

This is such an IMMACULATELY done podcast. I love everything about it so far. Love the host’s take and special attention to historical detail. I, like most, had only heard about the infamous Jack the Ripper in terms of brutality and the mystery surrounding his identity. Absolutely nothing about the women. I only learned recently they were sex workers. This perspective is SO NEEDED in our current society and culture of misogyny. So often women, especially the most vulnerable such as sex workers, are the victims of unbelievable violence and all that is remembered is their last few moments, the stigma of their occupation (with no context as to societal conditions that often led them there) and even worse their entire story in position to their murderers. Their whole lives summed up to their last few moments. There is such a lack of empathy, respect, compassion and love towards sex workers - complete dehumanization. I’m so pleased to hear this new take on the victims of the Ripper. Additionally, I appreciate how the inherent misogyny within Victorian England society, the police force, and definitely the so-called “Ripperology” fandom is highlighted, and how the combination of those have led to our failure at respectfully viewing these women’s lives as well as their deaths. And I’m also glad that the host highlighted - even if briefly in an effort to humbly not focus on herself - the abuse that women often take when having the audacity to stand up femme victims in history or enter spaces misogynists gatekeep and view as their own. I can’t wait for every new episode, you’re doing the right thing Hallie and history will remember you for it. Nolite te bastardes carborundorum

Love this! Finally someone seeing the women for who they really were. Telling the unpopular truth of how women have been victimized throughout history. Thank you!!

Was hoping to hear true story about the victims but all she did was cry because she didn’t get what she wanted.. wasted 30 minutes

Looking for a lukewarm reheating of a book you already read, with notably bad sound design? Boy are you in for a treat!

I am constantly in awe of Hallie Rubenhold’s eloquence and dedication in the face of the vitriol she receives. These five women’s stories, as told by her, are compelling and deeply poignant reflects of how easy it is for a marginalised person to fall through the cracks. I eagerly await the next few episodes!

from the usual speculative but fact-light Ripperology. I enjoy the storytelling style, which immerses the listener in London's East End with the help of audio-rich production. Also am happy about the focus on the victims of the Whitechapel murders rather than the killer or killers (why is victimology so poor for one of the most famous serial murder cases?). Episode 4 will be a litmus test for listeners: those who are invested in rehashing old theories about the victims will be big mad. Those who are interested in hearing details that challenge the accepted narrative about the crimes will be delighted. I am delighted and looking forward to more.

I am so enjoying this podcast!! I have recently purchased the book The Five and I can’t wait until I get a chance to read it. I love hearths stories of the victims.

Of course these women are tragic victims! And any normal person would feel great compassion for them, even though they were allegedly prostitutes. But you lather on so much nonsense about how toxic male prejudice is to blame, that this podcast is an insufferable listen. Just tell a good story and leave out the current political stuff where you want to shame all men as misogynistic and categorize all women as victims. Your approach here is both boring and stupid.

I’ve actively avoided Jack the Ripper podcasts because of the proactive denial of the autonomy of the women who suffered at the hands of violence. This pod also highlights the injustices within academia and toward female academics. Absolutely what I needed.

This podcast is an enlightening blend of history and analysis of human behavior, sparking a much needed dialogue around the more vulnerable lives of our society and how they become victims. Finally we have a powerful movement delving deep beneath the surface layer of labels such as “prostitute” to understand why and how people suffer as they do. I appreciate the greater examination of society’s roll in determining the fates of the murdered women, as similar patterns continue today, and we have much to learn from the past. We too often blame the victim, accusing them of not taking ownership, when actually their mental health and life circumstances led them down horrific paths. Their murders are not their fault, but rather the fault of a weak social environment, and sadly, this is pervasive today. Thank you Hallie Rubenhold and all involved for shining a light into the shadows of these women’s lives, and so eloquently illustrating the greater context of who they were up until their ill-fated demises. Those who dismiss Rubenhold’s work as flights of “feminist” fancy are caught in a stale worldview where women couldn’t possibly be seen as abused in a culture dominated by male corruption. These days, “feminist” is often scornfully wielded in an attempt to dismiss important work, thereby underscoring the very misogynistic tendencies from which we are trying to untangle ourselves. The storytelling quality of this podcast is also hauntingly beautiful and thoughtfully produced!

Thoroughly researched, this podcast gives us information that should have been known all along. Truly well done

This has rapidly become one of my favorite podcasts. The narrative is incredibly well told, the research impeccable, and the production values are absolutely stellar. I just love moments like when the narrators says, "Listen. This is what Whitechapel sounded like in 1860." This show takes incredible advantage of the medium, rare in podcasts.

An investigation into the Jack the Ripper murders by an actual, PhD-wielding, published-and-peer-reviewed historian? With an eye to keenly exploring the lives of the victims rather than the mythos of the killer? As a phenomenon of social history rather than as yet more repetitive, masturbatory, armchair sleuthing? YES. This the podcast you’ve been waiting for.

I really don't like the Pushkin style: overproduced and sensationalistic. But, having read Rubenhold's book "The Five," I knew this podcast's actual content would be worthwhile. What Rubenhold tells us about the victims is important, well-researched, and fascinating.

Hallie Rubenhold’s book about the women murdered by Jack the Ripper was a revelation of historical research. It’s great to hear her talk about the women again in this podcast. However like many Pushkin podcasts it wastes time on sound effects and so-called reconstructed conversations. Kind of silly actually as we don’t actually know what the era really sounded like, so this part of the podcast counteracts her emphasis on the need to be true to the historical record and seem very cliche ridden. A shame actually that she was talked into including these reconstructions. The straightforward interviews with historians and other experts are very interesting and useful. That should have been the focus.

This is an extraordinary listen. We finally get the stories of the people who truly matter in this case - the victims.

This is one of the best podcasts I’ve heard in a long while. Hallie Rubenhold guides you down the narrow lanes of Whitechapel recreating the sights, sounds, and smells of late 1880s London. She turns a lurid, old story into a moving look at the lives that made the 5 victims so vulnerable. Rubenhold smashes preconceived ideas and exposes how deeply unfair Victorian society was to women and the poor. A well-researched and fearless masterpiece.

Can’t comprehend that kind of behavior in 2021, it’s amazing that nobody bothers to talk about these women. They’re fully formed humans, it’s a tragedy that their lives are overlooked in favor of a mythical figure whose identity will probably never be discovered. The men care about the condition creepily romanticized idea more than the actual people, and the culture seems headed toward incel territory. Makes you wonder if there’s a bit of hero worship there

Hallie Rubenhold brought us a radically different perspective on the Ripper murders with her book (a must-read) and her tenacious, passionate historical truth seeking. This podcast furthers the discussion on her rigorous fact finding with engrossing storytelling that is a great listen as well as a poignant study of how gender and poverty led these victims to Whitechapel and fatally cross paths with Jack the Ripper.

Ah! Where is episode 4? I listened to the trailer and episodes 1-3 but can’t find episode 4! :-(

I got to episode 3 but had still learned little about these women.

Too much filler about host backstory, old time London, other characters, related history, and of course tons of ads.

Got tired of waiting for the real content to begin.

Deleted.

You’ve done an amazing service to the memory of these women and the TRUTH.

So refreshing to listen to someone who actually knows how to use the historical archive.

I remember going on a Jack the Ripper walking tour when I was younger as a tourist and I was fascinated by the story. It’s nice to see that, finally, we are able to learn about the victims. The podcast is well-researched and -narrated and I enjoy the interviews with Victorian-era experts. P.S. Hallie—historian narrating this podcast—wrote the book on which the TV show Harlots (Hulu) is based. I loved Harlots so I had a feeling I’d love this podcast too!

Hallie is amazing, which is exactly why the “Ripperologists” are so threatened by her!! She is a riveting storyteller and has exposed the “Ripperologists” for the amateurs that they are!

Very interesting, but the clear “hero” of this podcast is the host, herself. The constant, self-congratulatory tone and reminders of how she has bravely bucked accepted wisdom proved too much for me. However, if you don’t share my “allergy” you will probably find this a fascinating, fresh look at the people and events involved in the tragic “Ripper” crimes.

This is great! Really excited about the rest of the season. Love the narrators voice, confidence, and knowledge. The second episode you really get an idea of how the season will go and I find it to be fascinating! Like reading a very interesting history book with beautiful facts that are perfectly described!

A fresh perspective. Interesting and well produced.

So glad someone is focusing on the victims for a change. There is more to them than just their death and it’s important for people to know who they were and not just how they died.

Really enjoy the different perspective on Victorian London and surrounding the mythos of Jack the Ripper

I love true crime stories the focus more on the victims then the monsters that kill them and this does just that!

Though the murderer is intriguing to many, it's simply because he's never been caught. It's time we heard more about the victims. That's who crimes are really about and we're starting to pay attention to that with modern cases. Why not this one?

I wish I could say I was appalled at how the host has been treated by Ripperologists for her book The Five (excellent). Ripperologists is why I don't often listen to Ripper pods or read many books on the subject these days. But this one is very worth it.

Great storytelling and sound design.. totally got sucked into the story.

Thanks for giving these women humanity!

Thank you for telling the victims stories!

Full of falsehoods, half truths, and biased to the way that Hallie incorrectly sees the world.

I am not a ripperologist but I’m well read enough to know Hallie has skipped or disregarded evidence to compete her narrative. It is a good show but for the most part it should be stated as mostly fiction.

I’m really enjoying the podcast so far! I’ve listened to several Ripper podcasts and this one is still intriguing. I don’t think anything mind blowing will happen, but I do enjoy learning about the women themselves. I don’t think she’s trying to prove the women weren’t prostitute, simply there’s more to their story. So often victims are the backdrop to the killer, it’s nice to have them “shine”.

I love the feminist viewpoint and focus on research and fact over phantasmagoria. Great sound design too!