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A.J. Griffiths-Jones
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Prisoner 4374 Kindle Edition

by A.J. Griffiths-Jones (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 224 ratings
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For more than a century, Dr. Thomas Neill Cream was a potential Jack The Ripper suspect.

He was a sinister character, preying on the unfortunate souls who were forced to make a living as streetwalkers in Victorian London, and ultimately led those poor women to an untimely and torturous death. These crimes eventually branded him the 'Lambeth Poisoner'.

However, during the time of the heinous Ripper murders, Dr. Cream was incarcerated in Joliet Prison, Illinois. Over the decades, this fact alone has caused debate as to whether or not he deserves to be under suspicion of being the Whitechapel fiend. Was it possible that Dr. Cream bribed his way out of jail, perhaps using a doppelganger to take his place while secretly finding a passage to England with murder in mind?

This fascinating book, told from the standpoint of Cream himself, explains the twisted logic behind his actions. The author has done considerable and meticulous research, tracing Cream's life from his adolescent years in Canada to his last moments on the gallows at Newgate.

Jack the Ripper Book of the Year 2016

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "Author A.J. Griffiths-Jones has produced a real tour de force with this excellent book, entering a new dimension in the annals of Jack the Ripper literature."

★★★★★ - "As a reader who does not know much about Jack the Ripper, I found this book very intriguing and wanting more! It was a very good read, full of details and suspense."

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  1. Print length
    193 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    July 7, 2017
  5. File size
    1518 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Reader's Favorite Five Stars - Prisoner 4374 by A.J.Griffiths-Jones is a stunning piece of work. The story of Jack the Ripper is one that fascinates many, including me, and I am always interested in new stories that come out of potential suspects. I have to admit Cream was not a name I had come across until now and the book made for a good read. It is awfully difficult to write a true story as if you are the first person. Ms Griffiths-Jones has done an admirable job of becoming Dr.Cream, of leading us through his life right up to when he stood upon the gallows. This is compelling reading and it is written in an engaging manner so that you can't help but be pulled into the story. The research that has gone into this must have been terrific and Ms. Griffiths-Jones is to be highly commended in pulling it off. You really do feel as though you are listening to Dr. Cream telling his own story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Jack the Ripper and in criminology. Stunning work.Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Reader's Favorite

About the Author

A.J. Griffiths-Jones has a special interest in the world of Victorian crime and has spent many years researching notorious criminals. She has devoted considerable time to studying historical data and genealogy. Her other passions include cooking, travelling and swimming. After a decade of living and working in Asia, A. J. Griffiths-Jones now resides in Shropshire, U.K.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B073SZBG27
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creativia; 2nd edition (July 7, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 7, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1518 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 193 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 224 ratings

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  1. A.J. Griffiths-Jones

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  2. A. J. Griffiths-Jones

    A. J. Griffiths-Jones

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    A.J.Griffiths-Jones was born near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. She has travelled extensively in her career and has recently returned to England after ten years working as Language Training Manager for a prominent bank in Shanghai.

    A.J. has studied genealogy for many years and has a special interest in the world of Victorian crime.

    After researching the life of notorious poisoner Dr.Thomas Neill Cream for many years, her debut book 'Prisoner 4374' was published in May 2015.

    She is currently working on a second 'Jack the Ripper' related book, together with a series of novels.

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
224 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Brian in Buffalo
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best " Ripper" books in years!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2015
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As someone who has been studying the “Ripper Crimes” since he was an early teens I have read countless books on the case, so it is rare that a book grabs my attention from the get go and I can’t put it down…THIS BOOK DID JUST THAT.

Prisoner 4374 may be the most engaging “Ripper” book I have ever read, written in an “autobiographical” style, we the reader are befriended, and as a result get a glimpse inside the head of Dr. Cream ( A suspect I admit I never had much of an interest in…until now).

The research is amazing, the writing is fantastic, as it really does feel like “an old friend” is telling you his story…I’m trying not to give anything away.. but I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in not only the “Ripper” but anyone with an interest in the “criminal mind”…..a rare “Ripper” book I feel would appeal to many people outside of the “Jack the Ripper” circle…

I for one cannot wait for Amanda’s 2nd Ripper-related book…..

Prisoner 4374 is one of two Ripper books this year ( The Bank Holiday Murders being the other by Tom Wescott) that are MUST READ books!!!
One person found this helpful
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Alexandra Thompson
4.0 out of 5 stars Creative and well written!
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2019
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This was really cool. I love how she wrote it from Dr. Cream’s perspective and used language he would have most certainly used. You can tell A.J. Griffiths-Jones spent a lot of time researching for this book. I loved her inclusion of historical documents as well. A very entertaining and unique read!! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Chad Galuska
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Read
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2015
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I should begin by stating that Prisoner 4374 is not a Jack the Ripper suspect novel. Don't hesitate to buy this book because you know Cream isn't the Ripper: JUST BUY THE BOOK as Cream isn't advanced as the Ripper. This actually makes it all the better and adds some legitimacy to the work. The book is extremely entertaining; although historical fiction it nevertheless provides a well-researched biography of Dr. Cream, who was most certainly a dastardly individual who probably was much more interesting in real-life than Jack the Ripper himself. The author deftly presents a character who you will love to hate, and hate to see meet his premature end, if only because the story ends. Or does it? The (perhaps) historically based Ripper connections leave the reader anticipating a sequel. A must-read for Jack the Ripper enthusiasts!
2 people found this helpful
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Annie M daffodils
3.0 out of 5 stars found it boring
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019
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Not that I knew everything ahead of time, it just seemed formulaic and written perhaps for the juvenile reader. I gave it away without finishing it.
2 people found this helpful
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RJ Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Jack the Ripper Book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2015
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As a reader who does not know much about Jack the Ripper, I found this book very intriguing and wanting more! It was a very good read, full of details and suspense. It was easy "hear" Dr. Thomas Cream, learning about his personality and his life of criminal behavior. Actually, this book has me wanting to know more about Jack the Ripper suspects! Prisoner 4374... great book, fantastic writing, awesome details.... can't wait for the next book!
2 people found this helpful
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Francine Herbst
4.0 out of 5 stars this is about the worlds first serial killer
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2019
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This man was not Jack the Ripper but claims he knew who he was and was friends with him. They both hated women. He was a doctor who poisoned patients who trusted him. He was also an abortionist. This is a dark story but it keeps you reading to find if he meets justice.
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ReaderX
5.0 out of 5 stars I am Jack the... SNAP!
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2016
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I found myself drawn to more material concerning Dr. Cream after writing a review of the dark drama RIVER. I was delighted by Griffiths-Jones' unique approach at voicing buttressed by a powerfully researched foundation.
If you've ever been intrigued by a human being you will find this exploration interesting and at times-- tense.
Highly suggested.
Griffiths-Jones is somebody to watch Jack the Ripper enthusiasts, mark my words...
FOR I AM JACK THE.....
...snap.
2 people found this helpful
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The king of the Night
4.0 out of 5 stars It Took a Minute, but...
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2019
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Though it took a while to sort of sneak up on me, when it finally did I was rewarded with a casual but intense narrative. I am looking forward to her book on Jack, the Ripper!
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Top reviews from other countries

Sashadoo
5.0 out of 5 stars The Lambeth Poisoner? Yes, Jack the Ripper? No!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2017
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Author A.J. Griffiths has produced a real tour de force with this excellent book, entering a new dimension in the annals of Jack the Ripper literature. I'm not surprised it won the Jack the Ripper book of the year award, 2016. .Using a first person, autobiographical writing style, the author has placed herself inside the mind of one of the often quoted suspects in the Ripper case. She produces the undoubted proof that Dr. Thomas Neil Cream could not have been Jack the Ripper, as at the time of the murders he was locked away in Joliet Penitentiary in Illinois USA.
Cream was, however, without a shadow of a doubt an unmitigated hater of women in general and prostitutes in particular, one of whom had at some time in his youth infected him with the then incurable, and dreaded venereal disease of syphilis. Being a genuinely qualified doctor, Cream was able to obtain the drugs necessary to self-medicate in order to keep the worst effects of the disease at bay, but his hatred of the whores and lower class women of his time led him to become a devious, scheming and quite cold-blooded poisoner of those he felt despoiled the world by nature of their mere existence. From his crimes in the USA, to those he would eventually perpetrate on the streets of London, not as the Ripper, but as 'The Lambeth Poisoner' the author brilliantly places us inside the warped, twisted mind of this infamous murderer, who was devoid of all conscience and who in fact firmly believed he was performing society a service in ridding the streets of the vermin he thought the fallen women of the time to be.History and anecdotal evidence has never truly explained the true reasons for Cream's actions. Was he truly a victim in his own way, of the madness that would have overtaken him as the syphilis progressed and sent him on an inevitable descent into madness, or was he a cold calculating psychopath, devoid of any feelings of conscience or morality? The questions will remain long after reading Ms. Griffiths' book, but her portrayal Cream, does provide the killer with a human voice, and a personality that we as readers are able to identify with. How close she comes to the reality of Cream's mental state, we can't say for sure, but this book is written in such a way that I was totally pulled in to the life of Dr. Cream and was literally able to view the dark, seedy and stinking back streets of London through his eyes, as presented by Ms. Griffiths. The life of the poor, the back street abortionists, the filth and squalor are all here, contrasted beautifully with the lives of those who lived a life a luxury and privilege, often only a stone's throw away in terms of distance from street to street.
Very well written, totally enjoyable, and gripped me sufficiently that I read it in two days, hardly able to put it down. Five stars easily awarded. Highly recommended.
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Marilyn Z. Tomlins
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!
Reviewed in France on October 24, 2015
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Putting oneself in someone else's shoes and writing as that person is a difficult task. Maybe it is even impossible to do so, especially if that person is a criminal, and not just someone who has done time for theft, but someone who was a killer and who had received the ultimate punishment - the death sentence.

A.J. Griffiths-Jones undertook to put herself in the shoes of Dr Thomas Neill Cream, once thought to have been Jack the Ripper, and Prisoner 4374 is the result. To MS Griffiths-Jones I say 'bravo!' because really she has made a superb job of it.

From her opening sentence - 'If you asked me to pinpoint the moment when it all started, well, that would be a darn hard task' I believed that I was reading Dr Cream's own words. Each time, he - or rather she - addressed me as 'friend', I felt my hair stand on end.

Apart from the excellent way in which she had captured the character of this very nasty man, she also writes extremely well.

I therefore do so very highly recommend 'Prisoner 4374' to you.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Portrait 0f a killer.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 15, 2023
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I could not find fault with this book. Thoroughly engrossed with this true crime tale from beginning to end. Being related in the first person brings you closer to understanding the motivation, inner psyche, beliefs and character of doctor Cream. Recommended to all true crime enthusiasts.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Story of a serial killer
Reviewed in Canada on July 16, 2021
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This is a story, told in the first person, about a Dr who contracts Syphilis and then dedicates his life to ridding the areas he lives in of prostitutes, who he blames for his venereal disease. His many maladies as a result of Syphilis made him even more determined in his goals to poison his victims. Ever the gentleman, he treated them to a meal and drinks either before or after his intimate time with them!

A very interesting read based on official documentation of ‘The Lambeth Poisoner’.
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alex jackson
4.0 out of 5 stars prisoner 4374
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2019
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a stunning inciting book about one of the few people who have been pegged for the jack the ripper murders well this book as for as i am concerned puts this man oit of the picture
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