Winter, 1980. The Yorkshire Ripper has just claimed his thirteenth victim. Ripper thirteen, police nil. As public anger against the police mounts, Assistant Chief Constable Peter Hunter is sent to take over the investigation.The Strafford Shootings remain unsolved, and the murders of the Jubilee summer of 1977 are still attributed to the Ripper. But Hunter soon realises that all is not as it seems - and that the police are more heavily implicated in the killings than anyone could have imagined.Jack Whitehead, alone and mad in a mental institution after trying to exorcise the demons from his head with hammer and nail, appears to hold the key. What is the connection between the Ripper and this fresh spate of violence? And what will happen when these men's separate hells collide?
David Peace
David Peace is a British author known for his gritty crime novels that often explore real-life crimes and events. His most notable works include the Red Riding Quartet, which is a series of novels set in Yorkshire during the 1970s and 1980s, and "GB84," a novel about the 1984-85 miners' strike in Britain.
Peace's writing style is characterized by its dark and intense atmosphere, as well as its use of fragmented narrative and stream-of-consciousness techniques. He is known for his meticulous research and attention to detail, which adds a sense of realism to his work.
Peace's contributions to literature include pushing the boundaries of the crime genre and challenging traditional storytelling conventions. His work has been praised for its originality and boldness, and he has been recognized as a leading voice in contemporary British literature.
One of Peace's most famous works is "Nineteen Seventy-Four," the first novel in the Red Riding Quartet. This novel, along with the rest of the series, has been adapted into a successful television series, further solidifying Peace's reputation as a master of crime fiction.