The Diary of Jack the Ripper: The Discovery, The Investigation, The Debate Narrative

The Diary of Jack the Ripper: The Discovery, The Investigation, The Debate Narrative by Shirley Harrison (Hyperion, $21.95) A little more than a century ago, someone eviscerated five prostitutes in the Whitechapel area of London. Though suspects abounded-among them, Queen Victoria's grandson-the case of Jack the Ripper was never solved. Until now? A diary made public by a former scrap-metal dealer from Liverpool purportedly reveals the killer to be a merchant named James Maybrick. But many-including Warner Books, which bought and then decided not to publish the manuscript-have deemed the document a fraud. Robert Smith, the English publisher, cautiously advises each reader to ''decide for yourself.'' However, it's not that easy. The body of the book, an elaborate, well- researched effort to paint Maybrick as the killer, can be entertaining but ultimately raises as many questions as it answers. Then there is the diary itself, a dull piece of work (despite the odd reference to cannibalism) that lacks any real revelations about the murders. But one thing is certain: the thrill that amateur detectives will get comparing notes, deciphering bloody + initials, and staring at photos of Maybrick as they try to glean the answers from his inscrutable mug. B -EK