The Obsession of Doctor Pendergrass

Spring-heeled Jack

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Pub Date 15 Apr 2019 | Archive Date 22 May 2019

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Description

Doctor Pendergrass settled into London and his surgeon’s job at Saint Bartholomew’s Hospital. He loved the city, but he detested the criminal element that had taken up residence there. In response to the problem, Pendergrass secretly got involved. At night, in the dark alleys and lanes, he could do what constables at Scotland Yard could not. His dark excursions were ripe with hypocrisy, not to mention the risk of going to prison, or the gallows if he were caught.

Pendergrass had always believed his nighttime outings should be a private endeavor. Nevertheless, in an extraordinary turn of events, which included him almost being killed, Sarah Shelley, a nursing intern at the hospital, became his collaborator. He tried everything to counter her arguements to be involved. In the end, she prevailed and soon helped Pendergrass dispose of one of London's most notorious criminals, Jack the Ripper.

The next year, early in 1889, an old menace returned to frighten London’s inhabitants. Old timers said it was a ghost from the past that had come back to terrorize them again. There were as many theories about who, or what, he might be as there were people to discuss them. Doctor Pendergrass thought the theories were all rubbish.

First, he didn’t believe in ghosts. Secondly, he didn’t believe any one man could sustain a subterfuge for eighty years and not be caught. Thirdly, the feats of athleticism described by eyewitnesses were astonishing – jumping fantastic distances and belching fire – and were beyond the explanation of any reasonable theory he was aware of; except his own. Pendergrass was sure he had unraveled the riddle of Spring-heeled Jack.

In addition to assaulting women on the streets of London, Sarah thought attacks near Shadwell New Basin might also be the work of Spring-heeled Jack. Promising they would look into the matter, Doctor Pendergrass had no idea their plans would put them in the middle of a murder for hire.

Pouring over old newspaper clippings for some clue that might help them identify and catch Spring-heeled Jack, Pendergrass began to worry that Jack’s current incarnation might be more troublesome then previous ones. In the end, the clue they needed didn’t come from a newspaper clipping; it came from an old victim and it verified Pendergrass’ concern; this Spring-heeled Jack was going to be worse; much, much worse than his predecessors.

Pendergrass was livid. Scotland Yard was no closer to controlling the rise of crime than they were a year before. Now, the scoundrel known as Spring-heeled Jack was frightning Londoner's to the limits of their sanity. Crime was out of control and Spring-heeled Jack not only made it worse, he made it personal.

Doctor Pendergrass settled into London and his surgeon’s job at Saint Bartholomew’s Hospital. He loved the city, but he detested the criminal element that had taken up residence there. In response to...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781796734980
PRICE US$3.99 (USD)

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Featured Reviews

1803, 1821, 1837, 1889: quite a long duration for one individual to terrorize the Great City of London with numerous inexplicable assaults and injuries and seemingly supernatural feats. Doctor Pendergrass of London Hospital, freah from his dealings with Jack the Ripper, determines to stop whoever and whatever this might be. London Hospital is to minister to the ill, not to be overtaken by suffering victims of crime. As a sort of self-appointed silent nocturnal vigilante, Doctor Pendergrass is the man for the job.

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I'm currently reading the book but so far I like what I've read. I highly recommend this book. The book is well written and easy to follow the characters and the story.

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Sorry I have Jack the ripper with a different take. Love this book from the start. Found it difficult to put down. Great characters, edge of your seat reading
Just terrifically written. Couldn’t ask for more from the book. I will recommend this to my Book Club and my students and friends

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Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. For once I would really like to be able to give 3.5*. The story is interesting and I was drawn to the book by both the description and the cover. Dr Pendergrass and his sidekick nurse Sarah Shelley track down murderers cum ne'er do wells in the night when the Bow Street Runners seem unable to control crime to any degree. In 1889 a major terror is let loose on the city - an apparent flame throwing, glowing red eyed monster who can jump 20 odd feet to the tops of buildings. He terrorises young women of a particular type (no, not prostitutes for once), singes faces and eyebrows and scrapes his metallic-like claws down arms, necks etc. but drawing the line at outright murder .He is likened to various previous events dating back some 80 years. We have plenty of good, graphic (non gruesome) detail about circus life at this time - travelling from town to town and there is a clear link between a young circus man who lost his love in a tragic accident and Spring-heeled Jack (the 1889 terror). How Pendergrass and Sarah work through the evidence is well done and descriptions of characters and life in 19th century London essentially well written. However, there has to be a 'but', the dialogue is just too American and often modern. We do not have 'dry goods stores' this side of the Pond - this is but one example. There are occasional little forays into "olde worlde sayings" cum slang but they feel contrived against the rest of the dialogue. At times I felt (equally wrong almost certainly) that we were in the Old West, pardner, perhaps Tombstone Territory rather than Whitechapel. That's why 3.5 stars - I'm not mean enough to go to 3 stars because of this but it doesn't really merit 4 stars. So, if you're not as old a baa humbug as I am, you'll probably enjoy the book more!!

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My thanks to the author, John David Buchanan, Books go Social and Netgalley.
I've always had an interest in Springheeled Jack. I still am not sure whether he was real or not, but I believe! Of course he would be a circus performer. They are all slightly mad to begin with! No safety net? Yeah, that's madness. Kind of like people who like taking selfies in high risk situations! Also, this time period in England is one of my favorite times to read about. Though I'm usually more interested in its Naval history. Pendergrass was interesting? I may have to read more of him. I liked this book. I'm slightly weirded out by Jack, but that's a good thing!

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An outstanding example of historical fiction.. "The Obsession of Dr Pendergrass. " Captivates on every level… A must Read if you love History Fiction

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Read like a Sherlock Holmes novel with a Jack the Ripper feel. Absolutely engaging and highly recommend to anyone looking for a new story with an old feel.

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Great instance of historical fiction, kind of a Holmesian feel to it. Well written, interesting character sketches and well-worth a read.

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This author put such effort into the description and the well-crafted characters that I had a hard time putting the book down.

The OBsession of Doctor Pendergrass is very well written and I can't wait to read more by this author in the future. Great job!!

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