Behind Closed Doors

Autumn, 1888. The population of London is transfixed and horrified bythe atrocious and horrific murder spree being conducted by Jack theRipper. The newspapers are full of the details of the mutilationsperpetrated by the killer and the apparent inability of the police toapprehend the unknown assailant. As Metropolitan Police Commissioner,Sir Charles Warren throws the bulk of his investigative resources intothe search for The Ripper, and the tabloid press scream of the crimes in banner headlines on a daily basis; on the new, ultra modern Underground Railway that has revolutionized travel around the great metropolis forthe working man, another, less well publicized killer is at large. Tucked away on the inner pages of the daily press, hardly enough toraise an eyebrow among discerning readers, one may have found a few,short articles which told of the strange and also, so far unsolvedmurders which are taking place on board the carriages of the new-fangled and much heralded transport system. Each murder takes place the dayafter one of the ripper killings, as the murderer appears to be takingadvantage of the lack of police resources to tackle not one, but two,major investigations simultaneously. Inspector Albert Norris is charged with bringing the railway killer tojustice, but, as with case of Jack the Ripper, clues are few, thekiller's motive unclear, and he is forced to carry out hisinvestigations 'quietly and without causing a public panic' as theauthorities seek to prevent a loss of confidence in the safety of theunderground railway system. The press are being told even less, hencethe minimal coverage, and Norris can count on little help from above ashe attempts to solve the inexplicable series of murders. Every paperback copy of Behind Closed Doors sold carries a donation of $1 from the publisher to The Mayflower Animal Sanctuary in Yorkshire, UK.