King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper
About
King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper is the third entry in the series of historical fiction novels involving the exploits of Jack Bailey, the irresistible scoundrel that charmed his way through the Civil War, helped himself to a share of the Confederate Treasury, distilled bourbon with John Beam (Jim’s uncle), helped establish the Old Chisolm Trail, and witnessed some of the earliest gunfights and train robberies in the Old West. A friend to Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Allan Pinkerton, George Armstrong Custer, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill Cody, and other famous figures of the era, Bailey is back and as is so often the case, he becomes embroiled in some of the most notable events of the late 1800’s.
Jack & the Ripper begins as Bailey reunites with Wild Bill Hickok, now a marshal in Kansas. He later finds himself an unwilling participant in Cuba’s Ten Years War for independence, involved in the circus business, consulting on the Treaty of Washington, hosting Queen Victoria and the future King Edward VII at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, and patrolling the squalid streets of Whitechapel in 1888, hot on the trail of Jack the Ripper. Predictably, our hero never lacks for female companionship along the way, or for the occasional (and inadvertent) confrontation with deadly characters like Frank and Jesse James and John Wesley Hardin.
As it was in the first two books, people, timelines, and events in Jack & the Ripper are depicted accurately, and corroborated with footnotes, photographs, and newspaper accounts. Bailey’s role is fictional. Those first two books in the trilogy have been awarded 5 stars by Reader Views and Readers’ Favorite® and more than 90% of the reviews on Amazon are also 5 star.
Praise for this book
King Cotton III: Jack & the Ripper by Richard A. Noble offers a detailed and immersive story set in the turbulent American West during the late 1860s and early 1870s. Bailey reunites with Wild Bill Hickok and becomes involved in Cuba’s Ten Years War and the circus business. He hosts Queen Victoria and Edward VII at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and later patrols Whitechapel in 1888, in pursuit of Jack the Ripper. After a series of criminal misadventures, betrayals, and law enforcement clashes in towns like Abilene, Kansas, and Hays, Bailey navigates a landscape rife with violence, corruption, and political intrigue. His journey intertwines with legendary figures such as Wild Bill Hickok, Frank and Jesse James, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Custer, creating a vivid picture of frontier life. Bailey’s struggles with romantic entanglements, loyalty dilemmas, and survival are woven against a backdrop of lawlessness and social change, culminating in his strategic moves to control his destiny.
Richard A. Noble’s writing caught my attention, and I enjoyed the character-focused narrative. I also loved the meticulous historical detail, vivid characterization, and a narrative tone that blends authenticity with storytelling flair. The author creates a panoramic setting, capturing the gritty, boisterous ambiance of frontier towns, the rough-and-tumble saloons, and the expansive plains. Characters are vividly drawn, from the charismatic Wild Bill Hickok to the ruthless outlaws; each character is created with distinctive voices and motives. The prose is descriptive, often incorporating period-specific slang and dialogue that lend an immersive, almost cinematic quality to the story. Jack & the Ripper has layered historical references in a compelling, multi-dimensional portrayal of an era defined by adventure, danger, and the relentless pursuit of power and survival. This tale wowed me.
https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/king-cotton-iii