<DIV><DIV><DIV>Thomas Toughill applies his detective skills to one of the greatest mysteries, the identity of Jack the Ripper. The result is a book which is as original as it is enthralling. Toughill suggests that Jack the Ripper was a former "friend" of Oscar Wilde and that Wilde dropped hints about this in several of his works, most notably <I>The Picture of Dorian Gray</I>, which Wilde wrote in 1889, the year after the Ripper murders took place. In fascinating detail, the author argues that Wilde's story, that of a privileged man whose life of vice in the East End of London turns him into a murderer, is in fact a coded message about the Ripper's identity. However, <I>The Ripper Code</I> is not just a fascinating voyage through the writings of Oscar Wilde and others. It is also a striking example of original detective work. Here, as in his previous books, Toughill unveils stunning evidence from a hitherto untapped source and uses it to devastating effect in arguing his case.</div></DIV></DIV>