Sherlock Holmes looks on idle and infuriated from the sidelines while evil has Whitechapel in the grip of fear, evil which bears the infamous name of - Jack the Ripper - a name set to raise the hackles on people's necks for generations to come. A fearful officialdom has declared Sherlock 'persona non grata' but is suffering the wrath of public opinion for its failure to bring the murderer to justice. Sherlock suspects there is more to this ritual of death being performed on London's darkened streets and makes plans for his own inquiry after an ancient brotherhood makes contact. Stanza by stanza, the reader is stirringly swept along as Allan Mitchell's rhythmic rhymes carry Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson toward their electrifying encounter with the Menacing Monk.