In September 1888 a gloating letter arrived at a London news agency that took credit for, and revelled in, the string of gruesome murders that paralyzed the Sherlock-Holmes-era city with fear. It began with “Dear Boss…” and came to be known as The Dear Boss letter. A particularly haunting passage went: “…I shan’t quit ripping them..”, and was signed “Yours truly, Jack The Ripper”. Shadowy back-alley silhouette came to mind, but that is cliché, so I wanted to create a less-expected monster.