Mary Kelly was the final victim of the infamous Victorian-era serial killer, Jack The Ripper.

The circumstances of her death overshadow her life, and in The Last Dance of Mary Kelly, E. David Brown imagines for her a life and occupation beyond the "prostitute" label typically attributed to her. Having fled poverty in Ireland, Mary Kelly finds employment in a textile factory where she becomes embroiled in the workers' movement, and the investigations of American journalist, Bryson Ward. Victorian London doesn't "shine" in this novel of intrigue and historical injustices; rather, it seeps into the skin like a coal-infused fog, and keeps you hooked. Because you might think you know the history, but until you turn the final page you won't know the whole story.