The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper

Hallie Rubenhold is a former museum curator and social historian who has made her name by discovering and bringing to the public attention the stories of previously unknown women. Her first book, The Covent Garden Ladies, (The History Press, 2005) recounts the history of The Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies, the notorious 18th century guide to prostitutes. The Covent Garden Ladies has become a cult sensation and not only was the subject of a BBC 4 documentary presented by Hallie, but has been singlehandedly responsible for reviving an interest in the material amongst academics, artists, film makers, writers and designers. Her second work of non-fiction, The Scandalous Lady W (originally published as Lady Worsley’s Whim, Chatto & Windus, 2008) recounts the infamous lives of Sir Richard and Lady Worsley, and their shocking adultery trial. It was BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week in 2008 and was dramatised for BBC2 in August 2015, starring Natalie Dormer and Shaun Evans.

Louise Brealey is an actor and writer known for her roles in Back (Channel 4), Clique (BBC/Netflix) and Gomorrah (HBO Max). She played the role of Molly in the multi-award-winning Sherlock. Her stage work includes roles at the National Theatre, Royal Court, the Young Vic and the Bush with directors Marianne Elliott, Peter Hall, Roger Michell and Howard Davies. Most recently she has co-starred in film comedy Brian and Charles and on television in Netflix’s ghost-hunting smash, Lockwood & Co. Louise can next be seen as the lead in the BFI’s lesbian chicken factory musical Chuck Chuck Baby.