Even before Jack the Ripper haunted its streets for prey, London's East End had earned a reputation for immorality, filth, and vice. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain's industrial boom drew thousands of workers to the area, leading to overcrowding and squalor—and inevitably, illegal activity. A tour guide who has walked and researched the area for more than 30 years, John Bennett delves into four centuries of history to chronicle the crimes and their perpetrators, including not only the Ripper but also highwayman Dick Turpin and the Kray twins.