The Devil in the White City

The Devil in the White City   by  Erik Larson

 

Two tales run side by side in this exciting account of the first World’s Fair in America in 1892. Attempting to reach the heights of the Paris World Exposition of 1889, the planners faced many obstacles. finally deciding on Chicago for a venue, the architects and engineers faced many tasks: trying to build on a base of wet sand, providing transportation for so many people and putting the buildings up in less than a year.

Along with this narrative, we find a serial killer lurking near the Fair, later know as H. H. Holmes. A doctor and drugstore owner, Holmes inspires trust with his tender blue eyes and very personable manner. He lured dozens of young women to work with him, eventually killing and dismembering each of them in his basement workshop.

Many famous people appear and Larson often  surprising us and keeps us guessing by revealing the names after he gets us interested in each story. I was fascinated and thoroughly enjoyed the book! Although it is a documentary, it reads like a novel and draws one into the events.