Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions shared are mine.

My sister is the one who told me about H. H. Holmes.  She grew up in a house that was quite near one that he once lived in.  When I had the chance to read The White City, it made me nervous and a bit scared since I had an inkling of the story’s plot.

Thankfully, this story wasn’t too graphic at all.  It was more of a Jane Austen-style suspense.  Imagine Austen’s Emma as an amateur detective instead of a matchmaker.  The White City main character Winnifred was both charming and a bit annoying as only very young women can be.  Her vigilante sense of adventure was fueled by the novels she read.  How could I resist liking a bookworm?

The White City is the first in a promising new true crime series.  I loved how debut author Grace Hitchcock incorporated a sense of history in its pages while keeping the story fresh and original.  It’s a swoony sort of story.  Be prepared for lots of sighs, puffed sleeves, and gazing up through lashes.  It’s a clean title with very innocent romance.  There are some scriptural references as well.  I thought it was perfectly balanced.

I’m a fan of suspense and thrillers, but sometimes they can be overly dark.  The White City kept the intensity on a slow burn, gradually turning up the heat until it was too late to escape!

Step into the past and see the Chicago World’s Fair through new eyes.