The White City by Grace Hitchcock

This is the first in a new series of historical romance novels based on true crime events in the U.S. This one is centered on a man some call the first American serial killer, Herman Mudgett. As in the novel, he most often went by the name of Dr. H. H. Holmes. The setting is Chicago in 1893, during the World's Fair.

Hitchcock did a good job of creating Winnie, the daughter of a Chicago police inspector and a very adventurous woman. She sees a woman being abducted while she is visiting the fair. She is determined to find the man and get evidence to see him convicted. Her father is concerned for her welfare and assigns a policeman to watch over her. We wonder if romance can blossom under such circumstances especially in a time when no one would want their daughter falling for a policeman.

Reading the Author Afterward and doing a little research, I think Hitchcock has done a good job in creating the setting and the social atmosphere of the time. Holmes is a well portrayed creepy character.

I felt the first part of the plot was a little slow. The action really intensified, however, near the end. All in all, I enjoyed the novel and recommend it to readers who like historical fiction based on an actual event and including aspects of it. It looks like Hitchcock will have another novel in this series coming out next year. I'll be watching for it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Grace Hitchcock has written a number of novellas. The White City is her first novel. She has a Masters in Creative Writing and a BA in English with a minor in History. She lives in southern Louisiana with her husband and son. You can find out more at http://gracehitchcockbooks.com/

Barbour Publishing, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.