Picture this: Chicago, 1893. A muddy swamp on Lake Michigan transforms into the White City, a shimmering showcase of innovation that captivates the world. Skyscrapers gleam white under electric lights, crowds marvel at moving sidewalks and Ferris wheels, Buffalo Bill's Wild West show thunders nearby. But beneath the splendor lurks a nightmare—H.H. Holmes, America's first serial killer, using the fair's magic to draw victims to his horror hotel.
Daniel Burnham, the era's master architect, faced endless setbacks—deadlines, disasters, Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape genius clashing with his vision. Yet he rallied Louis Sullivan, Charles McKim, and others to erect marvels like the stunning Court of Honor. His story captures America's grit, pushing toward the 20th century with Flatiron Building fame ahead.
Just blocks away, Holmes constructed his 'World's Fair Hotel'—a labyrinth of secret passages, a dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium. Posing as a doctor, he charmed young women visiting the fair, luring dozens to gruesome ends. It's chilling because it's real; Holmes strolled the fairgrounds amid the festivities.
Larson blends exhaustive research with fiction-like suspense, making you feel the era's pulse. Meet cameos from Thomas Edison, Susan B. Anthony, even Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It's not dry history—it's a page-turner that explores obsession, ambition, and darkness.
Grab your Kindle and lose evenings to this saga—ideal for book clubs debating morality in progress, or solo reads on commutes picturing Holmes' shadow amid fireworks. If you crave stories where history bites back, this National Book Award finalist delivers chills and awe that linger. Dive in; the fair awaits, and so does the devil.
