Monday, February 18, 2019

The White City: historical fiction of mystery and true crime


The White City by Grace Hitchcock is the story of Winnifred Wylde, daughter of a Chicago police inspector, and an avid reader, believes she witnessed an abduction of a woman at a time when many women mysteriously disappeared during the 1893 World’s Fair. Winnifred is determined to follow the clues and find the man responsible. Her father assigns Detective Jude Thorpe as her bodyguard and together they hatch an undercover plan to catch the man they believe is behind the disappearances, a Mr. H.H. Holmes. As her focus becomes stopping the man, she believes is evil, Winnifred must also contend with her Aunt Lillian’s determination to see her married very soon. With suitors vying for her hand and her desire to catch Holmes, Winnifred must decide how far she’s willing to go. Will Winnifred find the evidence she needs to capture this man? Will Jude be able to keep her safe in this dangerous game of cat and mouse? Or will Winnifred become another victim in Holmes’ dangerous game?


More and more people are familiar with the evil H.H. Holmes in recent years and as I am familiar with his horrific crimes, I was curious how Ms. Hitchcock would portray him in a book marketed as “historical stories of American Crime.” I loved how Ms. Hitchcock blended a mix of his crimes with investigative methods of the day as well as Christian faith. I loved Winnifred as she was fun, imaginative and fearless. I enjoyed Jude as a man with a personal mission to solve another crime and protect Winnifred. I loved how the romance between the two was developed. It wasn’t forced or felt unnatural. The objections to the relationship was real for the time and the pressure for Miss Winnifred to be married before she was deemed a spinster was very real. The White City was a fast read for me as it held my attention easily. Since I am familiar with Holmes, his role in the story was no surprise and I liked that Ms. Hitchcock captured how slick he was. I highly recommend The White City.

The White City
will be available in paperback
on March 1, 2019

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