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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