Give it a Listen

Devil in the White City - By Eric Larson - Narrated by Scott Brick - 15 hours - Non Fiction. (NOTE: Some would consider the description below spoilers. They are just facts of the characters and don't give anything away.)

Larson takes two stories - one of the building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair Exposition by the principal architect and that of H.H. Holmes, a charming serial killer that lured at least 27 women to their death - that seem improbably companions. The story weaves together the panic of The Fair's architect, Daniel Burnham, and the calmness of Herbert Mudge (aka H.H. Holmes). Burnham has to work furiously to get his vision completed in time for The Fair's opening working in a swamp with rain and delays and issues that would have given any modern day architect a heart attack! Holmes builds a hotel that he bills as "The Castle" that probably gave plenty of women heart attacks! Scott Brick is a great narrator giving voice to Burnham and Holmes in each of their correspondence and through eye witness or corraborating accounts and testimony. I found the stories proceeding together smoothly and with similar levels of anxiety building throughout. The end was wrapped up very quickly but I think held true to Larson's focus of authenticy in the final moments of a project or investigation (wrapping up the finishing touches on a building and gathering the final evidence on Holmes).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but did find myself hitting the previous chapter button a few times just so I kept things straight. Scott Brick has an easy voice to listen to and moved through the narration quickly without rushing things. I will most certainly be listening to this again!