The Devil in the White City

Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

By: Erik Larson

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death.

Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds—a torture palace complete with dissection table, gas chamber, and 3,000-degree crematorium.

Burnham overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedies as he organized the talents of Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles McKim, Louis Sullivan, and others to transform swampy Jackson Park into the White City, while Holmes used the attraction of the great fair and his own satanic charms to lure scores of young women to their deaths. What makes the story all the more chilling is that Holmes really lived, walking the grounds of that dream city by the lake.

The Devil in the White City draws the reader into a time of magic and majesty, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others. Erik Larson’s gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.

©2003 Erik Larson (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

National Book Awards, Short-listed

Edgar Allan Poe Award Winner, Fact Crime, 2004

"Engrossing . . . exceedingly well documented . . . utterly fascinating.” —Chicago Tribune

“A dynamic, enveloping book. . . . Relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel. . . . It doesn’t hurt that this truth is stranger than fiction.” —The New York Times

“A wonderfully unexpected book. . . Larson is a historian . . . with a novelist’s soul.” —Chicago Sun-Times

Completely, utterly AWESOME

Story and narrator are riveting. You will not be disappointed. Reads like a Capote novel. Great piece of work. Great.

Compelling Story!

First ever attempt at an audio book and I would say I chose wisely! Captivating story and excellent narration! Highly recommend!

My favorite book read by my favorite author

This book will keep you on the edge until the end and make you research more after done. I loved the way the two storylines mixed. Scott Brick is the perfect narrator for this book.

One of my favorites!

I absolutely loved this book! It tells the story of the worlds fair and the search for a killer of young women. Narration was great as well.

Not what I thought

It’s a fascinating story but of you’re thinking you’re going to read about HH Holmes (America’s first serial killer) you might be disappointed. It has more to do with the Chicago World Exposition. Holmes is part of the backstory. I was under the impression that it was a real life crime drama. It was more of a historical piece about all the craziness that surrounded the construction and execution of the fair and some of the interesting figures that surrounded it in 1893.

great story

highly recommend this book. love the way the author weaves all the events without it seeming forced and still holds true to historical facts. I also like the summary the author provides at the end justifying his source of information. great book. get the full version not the abridged. it's worth it.

Fascinating listen!

I really enjoyed listening to this! There was so much information regarding this era in Chicago history that I did not know. Intertwining the simultaneous stories of a serial killer and the Chicago World's Fair made for great storytelling. The narrator was very good as well whose voice seemed to fit the era of the story. Highly enjoyable listen!

The white city?

The book lured me in with promises of Holmes history and taught me about the white city, a huge piece of history that is glanced over if skipped entirely in every history class. It's a great piece and I now have a ton of fun facts to share with anyone who will listen to me :)

So Interesting

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to any of my friends. Not just because of the "devil" story but because of the amazing history of the world's fair in Chicago.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I really enjoyed this listen and found myself taking the long walks...that only come when I am listening to something really good.

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I really enjoy Scott Brick as a narrator. He always does a great job.

Great Book! Not great for road trips

This is an excellent book. Larson creates a facinating masterpiece as it pertains to the level of research and study the book displays. The collection of the historical documentation and cohesiveness of this information into a story is remarkable! This book may seem to be a perfect listen for a 14 hour road trip, however... it is certainly not. There were moments where I wondered if it would be better to be locked inside a trunk that was slowly being filled with gas. The personal opinion of this reviewer gives Brick's performance drudgingly low marks. The slow and dulling voice acting is the only regret I have listening to The Devil in the White City.