I’m reading the latest Erik Larson book which I received as an advanced reader copy and realized that I never reviewed the first book I read by this author. The Devil in the White City was a great read that combined the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with a serial killer preying on the women who traveled to Chicago for the event.

Larson follows the lives of two men. Daniel Burnham was the architect tasked with designing the “white city” of the World’s Fair. This was not an easy thing to do. He had a short time to create this vision and dealt with numerous obstacles and delays. H.H. Holmes, originally from New Hampshire, created an alias that allowed him to move freely through certain circles. Eventually, he built a building as a hotel for those coming to the Fair as well as establishing a store in it that included a pharmacy.

I thought Larson did a marvelous job intertwining Holmes’ history with the construction at the Fairgrounds. He traces Holmes’ planning as well as other possible disappearances he was involved in with Burnham’s efforts to accomplish an ambitious building project by the date the Fair is scheduled to open.

It was eye-opening to see all that was involved with the Fair, especially considering the times. This was a chance for many industries to showcase their wares as well as cultural offerings. The buildings needed to house all that were a tremendous undertaking and there were multiple setbacks. There was such attention to detail from the landscaping to the waterways and so many problems it was a miracle it all came to fruition and, for the most part, was on time. There were a number of famous names associated with the design and construction, including Frederick Olmstead who designed Central Park in New York City. The level of detail that Larson researched and assembled for the book is astounding.

Holmes was one of the United States’ first known serial killers. How many he killed is still up for debate, but he had a fairly long list of victims. People traveling to Chicago for the World’s Fair made perfect victims. Holmes preferred women; he was able to lure them with his affection and helping them with jobs. The building he built near Chicago had a crematorium built into it, plus he was adept at selling skeletons to those in the market for them.

The two stories are separate yet connected. I found Larson did a terrific job intertwining the two. We get Burnham’s work at building the Fairgrounds against the plotting and manipulation of Holmes. The level of detail can be appreciated by those who enjoy non-fiction reads. I know this level of detail isn’t for everyone, but I enjoyed it. I like knowing how much things cost to build as well as what led up to some of the problems Burnham faced with the construction. Sometimes, I could see it coming. Others were just misfortunes that plagued the project. All of it was interesting.

I think either of the stories in The Devil in the White City would be decent on its own, but together they work even better and kept me riveted. It’s the yin and yang of the white against the black here. The light with trying to build the World’s Fair and all that went into it, plus the happiness it eventually brings to people who see it, against the darkness of a serial killer’s soul and all that he does in the shadow of it. The contrasts work well, and I highly recommend this book.