The heinous bloodlust of Dr. H.H. Holmes is notorious -- but only Harold Schechter's "Depraved" tells the complete story of the killer whose evil a...
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Dec 04, 2008
Catten
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Part of what makes this book by Harold Schechter so good is the setting. The country's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes Har (a.k.a. old Mudgett) roamed the streets of post- Great Fire Chicago. Schechter uses period newspapers and books written about the killer as his sources, weaving an intelligent beginning-to-end account of Holmes's bizarre criminal history. The city is interesting without being a history lesson and one gets a real feel for what life was like just before the turn of the centur
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Sep 28, 2010
Slayermel
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I found this book to be truly fascinating. I knew nothing of H. H. Holmes before reading this, and I stumbled across it in our library.
This is the story of H. H. Holmes, America's first serial killer. He built himself a large house, or castle of horrors I should say. It stretched a block and the pharmacy he owned was located on the ground level along with some stores. The top two floors where a maze of horrors. There were over 100 rooms with doorways leading to dead ends or br More...
This is the story of H. H. Holmes, America's first serial killer. He built himself a large house, or castle of horrors I should say. It stretched a block and the pharmacy he owned was located on the ground level along with some stores. The top two floors where a maze of horrors. There were over 100 rooms with doorways leading to dead ends or br More...
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Nov 07, 2009
♥ Marlene♥
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Feb 26, 2010
Terri
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I have read bits of HH Holmes' story over the years and they have all focused on his horror castle during the Chicago's world fair. This book goes way beyond that - to his insurance and real estate frauds, even horse stealing. To show that this serial killer was definitely a con man of the highest sociopathic levels. And his continued lies, confessions, recants was all very interesting to read.
His victims were many and spanning multiple states and even Canada. The time period sho More...
His victims were many and spanning multiple states and even Canada. The time period sho More...
Jun 25, 2011
Candace
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I found this book interesting but not entertaining. I liked the section concerning the Worlds Fair in Chicago and the portion describing the detailed police investigations. I though the determination of the investigator looking for the three missing children was amazing. Living in the era of DNA evidence it is sometimes hard to envision investigation techniques of the past and I feel like I have a better understanding of that now.
I liked the authors descriptions but I found it a bit d More...
I liked the authors descriptions but I found it a bit d More...
Jan 05, 2011
Gary
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Since I am endlessly fascinated with history and crime (especially violent crime), this was the perfect read. I've been eager to read more about Herman Webster Mudgett (better known as H.H. Holmes and dozens of other aliases) ever since I first read about him in "Devil in the White City". Erik Larsen's story of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago is a great book, but it barely touches on the horrific crimes of Holmes, America's first (yet little known) serial killer. Holmes' crime spree (
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Jan 06, 2012
Soapykitty
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I had never heard of H.H. Holmes before I read this book.His house was really interesting to read about (Currently it's now being used as a post office.I wonder if the workers know about it's past history? I'd be to creeped out to work there lol) It was so sad reading about how he would lure people to his home during the Chicago World Fair,and reading about the Pietzel family.
Jan 01, 2011
Tim
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Excellent follow-up to "Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson. "White City" focused mostly on the Chicago Fair instead of H.H. Holmes. Depraved focuses wholly on Holmes and his heinous crimes. An interesting read for crime enthusiasts. A little protracted near the end of the book wrapping up Holmes capture and trial, but overall another great Schechter book.
Jul 03, 2011
Dave
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An interesting story about a psychopath, but I have to wonder if books like these don't give this type of person exactly what they want. It's comforting to see them captured and sentenced, but perhaps we would do better to be less fascinated with this sort of person.
Oct 30, 2010
Karolinde (Kari)
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Schecther does a great job researching not only Holmes himself, but also the way society as whole reacted to his crimes and to himself. The search for the children was perhaps the best written and researched part of the work.
Jul 08, 2010
Amanda
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This was a good book about the life of H.H. Holmes, but I think I enjoyed "The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" better, partly because I read it first, but also because it was very interesting learning about the World's Columbian Exposition, and this book only included a paragraph about it. But it's very well written and makes you realize how truly awful H.H. Homes was.
Sep 28, 2009
Book about H. H. Holmes, physician & serial killer during the Chicago Columbian Exposition (1893). Erik Larson felt this & The Torture Doctor were most trustworthy accounts of this depraved human being.
Jan 23, 2009
James
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For some reason, H. H. Holmes seems to have taken a back seat in history to Jack the Ripper and other, more recent, serial killers. This is a fascinating account of the man and his crimes.
Nov 01, 2011
Moonfish
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An amazing and eerie book ... all the more so because it is true. Unbelievable that evil people such as he lives among us and can get away with his crimes. A fascinating read !!!
May 23, 2011
Kristen
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Very interesting book, and well researched. The writing style of the writer grabs you. You can almost read it as a crime thriller novel. I found it informative and would recommend it.
May 22, 2009
Christine
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I picked this up after seeing an H.H.Holmes-themed episode of Supernatural. Well-researched, well-written, doesn't make you feel like a giant weirdo for reading about serial killers. :-)
Oct 07, 2011
Jenn
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Chicago... had the first serial killer?! I was surprised. I figured it would be New York or even London. This was a suspenseful tale about a man who kills. Everyone close to him. A chilling read.
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Aug 16, 2009
David
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Confusing to read and just back and forth. The story of Holmes is interesting, but the book just isn't.
Dec 08, 2008
Melody
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Exciting read. The writer could trust the reader to get ironic moments and meanings without spoon feeding them back to us at times....also, the little sentences like, "but they would never see each other again" (after we've been told already what is to come), would grate on my nerves ...but overall the book was a fascinating story and the author does a good job making it come alive instead of reading like reporting. It is surprising that there hasn't been a movie about this story. T
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Aug 27, 2009
Ginnjen2000
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This is the true story of H.H. Homes americas first come to light serial killer. A master manipulator of women and those around him. Takes place in the laste 1880s to think the sickness has always been here. This book just makes you realize it.
Jan 20, 2011
Amy
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This book was about 150 pages too long. What should have been a really good story was made boring and tedious.
Jan 29, 2009
Wes
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The knock against everything Schechter write is that it is so rigid and a little boring. This could probably be pasted in each review of his books. That said, the story in this book about H.H. Holmes is immensely fascinating! This guy was a total shyster, scammer and sleazeball, but even more fascinating was that he built an insane complex of tortures in the middle of Chicago and nobody knew!
Apr 12, 2008
Shane
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Ok, so I like true crime now and then. Rating these are difficult, because it always depends on what you're looking for (you can't rate it on prose style, that's for sure, although there are no glaring mistakes or anything, and it certainly is readable). If you like serial killer books, and you want something a bit further in the past, this is the book for you.
Nov 04, 2008
Michelle
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I read The Devil in The White City which is about the Chicago Fair and wanted to learn more about H.H. Holmes - both books were very slow reads but also very good because you get a look into Chicago history.
Oct 24, 2008
Chris
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After "The Adversary" I wanted to read some more true crime. This seems to lead a little more toward the trashy side of things and I'm not complaining. H.H. Holmes is fascinating... Good fun, creepy and strange.
Apr 19, 2008
H
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I read this in my true-crime/serial killers book spree several years ago. Fascinating history and lots of detail <Devil in the White City> glosses over.
Mar 17, 2008
Lisa
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I love how Schechter ties historical events into his stories. You can learn about history while enjoying a fascinating true crime tale.
Dec 16, 2009
Derek
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This is the true story of the killer who was fictionalized in DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY. He was pretty twisted, but the book is only so-so.
Oct 03, 2011
Kristina
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Very interesting, but definitely slow moving. Gives a lot of insightful information and facts about what happened.
