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Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer
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 acts of torture and murder flourished within miles of the Chicago World's Fair. "Destined to be a true crime classic" (Flint Journal, MI), this authoritative account chronicles the methods and madness of a monster who slipped easily into a bright, affluent Midwestern suburb, where no one suspected the dapper, charming Holmes -- who alternately posed as doctor, druggist, and inventor to snare his prey -- was the architect of a labyrinthine "Castle of Horrors." Holmes admitted to twenty-seven murders by the time his madhouse of trapdoors, asphyxiation devices, body chutes, and acid vats was exposed. The seminal profile of a homegrown madman in the era of Jack the Ripper, Depraved is also a mesmerizing tale of true detection long before the age of technological wizardry.
418 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
248 people are currently reading
6410 people want to read
About the author
Harold Schechter
84 books1,399 followersAka Jon A. Harrald (joint pseudonym with Jonna Gormley Semeiks)
Harold Schechter is a true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he obtained a Ph.D. A resident of New York City, Schechter is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York.
Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend, Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bug and Nevermore and The Mask of Red Death.
Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
Harold Schechter is a true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he obtained a Ph.D. A resident of New York City, Schechter is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York.
Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend, Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bug and Nevermore and The Mask of Red Death.
Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
January 14, 2022
Ah, H.H. Holmes and his murder house is always a debate about what really happened. There are some who claim he could have been Jack the Ripper. I am not one of those people. Schechter did an excellent job putting all the facts available into a riveting book. Holmes admitted to 27 murders in his "Castle of Horrors" by usage of trapdoors, asphyxiation devices, body chutes, and acid vats. If you really think of it, he was an evil genius. He actually created a house to kill and disposed of his bodies. Luckily, narcissists always bring themselves down in the end.
July 6, 2012
So after reading "The Devil in the White City" I wanted to know more about H.H. Holmes, the first American serial killer who no one remembers. I didn't know what to expect from a book called "Depraved", but it's actually very good. If you just want to know about Holmes, I recommend this book, over "The Devil in the White City." It has more detail, less invented scenes, less imposed pseudo-Freudian motivation, and great stuff particularly about the time after Holmes was arrested.
I don't really have any complaints, other than I want more detail about what happened inside Holmes' "Castle" but that's the fault of the historical record, not the author. I find Holmes so fascinating as such a fantastic example of a sociopath, in fact possibly the example people had in mind while defining a psychopath (later sociopath, later someone with Antisocial Personality Disorder.) In particular I find the glimpses at Holmes' thought process fascinating, through his own writings and his behavior when representing himself in court.
Of course, actually more interesting and useful than trying to understand Holmes is understanding how he got away with everything he did for so long. It's understanding the reactions of the people around him that is truly useful. To some extent, he wouldn't have been able to get away with as much today, since there is a lot more scrutiny paid to things like what someone's legal name is and how many women they are married to. Also what happens to people who mysteriously go missing. But I think the smaller one-on-one interactions in which people were inclined to trust Holmes because he was charming and confident are unchanged. Holmes was both a conman and a serial killer, which is particularly fascinating.
I don't really have any complaints, other than I want more detail about what happened inside Holmes' "Castle" but that's the fault of the historical record, not the author. I find Holmes so fascinating as such a fantastic example of a sociopath, in fact possibly the example people had in mind while defining a psychopath (later sociopath, later someone with Antisocial Personality Disorder.) In particular I find the glimpses at Holmes' thought process fascinating, through his own writings and his behavior when representing himself in court.
Of course, actually more interesting and useful than trying to understand Holmes is understanding how he got away with everything he did for so long. It's understanding the reactions of the people around him that is truly useful. To some extent, he wouldn't have been able to get away with as much today, since there is a lot more scrutiny paid to things like what someone's legal name is and how many women they are married to. Also what happens to people who mysteriously go missing. But I think the smaller one-on-one interactions in which people were inclined to trust Holmes because he was charming and confident are unchanged. Holmes was both a conman and a serial killer, which is particularly fascinating.
February 26, 2015
Brilliant read!!!
Harold Schechter is my favorite author these days and this book is why.
He talks about the serial killer H. H. Holmes and details what this monster did. Even though I knew who the killer was - I'd watched a documentary with Harold Schechter explaining what Holmes had manufactured, so I knew, I thought, everything about him - I was STILL constantly surprised by the revelations of this book! That is all because of the details that Schechter tediously supplied. Yet the read was not filled with meaningless clutter; every detail added something to the overall tale.
Holmes was, of course, a serial killer with an appetite for pretty women and money. He built a haphazard castle to carry out his deeds with as little outside knowledge as possible. The building served its horrific purpose. But the book covers more than just the gore. It covers Holmes's upbringing and defines what makes a psychopath.
I cannot clearly define how Schechter makes the reader understand the gravity of serial murder, but he always does. You are magnetically pulled back to bygone eras as you delve into the lives and minds of the long deceased and often forgotten VICTIMS of serial murderers. Though you know who the killer is and what he will do, Schechter walks you through the moments of sobriety on the evening of the murder where, more often than you'd think, the killer and his victim share their last dinner together. You understand the loss of the parents that search for their lost child - no matter their child's age. And then you see the callousness of the killer who may greet the loved ones of those he just murdered.
It is a study of humanity, the study of serial murder. It is a look into the unthinkable. And if you can stare the unthinkable in the face like the many police profilers of our day, then you may be able to prevent its proliferation in the future.
A must read for any true crime enthusiast!!!
Harold Schechter is my favorite author these days and this book is why.
He talks about the serial killer H. H. Holmes and details what this monster did. Even though I knew who the killer was - I'd watched a documentary with Harold Schechter explaining what Holmes had manufactured, so I knew, I thought, everything about him - I was STILL constantly surprised by the revelations of this book! That is all because of the details that Schechter tediously supplied. Yet the read was not filled with meaningless clutter; every detail added something to the overall tale.
Holmes was, of course, a serial killer with an appetite for pretty women and money. He built a haphazard castle to carry out his deeds with as little outside knowledge as possible. The building served its horrific purpose. But the book covers more than just the gore. It covers Holmes's upbringing and defines what makes a psychopath.
I cannot clearly define how Schechter makes the reader understand the gravity of serial murder, but he always does. You are magnetically pulled back to bygone eras as you delve into the lives and minds of the long deceased and often forgotten VICTIMS of serial murderers. Though you know who the killer is and what he will do, Schechter walks you through the moments of sobriety on the evening of the murder where, more often than you'd think, the killer and his victim share their last dinner together. You understand the loss of the parents that search for their lost child - no matter their child's age. And then you see the callousness of the killer who may greet the loved ones of those he just murdered.
It is a study of humanity, the study of serial murder. It is a look into the unthinkable. And if you can stare the unthinkable in the face like the many police profilers of our day, then you may be able to prevent its proliferation in the future.
A must read for any true crime enthusiast!!!
December 4, 2008
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 century.
Comparing Holmes to Jack the Ripper, his English contemporary, Schechter describes murder after murder of unsuspecting people who easily trusted Holmes. After all, he was a very charismatic man. He even had multiple wives, who knew nothing about each other.
And greedy. That may have been his downfall. A cellmate revealed plans to commit insurance fraud when he realized that Holmes had no intention of sharing the wealth. H.H. Holmes killed his most loyal friend, split up the poor man's family, collected the almost-$10,000 check for the widow, and then sent the woman chasing after her husband, whom she believed to be alive and in hiding. When she demanded that he return her children that he'd hidden safely away, he made excuses and couldn't produce them. You figure out what happened to them.
Imagine now, a building that looks somewhat like a castle. In fact, the locals called it that: The Castle. Outside, it looked impressive. Holmes leased out shop space on the ground floor for various businesses and ran his own pharmacy from there as well.
Inside, though, was unlike any shopping center you've probably ever seen. The third floor had 36 rooms, most simply outfitted for guests. But Holmes's guests may think they'd stepped into Bluebeard's castle - staircases led to dead ends and some rooms were locked up securely with Holmes carrying the only keys. Little would that unsuspecting guest know how close to the truth he'd come. In one of those locked rooms, Holmes had built a gas chamber. On the second floor, which was much like the third, there were three dozen rooms - and 50 or so doors, some with locks on the outsides and peepholes. Concealed passageways, sliding walls, and a greased shaft that dropped into the basement made for no fun for Holmes's victims. If one were dropped into that basement dungeon, he'd discover tanks of acid, an autopsy room, and torture devices - including a rack. Holmes called this last piece of equipment his "elasticity determinator."
So you get the idea now. This H.H. Holmes, psychopath and successful businessman, might make it hard to enjoy the next bed and breakfast you visit.
Comparing Holmes to Jack the Ripper, his English contemporary, Schechter describes murder after murder of unsuspecting people who easily trusted Holmes. After all, he was a very charismatic man. He even had multiple wives, who knew nothing about each other.
And greedy. That may have been his downfall. A cellmate revealed plans to commit insurance fraud when he realized that Holmes had no intention of sharing the wealth. H.H. Holmes killed his most loyal friend, split up the poor man's family, collected the almost-$10,000 check for the widow, and then sent the woman chasing after her husband, whom she believed to be alive and in hiding. When she demanded that he return her children that he'd hidden safely away, he made excuses and couldn't produce them. You figure out what happened to them.
Imagine now, a building that looks somewhat like a castle. In fact, the locals called it that: The Castle. Outside, it looked impressive. Holmes leased out shop space on the ground floor for various businesses and ran his own pharmacy from there as well.
Inside, though, was unlike any shopping center you've probably ever seen. The third floor had 36 rooms, most simply outfitted for guests. But Holmes's guests may think they'd stepped into Bluebeard's castle - staircases led to dead ends and some rooms were locked up securely with Holmes carrying the only keys. Little would that unsuspecting guest know how close to the truth he'd come. In one of those locked rooms, Holmes had built a gas chamber. On the second floor, which was much like the third, there were three dozen rooms - and 50 or so doors, some with locks on the outsides and peepholes. Concealed passageways, sliding walls, and a greased shaft that dropped into the basement made for no fun for Holmes's victims. If one were dropped into that basement dungeon, he'd discover tanks of acid, an autopsy room, and torture devices - including a rack. Holmes called this last piece of equipment his "elasticity determinator."
So you get the idea now. This H.H. Holmes, psychopath and successful businessman, might make it hard to enjoy the next bed and breakfast you visit.
December 28, 2023
Despite being incredibly well-researched, the sweeping knowledge of the Holmes story laid out in this book proved to be quite stagnant. It might be said that Schechter's laborious efforts to retrieve every detail of this sordid criminal's past from 150 years ago resulted in a well-informed read, but one vastly different - indeed, far less scandalous - than readers come to expect.
I really felt this true crime "thriller" to be quite cumbersome. While it's a mark of a great writer to let sensational facts speak for themselves rather than to embellish upon them, I felt as if the entire Holmes story was packaged and sold as something it wasn't. I expected to read largely about the "Castle" and its many intricacies - stories of its design, its purpose, impressions given by those who had either stayed there as guests of the World Fair, or guests that had barely escaped with their lives.
And indeed while the 400+ page story does brush upon the Castle's horrors, that's about as far as it goes: truly, it maybe occupies 5-10 minutes of total reading time. The rest of the time? You're reading about some "otherworldly" man, the first known "multi-murderer" (because in the 1880s and 1890s, serial killers didn't yet exist) attempting to pull off a $10,000 insurance fraud scheme (equivalent to about $400,000 in today's money). It was well-researched, as I said, I've got to give the author that much credit.
I suppose I just expected to hear more about the evils within the man and truly astonishing feats of cleverness he'd managed to pull off; not minute day-to-day details of his shuffling around of people, all in an attempt to hide the murder and defrauding of his friend, and this information instead being masqueraded as evidence of the clever, "brilliant" man able to disarm even the most intelligent, well-bred young woman with his wicked, scheming ways.
Although I don't think Schechter went obnoxiously far as some true crime writers do in glorifying their villain at the expense of his (usually female) victims, I do think that he gave Holmes a bit too much credit, considering that:
1) it's the late 19th century we're talking about here, people... it didn't exactly take a mastermind criminal to pull off things like fraud and murder, given the absence of today's technology with computers and forensics.
2) it seems doubtful that all the women are really that susceptible to his charms; rather, in this era, they simply had no choice but to defer to the man of the household. therefore, any "manipulation" the author or the press of that day may have claimed Holmes pulled over these women - especially, for instance, Carrie - really should be attributed to his ability to manipulate their male counterparts (such as Carrie's husband).
It's not as if Carrie had a choice after Holmes and her husband hatched the plan and once her husband went missing. The husband seemed infinitely more gullible and ready to swallow Holmes's lies wholesale, while she was clearly just exhausted and desperate. As for the rest, again, it's too hard to tell in that era, where women didn't exactly assert themselves the way they might today.
All in all, while it is great to finally hear the full story with great sources to back it up, it doesn't change the fact that the book was about 150 pages too long, and overly bogged down in unnecessary characters and details.
I'd recommend if you want all of the true facts of the case, but don't expect to be on the edge of your seat. He was indeed a disturbed and sadistic criminal, but not exactly an extraordinary criminal (save for in his own mind, anyway). A lot of people will prefer to skim through it, rather than read every tedious word.
I really felt this true crime "thriller" to be quite cumbersome. While it's a mark of a great writer to let sensational facts speak for themselves rather than to embellish upon them, I felt as if the entire Holmes story was packaged and sold as something it wasn't. I expected to read largely about the "Castle" and its many intricacies - stories of its design, its purpose, impressions given by those who had either stayed there as guests of the World Fair, or guests that had barely escaped with their lives.
And indeed while the 400+ page story does brush upon the Castle's horrors, that's about as far as it goes: truly, it maybe occupies 5-10 minutes of total reading time. The rest of the time? You're reading about some "otherworldly" man, the first known "multi-murderer" (because in the 1880s and 1890s, serial killers didn't yet exist) attempting to pull off a $10,000 insurance fraud scheme (equivalent to about $400,000 in today's money). It was well-researched, as I said, I've got to give the author that much credit.
I suppose I just expected to hear more about the evils within the man and truly astonishing feats of cleverness he'd managed to pull off; not minute day-to-day details of his shuffling around of people, all in an attempt to hide the murder and defrauding of his friend, and this information instead being masqueraded as evidence of the clever, "brilliant" man able to disarm even the most intelligent, well-bred young woman with his wicked, scheming ways.
Although I don't think Schechter went obnoxiously far as some true crime writers do in glorifying their villain at the expense of his (usually female) victims, I do think that he gave Holmes a bit too much credit, considering that:
1) it's the late 19th century we're talking about here, people... it didn't exactly take a mastermind criminal to pull off things like fraud and murder, given the absence of today's technology with computers and forensics.
2) it seems doubtful that all the women are really that susceptible to his charms; rather, in this era, they simply had no choice but to defer to the man of the household. therefore, any "manipulation" the author or the press of that day may have claimed Holmes pulled over these women - especially, for instance, Carrie - really should be attributed to his ability to manipulate their male counterparts (such as Carrie's husband).
It's not as if Carrie had a choice after Holmes and her husband hatched the plan and once her husband went missing. The husband seemed infinitely more gullible and ready to swallow Holmes's lies wholesale, while she was clearly just exhausted and desperate. As for the rest, again, it's too hard to tell in that era, where women didn't exactly assert themselves the way they might today.
All in all, while it is great to finally hear the full story with great sources to back it up, it doesn't change the fact that the book was about 150 pages too long, and overly bogged down in unnecessary characters and details.
I'd recommend if you want all of the true facts of the case, but don't expect to be on the edge of your seat. He was indeed a disturbed and sadistic criminal, but not exactly an extraordinary criminal (save for in his own mind, anyway). A lot of people will prefer to skim through it, rather than read every tedious word.
August 3, 2014
This biography of the man who was America's first serial killer was well deserving of a 4 star rating. It was well researched, well written, down to all the gory, dirty details that made the case so sensational, included photos, line drawings, etc taken from the newspapers of the day, & utterly captivating. It was compelling, nearly unbelievable at times of the sheer scope of his audacity & people skills. If you're interested in the crime genre, you'll like this book, if you're a history buff like I am, you'll like this book. If you like psychological thrillers, this is right up your alley.
He was a contemporary of Jack the Ripper, but while everyone remembers Jack & the enduring mysteries & ghoulishness that are wrapped around his crimes, Holmes has fallen into comparative obscurity. This book will bring him back to the forefront, & reveal that he was in every WAY, every bit as ghoulish as Jack, & his crimes worse....
He was a contemporary of Jack the Ripper, but while everyone remembers Jack & the enduring mysteries & ghoulishness that are wrapped around his crimes, Holmes has fallen into comparative obscurity. This book will bring him back to the forefront, & reveal that he was in every WAY, every bit as ghoulish as Jack, & his crimes worse....
April 13, 2015
First off, I've just realized that I seem to be stuck in somewhat of a crime book rut. Not sure why. I've wanted to read more about H.H. Holmes since I read "The Devil in the White City" years ago. This started just a little slow, but was good from about page 30. Also, it didn't fall into that trap that so many crime books do, repeating the same things over and over.
February 26, 2010
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 showed how hard it was to track down witnesses and evidence in a time where proving an identity was often based on the loosest terms. And changing it was often as easy and moving to a new location. The detective in this case was amazing and unrelenting!
His victims were many and spanning multiple states and even Canada. The time period showed how hard it was to track down witnesses and evidence in a time where proving an identity was often based on the loosest terms. And changing it was often as easy and moving to a new location. The detective in this case was amazing and unrelenting!
November 5, 2014
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.
March 28, 2018
Wow! What a story. I had only just heard about the serial killer H H Holmes, and was lent this book to find out more about the ‘Castle’, his murder house. It this book is so much more! A detailed account, taken from newspaper reports and other writings from the time, Schechter draws a clear picture of the life and times of America’s first serial killer. It’s got to be read to be believed. Quite shocking, incredibly interesting!
December 10, 2019
In terms of the content this book can't be rated in any way but in terms of how it was written then this was a brilliant book.
Harold made H.H.Holmes come to life. the way he describes everything you'd think h was there experiencing everything first hand. he flawlessly skips from scene to scene and leaves you wanting to know more about H.H.Holmes.
this was a brilliantly written book and i'd pick up any book written by Harold anytime any-day because my first experience with him was worth it.
Harold made H.H.Holmes come to life. the way he describes everything you'd think h was there experiencing everything first hand. he flawlessly skips from scene to scene and leaves you wanting to know more about H.H.Holmes.
this was a brilliantly written book and i'd pick up any book written by Harold anytime any-day because my first experience with him was worth it.
June 18, 2017
That sure was a lot of info about insurance fraud, yesiree. Very well-written though.
May 21, 2016
To be honest, I'm not sure how many recognize the name of Dr. H.H. Holmes in modern day America. I know that I hadn't heard of him until recently, and that was more in passing than anything else. Perhaps more have heard of him due to a recently published book by Erik Larson: "The Devil in the White City."
When I did hear about Holmes, I only heard about his exploits in the Castle. But Holmes' "career" as a serial killer wasn't limited to just Chicago; the man kept changing his story, but admitted at one point to killing 27 people. Experts think that the number is much higher; around 50 people disappeared during Chicago's World Fair after staying at the Castle. But perhaps the most chilling of Holmes' crimes are the children: at least four, including three from one family.
If this had been marketed as a fictional story, I would have accused the author of being completely unrealistic and overly dramatic. But this isn't fiction; Holmes really was this cunning, and he really did manage to get people to trust him (inexplicably, in some cases).
The first half or so of the book is riveting; I could barely bring myself to put the book down. But Schechter got bogged down in the details, unfortunately, and I felt far too much time (not to mention pages) was spent on the bizarre Pitezel crimes, including devoting at least a chapter to each stop along the way (and there were several stops). And the last fourth of the book is devoted almost entirely to the trial, with large swaths of direct quotes from Holmes' lawyers, the prosecutor, the judge, and witnesses. Those could have been condensed a little better, I believe. I'm all about primary documents, but in this case, I think they would have been better if used less.
Still, an intriguing read, and I'm a fan of Schechter's nonfiction. I just don't think this is the best example of it.
When I did hear about Holmes, I only heard about his exploits in the Castle. But Holmes' "career" as a serial killer wasn't limited to just Chicago; the man kept changing his story, but admitted at one point to killing 27 people. Experts think that the number is much higher; around 50 people disappeared during Chicago's World Fair after staying at the Castle. But perhaps the most chilling of Holmes' crimes are the children: at least four, including three from one family.
If this had been marketed as a fictional story, I would have accused the author of being completely unrealistic and overly dramatic. But this isn't fiction; Holmes really was this cunning, and he really did manage to get people to trust him (inexplicably, in some cases).
The first half or so of the book is riveting; I could barely bring myself to put the book down. But Schechter got bogged down in the details, unfortunately, and I felt far too much time (not to mention pages) was spent on the bizarre Pitezel crimes, including devoting at least a chapter to each stop along the way (and there were several stops). And the last fourth of the book is devoted almost entirely to the trial, with large swaths of direct quotes from Holmes' lawyers, the prosecutor, the judge, and witnesses. Those could have been condensed a little better, I believe. I'm all about primary documents, but in this case, I think they would have been better if used less.
Still, an intriguing read, and I'm a fan of Schechter's nonfiction. I just don't think this is the best example of it.
January 17, 2014
I became interested in H. H. Holmes by reading "Devil in the White City", his story being the most interesting part of that book. I then saw a well-done documentary on H. H. Holmes which featured the author of this book. This is a thoroughly researched account of a psychopathic serial killer whose sensational crimes enthralled turn-of-the-century America. Anyone interested in true crime should be fascinated with Schechter's book. I did wonder what happened to Holmes' wives and the children of his murdered assistant in the years after Holmes execution.
GoodReads Recommendation Experiment: If you want to really creep yourself out, add this book as your only "currently reading" selection on Goodreads and then go to your recommendations. The currently reading selections there are guaranteed to give you the mega-heebie-jeebies. My favorite grotesque cover was "Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders" **shudder**. I'm so glad to be finished with this book so I won't be scared of my recommendation page anymore!!!
GoodReads Recommendation Experiment: If you want to really creep yourself out, add this book as your only "currently reading" selection on Goodreads and then go to your recommendations. The currently reading selections there are guaranteed to give you the mega-heebie-jeebies. My favorite grotesque cover was "Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders" **shudder**. I'm so glad to be finished with this book so I won't be scared of my recommendation page anymore!!!
September 1, 2015
We all have those family members who like to lumber you with things once they find out about your interest.
Well this book came from my aunt when she found out about my interest in forensic psychology. Supposedly I need to become an expert in the criminal world – mainly I need to be able to recite the heinous acts of countless individuals across history.
Okay, maybe she did not put it like that but it sort of felt that way when she handed me numerous books on the topic.
Still, despite the fact that such a thing can be viewed as being exceptionally weird, the books she gave me were all interesting reads. This one included. It is educational (even if it is not the kind of topic you would want to teach at school) and an interesting read.
Whilst not my usual I rather enjoyed reading the details of this book.
Well this book came from my aunt when she found out about my interest in forensic psychology. Supposedly I need to become an expert in the criminal world – mainly I need to be able to recite the heinous acts of countless individuals across history.
Okay, maybe she did not put it like that but it sort of felt that way when she handed me numerous books on the topic.
Still, despite the fact that such a thing can be viewed as being exceptionally weird, the books she gave me were all interesting reads. This one included. It is educational (even if it is not the kind of topic you would want to teach at school) and an interesting read.
Whilst not my usual I rather enjoyed reading the details of this book.
October 22, 2017
Very well researched work about H. H. Holmes. I knew who he was because of popular culture and media representations of him on TV shows, maybe also because of sensationalist crime websites; yet I didn't know for sure what his case was about. He wasn't just a murderer, he was a very skilled man... a man of science, an entrepreneur and a remarkable swindler. He could have very well avoided being caught if hadn't let one loose end on his trail .
In the beginning I wasn't sure how his story could take so many pages on a book but there were so many twists and turns till the very end that every single page of the book was justified. That these were real events and not a work of fiction is baffling.
The one detail I would point out that I didn't necessarily like was the lack of specific references throughout the book. Perhaps these were avoided because it would take away from the novelization-like mood of the book (or to allow the author certain creative liberties) yet I still think a couple of footnotes or a list of sources used per chapter would have been nice.
In the beginning I wasn't sure how his story could take so many pages on a book but there were so many twists and turns till the very end that every single page of the book was justified. That these were real events and not a work of fiction is baffling.
The one detail I would point out that I didn't necessarily like was the lack of specific references throughout the book. Perhaps these were avoided because it would take away from the novelization-like mood of the book (or to allow the author certain creative liberties) yet I still think a couple of footnotes or a list of sources used per chapter would have been nice.
April 16, 2018
Continuing the theme of late 19th century Chicago based true stories, I dwelt into the true crime genre and the re-telling of the story of one of the most shocking serial killers, 'multi-murderer' as the term had not even been invented, a contemporary of Jack the Ripper in England, the terrifying account of the murders and subsequent detection and trial of H.H.Holmes. The author follows the contemporary sources and the story of the chase and trial are particularly exhilarating while the account of the crimes is harrowing. A fascinating read with some episodes that are hard to fathom and digest.
July 11, 2021
I really enjoy all of the books that I've read from Harold Schechter-- he sets up the world with what must be exhaustive research into microfilm and archives to dig up small details that are really fascinating. The main disappointment with this book (much like Hell's Princess) is that we're not really sure all what happened. We know Holmes killed Pitzel and the three children, Minnie and Nannie Williams, and countless other victims, but in his final confession delivered to his confessor, Holmes only admits to two murders; he is a true liar to the end. At most, Holmes admits to killing 28 (33 for the 5 attempts that he made), but even without the yellow journalism of the time, there were probably more victims that were attributed to him. It isn't Schechter's fault, the information just isn't anywhere-- it's gone with the victims, Holmes, and the shady men he dealed with; Schechter even writes that with the death of the janitor of the Castle, the secrets of the building died with him.
The book is fascinating, very in depth, and the depravity of Holmes is shown throughout.
The book is fascinating, very in depth, and the depravity of Holmes is shown throughout.
August 26, 2017
Well written, deeply troubling, incredibly interesting, and thoroughly researched. The life, evil, and death of H.H. Holmes is a fascinating and troubling one.
A lot of great information that helps you look into the life of America's first serial killer, and a man who could very well be Jack the Ripper.
BTW, H.H. Holmes was most certainly evil incarnate, and Mr. Schechter did an incredible job bringing this horrible man to life.
A lot of great information that helps you look into the life of America's first serial killer, and a man who could very well be Jack the Ripper.
BTW, H.H. Holmes was most certainly evil incarnate, and Mr. Schechter did an incredible job bringing this horrible man to life.
June 13, 2017
3.5 stars
Interesting read about Holmes' psychopathic activities...the author did a great job of retracing the murderer's steps in an entertaining narrative.
Interesting read about Holmes' psychopathic activities...the author did a great job of retracing the murderer's steps in an entertaining narrative.
September 2, 2023
An amazing book by the man himself Harold schechter. I love his narrative style when retelling H H Holmes’ life and crimes. I was surprised that the murder mansion played such a lesser role in the book but it makes sense bc much of the evidence of the place was destroyed anyway. He is such the definition of a true psychopath, who manipulates everyone around him and puts off a gentlemanly persona while also killing everyone around him for pleasure, morbid fascination, and/or monetary gain.
Also some of HH’s plots were insanely stupid I don’t know why he didn’t get caught earlier. Like when he killed his crony he tried to disguise it by pretending he put a tube in his mouth to feed himself chloroform to commit suicide while also accidentally exploding himself with other random chemicals so that only his face was completely burned up but not the rest of the body. Like how did they believe that this dude just has a suitcase of volitile chemicals and nothing else??
Apparently HH was very desirable to all women at the time bc he had a well groomed mustache and a top hat like come on the bar for men at the time was under the floorboards. Literally the monopoly man would be getting mad bitches in late 19th century Chicago!!!!
Also some of HH’s plots were insanely stupid I don’t know why he didn’t get caught earlier. Like when he killed his crony he tried to disguise it by pretending he put a tube in his mouth to feed himself chloroform to commit suicide while also accidentally exploding himself with other random chemicals so that only his face was completely burned up but not the rest of the body. Like how did they believe that this dude just has a suitcase of volitile chemicals and nothing else??
Apparently HH was very desirable to all women at the time bc he had a well groomed mustache and a top hat like come on the bar for men at the time was under the floorboards. Literally the monopoly man would be getting mad bitches in late 19th century Chicago!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2021
They should adapt this book into a limited series. HH Holmes' story goes way beyond the insane horror hotel. This book is written almost like a story (vs a historical document). I couldn't put it down.
March 15, 2021
CW This book is definitely not for the faint-hearted. I love a bit of gore, and even this had moments I found difficult to get through.
Bloody loved this. Perfect balance of fact and dramatization. You get no sense that the author has hammed things up for effect, which often makes me cringe in true crime. I'm amazed at how relatable Schechter made 1890's America.. I felt completely immersed in the community.
There were moments I thought the author was 'sparing us' from gory details towards the beginning, or leaving gaps. Never fear, by the end it is all wrapped up perfectly.
I will endeavour to read the rest of Schechter's true crime series as this just transformed my understanding of the H. H. Holmes case. Brilliant.
Bloody loved this. Perfect balance of fact and dramatization. You get no sense that the author has hammed things up for effect, which often makes me cringe in true crime. I'm amazed at how relatable Schechter made 1890's America.. I felt completely immersed in the community.
There were moments I thought the author was 'sparing us' from gory details towards the beginning, or leaving gaps. Never fear, by the end it is all wrapped up perfectly.
I will endeavour to read the rest of Schechter's true crime series as this just transformed my understanding of the H. H. Holmes case. Brilliant.
February 23, 2017
I read this book as an add-on, after reading "The Devil in the White City" (which was, btw, a fantastic book), as a more in-depth look at the life and crimes of H.H. Holmes - dubbed America's first serial killer. "Depraved" was put together by the author, based on newspaper articles and courtroom transcripts, as well as documented interviews with those who were involved with the actual murders or with the investigation. It's a good read - very interesting and informative. I would recommend it, especially if you've read other books on the subject. It can be a touch hard to follow, at times - there are so many characters and it does tend to jump around a bit. Honestly, the one thing that bothered me about this book more than anything else - and it has absolutely nothing to do with the story line or the quality of writing - was a substandard print job. The paperback is very poorly printed - almost like someone took a smaller paperback and xeroxed it onto larger sheets of paper, bound it up and put a nice cover on it. The margins are about 1 1/4" wide minimum, all the way around each page - and the print quality was abysmal.
July 4, 2014
This book details the life of Herman Mudgett - who took the name Dr. H. H. Holmes (among many other names) and became notorious for the murders he committed in Chicago, Philadelphia and elsewhere in the last decades of the 1800s. Holmes is discussed also in the book "The Devil in the White City", which I read a few years ago.
"The Devil in the White City" focused in on both Holmes and the Chicago World Fair. (50 people who lodged with Holmes during the Chicago World Fair disappeared, but he only admitted killing 1).
This book describes the crimes Holmes confessed to in the first 100+ pages, and then spends considerable time describing the manhunt for Holmes who was initially being investigated for life insurance fraud. That investigation quickly brought to light that something very much more sinister had occurred.
Holmes was a swindler, a defrauder - a well practiced liar. He was extremely intelligent and thought himself superior to everyone with no appreciation at all for anyone else. Truly a psychopath. I found it interesting how his lies grew. He was able to get away with them at first, which gave him more confidence in being able to deceive. He became so utterly arrogant that his lies eventually breached the limit of believabilty - and that, ultimately, led to his capture.
The latter part of the book details the events of his trial. I found the legal aspects to be particularly interesting - what was allowed as evidence, what aress of questioning the judge allowed, how the judge instructed the jury, etc.
In some ways painful to read, the book shed light on a very evil person and gave a fascinating look at how criminal investigations were conducted over a century ago.
"The Devil in the White City" focused in on both Holmes and the Chicago World Fair. (50 people who lodged with Holmes during the Chicago World Fair disappeared, but he only admitted killing 1).
This book describes the crimes Holmes confessed to in the first 100+ pages, and then spends considerable time describing the manhunt for Holmes who was initially being investigated for life insurance fraud. That investigation quickly brought to light that something very much more sinister had occurred.
Holmes was a swindler, a defrauder - a well practiced liar. He was extremely intelligent and thought himself superior to everyone with no appreciation at all for anyone else. Truly a psychopath. I found it interesting how his lies grew. He was able to get away with them at first, which gave him more confidence in being able to deceive. He became so utterly arrogant that his lies eventually breached the limit of believabilty - and that, ultimately, led to his capture.
The latter part of the book details the events of his trial. I found the legal aspects to be particularly interesting - what was allowed as evidence, what aress of questioning the judge allowed, how the judge instructed the jury, etc.
In some ways painful to read, the book shed light on a very evil person and gave a fascinating look at how criminal investigations were conducted over a century ago.
September 29, 2010
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 brick walls, Staircases going nowhere! He had the house built by many different contractors so that he would be the only one to understand the maze, and avoid bringing notice to him with the authorities.
Some of the rooms he had designed so they were air tight and fitted with gas lines so he could slowly asphyxiate his victims and spy on them through peek holes. He had sound proof rooms, and even a giant air tight safe that he locked one of his victims in.
He tended to kill mostly women, but had done away with a few men and children. He would dump the bodies down a shoot which would lead from the top of the house down into the basement where he had many ways of getting rid of the bodies, including specially designed furnaces and vats of lime.
What I enjoyed about this book is not just the detail it goes into on the house which as I said I found absolutely fascinating, but also the other types of crimes he committed before he became a complete sociopath. It's always interesting to see where a person like this begins and how the crimes escalate. In this case it was Insurance fraud
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history and true crime.
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 brick walls, Staircases going nowhere! He had the house built by many different contractors so that he would be the only one to understand the maze, and avoid bringing notice to him with the authorities.
Some of the rooms he had designed so they were air tight and fitted with gas lines so he could slowly asphyxiate his victims and spy on them through peek holes. He had sound proof rooms, and even a giant air tight safe that he locked one of his victims in.
He tended to kill mostly women, but had done away with a few men and children. He would dump the bodies down a shoot which would lead from the top of the house down into the basement where he had many ways of getting rid of the bodies, including specially designed furnaces and vats of lime.
What I enjoyed about this book is not just the detail it goes into on the house which as I said I found absolutely fascinating, but also the other types of crimes he committed before he became a complete sociopath. It's always interesting to see where a person like this begins and how the crimes escalate. In this case it was Insurance fraud
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history and true crime.
January 5, 2013
This was wonderful. I'd read a bit about H. H. Holmes in The Devil in the White City, but this book was a great addition to what was covered there. Really crazy...we think of serial killers as a modern thing, but the "work" of Holmes was at the end of the 19th Century. Makes you wonder...
Schechter does a great job of pulling you in, providing just enough history to put things in context and to keep you in the setting. He's a really good author, and I look forward to reading his other serial-killer non-fiction works. I'll even give his fiction a try. Very engrossing.
What I like most about this book though was that it's almost like Schechter and Larson compared notes. Schechter spent very little time on Holmes' Castle, focusing instead on his "work" outside of Chicago. Larson spent the bulk of his book on Chicago alone (since his book was also about the Chicago World's Fair, this makes perfect sense). Reading both gives you a very well-rounded picture of a very sick man.
I don't really enjoy courtroom scenes, so the chapter devoted to that drew on a bit for me. But the time frame around that, to see how Holmes dealt with the publicity, with his trial, with facing up to what he was, is really some of the best of this book. Really looking forward to more Schechter.
Schechter does a great job of pulling you in, providing just enough history to put things in context and to keep you in the setting. He's a really good author, and I look forward to reading his other serial-killer non-fiction works. I'll even give his fiction a try. Very engrossing.
What I like most about this book though was that it's almost like Schechter and Larson compared notes. Schechter spent very little time on Holmes' Castle, focusing instead on his "work" outside of Chicago. Larson spent the bulk of his book on Chicago alone (since his book was also about the Chicago World's Fair, this makes perfect sense). Reading both gives you a very well-rounded picture of a very sick man.
I don't really enjoy courtroom scenes, so the chapter devoted to that drew on a bit for me. But the time frame around that, to see how Holmes dealt with the publicity, with his trial, with facing up to what he was, is really some of the best of this book. Really looking forward to more Schechter.
February 5, 2017
After reading Devil in the White City, I was fascinated by the story of H.H. Holmes, America's first serial killer. I couldn't wait to learn more, in great part due to Erik Larson's amazing storytelling ability. I then watched a documentary on Netflix about H.H. Holmes and was fascinated by Harold Schechter, author of Deranged. He made a statement so chilling and true that chills ran up my spine - Human beings are the only animals that don't pay attention to their natural instinct to run when they sense danger. He was saying that this is why many people fell victim to H.H. Holmes, because they didn't trust their gut when being lured to their deaths. It was in this moment I knew I wanted to read Deranged by Harold Schechter. The book itself was interesting, but went on a little too long and in too much detail for my taste. I found myself confused by Holmes's many lies and think I would have preferred a bit of a more straightforward account of what happened (or what they surmise happened). All in all I enjoyed this book.
November 7, 2009
on Saturday, October 22, 2005 I wrote about this book ( a lot)
Good morning Rosie ;)
Just want to let you know I have been reading this book for the last couple of days
The thing was I started with another book. The Devil in the White City, which is about a serial killer and about how Chigaco got his fair (World's Columbian Exposition)
I think when I was reading that book i did a search for the name of the serial killer H.H Holmes and realised Depraved was about him.
So I ended up reading 2 books at the same time. Not really ,my cup of tea normally but this time I did not mind.
I just read a few pages of the one book and then the other.
Anyways I have read 3/4th of Depraved and very interesting story.
Good morning Rosie ;)
Just want to let you know I have been reading this book for the last couple of days
The thing was I started with another book. The Devil in the White City, which is about a serial killer and about how Chigaco got his fair (World's Columbian Exposition)
I think when I was reading that book i did a search for the name of the serial killer H.H Holmes and realised Depraved was about him.
So I ended up reading 2 books at the same time. Not really ,my cup of tea normally but this time I did not mind.
I just read a few pages of the one book and then the other.
Anyways I have read 3/4th of Depraved and very interesting story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2013
I love true crime books and this one held my interest. It led me down the path of not only the killer , but also the dedicated men who searched for the truth. It was interesting to read the steps taken by the police in a time before electronics. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about true crimes.
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