The White City (True Colors) by Grace Hitchcock

Book Description

Mysterious Disappearances Taint the Chicago World’s Fair
Step into True Colors -- a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime,

While attending the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Winnifred Wylde believes she witnessed a woman being kidnapped. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the White City. Inspector Wylde tries to dismiss her claims as exaggeration of an overactive imagination, but he eventually concedes to letting her go undercover as secretary to the man in question—if she takes her pistol for protection and Jude Thorpe, a policeman, for bodyguard.

Will she be able to expose H. H. Holmes’s illicit activity, or will Winnifred become his next victim? 

My thoughts:

I loved the decision the author made to  place the very real serial killer, H.H. Holmes in this novel along with her fictional characters.  Winnifred Wylde the daughter of Inspector Wylde with the Chicago police department is a truly delightful character.  She's high-spirited, brave and very amusing.   It' s pretty hard not to love a protagonist who is an avid reader, right?  I loved Detective Jude Thorpe who has been assigned as Winnifred's bodyguard by her father.  Jude is the perfect hero, he's cautious, intelligent, witty and quite handsome.

Winnifred really does need a bodyguard when she persuades her father to allow her to work undercover as a secretary which placed her in danger. .  I found the storyline not only interesting but very entertaining as well.  There are several secondary characters who added fun elements especially, Percival a funny, kind and a somewhat of a silly young man and one of my favorites in this story.   It was refreshing to see Winnie have a social life and her interactions with other characters.    I enjoyed the lighthearted moments of each one of them throughout the book.

If anyone is expecting a detailed crime, gory detailed novel, this is not what this is.  What it is, is a well written and impressive debut novel based on a real life killer with sweet and likeable fictional characters woven into the storyline.    I absolutely loved this book which is why I highly recommend it.  I look forward to reading more from Ms. Hitchcock.

I received a copy from the author and was under no obligation to write a review.  All opinions are my own.