Winnifred Wylde wants nothing more than to earn the love of her father, Inspector Wylde of the Chicago Police Department. But it’s 1893, and men in general tend to think that women need rescuing, not respect. When Winnifred sees a woman abducted at gunpoint while visiting the World’s Fair, she ditches her date and heads straight to her father. Surely he’ll believe her and send out search parties for the missing woman. 

But he doesn’t. He does humor her and allow her to dig around a bit herself, never dreaming that she’ll find clues. And he does provide personal protection in the form of the handsome Detective Jude Thorpe, newly hired from the New York City force. She cajoles Detective Thorpe to assist her investigation, and eventually convinced her father to let her take an undercover job. Winnie prefers working undercover to meeting another of her Aunt Lillian’s line of prospective suitors. All she wants in a husband is someone who values her for her entire self—the book-loving, mystery-hunting, adventure-seeking, compassionate woman who doesn’t want to listen to another insipid conversation ever again. 

The more time Jude spends in Winnifred’s company, the more he comes to admire and care for her. But he knows her father will never see him as a prospective suitor. After all, he doesn’t come from a monied background and has no social standing. And Winnifred’s latest suitor seems to have everything Jude doesn’t. Besides, he’s promised himself to solve the mystery of his brother-in-law’s death, and he doesn’t have time for romance. 

Having read Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City, I wasn’t sure how a work of fiction involving H.H. Holmes would turn out. The author did a nice job of maintaining historical accuracy—of having a historical figure as the antagonist without changing the facts.

I enjoyed true crime. I love a thrilling mystery story and I loved this one The White City was one I couldn't put down.. I thought it was well written.

I was a little surprised by this book! But it was a good surprise because I ended up not being able to put this book down. Grace Hitchcock did an excellent job writing this novel and making the story come to life. I loved it!

Reflections From My Bookshelves
REFLECTIONS FROM MY BOOKSHELVES
The White City by Grace Hitchcock
The White City by Grace Hitchcock
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.

 

 

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Amazon: The White City  * Christian Book Distributors: The White City
My Review
I always thought if I could travel back in time, I would go to the World’s Fair. I think it would be cool to see everyone”s thoughts and feelings on things we take for granted. Since I can’t travel back in time, I love to read books set back then. The White City is a fictional story based on a true event of someone intent on kidnapping women & then murdering them. I don’t know a lot about this historical event until I read this book.  Grace Hitchcock does an amazing job with her characters. Each person was well thought out and believable. Especially Winnie! She was determined to solve the crime & does not allow society to keep her from her dreams.  It’s hard to decide who to like best. I enjoyed the mystery and the suspense of the book. It will keep you reading until the end.

I recommend this book to my family and friends.

I received this book from the publisher to read and give my honest opinion.

This is a very cute story. I left me wanting to read more. I am looking forward to what this series has to bring with all the authors involved.

I enjoyed The White City.  While it is inspired by true events, it also reads like a mystery or suspense novel.  I've read other books about the Worlds Fair in Chicago, but this one was really good. I liked the way the author wove true events into her story.  I loved the fact that the protagonist is a book lover and voracious reader.  I thought the back and forth between her and her father and suitor is reminiscint to how most people grow up.  All the adults want to protect the children and those younger then themselves.  I thought the character development was really good and the writing made me visualize the scenes in my mind.  It felt it was a little slow in places but overall I liked this book.  The author's writing reminds me of Fiona Davis in the way that she tells her stories in a true setting with characters that could of lived in that setting.

The author has authored novellas in collections but this is her debut novel.
Bravo, make some noise to welcome author Grace Hitchcock.
This book was fast paced and very interesting. It kept me reading it quickly as it's a not to be put down type of book once you start it. This is the first book in Barbour's new True Colors series. Historical Stories of American Crime. 
The thing I loved is this is based on a factual case which I have looked up and read more about.
I will be on the lookout for more books by this author and also in this series.
Pub Date 01 Mar 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sooo, Where to start with this one? First off I will mention that this is a romance type novel. Which I did not realize when I started this book, as there was nothing to indicate that this was anything but a historical suspense story. 

The White City is based off of a REAL serial killer, H. H. Holmes at the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893. This story hints at his crimes, without going into too much detail about them, from the perspective of the police inspectors daughter, Winnifred Wylde. The real-life crimes were woven into and blended perfectly amongst the plot. 

The World Fair in Chicago was terrifically described and made you feel like you were there experiencing the sights, sounds, smells of Chicago for yourself.

I loved the two main character’s Winnifred Wylde and her bodyguard Detective Jude Thorpe. Well, honestly I loved all the characters excepted maybe for H. H. Holmes. 

A White City, kind of reminds me of A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin, maybe it has something to do with both of them taking place during the Chicago’s World Fair.

An intriguing read. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

I really enjoy fictional books that are based on historical reality. This is one of those books. The story takes place during the World's Fair in the 1890 Chicago. The description of several of the featured rides and activities is interesting. The introduction of two potential suitors for Miss Winnifred Wylde is in tune with her fascination with romance novels. Jude is the tough and ready law officer who works under the leadership of her father and handsome eligible bachelor Percival has a personal revelation that is close to her heart. 
Winifred is true to character as a romantic and a law officer's daughter as she is fierce in her beliefs when she sees a crime in action. So much so that her father's men are used to having her report nefarious activities while taking her words with a grain of salt. This is an amusing read at times as I was the daughter of an officer in my early 20's. The author has captured the lifestyle very well. She also has focused on a true crime that I was surprised to learn of. H.H. Holmes, a very dangerous criminal walked the streets and mingled with the throngs at the Chicago's World Fair.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy of this book. This debut novel, one in a series, promises excellent reads ahead. I look forward to more from Grace Hitchcock after this debut novel.

I enjoyed this book, and I was able to read it pretty quickly. I was really excited about it, especially with my fascination with true crime. Just know that it’s obviously not extremely accurate. However, I appreciate this series and book for making a fictional story out of creepy historical events.

While in the middle of this book, I watched a documentary about H. H. Holmes since I didn’t know too much. But that’s definitely not necessary for enjoying the book.

The character development was pretty good, but there were times it dragged on. It kept going back and forth between her two “gentlemen callers” and I just wanted it to stop repeating itself.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour books for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*

Chicago 1893. Christian Historical Romance. Winnie is a young girl of society who has lost her mother and was raised by her father, an Inspector on the police force. She also reads a lot of romance novels. The World Fair is taking place in the city, bringing crime with it. She is at the fair and sees a young woman being abducted. Although no one really believes her,  her detective skills kick in and her father is forced to assign a detective from the force to watch over her. Very well written, a pleasant read that is a page turner as it goes on. Good suspense that isn't totally predictable. Entertaining and satisfying story. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This book was an engaging fictionalization of a true historical event. I very much enjoyed the aithor’s debut novel and look forward to reading more in the future. The author tells the story through the eyes of Winnie, an imaginative and resourceful young woman, and Jude, a police officer given the job of acting as Winnie’s body guard during the Chicago World Fair. Winnie is certain she witnessed a woman being abducted and her father allows her to investigate.

I enjoyed the book and when I was finished I wanted to learn more about the serial killer who haunted the World Fair. If you enjoy historical romance fiction this would be a good choice for you to read.

This is a new series called True Colors by Grace Hitchcock, with The White City being her debut novel in the series.  The series itself is an historical stories of romance and American crime.

Interestingly, Ms. Hitchcock chose to use a real serial killer to base this story on -- H.H. Holmes who was labeled America’s First Serial Killer.  This man’s crimes were remarkably heinous..  He was active at the time of the Chicago World’s Fair when he had his famous hotel and the strangely built rooms on the upper floors.

The story isn't fast paced at all, and it really isn't a true "mystery" since we all know the "whodunit".  The writing and character driven story finds itself gently unfolding without a big wild fanfare or an outrageous storyline to excel it. I found the story developed very naturally with the suspense building slowly, at a perfect pace.

This is an awesome historical novel with a great suspense story, filled with God and romance. The characters are well written and the plot is very well developed.  Can't wait to read book 2 in the series!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing and Shiloh Run Press through NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I think I just found one of my favorite literary heroines of the year. She adores books, has a nose for real-life mysteries, and isn't afraid of a little danger. If there was a sequel with this character in it, I'd read it.

For her novel debut, Grace Hitchcock has hit it out of the park. Her storytelling qualities simply shine forth. 

I felt though that a little bit of "telling" comes out, instead of "showing", which slightly wavered my faith in that first wonderfully descriptive page in the book. But in actuality, it really did hook me from the first line, to be honest. And it stuck.

Now, it's a very romancey type of story. Of course, it's all kept very sweet, so for that I'm glad. But a big portion of the plot revolves around Winnie's potential suitors. My preference is typically more action, less romance -- but I still enjoyed it.

The best aspect about the book is that it is Christian fiction, and keeps a soft spiritual undertone. It's not heavy, just a few prayers and scriptures, but I'm so glad that Winnie's faith is illustrated, and that good values triumph.

Gory level: 1. (For a book about hunting down a serial killer, at least we don't have to deal with gruesome scenes. I was anxious about how ugly it could get, so that's why I felt like mentioning it here. It's totally fine!)

Minimum age to to enjoy: 13 to Adult.

"...even though she may look the part of a young socialite, she had an adventurous soul." 

Five stars.

Will I be reading the next book in the True Colors series? You betcha.

Will I be on the lookout for what Grace Hitchcock will be writing next? You betcha.

The White City is a vibrant mystery, with more of a cozy feel than a sinister one. I've read some non-fiction accounts of H.H. Holmes, and it's really quite gruesome. The extent of his depravity and evil is not touched on here, as this story takes place nearer to the beginning of his terrible acts. However, there is enough that the danger is real and present throughout the pages of this book.

At first I was a bit worried that Winnie was going to be too silly, but I was soon won over by her vivacity and charm. Her interactions with Detective Jude Thorpe are fun and sweet, and even though I don't enjoy a love triangle, even Percival won me over (I wouldn't mind seeing him in a future novel). Winnie is also a complete bookworm, so what's not to love about that. As with any bookworm though, occasionally our imagination might get the best of us - which is what happens to Winnie. She has to prove to her father that she knows what she's talking about and can back up her claims with evidence. Hence, where the sleuthing and danger come into play. Winnie's family plays a significant role in this story, as does romance, so if you're looking for suspense alone, that's not this title. I for one enjoyed the mix, and once I realized it was more of a cozy mystery, the story flowed well for me. I also found the descriptions of the city and the World's Fair to be lovely and a great backdrop for the events of the story.

I enjoyed this debut novel; it shows great promise for the stories that I know are to come from Grace Hitchcock.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review, and the thoughts expressed here are my own.

I have enjoyed reading of this time period and about the famous 1893 World’s Fair held in Chicago, and even about Dr. Holmes and his creepy hotel. This novel delves more into the latter and portrays his evil crimes in a way that doesn’t come across as gruesome. The story reveals facts within the fiction, but it could evoke more emotion to create a much more powerful reading experience. The characters and the plot seem true-to-life but not as engaging as I wished—it just didn’t come fully to life for me. I like history and learning more about the past so it’s interesting to experience this setting in a novel. Can further murders be stopped? How can a young woman prevent them, or will she lose her own life trying? A free preview is available at seller sites online. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

My Thoughts: This was an interesting read. I did a little research on Holmes before reading the novel, and I really appreciated the various facts she was able to weave in. Because Hitchcock is dealing with a real figure in history during a specific time in history, I was curious to see how she'd tell her story while keeping with the historical timeline. And I think she did an excellent job here. I was impressed. The White City is a story that almost could have played out in real life.
Considering the extreme nature of the crimes, Hitchcock did an excellent job of simply nodding toward reality without shocking her audience at all. 
But besides crime and mystery, you'll find a sweet love story -- a love triangle, actually! -- and an authentic historic setting. 

Rating and Recommendation: I give it 4 stars and recommend it to Christian Historical Suspense/Mystery fans. 

~ I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I really enjoyed this book while I was reading it. I knew that it was a fictional account, however, the characters were so realistic, you could almost forget that part while you were reading. I liked that the main character wasn't your typical woman in stories from this time, who just sits back and lets the guys work. I liked that she wanted to jump in and have an adventure and make things right. It was good to get to see the inner workings of HH Holmes' building. I just wished there had been more actual interaction with Holmes to get to meet the man in the story. Overall, I felt like there were really just a few pages of Holmes and a lot more around the relationships and love stories of the other characters.

I found Grace Hitchcock’s debut novel to be not quite what I was expecting; it’s not really a “true crime” suspense novel, although it is based on true events.  An exceptionally enjoyable read, I found the romance factor to be more strongly focused.  Based on murders occurring at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, the novel captures much of the awe and excitement the crowd experienced.   The protagonist Winnie is a strong-willed, imaginative, voracious reader of crime novels, the daughter of Chicago’s Police Inspector.  As she bravely single-handedly sets out to uncover the murderer, she encounters many precarious events. Along comes Jude, another member of the police force who Winnie’s father assigns to guard and protect her. The author includes mostly fictional characters, although she does allow us to meet H.H. Holmes, the true murderer, and envision some of his methodology. 

A very clean novel, not overtly preachy, although Winnie does incorporate her Christian values throughout.  This novel is an easy and enjoyable read.  I’m looking forward to reading more in this series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

I love mystery books and was very intrigued by this story. We all have heard about different notorious crimes that have been committed such as The Boston Strangler. This book is based on Dr. H.H. Holmes who was known as America's first serial killer. I had never heard of him until I started this book. It is quite an interesting read and really takes you back to the late 1890s where the infamous serial killer made history. It is hard to believe that something so horrific happened that few people may be aware of. 

Winnifred is a quirky character who is determined to prove to her father that something is happening to women in the city. I was surprised that her father let her become involved in a plot to catch the killer. She has a lot of confidence and I loved her strong willed attitude to stop whatever evil was going on. 

Holmes from the beginning was a shady person. He made my skin crawl and I didn't like the way he looked at women and the secretive life he had. Winnie starts working for him and that really puts her life in danger. Thank goodness her father had the good sense to hire Jude to protect her. At times, I don't think he was such a great detective and was perhaps smitten by Winnie and didn't fully concentrate on his job. 

There is one chilling part in the story where Winnie noses around in the  basement and almost gets caught. What is Holmes hiding down there? I could feel the darkness overtake her and the creepy feeling she got as she tried to find out answers. I loved how Winnifred took advantage of every opportunity to snoop around where she worked at. She could sense Holmes was up to no good and was willing to risk her safety to find out . I was on the edge of my seat as Winnifred encountered the person she has suspected of killing people. The details are chilling and I loved how the author brought the story to a shocking ending. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit and Barbour Publishing. The review is my own opinion.