Scan barcode
ashlee_fuchs0530's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
wednesdayzombie's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
buckythecryptid's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
timgrubbs's review
4.0
A young woman travels to Chicago to find her sister…but finds a madman instead…
The Perfect Place to Die by Bryce Moore is a fictional take on the HH Holmes murders in Chicago which takes some liberties with the source material, but is fine overall.
A young Mormon girl from Utah has lost contact with her sister who has been living in Chicago. She sets out to find out what happened as the Colombian Exposition has the city in a flurry of activity.
Her slight information gathering and making a fortunate friendship with a local leads her to a local hotel that is said to have a large turnover rate in employees…
As she works and explores the Worlds Fair Hotel (complete with nice hand drawn maps) and meets the other staff and owners, she becomes suspicious as far too many people seem to up and leave with little warning.
Unfortunately, while she thinks herself fairly clever, she is slowly being lured into a trap…one she may not survive.
I liked the investigation in the hotel as the lead girl slowly learns more about it, but I was disappointed that the story never bothers to take advantage of the nearly Worlds Fair though it’s likely such elements wouldn’t have contributed greatly to the overall plot.
A decent take on the Beast of Chicago and his duplicity for younger readers…
The Perfect Place to Die by Bryce Moore is a fictional take on the HH Holmes murders in Chicago which takes some liberties with the source material, but is fine overall.
A young Mormon girl from Utah has lost contact with her sister who has been living in Chicago. She sets out to find out what happened as the Colombian Exposition has the city in a flurry of activity.
Her slight information gathering and making a fortunate friendship with a local leads her to a local hotel that is said to have a large turnover rate in employees…
As she works and explores the Worlds Fair Hotel (complete with nice hand drawn maps) and meets the other staff and owners, she becomes suspicious as far too many people seem to up and leave with little warning.
Unfortunately, while she thinks herself fairly clever, she is slowly being lured into a trap…one she may not survive.
I liked the investigation in the hotel as the lead girl slowly learns more about it, but I was disappointed that the story never bothers to take advantage of the nearly Worlds Fair though it’s likely such elements wouldn’t have contributed greatly to the overall plot.
A decent take on the Beast of Chicago and his duplicity for younger readers…
renanewton19's review
5.0
This one of my favorite books because it had just the right amount of scary, creepiness, and mystery. The book kept me on my toes. I didn’t think I would like it so much but I definitely found myself wanting to just sit and re-read it. But 10/10 would recommend reading if you’re into crime, mystery and historical books.
sharperthoughts's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
poisonousmoon's review against another edition
4.0
this book gave me CHILLS. would’ve been 5 stars but the pacing at the start was a lil off, but everything else was amazing.
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
4.0
This is an intriguing inside look into the infamous "Castle," the hotel built by H. H. Holmes. Designed specifically to hide his murderous inclination, rooms to brick in victims, rooms to torture, rooms to burn people alive, our main character 'Etta' earns employment in the hotel to figure out what happened to her sister.
During Etta's time, she hears women screaming for help but can't find where the voices are coming from. She uncovers locked rooms one day to find them bricked up the next. She came to Chicago bright-eyed with a head filled with hope that the famous Pinkerton agency would assist her cause. Instead, Etta is left to find her own voice and investigate her sister's disappearance at her own personal risk. Women continue to disappear, and her voice is not nearly as powerful as a man's would be.
There are some gruesome nightmares and a chilling scene on the second floor in the middle of the night. Overall, though, readers familiar with the history will know who the culprit behind these crimes is and should not expect many twists. The character development is what drove the story.
Unfortunately, I did find typographical errors. In professionally published books, this is frustrating. On page 104, instead of 1893 it says '1993.' On page 169, it reads "middle of the knight." Yes, these are small errors, but at the same time they're huge. They stick out like a sore thumb. Authors trust that editors will help eliminate these things, and I was disappointed finding said errors.
While Moore adjusts the ending a bit from what really happened, I enjoyed it. While I wouldn't categorize this as a spooky read, it was an intriguing excursion into a late 19th-Century Chicago bustling with the world's fair, mystery, and murder.
During Etta's time, she hears women screaming for help but can't find where the voices are coming from. She uncovers locked rooms one day to find them bricked up the next. She came to Chicago bright-eyed with a head filled with hope that the famous Pinkerton agency would assist her cause. Instead, Etta is left to find her own voice and investigate her sister's disappearance at her own personal risk. Women continue to disappear, and her voice is not nearly as powerful as a man's would be.
There are some gruesome nightmares and a chilling scene on the second floor in the middle of the night. Overall, though, readers familiar with the history will know who the culprit behind these crimes is and should not expect many twists. The character development is what drove the story.
Unfortunately, I did find typographical errors. In professionally published books, this is frustrating. On page 104, instead of 1893 it says '1993.' On page 169, it reads "middle of the knight." Yes, these are small errors, but at the same time they're huge. They stick out like a sore thumb. Authors trust that editors will help eliminate these things, and I was disappointed finding said errors.
While Moore adjusts the ending a bit from what really happened, I enjoyed it.