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I’ve had The Devil in White City sitting on my shelf. Do I read it?

I’ve had The Devil in White City sitting on my shelf. Do I read it?

Magdalena review

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165 Answers

Dani

Yes! Filled with lots of interesting facts!

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Karen

YES! Read it!

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Lisa

Yup! Enjoyed it a lot

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Jodie

Yes! The fair parts were a bit dull for me but loved the murder stuff.

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Rachel

Yes! A bit slow, but compelling.

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Anna

Absolutely!

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Melanie

It’s good!

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Leslie

One of my favorite books!

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Bree

It wasn’t for me, but I would possibly listen to it on audio.

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Kim

Several friends loved it.

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Samantha

YES!!!!

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Trina

I really enjoyed it!!

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Allison

Yes!! SO interesting.

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Laura

Yes!! ✅

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Connie

I gave mine away without reading it.

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Lisa

YES….

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Khristen

Yes! Dr. H.H. Holmes is fascinating! In a sick, twisted way.

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Amanda

Read it! Listened on Audible it was interesting, entertaining and creepy all in one!

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Emily

I’ve also been meaning to read this one for years now… good to hear it’s getting good reviews from you all.

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Khristen

Emily, Eric Larsson (sp) is one of my favorite authors.

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Tracey

Yes!

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Roxanne

Absolutely

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Stephanie

I loved it! I also live in Chicago, so it was neat to read about some of the history. I did a Devil in the White City tour and saw the post office that is where H.H. Holmes’ home used to be. They say that the workers won’t go into the basement of the post office because it’s haunted.

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Karen

Oooh I need this tour!! Is it still going?

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Stephanie

Karen yes! I think I went through Weird. It’s pretty neat!

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Karen

Stephanie thanks!! I’m definitely going!!

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Beth

😧😧

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Betty

It’s on my “to read” pile as well!

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Danielle

It was horrible. Too many characters. Hard to follow. The serial killer story sounded so interesting but the story of the history of the worlds far was very boring. I gave up halfway through.

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Traci

Absolutely! Fantastic book and author.

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Allison

Yes!

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Kate

You need to read it twice!

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Barbara

Yes. One of my favorites. I have a signed copy which is a good thing because my dog chewed the cover off my original copy.

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Kristen

I loved it! How funny, I was just talking about this book with a man I met in jury duty.

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Amy

Absolutely!

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Amy

Yes!

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Dawn

Erik Larson is one of the best non-fiction writers out there. I’ve read 4 of his books including Devil, and they were all excellent.

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Traci

Dawn, agree!

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Laura

I absolutely loved Dead Wake

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Beth

Yes!

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Kristyn

Oh definitely!!

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Jane

Perfect book for the leadup to Halloween!

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Meridith

One of my all time favorites!

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Tesse

It’s great (although I’m biased, because I’m an urban planner and it totally hits all my planning nerd buttons)

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Emily

I really liked it!!

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Amber

Me too, actually. I’ve been putting it off for years

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Debbie

Absolutely

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Christine

Loved this book!

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Tiffany

No! And I LOVE true crime stories. But this one… 😴😴

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Leah

It is on my top ten favorite books list. One of my favorite authors.
Read it.

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Madalene

Yes.

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Jonnell

It’s really good. Just skip over the stuff about the architect if it doesn’t interest you. But I loved all of it

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Venus

So gooood

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Amanda

Yes!!!!

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Janice

Immediately. Slow start but then you won’t be able to put it down.

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Sherrie

Loved it!

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Jaclyn

It’s a love/hate. I am in the hate camp.

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Cori

Agree. I tried so hard too.

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Joanna

I really enjoyed it! But then, I live in Chicago.

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Amy

Yes!!

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Becky

Yes!

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Amanda

It took me forever to get into it … but I would read it again!

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Lisa

Amanda I couldn’t get into it and gave up. Should I try again?

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Amanda

Lisa definitely! I went in blind on a recommendation from a friend … but once I figured out what it was about, I totally got into it!

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Amanda

Amanda you’ll notice I go in blind ALOT lol I usually judge a book by its cover (I know, I know!) But if i see it recommended alot, I will just dive in head first lol

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Lisa

Amanda okay, I’ll try it again.

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Carol

Absolutely!

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Marsha

Yes!

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Debbie

Yes yes yes yes yes!

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Melissa

YES – especially during the month of October!!

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Julie

Creepy but interesting read. You should read it.

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Sharry

Definitely!

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Kyleen

YESSSSSSS OH MY GOSH. Read like a thriller.

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Kelly

Love it so I say yes!

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Tracy

Yes!

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Sommer

Yes!

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Julie

Excellent

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Michelle

Absolutely.

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Erica

Yes!

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Lisa

Yes!!!

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Cheryl

Terrible

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Suzanne

I borrowed it from an ex and it has sat on my shelf for about 14 years lol… maybe I will read it after I am done binging on everything I can find by Liane Moriarty

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Andi

Yes

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Jessica

Yes

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Lucy

Yes, absolutely. It reads like a novel, and teaches you a lot of history, in a fun way.

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Katherine

I didn’t love it. Lots of technical details.

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Tammy

Katherine I tried to read it twice and couldn’t get past the technical stuff. Too boring.

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Tammy

No

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Tracy

Yes!

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Jean

Yes!

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Tanya

I really liked it but I am a history geek! My mom couldn’t get past the first couple chapters because she said it was dull.

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Andrea

One of my favorites.

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Lisa

Yes

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Corinne

Yep

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Janice

Yes yes yes

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Kelly

Definitely!

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Mary

I read it and enjoyed the history, but found it dry. I could not read it for long periods at a time.

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Becca

Mary so VERY dry! I’m a landscape architect, so it’s basically required reading, but I HATED EVERY PAGE.

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Andrea

Yes!

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Stacy

Yes

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Amanda

Worth reading through to the end although parts can be slow!

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Dorene

Definitely

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Melissa

For sure

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Joann

Yes yes yes

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Meredith

yep

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Christy

Yes yes yes

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Pam

Yes!!!

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Kitty

Oh, yes. And all his other books. He is a terrific writer.

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Julie

Yes!! Loved it and his other books. 😊

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Lauren

Yes!!! Suuuuchh a good book, plus they’re making it into a film soon!

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Mary

Absolutely!

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Elisabeth

Yes!

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Melissa

Yes!!

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Mariana

I loved it, it can be a bit slow at times but I felt like the payoff was well worth the slow parts

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Tina

Yes! Great book.

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Karen

Yes!!!

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Lauren

Yes.

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Michelle

Absolutely!

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Janelle

Yes yes yes all the Yesssss

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Carolyn

I made it to about page 100 and quit. I think I’ll restart. Thanks!

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Kyra

Read Isaac’s Storm by the same author

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Jennifer

Yes

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Sue

Its okay

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Amanda

yes!

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Laura

Omg. I’m stuck on that one too! Read 3 chapters and stopped. Need to start reading it again.

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Carrie

It’s good. Worth the read.

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Sandra

Definitely

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Erin

Heck yes! Loved it! ❤️

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Erin

Heck yes! Loved it! ❤️

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Diana

Eh

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Julia

Do it. It’s engrossing.

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Anne

Meh

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Dianne

I couldn’t get through it

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Anna

If a book doesn’t grab you for some reason or other, don’t bother. There are thousands of books out there. Maybe you could read a couple of chapters to be sure.

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Shalotta

Thx for asking I was just having this same debate. I’m going for it!

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Jacqueline

This one is on my to read list- let me know!

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Sue

Yes

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Joanna

I really liked it

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Lori

It is worth the read because of the subject matter. But wow, I struggled to get through it

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Cindie

yes

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Melissa

Yes

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Sandra

Beautifully written but I had to read every other chapter!

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Vicky

Yes

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Christina

I found it really fascinating but I also live in Chicago. 😉

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Beth

YES. Some passages are gruesome, but that book has stayed with me in a good way.

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Emily

Oh yes

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Anna

Yes definitely! I’ve read it twice!

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Becki

Yes! Definitely! It’s a little slow at times, but I was drawn in. I spent a lot of time on my work computer googling the real events in the book. I’m still waiting for them to ask my why I wanted to know so much about serial killers 😉

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Diana

Read it. And then pick up In the Garden of Beasts and read that one, too!

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Kacie

Lemme know how y’all like it!

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Jeri

yes! lots of details but really good.

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Karen

Yes!

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Letricia

Yes it’s a great read

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Viv

Yes.

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Jessica

Yes yes yes! I’m actually jealous you get to read it for the first time!

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Viv

I have heard for a long time now that it will be made into a movie with Leonardo DeCapria.

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Debra

Yes!

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LaRae

I read it several years ago with my book club. It gets very technical in parts, but an amazing story overall.

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Mary

Absolutely! Then Garden of Beasts!

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LaRae

Holding out on Garden of Beasts because I just finished Unbroken. I have to take a break in between WWII books in order to save my sanity.

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Mary

I totally get that!!

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Megan

Yes! I read it in 2 days….couldn’t put it down!

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Stephanie

YES!!!

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Betsy

It’s wonderful!

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Michelle

YES!

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