Book Review: The Beast of Chicago: The Murderous Career of H. H. Holmes by Rick Geary (2003)

Synopsis: In 1886, Herman W. Mudgett, under the alias Dr. Henry Howard Holmes or H. H. Holmes, moved to Chicago and after running a successful pharmacy business, built his "castle" on the corner of 63rd and Wallace Street. With the help of secret rooms, trap doors and a gas-fired furnace, he used his building to become the city's most notorious serial killer.

This graphic novel tells his story.

Review: I had to attend an event last night for my day job that both proved to be a bust and meant I didn't get home until much later than normal. I wanted something to read to settle myself down before bed and, since my wife recently finished reading it, gave The Beast of Chicago a try.

I picked this book up at our library for her because I knew it would interest her. After reading it myself, I would describe it as an interesting and informative book.

My wife and I both agreed the book likely left out some details, but it manages to give a good overview of H. H. Holmes' life (what is known of it), his "castle" and his crimes while keeping it toned down enough for a younger reader, which I am assuming is what this book would normally target. I even learned quite a bit from it. For example, I didn't know Holmes had been married multiple times and had children (making me wonder what happened to them) and learned some details about his life after he was caught.

I especially liked the parts about his other schemes, something that sometimes gets forgotten about because of his murders. The insurance scams he pulled off in college, the fake inventions and horse theft scheme painted a more in-depth picture of the kind of man he was, along with his habit of marrying women while he was still already married.

I also thought the book being in graphic novel form helped it. It both made Holmes' story easy to read, and the illustrations made some of the more complex concepts a lot easier to understand, especially when it came to a building that was designed to murder people. It's one thing to read about it. It's another thing to see a floor plan and map of Chicago to give you a better idea of what the building looked like and where it was located, making a story that seems so unreal it should be fiction believable.

Final Opinion: It's not a book that gives the full story of H. H. Holmes, but I would describe it as a good starter book that gives a decent overview of the man and his life while leaving the door open to do more research. 

My Grade: A

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Here are some reviews of other true crime books:

Book Review: Can You Ever Forgive Me by Lee Israel (2008)

Book Review: A Murder in Hollywood by Casey Sherman (2024)

Book Review: Room 1219 by Greg Merritt (2013)

Book Review: Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (2014)