Bryce Moore

Stalking Jack the Rippermeets Devil in the White City. In order to save her sister, Zuretta takes a job at a notorious house of horrors-but she might never escape. Seventeen-year-old Zuretta had resigned herself to a quiet life in Utah. But when her younger sister, Ruby, travels to Chicago during the World's Fair, and disappears, Zuretta leaves home to find her. But Chicago is more dangerous and chaotic than she imagined. She doesn't know where to start until she learns of her sister's last place of employment...a mysterious hotel known as The Castle. Zuretta takes a job there hoping to learn more. And before long she realizes the hotel isn't what it seems. Women disappear at an alarming rate, she hears crying from the walls, and terrifying whispers follow her at night. In the end, she finds herself up against one of the most infamous mass murderers in American history--and his custom-built death trap.

The Perfect Place to Die

** spoiler alert **
           Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an early copy of this book. I am a huge fan of true crime, love learning about serial killers (weird? I know *insert nervous laugh*). This book kept me guessing, totally a whodunit type of read. The atmosphere is eerie, definitely great for a spooky season read. The mystery kept me on my toes, the descriptions of the whereabouts and landmarks was very well detailed. I walked along with the character as she visited these places. The main character was definitely likable, the character development was well built and the plot had a great pace. 

I do suggest to keep in mind of any trigger warnings that may affect the reader, this should be directed to an older audience. We see the evolution of a serial killer, a real one you could do some research on, HH Holmes. I hardly ever read thrillers/ scary books or historical fiction for that matter. I look forward to reading more by this author, their writing is captivating!

LOVED how this author made a book showing the reality of the famous “Murder Hotel” in Chicago! Felt so scary and AMAZING!! 🐒

Gabriel

Amazing. Creative. Wonderful. 

LOVED how this author made a book showing the reality of the famous “Murder Hotel” in Chicago! Felt so scary and AMAZING!! 🐒

Sofie

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC fore review!

Zuretta's not worried when her sister Ruby runs away from their abusive home. She knows Ruby will be much happier in Chicago, and away from their abusive home. But when Ruby's letters - which, up until then, had been coming reliably every Tuesday - suddenly stop, Zuretta knows something is wrong. So she catches a train to Chicago in the hopes of finding her sister. And this search leads her to the doorsteps of the World's Fair Hotel. Or, as it's more commonly known - The Castle.

If you know the history of Chicago in the late 1800s, and are familiar with the string of grisly murders there, then the Big Bad won't come as a shock to you. I unfortunately read a few reviews before diving into this and had it spoiled for me since I was NOT too familiar with the specifics of the real case, but even so, I enjoyed this book immensely. I am not usually a fan of period dramas, but Moore so wonderfully describes the streets of Chicago, the hotel, and Zuretta's wonder at everything, that I very much enjoyed the setting!

Honestly, even knowing that all the red herrings were just that, I still found myself on the edge of my seat. The suspense of Zuretta trying to investigate the hotel without getting caught, of the secrets she finds, of her tense run-ins with all the suspects - it was all so clear in my head that I didn't even mind that I knew where the story was going. It was still gory. It was still heart-racing. It was still a tense game of cat-and-mouse as you BEGGED Zuretta to see what was really going on.

My only note is that Zuretta wasn't really written like a 17 year old, though I'm okay chalking that up to the fact that people, especially women, had to grow up so much faster during that time. She made one hell of a final girl, regardless of how unrealistic some things were. The way she found her strength through her memory of her sister, the way she went headfirst in to danger even when she was scared, was admirable. Yes, it was a bit mary-sue-ish, but the story kept me so engaged that it really didn't bother me. I enjoyed Zuretta's shift in character. It made me want to root for her.

I loved the real confessions from the killer at the beginning of every chapter, too! It was riveting to connect the names from history to the names in the story. Moore blends the two seamlessly.

Overall, a really quick thriller about one of the most prolific serial killers in American History!

3.75 stars.

The Perfect Place to Die

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