Jeff Somers is the author of
Lifers, the Avery Cates series from Orbit Books,
Chum from Tyrus Books, and
We Are Not Good People from Pocket/Gallery. He has published over thirty short stories as well. One of Somers's
eight top true crime books, as shared at B & N Reads:
The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson
Larson’s investigation into the true—if absolutely bonkers and unbelievable—story of Dr. H. H. Holmes, one of the most prolific serial killers to ever exist. Holmes built a literal “murder house” on the edges of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, complete with soundproofed rooms equipped with various ways to kill, including poison gas and metal-plated walls for incineration. Yes, this actually happened, and Holmes may be responsible for as many as 200 murders. Larson’s novel explores the case in detail, and while Holmes, unlike Avery, is absolutely certainly guilty, it’s still a mesmerizing glimpse into the void.
Read about
another entry on the list.
The Devil in the White City is among
Dell Villa's top five literary escapes to American cities and
Randy Dotinga's five favorite historical true-crime books from the last decade.
--Marshal Zeringue
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