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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Is True Crime My New Favorite Fictional Escape?

by Chautona Havig · 17 Comments

The picture stunned me.  After a lifetime of riding Ferris wheels at county fairs, I saw an up close picture of the original—the first one shown at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Ferris Wheel car 1893

Look, I knew that the ones I’d ridden were tiny compared to the “real thing,” but I was not prepared for that picture.  Sure, it was tall—humongous! But it was also crazy wide!  The little seats that rock back and forth as you climb higher and higher weren’t there.  Instead, great big glass-enclosed trolley-like cars held sixty people each!  There were thirty-six of them suckers!

I’ve never been afraid of roller coasters or other fair and amusement park rides, but something about the idea of being packed in one of those cars with fifty-nine other people gives me the willies.

Let me ride in it alone!

Years after that, I learned about H. H. Holmes—the “first serial killer” in the United States.  Reading up on his castle of horrors was one of those, “Why did you start this?” kind of rabbit trails.  Morbid fascination kept me going, but frankly, that’s why I read fiction—even thriller stuff.  It’s not real. I can convince myself that it didn’t happen rather than aching for the people who really endured such horrible situations.

So, you might ask, if the giant wheel of the World Columbian Exposition and the first serial killer in the US aren’t my cups of tea, why would I voluntarily request a review copy of a “true crime” novel involving both?

I could claim that I didn’t know the Ferris wheel would be in the book.  It would be true, too.  I didn’t know.  It would also be a lie.  Because… see… the answer is, I just don’t know!

Is True Crime My New Favorite Fictional Escape?

Note: links are likely affiliate links that provide me a small commission at no extra expense to you. Additionally, I requested a review copy of this book–opinions are given freely without compulsion (who ever had to compel me to share an opinion, right?)

Is True Crime My New Favorite Fictional Escape?

The White City opened with a character I feared would make me run screaming. Winnie Wylde deceptively gives every evidence of being a shallow, self-absorbed, thoughtless girl on the first page or three of the book. Everything shifted around there, and page after page after page passed with me falling more and more in love with the girl at every turn.

No, she isn’t perfect, but she does have admirable qualities and a dogged determination to redeem herself after an unfortunate (or two or three or more) miscalculation of motives and events in the past. Add to that her love of the old “penny dreadful” type stories, and well… can you blame her police inspector father for brushing her concerns aside?

Layer by layer, the story unfolded, and as it did, something delightful happened. You got to see the horrible crime from outside the usual box of all the gruesomeness and ugliness.  Instead, Grace Hitchcock told the story from someone out to prove the guilt of Mr. Holmes in order to prevent further horrors.

We’re not treated to all the gory details, because Miss Wylde doesn’t encounter them much herself. Instead, you see her undercover efforts fail and succeed, and watch as she uncovers the truth—all the horrible bits of it.  And yet we’re not dragged through much of that horror at all.  If all true crime was like this, I’d love it.

But it’s not just a fun book with an interesting storyline.

The White City is also brilliantly written.  I don’t know if any part of the writing even once pulled me from the story.  In fact, I just sat here for a few seconds, trying to find something I didn’t like, and the closest I could come were the descriptions of Miss Wylde’s clothing.  The thing is, there’s a point to those descriptions, and I really didn’t mind.  I’ve never read anything by Grace Hitchcock before, but I’m off to find more.  This woman… she can write.  And anyone who can write like this needs a larger share of my bookshelf space.

So… yeah. Well written, great plot, what’s not to love?  What else could there be to recommend it?  Well, there is just one more thing….

I just loved how similar Winnie Wylde is to a favorite character of mine—Madeline Brown. 

Both girls have a doting aunt determined to see them well married.  Both girls have indulgent fathers who, despite desires to protect them, allow a bit of sleuthing where other fathers wouldn’t.  And both girls have a great love of detective stories—although Miss Wylde has a taste for the more lurid tales, I think.

Seriously, if you love mysteries, The White City is for you. If you love history, this book is also for you. Is true crime your jam?  You’ll want to spread a little of this on your toast (okay, that was just a weird one, wasn’t it?). And… if you enjoy Madeline Brown, you’ll love Winnie.  I swear, these girls are literary soul sisters!

Oh, and did I find a new fictional escape?  Well, I may change my mind after the next one I’ve requested a review copy to read, but I doubt it. I’m sure not sorry that I requested a review copy of The White City! Even if I never read another true crime book again afterward, I plan to read every single one in the True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime series by Barbour Books.

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Comments

  1. Bethany says

    January 14, 2020 at 4:12 am

    Just joined the hold list for this at my library. : )

    Reply
  2. Julie Waldron says

    March 23, 2019 at 12:23 pm

    This sounds like a good book, that would be difficult to put down.

    Reply
  3. Caryl Kane says

    March 15, 2019 at 5:10 pm

    The White city sounds fascincating! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  4. James Robert says

    March 15, 2019 at 12:20 am

    Hello! Thanks so much for sharing your book with us. Always fun reading about another book to enjoy.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 15, 2019 at 3:10 am

      I know you look for fiction for your family. This would be a not-so-gruesome way to introduce them to a historical fact. I really enjoyed the lack of ick in a very icky situation.

      Reply
  5. Rita Spratlen says

    March 14, 2019 at 5:33 pm

    I love crime stories and have been looking into all types of them. You are so right!! This book sounds wonderful too! Amazing what I am finding now that I am looking too!

    Reply
  6. Amelia says

    March 14, 2019 at 3:29 pm

    I can’t wait to read this one! Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  7. Florence Wright says

    March 14, 2019 at 11:55 am

    I DEFINITELY saw the similarities between her and Madeline, very early in the book. But what I LOVED is that it didn’t seem like a copy or a rip-off. I really enjoyed the story and was horrified at the end to find out that it is based on truth … eeeek!!! (Because I don’t read any more than I have to to know if I might like a book or not … spoilers!!!! And the oddest most obscure things can spoil books for me.)

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 14, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      Wasn’t that awesome???

      Reply
  8. Emma says

    March 14, 2019 at 11:21 am

    This sounds very intriguing! We read a children’s book about that first Ferris Wheel, The Great Wheel. It’s about how it was built, and has a delightful romance built in. I think we’ve read it two or three times together, and I look forward to reading it again. Those cars are, indeed, amazing.

    Reply
  9. Vicki Hancock says

    March 14, 2019 at 8:00 am

    I have been wanting to read the The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson but now this one sounds just as good. I’ll probably end up buying it if it goes on sale. I

    Reply
  10. achococat says

    March 14, 2019 at 7:52 am

    Everywhere I went, people were talking about how much they loved this book. I finally purchased and read it, and while it was good, I just didn’t understand the hype. For me it was just kind of…”meh.” It’s interesting to me to see that you loved it, too. I wonder what I’m missing?

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 14, 2019 at 12:59 pm

      I think people who prefer more authentic true crime that really focuses on the actual criminal and his actions wouldn’t like this. I get why you didn’t, but it had the elements of a good true story without making me live through the suffering of the victims.

      Reply
      • achococat says

        March 14, 2019 at 9:35 pm

        Oh, I think I was getting this one mixed up with the Devil in the White City! Okay, I have to read this one. 🙂 It’s been a while since I’d read it, so I was fuzzy on the details.

        Reply
        • Chautona Havig says

          March 15, 2019 at 3:11 am

          Oh! Yes. I haven’t read that one. Again, this is mostly about a fictional person trying to find that. We get bits and pieces of the true history with a fictionalized version of how he got caught.

          Reply
  11. Patty says

    March 14, 2019 at 4:39 am

    I am not sure that true crime novels would be my cup of tea either, but I might have to check this out based on your recommendation.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 14, 2019 at 4:52 am

      Perhaps read the “look inside” portion at Amazon. It might give you an idea of the kind of fiction it is. 😀

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 145: A Chat with Debut Women's Fiction Author, Sara Brunsvold
byChautona Havig

Debut Author, Sara Brunsvold, is bursting on the Christian Women’s fiction scene with an amazing book, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. With characters who have captivated my heart from page one (and enough quirkiness to keep my attention to the last), Sara Brunsvold is sure to become a favorite author, and this book is already on my top five of the year before it’s even released!

Note links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

This Novel Isn’t Even Available Yet, and It’s in My Top 5!

If you’d told me that I’d fall so in love with two chapters of a book that it would push that book into my top five of the year so far, well… I’d have laughed.

The joke’s on me because it happened with Sara Brunsvold’s The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. This debut women’s fiction novel has a bit of a split-time element and is set in Kansas City. Trust me when I say that meeting Clara was one of the most fun introductions to a character I’ve ever had. I just love this woman, and I’m drumming my fingers to get to read more about her.  Not surprising considering it won the ACFW Genesis’s award a couple of years back. 😀

Sara says her passion is intergenerational stories, and you definitely get this with Aidyn and her “assignment,” Mrs. Kipp.  But you also get inter-cultural and ideological influences in this book as well.

And then there’s that next book she has coming out.  You know, the one about a gal cooking her way through her grandma’s German cookbook?  Yeah.  The one we have to wait until early 2024 for?  Yeah. That one.  Sigh.

When Sara told us about her favorite authors, a lot of things made sense.  Just sayin’. Find out which of Katherine Reay’s books are her favorites and how she fangirled over Reay’s response to an email (and why you should email your favorite author!).

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she’s been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who’s just entered hospice care.

But there’s more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she’s not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it’s a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that’s just what Mrs. Kip will give her–but she’s going to have to work for it.

Debut author Sara Brunsvold delights with this emotional multigenerational story that shows that the very best life is made up of thousands of little deaths to self. You’ll want to be just like Mrs. Kip when you grow up!

This book is 40% off with free shipping from Baker Book House. That’s less than the Kindle version if you like paper!

You can learn more about Sara at her WEBSITE (and sign up for that newsletter so you can get Mrs.Kip’s 8 Rules to Live By). Oh, and if she does those videos of her cooking through that book, you’ll want to know when/where to find them.

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Episode 145: A Chat with Debut Women's Fiction Author, Sara Brunsvold
Episode 145: A Chat with Debut Women's Fiction Author, Sara Brunsvold
May 20, 2022
Chautona Havig
Episode 144: Chatting about Restored Grace with Kathleen J. Robison
May 17, 2022
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Episode 143: A Chat with Romantic Suspense Author, Mary Alford
May 13, 2022
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Episode 142: A Chat about A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma
May 10, 2022
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Episode 141: A Chat with Elizabeth Goddard about Critical Alliance
May 3, 2022
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Episode 140: A Chat about When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart
April 29, 2022
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Episode 139: A Chat with Middle-Grade Author, RM Ruiz
April 26, 2022
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Episode 138: A Gush about a Good (more like GREAT) Read & GoodReads
April 22, 2022
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Episode 137: A Chat with Contemporary Romance Author, Mandi Blake
April 19, 2022
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Episode 136: A Chat with Middle-Grade Historical Author, Marie Sontag
April 15, 2022
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Reposted from @beckylewis345 Life can be hard. Ent Reposted from @beckylewis345 Life can be hard. Enter cozies like A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink. Clean, with a sweet romance, whose amateur sleuth runs a delectable shake shop. A dog, a child, precocious twins who work for the shake shop, and lovable Papa Luis. Plus, of course, plenty of suspects. “Murder, mayhem, and milkshakes. Who’d a thunk it?”

Trinidad Jones becomes someone I truly care about in this book. I am amazed at how she and Gabe’s two other former wives forgive each other and actually become friends. Not just friends, but family, as thick as blood. Now there is a small cluster of characters to follow and enjoy in this town of Upper Sprocket. Fun!

I enjoy the inclusion of dogs, children, and special-needs people, and Dana Mentink brings them all to our Shimmy and Shake Shop story. Noodles is old, but what a loyal companion, and, wow, does he have an amazing ability or two! Little  Felice adds warmth and vulnerability to the tale. Doug, the special-needs brother of Trinity’s love interest, Quinn, adds reality and complexity to the novel. 

Mentink has a good sense of humor and I laughed out loud several times. Just what I want out of a cozy. Mystery, romance, great characters, laughter. A fun occupation that the sleuth actually works at. I am happy to report I made it through the book without indulging in ice cream! But, can you?

I am looking forward to more murder and mayhem in Upper Sprocket! Plus more Freakshakes! 

———————————————————————
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. (I also bought my own copy.) No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
———————————————————————
Notable Quotables:
“He was merely a friend the way a Ming vase was just an old pot.”

“There’s your plan and God’s plan, and your plan…” “Doesn’t count,”

“Maybe it’s one of those weird small-town happenings.” “A body in your trunk isn’t a happening, it’s a horror movie,”

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Reposted from @celebratelit Did you know that When Reposted from @celebratelit Did you know that When the Pilot Falls by April Hayman from the Ever After Mystery series is 25% off with the Celebrate Lit Summer Sale? 

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In 1923, there aren’t many pilots, but Willie Labeau didn’t let that stop… her.

A bear of a man, Hugh Taylor, needs a stunt plane pilot, and despite their rocky introduction, Willie sets off for golden California and a new life as his pilot. There’s just one little thing she has to do in addition to flying.

Leave his past alone. Period.

When the flame of her own curiosity becomes fanned by encouragement from Willie’s sister, the feisty pilot can’t help but do just a little investigating.

And Hugh vanishes.

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A fierce air race, a sincere act of humility—are they enough to free Hugh and give Willie a chance to be with him… forever?

Find out in this next book in the Ever After Mysteries, combining beloved fairy tales and mysteries. When the Pilot Falls offers a retelling of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” that will keep you gripped to the edge of your seat as you watch hearts soar and daring dos.

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Dial W for Wrangler: Vi's just trying to sell used Dial W for Wrangler: Vi's just trying to sell used recliners and old, broken wagon wheels.  She can't help it if folks keep asking for help with their love lives... can she?
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How does this author celebrate a finished book? By How does this author celebrate a finished book? By reading someone else's finished book. 😀 
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