"You mistake me, sir. I'm not here for money, and I'm not here to make things difficult. My sister is in trouble at the least and dead at the worst. I'm not going home until I know what happened to her."

Ruby finally decided she'd had enough of her father's abuse and ran off to Chicago. She sent letters to her older sister Etta, talking about the work she got as a hotel maid and later her secret engagement. And then the letters stopped. Now Etta is also in Chicago, the city of the Columbian Exposition, to discover what happened to her sister. Before she's been in the city even one day, she finds herself conned out of all her belongings save her nightgown and a photo of Ruby, and help in her search is denied to her by both the police and the Pinkerton detectives.

But Etta, haunted by nightmares of Ruby trapped, dead, and rotting, won't give up her search, and starts on detective work of her own. And after some investigating, she gets a possible tip - some women have disappeared from the World's Fair Hotel, also known as The Castle. Talking to an employee proves to Etta that her sister worked as a maid at this strange hotel, and to get to the truth of what happened, Etta will do the same - hopefully without meeting the same fate.

This was a bit of a weird read for me. If you are familiar with crime during Chicago's World Fair... you know the twist for this book, and that's not a spoiler, as you meet the character in question within the first third of the book, using the name you know them by. So... while I might say this is in part a mystery, it was not at all a mystery for me. I think someone unaware of the historical event would have a very different reading experience than I did. Etta's motivation was at times unconvincing to me and some of the ending seemed unlikely as well. Regardless, there were still some creepy or tense sections.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the eARC. The Perfect Place to Die was published earlier this month, August 3rd.

Quick moving thriller about a tough Mormon girl who leaves Utah and heads to Chicago determined to find out what happened to her sister at the Castle of HH Holmes. It was well researched even though some things are changed for the story’s flow. I liked how Zuretta had a lot of agency. The story is brutal but for those familiar with Holmes, the actual excerpts of his “memoir-confession” are more gruesome to me.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks for letting me read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's been awhile since I've been so compelled by a story and yet so confused as to why. This had all the makings of a good book: missing sister, mysterious kidnappings, plucky undercover maids, an ominous hotel with architecture that makes no discernable sense. I continuously felt the need to keep reading, but it's not like the plot went anywhere particularly quickly and I wasn't really rooting for any of the characters. The end was predictable, even more so when I read the Author's Note and discovered the whole thing was based on serial killer H.H. Holmes. I know little to nothing about Holmes, so while it could have been a surprise to me, it's odd that his reveal as the murderer was portrayed as some grand twist, especially after including excerpts from his real-life confession at the beginning of each chapter. That's when it all clicked into place. The story of H.H. Holmes is indeed compelling. Just not this story of H.H. Holmes.

I LOVED this book! I devoured it in two days. The pace was good, the writing was good, and the plot was perfect. I was also very impressed that a man wrote a female lead so well, so A+ for that.
This was just the book I needed. It was quick and short but entertaining and had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the setting of Chicago, and it was so well depicted I felt as if I was actually there. Zuretta was so well written, her emotions were perfectly on point, I could feel what she was feeling. I love a determined female lead and Zuretta delivered.
Basing books off of history is hard but this book was executed perfectly. (Get it? Executed?? :p)
Don't mind me and my puns. For real though, read this book if you want a quick, heart racing thriller.

This is a really interesting fictional look at H.H Holmes and his murder castle. I liked the way this story unfolded, and I liked our main character. It wasn't anything spectacular, but I still enjoyed it and I'll definitely read more of Moore's books. Also I appreciated that this book is creepy without being grossly gore-y. I feel like a lot of murder mystery books have a problem balancing the line between being basically a contemporary with spooky elements, and just straight up glorifying murder. This book manages to find that line pretty well.
I'm also a sucker for sisters/family driven plots, and I love when the characters are trying to avenge someone they love. One thing I didn't like was the constant gaslighting of the MC, which is so common in historical fiction with strong women, and honestly I am so tired of it. I get that it's a product of the times, but I really wish it wasn't such a strongly featured part of this book.

Sisters, Zuretta and Ruby, have always dreamed of leaving their small town and making a name for themselves in the big city. It was always just a dream. Until one night, Ruby decides to leave and put her big dreams into motion. Zuretta remains content for a while, happy to receive Ruby’s letters of her big adventures in Chicago. When Ruby’s letters stop coming, however, Zuretta starts to worry. Convinced that something horrific has befallen her sister, Zuretta makes the journey from Utah to Chicago to find Ruby. However, Zuretta finds something much more sinister than first anticipated. Based on a real-life serial killer case, The Perfect Place to Die by Bryce Moore is a classic whodunit mystery.

The mystery is afoot. While I adore reading murder mysteries to immerse myself in a developing mystery that reveals itself the more the story continues, this isn't really that. While Zuretta befalls some hardships, I couldn't help but think that most of the events of the novel were way too convenient. She barely had to walk several feet out her hotel and already a Pinkerton of the renowned detective agency wanted to help solve her case. She barely does any of the sleuthing at all before the mystery of her missing sister is placed before her on a platter.

The story was quite predictable and I guessed whodunit long before it was officially revealed.

Unfortunately, the writing was just not for me. I didn't connect as much to the story as I had hoped.

The characters were quite flat. With Zuretta, there wasn't any connection between reader and protagonist. Zuretta seemed to just be going through the motions, without providing readers with any semblance of personality. While readers were meant to care about finding Ruby, it was difficult to care since every character was two-dimensional and sounded like the same person.

The action sequences left much to be desired. To be honest, the flat characters coupled with the lackluster action made for a tediously slow story.

The premise of the novel sounds riveting but the execution left something to be desired. It follows a fictional narrative of a real-life serial killer in Chicago. If you follow real-life serial killers in crime and thriller podcasts, you may enjoy this one. The way in which this was written seems like it was meant for those who already know the nonfictional case that it's based on. Unfortunately, I was not familiar with the case before going into this novel. The author’s note provided some insight into the real-life case. The fictional dramatization of the murders connected the past with fiction. Yet, the mix of fact and fiction did not seem to mesh well, leaving the plot a bit disjointed and flat.

Despite the novel’s shortcomings, the ending was empowering. While I was not routing for any of the characters, the ending turned out to still be a satisfying one.

With its real-life murder case and satisfying ending, The Perfect Place to Die by Bryce Moore is a thriller that fans of crime podcasts will definitely enjoy.

This was an extremely creepy and well-written story set in Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition (World's Fair) in 1893. I loved how the author took a well-known historical murder situation and personalized it through the fictional story of the sisters, Zuretta and Ruby.

This book was a fast, engaging read! Highly recommended!

I found this book to be overall super interesting and intriguing. The overall feeling of it gave me vibes of American Horror Story:Hotel. I thought the book was very fast paced and written very well. The story was super captivating and one of the better thrillers I have read recently!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Zuretta leaves her small country town for the bright lights of Chicago and the World’s Fair when she realises her sister has gone missing. With the help of a couple of new friends, she discovers her sister’s last place of employment and goes undercover to find out what happened.

This story is set in the 1890’s and has quite a gothic feel to it, reminding me of the narrative style of Jane Austin or Wilkie Collins. There’s not a huge amount of action in the vast majority of the book, but it does really pick up in the last quarter. Each chapter starts with excerpts from the official “confession” which helped drive the narrative along and was also an interesting glimpse into his mind.

I thought this book was a really interesting concept, given I’ve read about H. H. Holmes so I knew how this was going to end. This was a fascinating blend of fact and fiction - it felt very true to the backbone of the story, and really only deviated right at the end which I didn’t mind.

Definitely worth looking at if you’re into true crime and looking for something the same but different, or if you’re into gothic horror/thrillers.

Set during the Chicago World's Fair, Zuretta travels from Utah to look for her sister after her letters stop coming. Once there, she's enveloped in a mystery where several girls have gone missing in a busy city. Zuretta is determined to find out what happened to her sister even though it may mean becoming a victim herself.

A great historical horror for readers who enjoy serial killer mysteries.

3.5 Stars
Trigger Warning: Parental abuse, violence, murder, serial killer, torture, theft, and betrayal.

Set in the 1890s during the World Fair in Chicago (hilariously the third book set in this time I have read in the span of a month), we follow Zuretta as she searches for her sister Ruby, who has disappeared without a trace. During her search, she discovers that a hotel known as "The Castle" has many disappearances surrounding it and joins the staff to uncover if her sister's disappearance is connected. But she must be careful because when playing a game of cat and mouse, knowing who to trust is how you either stay alive or die.

This book was enjoyable! I liked how determined and adaptable Zuretta was in this story and how she grew from a woman who was abused and knew nothing but a farm life learned and found a way to survive in a new world and to learn from her mistakes instead of letting them drown her. Also, while I enjoyed that Zuretta discovered and defeated the villain and that the side characters helped, it did feel like they were only plot points to help the story, and I would have loved a little more interaction or help.
I will also say it didn't feel like a lot happened, and it is stated (and it is realistic) that waiting is how crimes are solved; I believe it lacked a little more action.

Note that I love True Crime and knew about this serial killer before, so it did affect my enjoyment of the story knowing from the gecko who the villain was, well before it would be obvious—No-fault of the author.

The Perfect Place to Die shows a familiar case through a new lens and in doing so, creates a blood-soaked tale of family and the pursuit of justice. Moore’s writing is incredibly gripping and Zuretta makes for the type of heroine you root for until the very end.

This book opens with one hell of a bang. There’s instantly the promise of menace and mass murder. This sets the scene for a bloody tale of death and destruction. The opening notes from the killer’s confession that start the majority of the chapters of the book are genuinely unnerving and creepy. It’s made even worse by the author’s note explaining that these are exact quotations from the real life case. You get sucked into the mindset of this monster, casting a chilling atmosphere over the text.

As someone fairly familiar with certain infamous serial killer cases in Chicago, the killer was clear from the start. I actually loved the level of historical detail used in Moore’s story, with research being clearly evident in the level of detail and inclusion of precise elements of the case. From the synopsis, I wasn’t expecting this to be presented like any other mystery, but I really liked the way Moore pulled it off. This is a fast-paced plot that you could easily binge in one sitting. The twists and turns are amazing and have such a emotional intensity to them. With the thick atmosphere of suspense and terror, you have the recipe for a tantalizing and compelling story.

Zuretta is a great protagonist. Her relentless search for the truth shows her integrity and deep-seated loyalty to her sister, which underpins her every action. She is searching in a world that does not believe her and furthermore just does not care about these missing girls. Moore shows how she is constantly belittled and cast aside because of her gender and her background. The detectives she admires so much only let her down, leaving her to take matters into her own hands. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of a supernatural element to her narration, with this grisly premonitions and dreams haunting her.

The Perfect Place to Die combines chilling real life horror with the personal tragedy of one girl fighting for justice in a world that refuses to acknowledge her.

Author Bryce Moore takes you into one of history's most ghoulish stories as you travel to the World's Fair Hotel, better known as the Castle, during the Chicago World's Fair. The story moves along well, drawing you through the layers of the Castle as the main character, Zuretta, searches for the story of her sister. Zuretta draws strength from her past as she faces the unknown, traveling from a small town in Utah to Chicago during one of its busiest times in history.

Despite knowing who the villain was in real life, I still felt suspense as I read and I found myself picking up the book whenever I had even a short bit of time to read. Teens who like the darker side of history will enjoy Moore's fictional account.

Thank you to Net Galley for the eArc, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I saw this book on Sourcebook Fire’s instagram and I immediately jumped at the chance to read and review it! Followers and friends will know that I love Stalking Jack the Ripper so you know how excited I would have gotten. I would compare this book more to Capturing the Devil (the last book in Kerri Maniscalco’s series) more than SJTR but that is only because the basis for the story is the same.

This book follows Zuretta, a 17 year old from a small town, who went to Chicago after her sister disappeared. Etta decides to find work in the last place her sister worked, The Castle otherwise known as the World’s Fair Hotel. As she works as a maid, she discovers some oddities in the building itself and investigates.

The Perfect Place to Die follows the typical mystery plot. A teenage girl investigates a mystery and finds multiple clues that lead to different people. Etta was a strong female protagonist and the story actually ended in the same way as Audrey Rose’s (Audrey Rose is the protagonist in STJR). The mystery itself was great especially since it was based of an actual murder mystery but I already knew the ending since I read Capturing the Devil. I kept reading though since I thought Bryce Moore might have changed the ending but he didn’t. Which is completely fine and I still enjoyed it!

One thing I would have liked is if there were images of the hotel or at least a map of Chicago in the book. I’m not familiar with Chicago both in the present and in the past so for part of the book I was confused and lost in the city. What would have been amazing is if there was an image of the drawings of Zuretta. The way it was described in the book was so interesting and it would have given the book a bit of speciality. I loved that each chapter started with a quote from the actual murderer which just makes it so much cooler!

If you know your serial killers like I do (that sentence seems a bit concerning in some ways) you will love this book. It’s a pretty familiar name with an interesting story. I can’t say any more without spoiling the story. I highly recommend this book for people looking for a realistic murder mystery with a strong female protagonist. Thank you again the the publisher, Sourcefire Books, the author, Bryce Moore and Netgalley for this e-arc!!!

So, I actually didn't realize The Perfect Place to Die was considered historical fiction when I first requested it. Usually, I don't like any type of historical fiction just because the writing style is like the time period for time. I get why authors do that and they want to make it authentic but usually, that's why I don't like them. Thankfully I absolutely loved The Perfect Place to Die. The story is pretty fast-paced and keeps you interested. I like how the main character defies her father's wishes and goes to search for her sister in Chicago after she went missing. They both should have left a lot sooner and I hate that they leave under these circumstances.
The only thing that I kind of agree with another review about is that the main character seems a lot older than seventeen. I do kind of wish that she was aged up and the story was targeted more for adults. I still enjoyed the story though and I can't wait to read more books by Bryce Moore.

Zuretta’s sister Ruby escaped from the family farm to the city of Chicago, during the World’s Fair. When Zuretta stops receiving her weekly letters, she knows something is wrong and leaves to investigate.

This was a very exciting and creepy suspense. I really like what was done here. I’m trying to keep this vague because I don’t want to spoil anything. I knew from the beginning exactly what was going on and if you are a true crime fan, you will as well. But that’s okay. In fact, it may even make it more enjoyable because you are living through the experience we’ve only read sensationalized historical pieces about. This was pretty gory at times.. and creepy! I really enjoyed it and the main character.

“I haven’t seen the girl, but I know of a hotel that swallows girls like that for lunch. One after the other. All of them pretty. All of them gone.”

The Perfect Place To Die comes out 8/3.

I unfortunately cannot give a review of this book as I DNF this book. For some reason I couldn't get into it. Will update my review at a later time if I decide to try reading again.

If you, like me are fascinated by H.H Holmes and his murder castle than this is the book for you.

We follow strong and determined Zuretta as she journeys to Chicagr to investigate the disappearance of her sister Ruby.

With all of her possessions stolen except the clothes off her back Etta is forced to make it on her own in an unfriendly city ran by incompetent men.

While this book did have some spooky moments, particularly Etta's first journey into the third floor. I felt like this book has fallen into a trap so many YA books often do when it comes to horror,, it pulled it's punches. Authors, publishers don't be afraid to make your books terrifying or gory, I promise your audience can handle it.

Lastly I just want to say I am so sick of male characters gasslighting women? I know, The Times! But it would seriously be refreshing if a man just believed women in these books. Even just once, please I am so tired of this gasslighting shit.

A Perfect Place to Die is a sold three star read.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this title prior to this novel's release date. This book was so good! I really enjoyed the main character Zuretta and her drive to solve the mystery. I love the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, so anyone else who does needs to read this book as well. This book features a strong heroine who wants to bring the truth forth without the help of a man. A historical fiction based on a real serial killer is sure to intrigue any true crime/murder mystery fan. Some trigger warnings for the book includes emotional abuse, murder, physical abuse, gaslighting, abusive parents, missing persons, and more. I would make sure to be aware of these before reading the book. Overall, I would recommend the book!

DNF at 25%. I guess I'm just not in a mystery reading mood, I could not get into this one.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.