Holmes' Own Story

Eighty-seven rare historical illustrations with sources! Includes H. H. Holmes memoir, confession, judgment day, concrete burial, Holmes’ reincarnation story and more.


Holmes’ Own Story is a fascinating look into the mind of one of America's first serial killers. Herman Webster Mudgett, aka H. H. Holmes, was a horrific serial killer made famous in the popular Erik Larson book, The Devil in the White City. H. H. Holmes built a three story Murder Castle in Chicago in the late 1800s with death on his mind. Dr. Holmes lured unsuspecting victims into secret rooms, vaults and gas chambers and made use of a dissection table in his basement. Holmes preyed on travelers that came to the Chicago World's Fair (World’s Columbian Exposition) in 1893. He advertised rooms for rent and offered employment opportunities in his Murder Castle, often called Holmes Castle and World’s Fair Hotel.

Henry H. Holmes killed his business partner and friend, Benjamin Pitezel, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But he didn’t stop there. The heartless serial killer took three of Benjamin Pitezel's children on a cross-country trip. Philadelphia Detective Frank P. Geyer followed H. H. Holmes murderous trail into Canada with devastating results. No doubt about it, HH Holmes earned despicable nicknames such as Arch Fiend, Butcher, Modern Bluebeard, Swindler, Moral Degenerate, and more. Holmes was a monster in disguise as a doctor, a perfect ruse to lure victims.

In Holmes' Own, you will learn the personality and thought process of H. H. Holmes, straight from the mind of the diabolical killer himself. The three-part book includes:

H. H. Holmes memoir, Holmes' Own Story (1895), written by the serial killer while he awaited trial
Moyamensing Prison diary
H. H. Holmes confession of twenty-seven murders (1896)
Judgement day with details about Holmes' death by hanging at Moyamensing Prison
Unusual concrete burial at historic Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania
Odd story H. H. Holmes told about his planned reincarnation as a dog
An interview with Philadelphia Detective Frank P. Geyer about his belief Holmes’ planned to murder his third wife, Georgiana Yoke
An interview with Mrs. Benjamin Pitezel after Holmes' execution
87 rare historical illustrations including Herman Webster Mudgett’s birth and death certificates
Sources, Illustration Credits, and Bibliography
Clickable Table of Contents, List of Illustrations, and Notes