This is an unbalanced book. It contains a highly interesting history of the Chicago World's Fair and all that went into making it a success, though the opening takes place later, at the time of the Titanic's sinking. Interspersed in the history is the tale of a mass murderer. They're two stories in one, and I found the World Fair portion the more interesting, the five-star part of the book. This doesn't mean the serial killer was uninteresting, but the portrayal of that element left something wanting.