Long before he built his ‘Murder Castle,’ he was just a boy named Herman Mudgett. But even in childhood, the shadows were already there—strange fascinations, disturbing behaviors, and the twisted beginnings of the man who would become America’s first serial killer. In this Macabre Feature, we peel back the layers of H.H. Holmes’ early years, tracing the origins of a monster in the making.

Vote for Halley to become the "FACE of HALLOWEEN" here (until Sept. 2nd) :

https://faceofhalloween.org/2025/heidi-2

Patreon members get ad free content, early access and exclusive bonus episodes Paid supporters, Join us for Macabre Movie Nights and Game Nights : Macabre Patreon

Send in your stories for a future listener episode!

Email us at [email protected]

Join our private Facebook Group at : MacabrePodcast

Get Macabre Exclusive Merch @ www.gothiccthreads.com

Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/AgB7kgQM

SOURCES:

https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-h-h-holmes

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/h-h-holmes

https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbc0001.2015gen22698/?sp=1&st=slideshow&utm

Franke, David. The Torture Doctor. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1975. Well-researched and detailed discussion about Holmes.

Geary, Rick. The Beast of Chicago: The Murderous Career of H. H. Holmes. New York: NBM Comics, 2003.

Holmes, H. H. Holmes’ Own Story. Philadephia: Burk & McFetridge, 1895. Holmes’s autobiography.

Larson, Erik. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. New York: Vintage, 2004. Schechter, Harold. Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America’s First Serial Killer. New York: Pocket, 1994. Another accessible, detailed account of Holmes’s criminal career.

Wilson, Colin. “H. H. Holmes: The Torture Doctor.” In The Mammoth Book of Murder, edited by Richard Glyn Jones. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1989. Brief but useful, with minor errors.

The History of Murder. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2000. Contains a slightly revised version of the essay .

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/macabre-dark-history/exclusive-content
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy