BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Henry Howard Holmes (H.H. Holmes) was a real serial killer.

**Posted by m0r1arty** January 9, 2017 4:11 pm

The "Murder Castle" and various torture rooms with incinerators downstairs to destroy the bodies was a real situation which happened in Illinois, Chicago. Check out the wiki link for more details on the situation, gruesome stuff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._H._Holmes

I'm surprised the BBC used this as an inspirational backdrop alongside their Jimmy Savile parallels. Series 1's Jim'll fix it line was darkly funny because the truth hadn't come out yet about their former employee and his odd, illegal behaviour but on series 4 they've put centre stage.

Great episode, if based on many truly dark happenings.

-m0r

**Posted by Ivy** January 9, 2017 6:41 pm

I actually saw a short documentation about him sometime last year, I remembered it when C. Smith mentioned that hotel he opened to kill people.

**Posted by besleybean** January 9, 2017 6:57 pm

Interesting.

**Posted by KeepersPrice** January 9, 2017 7:28 pm

Coincidentally, I am in the middle of reading a book called "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson considered one of the definitive books about this real life serial killer, H.H. Holmes. Loved that I knew the reference when it came up in the show. Made me feel smart - LOL!

**Posted by Vhanja** January 9, 2017 9:30 pm

Yes, one of the seasons of American Horror Story is based on this.