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Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest

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Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest Cover

ISBN13: 9781400097463
ISBN10: 1400097460
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

In 1911 two wealthy British heiresses, Claire and Dora Williamson, came to a sanitorium in the forests of the Pacific Northwest to undergo the revolutionary "fasting treatment" of Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard. It was supposed to be a holiday for the two sisters. But within a month of arriving at what the locals called Starvation Heights, the women were emaciated shadows of their former selves, waiting for death. They were not the first victims of Linda Hazzard, a quack doctor of extraordinary evil and greed who would stop at nothing short of murder to achieve her ambitions. As their jewelry disappeared and forged bank drafts began transferring their wealth to Hazzard's accounts, Dora Williamson sent a last desperate plea to a friend in Australia, begging her to save them from the brutal treatments and lonely isolation of Starvation Heights.

In this true story — a haunting saga of medical murder set in an era of steamships and gaslights — Gregg Olsen reveals one of the most unusual and disturbing criminal cases in American history.

Review:

"An account of real-life villainry that outdoes anything a novelist might concoct." Les Standiford, author of Meet You in Hell

Review:

"An engrossing and compelling look at a shocking crime in another era. Olsen's deft touch takes us back to the early 1900s so cleverly that reading Starvation Heights is akin to stepping into a time machine." Ann Rule

Synopsis:

"A fascinating turn-of-the-century story of medical malpractice and murder. If you liked The Alienist, you'll find Starvation Heights all the more gripping because this story is true." Michael Connelly

Synopsis:

In 1911 two wealthy British heiresses, Claire and Dora Williamson, came to a sanitorium in the forests of the Pacific Northwest to undergo the revolutionary “fasting treatment” of Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard. It was supposed to be a holiday for the two sisters. But within a month of arriving at what the locals called Starvation Heights, the women were emaciated shadows of their former selves, waiting for death. They were not the first victims of Linda Hazzard, a quack doctor of extraordinary evil and greed who would stop at nothing short of murder to achieve her ambitions. As their jewelry disappeared and forged bank drafts began transferring their wealth to Hazzards accounts, Dora Williamson sent a last desperate plea to a friend in Australia, begging her to save them from the brutal treatments and lonely isolation of Starvation Heights.

In this true story—a haunting saga of medical murder set in an era of steamships and gaslights—Gregg Olsen reveals one of the most unusual and disturbing criminal cases in American history.

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About the Author

Gregg Olsen has been a journalist and investigative author for more than twenty years. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Abandoned Prayers, and, most recently, The Deep Dark. He lives in Olalla, Washington.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Brooke Strickland, August 31, 2012 (view all comments by Brooke Strickland)
Medicine has come a long way in the last 100 years, but to say that this book was a shock is an understatement. In 1911 a doctor was whisking her patients off to a scenic resort-type treatment center to help heal their ailments...but people weren't coming back. This book is a true story and is true crime at it's finest. Well-researched and very thorough. A gripping story of death, robbery, and the abuse of the word "doctor." Sad, gripping, and very eye-opening. Highly recommend!
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historybuff2283, April 8, 2012 (view all comments by historybuff2283)
Malpractice and Murder in the Pacific Northwest

May 1911 - In the backwoods of Kitsap County, Washington, not far from Seattle, two young British women are fighting for their lives in a place locals have dubbed Starvation Heights. They had come to Washington State a few months earlier seeking a cure for ailments real and imagined. Instead, they had become virtual prisoners, enduring unspeakable horrors at the hands of the woman they had believed would be their savior. The story of what followed - and what had come before - would make national (and international) news.

I'm surprised no one has made a movie about this case. Murder, betrayal, fraud, a wealthy heiress, a West Point graduate, bigamy, scandalous trials, international intrigue - this story has it all.

I generally don't write reviews, but I just couldn't resist. This is one of the most fascinating criminal cases I have ever come across, and Olsen's account of the deadly Dr. Hazzard, her "fasting cure" and its victims, is spellbinding. I couldn't put the book down. I stayed up all evening to finish it, and was so shocked by the details of the case (and what happened afterwards) that I felt compelled to go online and do a bit of research. I simply couldn't believe that this had actually happened, and in my own home state, no less!

This is a haunting tale that will remain with you long after you've finished reading. Whether you are looking for a gripping mystery, a true crime thriller, or just a entertaining read, this book fits the bill.

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Flying Reader, May 2, 2009 (view all comments by Flying Reader)
Picked up this book at the airport Powells prior to a long series of flights. It turned out to be an excellent true crime story. Well researched and well written, the book captures your attention and holds it to the very end. I had never read anything by Mr. Olsen before, but rest assured that I will go back for more. In addition to the story itself of the murder of a young English woman in the Puget Sound area, it provides an excellent glimpse of life and culture of the Puget Sound area in the early 1900's. This book is well worth the time.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781400097463
Author:
Olsen, Gregg
Publisher:
Three Rivers Press (CA)
Subject:
General
Subject:
Murder
Subject:
Fasting
Subject:
Murder - General
Subject:
Starvation.
Subject:
General True Crime
Subject:
Crime - True Crime
Copyright:
2005
Edition Description:
Trade paper
Publication Date:
20050531
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
432
Dimensions:
8.02x5.19x.98 in. .72 lbs.
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Related Subjects


Featured Titles » General
Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
History and Social Science » Crime » General
History and Social Science » Crime » True Crime
History and Social Science » Pacific Northwest » Literature Folklore and Memoirs
History and Social Science » Pacific Northwest » Washington » General
History and Social Science » World History » 1650 to Present

Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$6.50 In Stock
Product details 432 pages Three Rivers Press (CA) - English 9781400097463 Reviews:
"Review" by , "An account of real-life villainry that outdoes anything a novelist might concoct."
"Review" by , "An engrossing and compelling look at a shocking crime in another era. Olsen's deft touch takes us back to the early 1900s so cleverly that reading Starvation Heights is akin to stepping into a time machine."
"Synopsis" by , "A fascinating turn-of-the-century story of medical malpractice and murder. If you liked The Alienist, you'll find Starvation Heights all the more gripping because this story is true." Michael Connelly
"Synopsis" by , In 1911 two wealthy British heiresses, Claire and Dora Williamson, came to a sanitorium in the forests of the Pacific Northwest to undergo the revolutionary “fasting treatment” of Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard. It was supposed to be a holiday for the two sisters. But within a month of arriving at what the locals called Starvation Heights, the women were emaciated shadows of their former selves, waiting for death. They were not the first victims of Linda Hazzard, a quack doctor of extraordinary evil and greed who would stop at nothing short of murder to achieve her ambitions. As their jewelry disappeared and forged bank drafts began transferring their wealth to Hazzards accounts, Dora Williamson sent a last desperate plea to a friend in Australia, begging her to save them from the brutal treatments and lonely isolation of Starvation Heights.

In this true story—a haunting saga of medical murder set in an era of steamships and gaslights—Gregg Olsen reveals one of the most unusual and disturbing criminal cases in American history.
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