Starvation Heights by Gregg Olson
Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Circulation Assistant
Genre: Nonfiction, True Crime
Suggested Age: Adult
What is this book about?: Fad diets and quack medicine have been around pretty much since civilization began. So when Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard proposed that fasting treatments could help everything from nerves to blindness to cancer, it got folks’ attention. This was the case for Dora and Claire Williamson. The two British sisters were in good health, but both had “complaints” they thought Dr. Hazzard’s treatments would cure. A “cure” that cost Claire her life, and nearly robbed Dora of hers as well. As Dora and her childhood nurse fought back to expose fraud and outright theft, more cases came to light of patients who perished under Hazzard’s care. But the legality was tricky – Hazzard was certified with the state, and the county she resided and possibly killed in was too poor to prosecute. And with the Williamson sisters being British, this was under threat of becoming an international scandal.
My review: I was first made aware of this story by the excellent podcast “Tanis.” If you like urban mythology and the Pacific Northwest “odd vibe,” give them a listen. You won’t be disappointed. And this story is a roller coaster. Linda Burfield Hazzard was a hard woman, and a crafty one as well. Time and again she managed to dupe folks into believing that fasting could cure what ailed them. And when they were weak and delirious, she would have them sign documents that gave her control of their finances and absolved her of any and all blame. Her husband and secretary, Sam, often typed up last wills and other documents and then “lost” the originals. In one case, it was suspected that Hazzard herself falsified a diary by imitating the owner’s handwriting. The trial was nothing short of a spectacle, with the press whipping things into more of a frenzy. Things wrapped up as life always does – some good, some bad, some disappointing. All in all, if weird history is your thing, this one is well worth your time.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Fascinating, Sad, Unusual
Give this a try if you like… Unusual true crime, the “Tanis” podcast, weird history
Rating: (out of 5) 4.5/5
About FDL Reads
FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.
