About the Book

Book: The Purple Nightgown

Author: A.D. Lawrence

Genre: Christian Historical Suspense

Release date: March, 2021

Marvel at true but forgotten history when patients check into Linda Hazzard’s Washington state spa in 1912 and soon become victim of her twisted greed.
Book 10 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Heiress Stella Burke is plagued by insincere suitors and nonstop headaches. Exhausting all other medical aides for her migraines, Stella reads Fasting for the Cure of Disease by Linda Hazzard and determines to go to the spa the author runs. Stella’s chauffer and long-time friend, Henry Clayton, is reluctant to leave her at the spa. Something doesn’t feel right to him, still Stella submits herself into Linda Hazzard’s care. Stella soon learns the spa has a dark side and Linda a mean streak. But when Stella has had enough, all ways to leave are suddenly blocked. Will Stella become a walking skeleton like many of the other patients or succumb to a worse fate?

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My Thoughts

Confession…for a long time I thought that mysteries and true crime books weren’t for me. Sure, certain events fascinated me, but I could never see myself actually picking up one up and reading it. For whatever reason, when I read the synopsis of The Purple Nightgown, that changed. The subject matter intrigued me, especially since it was based on something that really happened that I had never heard about before. I found myself excited to dive into the story so that I could learn more.

The Purple Nightgown was suspenseful and I found myself reading late into the night trying to find out what was happening and if Stella would a) ever feel well again, and b) if she will manage to leave the spa alive (and c) will something actually happen between her and Henry…you’ll have to read to find out for yourself). I found that once Stella discovered the sinister nature of the spa that I had to keep reading until the end. I could not bring myself to put this book down until I knew how it all ended. And a love for mysteries and books based on true crimes ignited!

While I thoroughly enjoyed The Purple Nightgown, there were a couple of things that I didn’t like about the book. First, it took a while to finally get to the main part of the book which was the spa, I felt like some of the first 30-40% could have been trimmed a little bit – but that’s also just me and my preference. Second, I found both Stella and Henry infuriating at times, although Stella more so, at least for the first part of the book. However, I did love her growth as a character and how she realizes she needs to change. And in some ways, Henry also realizes he needs to change to. But besides these two dislikes, again, I loved this book. I don’t know how Linda Hazzard was in real life, but the author does a great job of describing her and even making her the criminal that she really was. I also liked the author’s note at the end that goes into some of the actual facts about Linda Hazzard and her “wellness spa”, which is fascinating, I wish there was more written about her! While the author did take some creative liberties, some of Hazzard’s real “patients” also appeared in the story and I felt like that led to making it more suspenseful and thrilling.

I enjoyed The Purple Nightgown, and right now I am trying to get my hands on and devour as many mysteries as I can! I received a copy of this book from the publisher and CelebrateLit in exchange for my honest review!

About the Author

A.D. Lawrence makes her home in Northeastern Nebraska. She has been passionate about writing and true crime for years, and her two obsessions melded into the goal of authorship. She is an active member of the ACFW, writes a true crime blog, won the 2019 Crown Award and was a 2019 First Impressions finalist.

More from A.D. Lawrence

Times have changed. And like so many things, health retreats have experienced their own metamorphosis. Sure, they’ve always catered to people with both spare money and time, but aside from similar clientele, the face of the health spa is nothing like its early 20th century sister.

If you could afford a getaway to a modern-day health spa like The Golden Door, you’d be treated to the luxury of rest. Yoga on the beach. Deep tissue massages. A much-needed break from technology and life’s constant pressures. Mental well-being is valued almost as highly as physical health, and the two are thought to be connected. After days or weeks of pampering, you would return home relaxed, recharged, and ready to dip back into the hustle of the real world.

In 1911, during the time of The Purple Nightgown, the medical community took a diametrically different approach to health. Weight equaled health. The prevailing assumption was that any ailments were directly connected to weight. Thus, ‘fat camps’ grew in popularity. Men and women checked into sanatoriums where the aides put them through grueling exercise regimes and provided them with just enough food to sustain life. No coddling. Not many of us would subject ourselves to the treatments early health spas required.

In this era of already extreme health measures, Linda Hazzard made her mark in Washington State. Obsessed with fasting, she ran her patients through an unfathomable course of ‘diet and exercise’ that proved the undoing of many. She did give massages though, which you’ll learn more about when you read The Purple Nightgown.

Although it’s fun to long for a simpler time while reading historical books and watching shows like Little House on the Prairie, there are some modern ways of thinking and advances in human comfort I’d rather not give up. One of those is the vastly superior spa experience we have today. Somehow, a facial with soothing background music sounds much more appealing than running mile after mile every day with nothing to look forward to but a glass of orange juice or a bowl of canned tomato broth.

Hot stone massage anyone?