"The Purple Nightgown" by A.D. Lawrence

Stella Burke's migraines dominate her life. She's followed the advice of every doctor at her disposal, and nothing has helped. When she reads about Dr. Linda Hazzard and her healing techniques in Fasting for the Cure of Disease, Stella is intrigued.

She eventually convinces her nurse and chauffeur to take her to Olalla, Washington, to allow her to try Dr. Hazzard's methods at her personal spa. Stella has hardly settled in before she observes several alarming incidents. Is she misconstruing facts, or are actual lives at stake at the Wilderness Heights sanitarium?

This book continues Barbour's True Colors true crime series, and A.D. Lawrence brings it with this multi-layered suspense story. Every angle is detailed and well-presented. I was horrified at what Stella saw while she was at Wilderness Heights, and all the more because it was based on real history. Stella's friends back in San Francisco provide a secondary story of compassion and caring for the least of these, a sharp contrast to Dr. Hazzard's preying on those desperate for medical cures.

Though there are many chilling aspects to this story, I did not find it too overwhelming in that way. The plot grows more and more suspenseful as it moves along, and you won't want to put it down once you reach the gripping conclusion. I would recommend this book for fans of true crime and historical suspense.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.