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

Gregg Olsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2005

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The setting is a forested wilderness in the Northwest, circa 1911. The villain is a tall, egotistical woman doctor with an imposing jawline and a fierce will to dominate others. The victims are two wealthy English sisters, gullible health faddists after the fashion of those who flocked to Dr. Kellogg's sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan. But unlike Dr. Kellogg's comparatively gentle method of diet plus enemas, Dr. Hazzard's method was to literally starve her patients to death--and then defraud them of their valuables. Acclaimed true-crime writer Jack Olsen calls this book, "a literary and journalistic achievement of the highest order," and says, "Gregg Olsen reinforces his standing as one of America's greatest crime reporters, evoking the early twentieth century with a master's touch. No reader will ever forget Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard and her sadistic technique of mass murder by starvation." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“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

“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

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400097460
• ISBN-13: 978-1400097463
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I live in rural Washington State (about a mile as the crow flies from Starvation Heights). I've wrapped up my fifth novel -- a serial killer thriller coming out in April 2011. It's called Closer Than Blood. I've been a guest on Dateline NBC, NPR, Good Morning America, The Early Show, FOX News; CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, Snapped, Deadly Women, William Shatner's Aftermath, and A&E's Biography.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing, August 12, 2005

By 

Margaretta P. Tavers "prissy" (Cape Cod, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest (Paperback)

This true crime is not your usual blood and gore but the detailed lives of two sisters caught in a web of lies, deceit and murder. The author makes all of the principal characters interesting and compelling and I felt that I was there rooting for the good guys to win. Absolutely wonderful, terrific read, can't put it down. Totally compelling. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be quiet for a few days.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars STARVED TO DEATH..., July 17, 2006

By 

Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest (Paperback)

This well-crafted book is a fine example of investigative reporting at its best. Taking events from nearly a hundred years ago, the author makes the story come alive for readers of today. Those who like the true crime genre will especially enjoy this book about a bizarre murder.

In Olalla, Washington, in 1911, Claire and Dora Williamson, two wealthy British sisters on holiday in the United States, were bamboozled by a Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard, who sold them on the idea of fasting as a cure for their minor ailments. The two sisters enthusiastically adopted the doctor's solution, and therein the groundwork was laid for the tragic events that were to unfold. Although Claire was more gung-ho than Dora on the idea of fasting as a way to better health, where one sister led, the other was sure to follow, as they were so close.

The sisters underwent the doctor's restrictive dietary regimen, becoming wraiths of their former selves in the process, and the treatments that they received at the hands of the doctor were brutal. Trapped and isolated in the doctor's sanitarium, which was located in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, the sisters were at the mercy of the doctor. Although a secret cry for help was sent to a faithful family retainer, for one of the sisters help would arrive too late.

The author describes the efforts that were made to bring this so-called doctor to justice. It was interesting to discover that the doctor had no medical training but was licensed by the state of Washington to practice as an osteopath. Moreover, so skeletal would her patients become that the local yokels would refer to the doctor's sanitarium as "Starvation Heights". It is little wonder that a number of the patients died, usually the wealthy ones. So, the sisters were not the only victims of this "doctor's" hubris, chutzpah, and greed. It would be the surviving sister, however, who would ensure that this did not happen to anyone else, ever again.

The book is certainly well-researched, and the author paints a compelling picture of a bygone era and the pure quackery that passed as medical know-how. He also paints vivid portraits of those who were to play a part in the rise and fall of Linda Burfield Hazzard. Those readers who are interested in the true crime genre will find themselves compulsively turning the pages of this well-written book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling Read!, October 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Starvation Heights: The True Story of an American Doctor and the Murder of a British Heiress (True Crime (Warner Books)) (Paperback)

This book is a tremendous mix of true crime and history. The story of Dr. Hazzard is surreal - it's hard to believe that the events in this book actually occurred. The book is well-written and fast-paced - I finished it in 2 days!