Monday, February 17, 2025

The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story by Pagan Kennedy

 
First Line: One night in September 2018, I dreamed that I was standing in a courtroom, blinking in the bright lights, with microphones poking up all around me.

In 1972, Martha "Marty" Goddard volunteered at a crisis hotline in Chicago, counseling girls who had been molested by their fathers, their teachers, their uncles. It didn't take long for Marty to want an answer to a very important question: Why were so many sexual predators getting away with these crimes? By the end of the decade, she had launched a campaign pushing hospitals and police departments to collect evidence of sexual assault and to treat survivors with dignity. She designed a new kind of forensics tool-- the rape kit-- and once adopted by the Chicago Police Department, the use of this tool soon spread to New York City and beyond.

But even as Marty fought for women's rights, she allowed a man to take credit for her work, and when journalist Pagan Kennedy went looking for this pioneer, she discovered that even Marty's closest friends had lost track of her. While following clues to find out what happened to Marty, Kennedy also learned more about the problematic history of American forensics.

~

When I read the synopsis of The Secret History of the Rape Kit, I knew I had to read it. Call me more than a little disgruntled when I learn of all the work done by women that men have stolen the credit for.

Martha "Marty" Goddard's work is outstanding because she pushed it through the most corrupt police department in America at the time: the Chicago Police Department. This woman did not like public speaking and often found someone else to do it for her, but when she had to, she would. That is how dedicated she was to her project. It's hard for me to believe that Goddard sank almost without a trace. How can someone do something so important and then disappear? I congratulate Kennedy for bringing Goddard back into the spotlight where she belongs.

The history the author provides is fascinating. I'll share a couple of examples. Would it surprise you to learn that Hugh Hefner and Playboy played a very important part in getting Goddard's rape kits accepted? They did. Would it also surprise you to learn that the infrastructure we use every day is constantly feeding us messages about who is important and who is not? It does. The designer of the bridges and underpasses leading into Long Island purposely had them built with low clearances so buses couldn't get through. You see, he didn't want poor people to have easy access to the area.

Kennedy shows us how the rape kits and forensics have changed over time and shares her own experience of sexual assault. While I didn't really find the author's personal experience all that necessary to the book as a whole, it does shed light on a survivor's thoughts and feelings.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit is a valuable addition to not only the history of forensics but women's history as well.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story by Pagan Kennedy
eISBN: 9780593314722
Vintage Books © 2025
eBook, 320 pages

Non-Fiction
Rating: B+
Source: Purchased from Amazon.
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Thursday, February 13, 2025

A Different Viewfinder Weekly Link Round-Up

 


Denis and I had a great day at the Desert Botanical Garden last week. The weather was perfect, and although it was busy, the garden wasn't heaving with people, so it almost felt as though we had the place to ourselves. We wandered to our hearts' content and had lunch with at least two dozen Gambel's quail at the Patio Cafe. 

The males were quite territorial, so I knew that it was nesting time. A docent stopped by with a group of tourists, and she confirmed my thoughts on the quails' behavior. Denis and I hope to visit when some of the chicks have hatched. I've only seen baby Gambel's quail out in the wild (the best place to see them naturally), but since Denis and I no longer hit the trail, it would be great to see these little sand-colored fluffballs at the Garden. However, the docent did add to my vocabulary of slang, and not in a good way. Want to know what baby quail are called? Coyote popcorn. Ack!




It was after we left the Patio Cafe that disaster struck. I dropped my camera-- the camera that had all the bells and whistles I wanted, the camera that would be the last one I'd ever buy because it was exactly what I wanted--- and I completely wrecked the lens (the most important part, naturally). The camera has been discontinued and even if I could buy a replacement, it now costs more than twice what I originally paid for it. Sending it for repair would be a nightmare with no guarantee of success. So... I will now be using my old camera. 

But... if that's the worst that happens to me, I'm still having a good day. If there's one thing that I've learned, it's how to put disasters into perspective!

Virtual hugs to all! Enjoy the links!


►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄



►The Wanderer◄

►Fascinating Folk◄

►I ♥ Lists◄

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!
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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

February Reading Round-Up

 


My attention has been elsewhere. Enjoyable trips to favorite places. Reorganizing closets and bins. (Hey-- reorganizing my stuff makes me almost as happy as spending time shelving books.) Mentally kicking myself for damaging my camera beyond repair. Enjoying the type of weather the snowbirds flock here for. All of which means that I've neglected keeping you posted on what I've been reading.

I do have some normal-length reviews planned, but right now, I'm going to do a series of shorter ones. If you want to learn more about a book, I've included a link to Amazon US in its title.

The clock is ticking, so I'd better get started!



Non-Fiction, 432 pages
Rating: B+

My Thoughts: I've had a weakness for thieves like Robin Hood, Alexander Mundy, and John Robie since I was a teenager, and Jobb's book is about a real-life "second story" man named Arthur Barry. Surviving a tough childhood, Barry served with distinction as a medic during World War I, but when he came home, he couldn't find a job. His good looks and charm soon took him into the world of jewel theft. 

Barry melted easily into high society, even taking the Prince of Wales out on a night on the town during the prince's visit. (He also burgled one of the women in the royal party.)

Barry believed that the use of violence was the mark of an amateur, and he also stated: "I only robbed the rich. If a woman can carry around a necklace worth $750,000, she knows where her next meal is coming from."

A Gentleman and a Thief was a fascinating look at not only the man himself, but the time period as well. (I also picked up some tips on burglar-proofing the house.)


The Atlantis Code by Charles Brokaw

Thriller, 429 pages
Rating: D+


My Thoughts: I found this first book in the Thomas Lourds series very amateurish. Lourds is a bad cross between Ian Fleming's James Bond and Dan Brown's Robert Langdon. 

Lourds finds himself in a race with a megalomaniac Catholic cardinal to find the lost continent of Atlantis. I did enjoy the author's views on the importance of language as well as the African history he included, but I tired quickly of the evil cardinal, his crew of deadly assassins, and Lourds' bed hopping.




#8 in the Ryder Creed K-9 series, 343 pages
Rating: B+

My Thoughts: I've found myself working to catch up on some of the series I enjoy, and with Midnight Creed, I'm all caught up with this one.

I love this series for the family of characters Kava has created, and-- it goes without saying-- the dogs. After what happened in the last book, Creed finds himself reluctant to put any of his dogs in danger, but you know he's going to be forced to. 

Kava has a magic touch with her hair-raising stories and with her characters. (And don't ever skip her Author's Notes in the back!) She makes even one-shot characters like the homeless woman, Nessie, very real and memorable. I also look forward to how she incorporates information such as getting war dogs back home from Afghanistan into her stories. One of the most important lessons to be found in any book in this series is a simple one: "Trust your dog." I know the importance of this rule in my own life, and it's one that characters in this series have had to learn as well.



#6 in the Tracy Crosswhite police procedural series, 410 pages
Rating: A

My Thoughts: This book has Tracy working on a murder case and trying to keep her pregnancy a secret. Good luck with that, since her despised boss has already brought in a new cop to replace her. 

The book focuses more on her colleague Vic "Faz" Fazzio, which is a smooth move by Dugoni to keep the pregnant woman out of harm's way. Faz's investigation into the murder of a local community activist turns violent, and he has his hands full trying to find the truth and keep his job. 

A Steep Price moves quickly and kept me guessing. It also has one of my favorite descriptive passages so far this year concerning glass shards and a stained-glass window.



#1 Ian Ludlow thriller, 254 pages
Rating: A+

My Thoughts: I've read two A+ books so far this year, and True Fiction is one of them. This is the first book I've read by Goldberg and I have a feeling that it won't be my last. 

Bestselling thriller writer Ian Ludlow knows that the flying of a passenger jet onto the crowded beaches of Waikiki wasn't a tragic accident. Years before, the CIA had enlisted him to dream up terrorist scenarios to prepare the government for nightmare situations. One of those scenarios has come true, and Ian is the only one alive who knows how it was done.

This book was so much fun to read. Was it actually plausible? Not really, but sometimes that just doesn't matter. What matters here is Ian Ludlow and the two characters who join him in his quest for justice-- and survival. Goldberg has created a villain you love to hate and heroes you can laugh at (and with) and root on to victory. I loathed, laughed, and cheered. 


The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn

Fiction. Translated from the German. 186 pages
Rating: B

My Thoughts: Bookseller Carl Kollhoff walks through the streets of his city in the evenings, delivering books to his special customers after closing time. Carl is quiet and introverted, and these customers could actually be considered his friends. When he loses his job, it threatens to sever these valuable connections. Little does he know that a little nine-year-old girl holds the key to putting his life back together.

This is a heartwarming little tale about the power of books and friendship that reminded me of the books of Fredrik Backman (A Man Called Ove).




There you go-- six reviews! Am I caught up now? Not exactly, but that's beside the point. Have you read any of these? Which ones? Did I encourage you to add any to your own Need to Read lists? Do tell!
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Thursday, February 06, 2025

The Hurrieder I Go Weekly Link Round-Up

 


This is one of those days when I look up at the clock, gasp, and wonder how I'm going to get all my stuff done. So... I'm going to love you and leave you. All is fine here at Casa Kittling, and Denis and I should be rested from our trip to the Desert Botanical Garden by the time you read this.

Enjoy the links!





►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄



►The Wanderer◄

►Fascinating Folk◄
  • Benjamin Banneker, the Black mathematician who may have saved Washington, D.C.
  • Ten Black suffragists you should know.
  • Anthropologist Zelia Nuttall, the globe-trotting scholar who unlocked the secrets of the Aztecs.
  • One of the oldest surviving operas by Black American composer Edmond Dédé will be performed for the first time-- 138 years after it was written.
  • Dick Button, Olympic great and the voice of skating, died at the age of 95. I learned so much about figure skating from listening to his commentary.
  • Charles Kingsley, man of science, man of God.

►I ♥ Lists◄

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!
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Tuesday, February 04, 2025

What's On My Radar

 


I haven't been sharing the books that are on my radar. Shame on me! You know that it's my aim in life to ensure your book wish lists are as fat and sassy as mine. *wink*

I'm cooling my heels waiting for some maintenance work to be done in the house, so this is the perfect time to share some of those books with you. Let's get started!


Available in March!



This is the sixth book in one of my very favorite series. It features private investigator Vish Puri who lives in New Delhi, India. I love the humor, and I love the mysteries, but there are other things that make this a special series for me. One, it turned me on to Indian cuisine. (Yum!) Two, it gives a light-hearted yet true-to-life depiction of Indian life. Three, it was the first series to turn my attention to India itself.

Synopsis: "When Vish Puri, India’s Most Private Detective, learns he’s won the long-coveted International Detective of the Year award, it’s supposed to be a secret. But within hours, it seems all of Delhi knows – and his indomitable Mummy-ji announces she’ll be coming with him to the ceremony in London, never mind that she’s not been invited.

To add to his woes, a senior government bureaucrat gives him an undercover mission he can’t refuse. Puri is tasked with tracking down India’s most-wanted fugitive: a billionaire pharmaceutical fraudster codenamed Bombay Duck, who’s rumoured to be hiding in the British capital.

Puri’s only spending a week in London . . . and he’s already promised his wife he won’t work during their once-in-a-lifetime trip. In desperation, he enlists the help of his reluctant nephew Jags and dives headfirst into the case. But can Puri hook the Bombay Duck and bring him to justice – all the while keeping his investigations secret from his wife and meddling mother?

Packed with the sights, sounds and flavours of both New Delhi and London, author Tarquin Hall – who divides his time between India and the UK – delivers an irresistible read for fans of Alexander McCall Smith, Harini Nagendra and Jesse Sutanto."


Available in April!



I've had a lifelong love of dollhouses and miniatures, so the title of this book immediately caught my attention. Then I read the synopsis and knew I had to read it.

Synopsis: "Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses.

After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, hidden history, but also a future for herself—and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women."


Available in May!



Brendan Slocumb is another author who's rapidly become a favorite. A talented violinist, his mysteries are filled with music and the Black experience. 

Synopsis: "Curtis Wilson is a cello prodigy, growing up in the Southeast D.C. projects with a drug dealer for a father. But through determination and talent, and the loving support of his father’s girlfriend, Larissa, Curtis claws his way out of his challenging circumstances and rises to unimagined heights in the classical music world—even soloing with the New York Philharmonic.

And then, suddenly, his life disintegrates. His father, Zippy, turns state evidence, implicating his old bosses to the FBI. Now the family—Curtis included—must enter the witness protection program if they want to survive. This means Curtis must give up the very thing he loves most: sharing his extraordinary musical talents with the world. When Zippy’s bosses prove too elusive for law enforcement to convict them, Curtis, Zippy, and Larissa realize that their only chance of survival is to take on the cartel themselves. They must create new identities and draw on their unique talents, including Curtis’s musical ability, to go after the people who want them dead. But will it be enough to keep Curtis and his family alive?"


Available in June!



This is another series that I love, combining mysteries, thrills, history, archaeology, and one of my favorite places: New Mexico.

Synopsis: "In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods. 

Is it suicide or… sacrifice? 

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price. "


Available in July!



Yet another favorite series that I've loved from the very first book. Bruno and all his friends are part of my fictional family now. I've learned so much about southwestern France from Walker, and-- like Tarquin Hall's Vish Puri series-- these books are perfect foodie mysteries!

Synopsis: "When Bruno stumbles upon a motionless figure in a car parked at a scenic overpass on the ridge of the Vézère valley, he’s ready to investigate. Inside, he finds a suicide note and the dead body of Monique, a successful businesswoman who rented châteaus to wealthy expats. It seems like an open-and-shut case.

But Bruno can’t shake the feeling that something sinister lurks underneath this tidy narrative. After he delivers Monique’s final messages to those most important to her, malicious gossip about Bruno begins to spread through the village. One thing leads to another, and soon Bruno faces pressure to resign from the job. Despite this disturbing turn of events, Bruno remains Bruno, never one to turn down a fine meal with good company in the French countryside. In the course of inquiry, he meets Laura—and her dog, which happens to be the same breed as his beloved basset hound. As sparks fly and Bruno realizes just how much he has at stake, he races to find out what really happened to Monique, before he loses his badge, his new love—or something even worse."


Now... I know some of these books are already on your wish lists, but did I manage to add one or two more? Inquiring minds would love to know!
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Monday, February 03, 2025

An Excellent Thing in A Woman by Allison Montclair

 
First Line: Archie was dead, to begin with.

Gwen Bainbridge's beau, Salvatore "Sally" Danielli, has taken a job at the BBC Studios at Alexandra Palace, but when one of the Parisian performers for a new variety show is found dead in the theater, several inconvenient coincidences make Sally the prime suspect. 

Fortunately, Sally has two women determined to prove his innocence. Just days earlier, the dead woman had arrived at The Right Sort Marriage Bureau looking for a husband--any husband-- to avoid returning to Paris. As Gwen Bainbridge and Iris Sparks begin to search for answers, Sparks finds ties to the secret world she left behind when World War II ended. 

Once again, these two indomitable women find themselves searching for a killer.


~

Allison Montclair's Sparks & Bainbridge historical series continues to be one of my favorites. The growth of the main characters is wonderful, and An Excellent Thing in a Woman continues to let readers share in the lives of two strong, intelligent, and witty women.

Another thing I love about this series is the attention to detail. I really get a feel for post-World War II London. In this latest installment, readers get a behind-the-scenes look at the BBC Studios, and when Gwen buys a television, we see how that one item immediately begins to impact our lives.

The Official Secrets Act also plays a part in the book. Sparks' work during the war ties into the murder of the French woman, and trying to solve the crime isn't easy when she's signed documents stating that she's not allowed to mention anything she did during the war.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series. This is the third murdered client of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, and I think the author is going to shake things up in book eight. Bring it on! 

An Excellent Thing in a Woman by Allison Montclair
eISBN: 9781448312382
Severn House © 2025
eBook, 211 pages

Historical Mystery, #7 Sparks & Bainbridge
Rating: A
Source: Net Galley
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Thursday, January 30, 2025

A Technologically Annoyed Weekly Link Round-Up

 


Things have been going so well here at Casa Kittling. Denis is feeling (and moving around) better. We've both been rejuvenated by our trip to the zoo, and we're already talking about going to the Desert Botanical Garden next Thursday when the weather has made promises that it will be gorgeous and warm.

Naturally, some gremlin had to throw a monkey wrench at my head to darken my mood.

What happened? Well, I purchased H&R Block tax software from Amazon as I have done for several years. I got the email, followed the instructions, went to H&R Block's activation page so I could download and install the software, filled in all the blanks, and... nothing.

After several attempts, I called the H&R Block support number. All that did was make me see 200 shades of red. An automated voice told me exactly what I'd already read and done from the email and from Amazon. Could I speak to an actual human? Of course not! So I'm stuck with a nonrefundable purchase that I can't use.  Grrr! Somehow, I'm going to get that software downloaded and installed, blast it! I refuse to lose!

I'm still managing to smile, and I hope y'all are reading some good books that take you away from your worries. I have read two A+ books back-to-back, and am almost finished with another good'un. 

I may not be including a raft of book banning links, but that doesn't mean I'm not keeping an eye on things and putting in my two cents where possible.


Enjoy the links!


►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄



►The Wanderer◄

►Fascinating Folk◄

►I ♥ Lists◄

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!
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