As early as World War I 'glow in the dark' gauges and watch dials became vital to soldiers. These were manufactured by painting the faces of the devices with compounds containing the radioactive element radium.
Clock with radium dial
At the time, the dangers of fissionable elements was unknown, and - in fact - radium was touted as a boon to good looks and good health.
Radium was touted as a boon to health
After the war - in the 1920s - large factories sprang up to feed the growing demand for the gauges, watches, and 'wellness products' containing radium. The two companies at the center of this story are the United States Radium Corporation (USRC) of New Jersey, and the Radium Dial Company of Ottawa, Illinois.
Building that housed the United States Radium Corporation
The factories paid well, and young women flocked to work there. During training, the girls were told to put the delicate paintbrushes in their mouths between applications - to form a fine tip. This 'lip, dip, paint.....lip, dip, paint' went on all day, every day - for weeks, months, years. Sadly, the girls were slowly poisoning themselves with radium - but they didn't know it.
Women painting dial faces with radium
Women were told to 'lip, dip, paint'
Unlike nuclear fallout, which causes severe radiation burns (and often death) rather quickly, radium works subtly and slowly. Because radium is chemically similar to calcium, it replaces that element in the bones. The radium builds up over time, until the bones literally fall apart. Moreover, the radioactivity emitted damages other tissues and organs.
As a result, several years after they started working at the watch factories, the 'radium girls' began to fall ill, exhibiting some of the most horrendous symptoms imaginable. Often, the women would lose their teeth first, then their jaw bones would rot - resulting in holes in the palate and face.
Sketch of radium damage to the jaw
Woman whose jaw was damaged by radium
Frequently, the victims developed limps, and - in one case - a woman's legs became permanently crossed, so she couldn't walk. Tumors might develop, sometimes so large that the patient was confined to bed - in unendurable pain.
The autopsy of one dead victim showed fractured ribs, holes in the skull, and necrosis (cell death) in the skull vault, pelvis, and many other bones. In fact, there were widespread skeletal changes throughout the body.
Some radium girls - if they were able to conceive - suffered miscarriages. And those women who had children were often too sick and weak to care for them.
Radium girls couldn't care for their children
In addition, there was always the danger of secondary infections, like pneumonia. Sadly, radium poisoning is not curable and - especially back then - effective treatments were unknown. Thus many of these women died terrible deaths. And most of them were in their twenties!
Radium poisoning was a death sentence
Perhaps the worst thing of all, the companies knew radium was dangerous and hid this fact from everyone. In fact, company honchos out and out lied, advertising radium as healthful....'it'll put roses in your cheeks.'
Advertisement for radium face cream
"The Radium Girls" focuses on several young women who fought back against the watch companies, suing for compensation and medical bills. In an author's note, Kate Moore explains that previous books on the subject focused on the legal and scientific aspects of the cases. Moore, on the other hand, wanted to showcase "real women standing up for their rights with strength, dignity, and courage" - and she does an admirable job.
Moore thoroughly researched her subject, and unearthed many details about the lives of the affected women. The author captures their excitement at landing 'good jobs'' in the watch plants; the fashionable clothes they purchased with their salaries; the men they dated - and the fun they had. The girls were thrilled that their clothing, covered with radium-containing dust, would shine in the night.....making a spectacular impression on everyone around.
Some adventurous gals even decorated their nails and lips with the radium paint. In retrospect, of course, this was a terrible idea! Moore goes on to write about the young ladies' betrothals and marriages..... and then the inevitable devastation to parents, siblings, husbands (and sometimes children) when their bodies fell apart.
When some of the victims banded together to file lawsuits against USRC and Radium Dial, the legal machinations by the factories - who adamantly denied responsibility for the girls' illnesses - were so devious, underhanded, and downright disgusting that the factory owners deserve a place in the lowest depths of hell (figuratively speaking).
Victims of radium poisoning supported each other
The radium companies co-opted dentists, doctors, lawyers, so-called experts, factory managers, and so on - to cheat, lie, and steal. In one case, a physician swiped the jawbone of a girl being autopsied, so it couldn't be tested for radium poisoning. When the companies were found liable in court - and ordered to pay compensation to the sick women - they appealed again and again and again....in one case, all the way to the Supreme Court. Of course all this dragged on for many years, and it seems the radium companies were hoping the women would die.
This book was very distressing to read - so disturbing In fact, that I had to take periodic breaks. The dismissive and uncaring stance of the guilty parties is almost incomprehensible, and they did it all for profit! And later on, when the companies were ordered to clean up the defunct factory sites, which seethed with radioactivity, they refused (or contributed a token few dollars). Unbelievable!
Since this is history, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the valiant battle of the brave women outlined in this story resulted in changes to the laws, and stronger safeguards for employees in the workplace.
This is a sad but fascinating story. The book is thorough, well-written, and compelling, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
Rating: 4.5 stars
The story is told by more than ten characters, which can get confusing. Luckily, I listened to the audio version of the novel, which is read by several people. Thus each of the book's narrators speaks with a different tone and accent - which helped me keep them separate in my mind.
The tale centers around the English town of Beckford, which lies beside a meandering river. The waterway is a popular attraction for swimming, fishing, and pleasant walks (or runs) along its banks. However, one particular bend in the river, called 'the drowning pool', is an ominous spot - especially for women. Overlooked by cliffs, the drowning pool has seen its share of suicides and murders of the fairer sex. This began centuries ago, when the pool was used to drown (alleged) witches.
As the story opens, Beckford's drowning pool has seen two recent tragedies. A pretty, high school girl named Katie Whittaker drowned herself a few weeks ago; and a woman named Nel Abbott - the mother of Katie's friend Lena - apparently jumped to her death a few days ago.
All the locals mourn young Katie, but Nel.....not so much. Nel had been writing a book about the many tragedies at the drowning pool, and the townsfolk don't appreciate having this 'dirty laundry' exposed.
In the wake of Nel's death, her estranged sister Jules returns to Beckford to look after Lena (Nel's daughter). Jules has been angry at Nel since an incident in their youth, and rarely saw or spoke to her sister. Nevertheless, Jules now appears to have a psychic connection with Nel, who seems to be telling her, 'I didn't jump.'
In any event, Nel's death is being investigated by Detective Sean Townsend and his new partner, Detective Erin Morgan.
This could be a tricky situation for Sean because his mother, Lauren, committed suicide at the drowning pool when he was a small child. Moreover, there are indications that Sean - a married man - had a personal connection with Nel.
The book is a multiple mystery that leads the reader to wonder, "What the hell is going on in Beckford? Why are all these females dead?" As various characters try to eke out the truth, clues are provided by an elderly, hippie seer named Nickie Sage.....who speaks in mysterious riddles.
A multitude of colorful characters add interest to the book, including: Robbie - Nel's old high school boyfriend, who's a heartthrob in his own eyes; Helen - Sean's plain-looking wife, who's principal of the high school; Mark Henderson - a handsome teacher on Helen's faculty; Patrick - Sean's father, a rough-hewn retired cop whom you cross at your own peril; Louise - Katie's mother, who's distraught about her daughter's death, and looking for someone to blame; Josh - Katie's little brother, who knows a secret; and more.
Turns out Beckford is an insular, secretive town whose citizens engage in a lot of inappropriate behavior. This can have unpleasant - even dire - consequences. By the book's end, we learn all about why the various ladies lost their lives - and some of the reasons are hard to believe. But it's a novel after all.
I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to fans of mystery/thrillers. Keep in mind, though, that the story gets complicated and requires close attention. So.....not a casual read for the beach.
Rating: 3.5 stars
This is the third book in Nancy Grace's 'Hailey Dean' mystery series. Most people probably know Nancy Grace from her former television show on HLN, where she discussed serious crimes.....and skewered the (alleged) perps. Nancy's main character, Hailey Dean, has a lot in common with the author.
*****
Character background: Hailey Dean went into law enforcement after her fiancé, Will, was murdered shortly before their wedding. Hailey was devastated, and was driven to get justice for crime victims. Hailey was a hard-hitting, successful prosecutor in Atlanta for a decade before she moved to New York and hung her counseling shingle on a brownstone in Greenwich Village.
The story: In Savannah, Georgia, Todd Adams is being tried for the murder of his nine-months-pregnant wife, Lucie Love-Adams.
Todd claimed to be fishing off Tybee Island when Julie went missing on Christmas Eve and - coincidentally?? - the bodies of Julie and the baby washed up on that very island. Moreover, photos prove that cheating Todd went to a Christmas Eve party with a pretty blonde in a red strapless dress. (Remind you of the real life case of Scott and Laci Peterson?)
At the request of the Savannah district attorney Hailey is flying down to profile Todd's behavior and to testify at his trial. Hailey is met at the airport by her good friend, and former professional partner/investigator, Garland Fincher (Finch). Finch is a tall, black, buff ex-marine, who arrested Todd for the murders of his wife and child.
As Finch is driving Hailey to her hotel they hear an urgent dispatch about a dead body, and detour to offer their help. At the death scene Hailey and Finch observe several uniformed police and a corpse that's been nearly cut in half by a garage door. When Detective Chase Billings arrives he and the other cops seem to agree that it's an accidental death. However, Hailey convinces them it's a homicide and proceeds to enmesh herself in the investigation.
The victim is identified as Alton Turner, a desk cop at the courthouse/Sheriff's Department - who's in charge of prisoner transport.
The Alton Turner death was called in to 911 by Miss Kacynthia Sikes, an older woman who gets gussied up in a trendy workout suit every morning, brushes out her long red hair, and power walks around nice neighborhoods. The purpose of Kacynthia's exercise is twofold: to maintain her slim figure and to meet eligible gentlemen.
As it happens, Kacynthia was a 'Penthouse Pet' in 1969 and 1975, and she mentions this in every conservation, including the 911 call she makes after spotting Alton's body. This is all pretty hilarious.....a bit of comic relief.
At the Adams trial the next day, Hailey starts to worry about the state convicting Todd Adams. The prosecuting attorney is kind of a quiet wimp.....while the defense attorney is a loud showman who knows every trick in the book. And you never know what a jury will do!
Pretty soon Hailey gets tangled up with another courthouse death. A strikingly pretty courthouse calendar clerk, Elle Odom, drops dead during lunch with a bunch of jurors. Courthouse whispers suggest Elle had a stroke or heart attack but Hailey suspects murder - and plans to prove it.
Luckily for Hailey, there are plenty of breaks in the Adams trial, which gives her a chance to investigate the Turner and Odom deaths. Hailey visits relevant sites, talks to people, Googles for information, and so on. Hailey consults with Detective Billings during her inquiries.....and sparks ignite between the pair.
On the downside, someone doesn't like Hailey nosing around, and pushes her in front of a bus.
As if there's not enough drama at the courthouse, wildlife-loving clerk Cecil Snodgrass - who helped Hailey with some business at the lost and found - 'wins' a golden ticket to Gator Land. Cecil happily takes a day off to go.....which isn't a great idea. (Doesn't Cecil know it's sketchy when you win a contest you didn't enter? LOL)
All this leads to a dramatic climax where all the book's crimes are solved. I really liked this part, which has a nice twist.
The book is very atmospheric, and I got a good sense of Savannah as the characters drive around, look at historic structures, smell the breeze, gaze at the scenery, eat in nice restaurants, and so on. In fact there's a little too much of this. For example, Snodgrass's day at Gator Land is so detailed that I felt like I was reading the theme park guide (though I'm now all up on feeding gators and shopping in the Gator Land gift store. Ha ha ha).
Nevertheless, I liked the book's 'ambiance' - and appreciated the bits of humor in the story. I laughed out loud when Finch was muttering non-stop about a 'mistake' he made....though no one was paying attention to him.
All in all, this is an engaging mystery that I'd recommend to fans of the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Nancy Grace), and the publisher (BenBella Books) for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Matt Hunter is doing fine until he accidentally kills a fellow college student during a drunken brawl and goes to prison for 4 years.
Now, 9 years after his release Matt is happily married to Olivia, expecting a baby, working as a paralegal, and looking to buy a house in his New Jersey home town.
He's also a big support to his sister-in-law Marsha and his nephews since his brother recently died.
And then Matt's life starts to unravel. A mysterious nun - with ties to Las Vegas - is murdered, and it's found she recently made a phone call to Marsha's house. While Olivia is at a conference in Boston Matt receives photos from her phone showing her dressed as a hooker in the company of a black-haired man, but Olivia denies everything.
Matt tracks down the black-haired man - also from Las Vegas - who soon turns up dead.
As the dead bodies pile up local investigators as well as FBI agents from Las Vegas look to Matt, the ex-con, as a likely suspect.
Determined not to go back to prison Matt embarks on his own investigation, but everyone in this story has secrets to keep and Matt and his family are soon in danger. There are a lot of characters in the book - parents, thugs, strippers, law enforcement agents, private detectives, family, friends, etc. - which can be confusing, but most are decently enough developed.
The story is a page-turner as we go from the quiet streets of the suburbs to the roiling sex clubs of Las Vegas. Some of the twists in the story are telegraphed but I didn't anticipate all the surprises toward the end. All in all a good read.
Rating: 3 stars
